By the Cover PV Xailah Finished

"Oh, you don't have to do that." She didn't like when people took over her responsibilities- but it wasn't like she was going to stop the boy. If he enjoyed making lists, then more power to him. "-unless you want to of course." She shrugged, her eyes now scanned the room for nothing in particular. She did feel bad, ever so slightly however- the boy was doing more work than she was. He appeared to be fooled by her false efforts of studying- or he simply did not care. He appeared to be content just with the fact that he had a book in his hands. What a strange boy.

Xailah found Pericles comment about the hags, quite intriguing."Interesting..." She would mutter. Nothing else would be said until he brought up the Headmaster. Now, she wasn't quite sure what to think of the schools Headmaster, but she was quite certain he wasn't a bad person. "Oh, I don't think he would let one ssstay here either- but you would be amazed at what mischief can go on, right in front of a person. Headmaster Lear has thousands of ssstudents to look after, one ssstepping out of line can easily go unnoticed. And I don't think the majority of ssstudents keep track of what is going on around them."

She raised a thinly plucked eyebrow. "Or they just don't care. Thats the sssad truth. Not their business, so why bother, you know?" Her lips pursed, as her eyebrows dropped into a more relaxed state. She watched the boy scribble down the name of the muggle book. "Thank you. I will look for it on my own time." By look for it, she mean't; I'll send a letter to my mother and father, so they can get it for me. A silence fell between the two children. She didn't find it awkward. Silence was silence; she had never understood the concept of an 'Uncomfortable Silence'.

She spent a lot of time in silence, so she wasn't exactly bothered by the lack of noise. If anything she was simply concerned, about how quickly a chatterbox of a boy, could be silenced.
She found his lack of anything to say, rather worrying- seeing he was spewing facts only moments ago. "Are you alright?" She placed another slip of parchment between the pages of the book she had, before gently closing it. "Does this upset you- because if it does, we can just ssstop here. I have no issue doing this by myself." She would be content with whatever this boys answer was. She had started this little mission on her own, and she would finish it on her own- if it came to that.

Peri looked up with a bounce of eyebrows, then an earnest smile, something light yet genuine. "It isn't any trouble," he insisted airily. "This is how I like to study. I'll go over a text, mark the best parts, and make a list so it's simple to read just what I need when it's time to actually learn. Making it easier for you to find is my way of helping." He spoke simply, as though this process were no more complicated for him than breathing air or combing his hair.

Further speculation on that hag had him listening raptly, lips fading for an unreadable line, eyes bright and expression much more "present" than previously. Headmaster Lear, with his gilded armor and booming voice, seemed like some superhuman figure. Yet Xailah spoke sense. The wizard was still just a human- as far as Peri knew- and many students were surely far too busy with their schoolwork to notice peculiar things such as this. It was a subtle reminder for the young perfectionist that he ought not be one of them, that he needed to take time to lift his head from his books and keep a keen eye on the world around him. What was more, he needed to break out of the mindset that the staff were omnipotent and he needed to be a model student at all times. "I hadn't thought of it that way..." came a wondering mutter, nigh a whisper, followed by a short pensive hum.

Pericles sunk deeper yet into thought. He mulled over the mysterious dolls, the potential hag on school grounds, the cryptic warnings. So steeped in contemplation seemed he that Xailah's question would register late. Belatedly blinking, lifting his head and resuming a softly surprised expression, Peri blurted "I'm delighted." He hesitated then, mouth quirking as he self-corrected "Not... not about the 'doom dolls', that is. I don't want anyone to be hurt." A corner of his lips curled for a crooked grin before the boy admitted "It's just terribly fascinating. Don't you think? Thank you, is I mean t'say, for letting me help. I do hope I haven't gone and sent you in the wrong direction."

You rock I just finished finals and am catching up on things, should be posting more frequently!

She peered over the slick black frames, of her glasses. Her eerie yellow gaze, lingering on her partner. The inky black pupils pulsed for a mere second, as if they possessed a mind of their own. She no longer knew what to think of the boy. He came across as naive, yet he somehow carried the strange aura of maturity. He confused her to say the least.

