PV Finished Unexpected Hero Flash Holmwood

Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean

As they were walking Eun-ji listened to Flash talking about duelling and Quidditch, nodding her head in understanding here and there. “I suppose that makes sense. I think for me duelling always seemed more exciting and also because I do ballet I simply never wanted to do a sport that requires you to be that high in the air.” She paused there for a second. “I’m honestly not sure why the idea of broken bones scares me more than spells being hurdled at you. Perhaps because I’m more confident in my spell casting than my flying abilities?” That was probably the biggest reason, although she suspected there were others less logical explanations behind it. “I’m a perfectionist though and I like to take my time with things so I was always worried about the quick decisions aspect. Ravenclaw is doing well…I would hate being a hindrance to the team.” The witch admitted finally. She was still considering signing up but it was difficult to make up her mind. Duelling was a huge commitment after all.

Talking about classes was much easier for her. Eun-ji was quite confident about her strengths and knew her weaknesses when it came to classes. She only had to depend on herself there and she was the only person she had to fight in order to succeed. That, she could do. Defense Against the Dark Arts or Transfiguration…that is a difficult one. But since he said he is wary of dangerous spells, perhaps he was just happy to learn how to protect himself against them? "Actually, if you mean the class I most enjoy attending... I think Herbology." The witch perked up upon hearing him say that, forgetting the stairs momentarily and tripping a little. Thankfully, she had a great support and she was probably too light to throw anyone off balance. “아이씨 정신차려” Ah…pull yourself together. She muttered under her breath. She tended to slip into Korean whenever she got surprised or angry. “Sorry…I got distracted. I’m not usually this clumsy.” That much was true. She was pretty graceful under normal circumstances. “It’s just…That’s one of my favourites too.” She said with a bashful smile. “I think Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts are my strongest subjects but I like Herbology and Potions the best. I think it might have something to do with the fact that my mother works as a healer at St. Mungo’s. I used to hang out there quite a lot and she used to show me all kinds of potions, which I found fascinating.” Her mother apparently thought Eun-ji had a gift for healing magic as well although it was too soon to say. It was true that she always understood how that particular magic worked quite quickly though. “Also recently, I came to adore the Care of Magical Creatures but that one I already expected to like. Animals were always dear to my heart so…” She smiled fondly, remembering her fluffy dog at home. She just hoped she was doing okay.

The Ravenclaw usually didn’t struggle like this when it came to the spiral stair case. Years of ballet practice helped her climb without too much effort but today it would take her much longer for sure. This meant the two had plenty time for a conversation and Eun-ji found that she didn’t mind in the slightest. She was worried about the fact that Flash seemed so interesting to her. For someone that promised herself not to make any new friends at Hogwarts, she was awfully eager to learn more about this particular stranger. At least he was Slytherin. Her grandparents would be happy about that, right? Should they talk in the future of course… This could have very well been their only bigger encounter. He sounds like a Ravenclaw though. The girl truly felt it was a shame he didn’t get sorted into her house as he seemed perfect for it. Not that she thought Slytherin students weren’t smart and eager to learn but still… “Do you take any elective courses this year?” She asked curiously.

Flash listened with a dutiful ear, memorizing her perspective and forming a profile. Her thoughts on dueling in comparison to Quidditch were not entirely uncommon. Of the many students attending Hogwarts, only a small amount made it into the actual school teams, even representing them in international competitions over summer. To make it in, one needed more than a passing fancy in them, it was the culmination and ultimate test of spellcasting and flying, though with the advent of broom racing becoming an official sport, there was now more to it than that.

"I see. You certainly need to accept a few broken bones to play Quidditch. Flying has always been available to me, so it's like second nature now." He briefly remembered the moment not too long ago during summer when he nearly plummeted from a far-too-high drop, and how lucky he was Sylvain had saved him at the last moment. Even after that, he did not fear the sky, no more than he feared walking after having tripped. "Not that I aim to bend your arm, but I think there is no better way to improve than to throw yourself into something. It's difficult at first, but you learn quickly. That is, as long as you want to improve your quick thinking. If the only thing holding you back is the thought that you'll be a hinderance, then you must imagine every good duelist was slow once. Only participating itself will hone the skill."

It wasn't like Flash to be so verbose. Even when engaged in conversation, his answers were usually short and without much embellishment or emotion. Perhaps it was because he was so spirited about the subject, or perhaps it was because he thought Eun-ji would actually want to hear his opinion. He'd be uncharacteristically self-conscious once the words spilled out, unsure if he had presumed too much.

As he continued on another subject, she stumbled slightly, giving him pause to raise his other had in anticipation of catching her. She wouldn't need it, saying something indiscernible under her breath before apologizing as they moved on. Had it been in another language? Rather than break the flow of conversation, he'd let the moment pass as though it hadn't happened. He would instead focus on her own answer, his pensive face regaining another smile. "Really?"

She went on to describe a part of her life-- her mother, and time that she spent with her at St. Mungo's. It was funny, now that he knew that, he wondered if his own healing had been adequate, if she had been raised by a professional. It was too late to have misgivings though, and she hadn't complained. "I see. That's interesting... you two must be close." As always, his active imagination had him envisioning what it must have been like, wondering how those days in the hospital were spent. Saying that the potions 'fascinated' her made it seem like they must have been happy memories.

To her next words however, Flash nearly had to double-take, his easy smile turning into more of a mirthful smirk. "Well it looks like we finally disagree on something." He didn't really like to outright admit it, since it was almost universally seen as a negative attribute, but these days he was trying to be a bit more genuine, even if it was a bit unflattering. At the very least, he did not have to go into too much detail. "I've never met an animal I liked."

As they approached a spiral staircase, there was a bit more precise maneuvering needed for them both to scale it at the same time. They would go slightly slowly, stepping carefully as the discussion continued. "Yes, Divination and Ancient Runes."

Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean

"Hmm...You make some good points. I'll think about it some more then. Who knows... Perhaps you'll see me on that rooster after all." The Ravenclaw team was full as far as she knew so she would be wait listed anyway but signing up was still a big step for her. She should think it through again as she rested. She would have plenty time to do so now.

Eun-ji was quite talkative once they started talking about classes but there was a small pause when Flash asked about her mother. The Ravenclaw cursed herself about revealing such personal information despite promising herself she wouldn't. In the past, she would have said yes immediately even if they scarcely saw each other. Now...it was... complicated. Eun-ji knew her mother loved her dearly and she felt the same most of the time but recently there were other feelings lingering under the surface. Much darker ones. Their relationship was tainted by her maternal grandparents reappearing and by Eleanor's unwillingness to do anything about it. She ran away from home when she was a teen herself yet still had no problem throwing her daughter to the wolves. It was not necessary to tell any of that to Flash though..."Yes...she taught me well." The girl finally answered. He would be hardly interested in her messed up situation at home anyway. They only just met.

Upon her later mention of professor Eide’s class the two finally found some difference between them. "Really? I find that hard to believe. What kind of animals have you been surrounding yourself with and could you introduce them to my cat? I think he would fit right in," she huffed in amusement. Eun-ji used to distrust people who didn't like animals. She respected those with allergies and fears but she couldn't understand why someone didn't like them. Obviously, this was because her world was simply built differently. The witch had harder time understanding humans than animals at times and she has met far more unlikable people than animals as well hence her love for the latter. If nothing else, at least they were honest. Not everyone at Hogwarts shared her sentiment however. At first, she was quite surprised and it took her two whole years to realize such notion was not quite as uncommon among other students as she would expect. Now, Eun-ji knew plenty individuals that didn't like them and she also learned it didn't always make them bad people. That's precisely why she was able to joke about it now. Unless they were particularly mean about said opinion. In such case, Eun-ji preferred to take a step or two back. Thankfully, Flash didn't strike her like that kind of person. "I bet you would like Morgana though. She is lovely but she is also a dog and therefore not allowed in here." She shrugged. It still bothered her a bit but she knew that's how things were and there was nothing she could do to change it. "Here is your chance to pretend to be disappointed." The witch smiled after conquering few more steps. He was brave to admit this particular piece of information to someone who clearly loved animals and she had no intention of being unpleasant about it. The honesty was much appreciated.