Her eyes narrowed into yellow crescent moons- contemplating, calculating. She clicked her tongue. "No its okay- I understand what you mean. Completely." A soft smile began creeping its way across her face. "People love things that are dark in nature. They can't help it, and many won't admit it." She shrugged, tapping a nearby book. "-If they didn't like morbid subjects, information on them wouldn't exist."

The smile began to fade, as quickly as it had appeared. "The dolls are dangerously fascinating." She folded her hands placing them on the table. She cocked her head to the side, scanning his Pericles face, with curious eyes. "Thank you for being nice enough to help me out- even if you only did it to pet Schrödinger." She would raise a gloved hand, if he were to deny the fact. "He's the only reason why anyone approaches me." She offered the younger boy a playful smile.

She grabbed the cats fuzzy, grey, paws, and pressed them together, making him look as if he was applauding. She cooed before adding; "I don't believe there sssuch a thing as a 'wrong direction'. So don't worry." She was fixated with the breathing lump of grey fur, at this point. "...Would you like to see the dolls?"

She peered up at the snowy-haired boy. As much as she wanted to avoid getting the boy involved in a situation that, could quite possibly go haywire; she couldn't help but wonder if he was at least curious to see the objects in person. "-We would have to pay Griffith a visit- to see if he still has them. Which I planned to do regardless..." She trailed off. She was a magnet for trouble. And she had a very bad habit of unintentionally dragging others into unfortunate situations.

Pericles stared in return, silvery eyes fixed, catching those subtle flares of her metamorphmagus nature. Questions compiled against the back of his teeth, but for the sake of politeness he bit them back. For now. Mature in how he was raised, naive in his utter lack of worldly experience, he wasn't quite sure what to make of her, either, beyond those feline bearings. And like a cat, Xailah had- albeit unintentionally- brought the boy a most unorthodox "gift". While some would sweep away the dead-bird-present of a macabre investigation, Peri had delicately scooped it up for safekeeping. It felt like the start of a strange yet mutual regard. On many occasions since his arrival at Hogwarts, the wizard had felt frankly misinterpreted, unable to express himself in a way which most understood. His overly proper presentation painted him as a blue-blooded elitist, whereas his passion for knowledge on all things magic made him sound like something of a know-it-all. Perhaps then this sensation was wistful thinking. Deep down, beyond the far-off stares and the intellectual babble, Pericles was much in need of a friend. Or, at the very least: someone who might make use of him.

"Exactly!" He gestured in emphasis towards the book which Xailah tapped, tacking on his agreement, at least looking a little more awake. "I should very much like to be an Auror someday. If I don't take the time to understand the Dark Arts as well as possible, how can I be expected to tackle them? If I didn't have these books, well... I dunno where I'd even start." The entire affair had placed him in an excellent mood. He dipped his head humbly when thanked, only for it to snap straight up again when it was implied he only really helped her along for Schrödinger's company. That wasn't true! Well... it was half true. Mostly true. But before he could manage much more than an "I-" her hand was up and his mouth was shut. It quirked with concern, only for a tentative smile to start creeping its way back as the cat "clapped" for him. Peri touched his palm to his chest and ducked his chin with a mock bow before exhaling another soundless snicker.

At first, when asked if he wanted to see the dolls, the boy believed the question was along the same line as the one about the dark book. He started to say he would have wished he could before Xailah's expression was caught. Peri paused, listening to her explain what it would entail, mute while he mulled for several seconds. His eyes awkwardly averted as he mumbled something which might have seemed out of context. "Professor Griffith is going to be the conductor for the choir I'm joining...." Which was, in a Peri fashion, his way of saying he didn't want to do anything which would give the man a poor impression of him. Yet curiosity quickly caught up with that sense of social caution, overwhelming it before she could comment. "But it couldn't hurt to ask." Or could it? He snuffed the worry in his spur of motivation. "I'd like that. Yes- I'll come with you."