All in all Eun-ji was glad the boy didn't take the Care of Magical Creatures as an elective. If he didn't like animals now, what would he think after meeting the truly dangerous ones? "Oh? I'm taking Divination as well." To be perfectly honest Eun-ji wasn't sure why. The future reading aspect of it intrigued her of course but it was not something she thought of until this year. It was also the only class she was genuinely terrified to take. Future reading seemed fun in theory but in reality, she was afraid of the answers. It was also a branch of magic that required at least some degree of talent. If you had none, the books wouldn't help you. "The professor scares me a little though. I mean...I appreciate that he tries to keep the chaos at bay but he also makes me not want to ask any questions..." The witch sighed. She never understood why adults that so obviously hated teaching kids took the job in the first place. "I do like to ask questions..." Did she sound like a nerd to Flash? Well, she was one she supposed and she was a Ravenclaw so it couldn't have been that unexpected.

Flash let out a small sigh as she accepted his point of view. He should have been beyond the fear that his words wouldn't be taken seriously, what with how many people he convinced to do as he said on a regular basis. Sometimes casually manipulating people felt like nothing, like a matter of pushing people in the 'right' direction, where others felt serious, like they would imply something about him. Perhaps it was specifically because he was not trying to convince her, or had no stake in whether she joined or not. It would not give him a better reputation, nor would it make Slytherin more likely to win. He was merely... expressing his own opinions. How terrifying.

Flash would notice that his comment about her mother did not result in enthusiastic agreeance. When he talked to Willow about her parents, she would gush about how much she loved them and had not long after meeting each other asked Flash to come spend time at her house with them. He had even started receiving letters from them these days as though he was a child of their own. Eun-ji, though she had just spoken of spending a great deal of time at her mother's workplace, could only muster gratitude in being taught. Flash would only nod, not prying further. Family was not a subject he would ever push on, and if anyone had asked him to elaborate, he would have shot it down like he had so many times in the past. Such deep familiarity bred complex relationships, ones that were hard to untangle and share.

It seemed she took his distaste in animals in stride, though it also appeared as though she was dubious about the claim. Flash would look at the ceiling, twist his mouth in thought as to what he should say, how he should put it. There was a dance in conversation, truth, tone, and courtesy were parts of it. It would be a shame to ruin an otherwise delightful conversation with a bitter rant, yet he wanted to represent himself correctly lest there be misunderstandings down the line.

"Everyone's pets of course, I've been attacked and had my property destroyed." He said, keeping the details brief. "Besides that, I've wasted hours of my youth caring for horses. They're a tremendous amount of work, and won't even give a single word of thanks."

He hoped the short explanation would still remain light as he made a joke of it. Still, in his mind the concern was serious. He hardly knew why anyone domesticated animals anymore, rather than let them remain in the realm of the wild. Previously, horses were used to assist in things human kind could not do itself as efficiently, such as run plows or travel long distance. Now, his family was buying and selling thoroughbreds mostly for breed recognition and to be the fastest one running around a circle. If they broke a limb, they became useless and were killed. Meanwhile, he had to muck the stalls and clean pebbles out of their hooves. They were just dangerous, badly smelling property.

Flash would pause, recollecting the rest of the words she said, "Wait... your cat?" He'd add, palpable nervousness in the question. While he disliked most animals equally, cats had been the greatest burden of his at Hogwarts. It seemed like everyone in his dorm had one, and like they all hated him.

She continued afterwards, proclaiming that her dog at home would be the exception to the rule. Optimistic for sure, he had also needed to care for his brother's pack of foxhounds over the summer and found them no less taxing a burden than the horses. They pushed and jumped, barked loudly and forced themselves beyond his personal boundaries by getting in his face. Really, he had next to no good experiences with animals besides respecting the ones that left him alone.

He'd be taken off guard once again when she made a spot-on joke, alleviating some of the tension herself. Flash would nearly double over in light laughter, the distaste of his remembered experiences feeling like they vanished in a second. She was truly gifted at making him feel unburdened, despite the fact he was literally holding her up.

"To be honest, the fact you find her so exceptional makes me curious." Not that his curiosity had done him many favors, but he had a natural craving for investigation. Bold claims were the most enticing of all.

When she mentioned she was also taking Divination, a light clicked on behind his eyes. "That must be it, we must have Divination class together." She continued, beginning to discuss the class and Flash listened to her words attentively. "I see. Well... in that case, you ought to sit at my side. I'll make sure he attends to even the smallest inquiry you have."

It wasn't an empty offer, Flash had a complicated relationship for authority to be sure, but as an entitled English scion from birth, he had no qualms with demanding that people do their jobs properly. He also had faced so much worse than and angry or impatient professor. They would need to grow extra arms and start attacking and cursing him if they wanted to cease his insistence.

Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean

Eun-ji huffed in slight amusement at his joke about ungrateful horses. She appreciated his effort to lighten up the conversation. Still, it was painfully obvious how serious he was. At least he has his reasons. She could see why he would come to dislike animals if he had unpleasant interactions with other people’s pets and if he was forced to work with horses from a very young age. She never got to take care of one but she was sure they were plenty of work and if you did not do it on your own volition, it would be pretty annoying to say the least. So yes, she understood to some extent but it was still hard to get behind it one hundred percent. She always believed humans were at fault most of the time and she thought many of his experiences stemmed from that as well. There was usually reason behind any bad pet behaviour and the owners should have figured it out or at least have the decency to not let them act on it. Eun-ji knew this far too well. Mordred had issues when she first got him but she worked hard to fix that and she made sure he never hurt anyone before that happened. The whole thing with horses was also the parents' mistake. They shouldn’t have forced him to help if he didn’t want to. He should have gotten the opportunity to do so on his own terms. It was not her place to tell him this however and so she let it go. It was probably not a conversation they should have the first time they met.

"Wait... your cat?" Ah…so he wasn’t especially fond of cats. That much was common even among people that liked animals so she wasn’t too surprised. It was true that they could be very stubborn and unpredictable. “Yes, his name is Mordred but don’t worry, I’m not going around, flaunting him at people. I was originally going to buy an owl but this guy decided he wanted to go home with me. Apparently, nobody else seemed interested for the longest time so I took him. He was a bit difficult but I’d like to believe I taught him well.” She knew she did but Flash probably wouldn’t care too much if he disliked cats. “I usually keep him away from people though. I don’t like forcing my pet on strangers unless they specifically ask if they can approach him so you are safe with that one at least.” The witch explained. She did the same with Morgana, who was much more friendly. The girl never assumed anybody would be thrilled to have her around especially since she was a big dog and could look quite intimidating. It seemed like she was much preferable choice for the Slytherin though. Whether it was truly her words or the fact that they would most likely never meet, she wasn’t sure. Nevertheless, it was nice to hear.

“I like to think she is. Even my grandmother that never liked animals grew quite fond of her. She is smart and strangely good at reading people and their emotions. She gives people space but always seems to know when to approach them as well? Quick to learn too and incredibly patient.” Her dad always said the phrase "Like Owner, Like Dog" especially applied to them but Eun-ji wasn’t sure that was the case. She honestly thought Morgana often did a better job than she did. Flash probably wouldn’t believe that either though. He seemed to have far too many unpleasant memories to think of any animal that highly. “These things are not something you can change easily but I sincerely hope you meet at least one animal you come to like in life.” It felt like learning first hand that not all animals are bad could ease his mind a little about this particular aversion. Eun-ji didn’t think hers or anybody else’s words would be enough to sway him at this point and it was not her place to do so anyway.

“Oh…I see. That might be it,” she agreed once they got to the Divination topic. Eun-ji was sure this conversation would be much more pleasant than their previous one. She just didn’t expect it would be THAT good. “Really? You would do that?” She immediately perked up at his offer. It was somewhat bizarre that this sentence made her so impressed. One would assume him treating her wound would be the tip of the iceberg and she was truly grateful for that but somehow this was what made her heart flutter. Something must have been seriously wrong with her brain. “I would have asked where you left your white horse but I’m pretty sure the answer is you left it at the stable and you are very happy about it.” She chuckled quietly. Yeah her definition of knight in shining armour was apparently very different from the ones described in fairy tales. “I might have a lot of inquires though…are you sure you can handle that?” She asked with a smile. Oh…perhaps that was not the best thing to say. “Not to the point of being annoying though I promise. I’d like to believe I don’t ask any pointless questions and I like to do my own research too of course.”

As Eun-ji started to describe her cat, as to address Flash's clear concern, he found himself smiling as she spoke. Normally he kept a straight face by intention, only showing what he wanted people to see. He didn't usually catch himself in the middle of already expressing himself. He liked how she explained herself, how she used the disagreement as a means to better understand one another, rather than some kind of challenge to her ego. He didn't attempt to subdue the feeling it gave him, he could tell he liked her.

"Actually, you know, I think you've illuminated a bias of mine." Flash said, as they were reaching the landing at the top of the stairs. "The sample of animals that I've known... most were trained by irresponsible children. It's not really fair to blame the animal when the owner has failed it."

As she described her dog in such loving detail, Flash's smile grew and grew. From his stomach, laughter forced its way out of him involuntarily. Was it normal to laugh when something made you happy? "You have to be lying. This dog sounds too perfect."

Then, she ended it by saying she 'sincerely hoped' his mind would be changed. It was strange, it was something he was altogether used to. He didn't have many people actively trying to convince him to change his mind, or at least not in such a Socratic way. He started to wonder what other thought and opinions she had, whether she would continue to surprise him. "One is such a low bar, I'm sure I can manage at least that."

As they got closer to their last stop, there was only the discussion of their class together that kept then from continuing. Clearly neither of them wanted to escape the other in any rush. When she brightened up after his offer, Flash at last would blush. He would have offered such a thing easily to anyone, yet to her it seemed like something special. For him, it was a way of buying her gratitude. While he had been ashamed of it in the past, he now knew that he loved to be paid attention to and fawned over. Once he found someone he liked, he would do anything to keep them.

"Yes." He'd say. As she cracked another joke, he'd laugh. "Come on-" More laughter. "Yes!" His laughter quieted slowly, her complaints turning to defensiveness. "You need not worry. If for any reason I find a question of yours unsuitable, we can discuss it. I'm willing to hear your case."

He would play it off with another joke, hopefully also reassuring her that he was unafraid of following through with his offer. They couldn't avoid the fact that at this point, Flash could not walk any further. He would point to the door.

"I had better go before you do the riddle." If she was ready, he'd help her stand on her own before starting to descend the steps again. "I'll see you in class, Eun-ji."

Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean

Despite her injury and their different view on some things, Eun-ji found herself enjoying the long tower climb. It appeared she and Flash had much in common and when they weren't in agreement, they were able to talk through it. The witch especially liked the boy's willingness to listen to the other party without feeling attacked. She had found out many people were so dead set in their ways, they immediately became hostile once you came to question them. Flash did no such a thing and even sounded swayed by her words or at least intrigued. She didn't think her ideas would change the way he viewed animals today but he seemed to be open to change, which was a big deal.

"Ah...I do not like irresponsible owners either," she nodded in agreement. "One should not own a pet until they are ready for it. It's a disservice to the animals and to the other people as well." This she firmly believed. She knew how much time, dedication and patience pets needed. It took her years to raise her dog to behave so well. Although according to the breeder, she was already born with great temperament, which was a big help. The woman even said she was a good fit for canis therapy. Eun-ji was aware how amazing she made her dog sound but it was all true. She was willing to badmouth Mordred despite her love for him because he was flawed in some ways but her fluffy friend back home was just perfect to her. "As for Morgana...well you'll just have to trust my word I suppose, otherwise you would have to visit Chester." she said with a smile. She didn’t expect him to of course but how else would he know other than meeting the dog himself?

"One is such a low bar, I'm sure I can manage at least that." Flash said after her suggestion. "Hmm, I agree to disagree. I don’t think there is such a thing as a low bar when it comes to conquering your fears or strong dislikes. After all, the first step is always the hardest." Still perhaps Flash was simply more confident and brave than she was and therefore could tell if that expectation would be easy or not. They only just met so she couldn’t really tell.

As the pair got closer to their target destination, Eun-ji finally managed to make the boy blush as well. She wasn’t striving for it but she would lie if she said she didn’t feel a slight sense of victory. It felt unfair that he made her do it several times already. The witch was usually good at keeping her composure. Her smile widened even more as she made Flash laugh. It has been some time since she did that for someone. The witch was so gloomy recently that she didn’t even think to try. This boy was really getting under her skin. She promised herself not to make any new friends but she just had so much fun talking to him. It was rare for her to click with someone this easily. "Yeah…I should probably get some rest," she nodded once they reached the door, letting go of his arm…almost unwillingly. Pull yourself together young lady. "I’ll see you in class then…and...thank you again." She said, giving him one last smile before approaching the door. What would be the riddle this time?