She too, was in dire need of a friend. She had Meenauh- Meenauh was absolutely wonderful, but the circumstances in which they met were rather...bizarre. What Xailah really needed, was someone besides Schrödinger to care for. Someone to nurture. She needed someone that reminded her, that she was still human, despite her appearance.

Meenauh acted more like an extension of Xailah, like a part of her that had split apart, to form an whole new person- she was still an amazing friend nonetheless. And there was of course Kaegen, but she didn't know where she stood with him, in terms of relationships. Not to mention it was slightly depressing to hang around him. Friend making had always been a challenging task for the young Gryffindor- she was scared of it, to some degree. Reason being that many old acquaintances had a tendency to simply disappear. She didn't understand why, and had started thinking that, maybe she wasn't meant to have friends.

When Pericles spoke of his dream to become an Auror, Xailah only smiled. It was a sad one- well, almost sad. She came to the realization, that she never really thought much about the future- at least not her future. The young cub, had no idea what she wanted to be when she grew up. She searched her mind for something to say- for some way to relate, but she couldn't really find anything, so she just sat there listening.

She sent herself into a spiral of things that she had never thought about before- but the thoughts were soon interrupted. Her tight-lipped smile, began to beam at Pericles bow. She let out a quirky little chortle, and wrinkled her nose in amusement. When she asked about him wanting to see the dolls, she was not given an immediate answer. A look of concern would begin to make its way across her face, but it would come to a halt when he finally spoke.

Choir? Pericles was joining a choir- and Griffith was the conductor? She gave the young Ravenclaw an attentive look. On the inside, she was trying desperately to keep from laughing. The idea of Griffith singing- or even taking part in a choir, was one that she found mildy amusing. "Sssplendid" She picked up one of the strips of parchment, and a nearby quill.

"Never would have taken you as a sssinger." She dabbed the quill on the lip of the inkwell. "You look like someone who would enjoy playing musical instruments." She stated. "Do you have an event coming up- if so, we can go a day after it has passed, if you'd like." She made a couple of bullet points on the parchment, so she could sort things out. She had someone else tagging along, and needed an idea of when it would be most appropriate to owl said person.

Peri simply smiled on, unawares of the pensive path their conversation had incidentally sent his studymate down. He still harbored many a question for her, regarding her, but was doing an admirable job of biting most back for this initial introduction. Only time would tell which influenced the other more; it may prove to be a mutual matter, though the impressionable first-year seemed stricken by the opportunity for adventure which the more experienced third-year offered. Xailah's laughter was charming and her comment came across as harmlessly intrigued. Had she failed to contain another laugh then and there, he wouldn't have had a second thought about it.

"Mum always says 'an appreciation for music reinforces an appreciation for self'," Pericles recited with a small shrug, though a shade of homesickness softened his silvery stare. "When we sing, our voice is our instrument. The more we practice with it, the better we become at using it, whether singing or speaking or, even casting spells. Father plays the violoncello. I think he wanted to teach me how, but I'm happy just to sing for now. Do you play anything...?"

He had reached for Schrödinger as he asked, side-eyeing Xailah with clear curiosity. Though he hardly minded answering them, Pericles was ever reluctant to pester any person with too many questions at once, instead awaiting opportunities to sparingly slip them into conversation. Her feline friend would be given good scratches behind the ears and under the chin for good measure before they could part, an unspoken promise that more were to come when next they met. "We'll have our first meeting in just a few days," the boy answered. While his way of speaking was perpetually calm, there budded beneath this line the energy of enthusiasm. "I'll owl you the morn' after, if that's alright?"

"Your mother must be a very wise lady." She scribbled down something illegible. Her writing was rather distinct, the letters were small, but very formal-looking; crisp, and bold. One could tell that much pressure was applied to the quill. "I was being taught how to play the violin, before I arrived for my first year here." She thought for a moment, fidgeting with the quill in her gloved hand. "I used to play the piano." She wriggled her fingers in a familiar manner, as if she were tapping on the keys of an invisible piano.

"I haven't touched a piano in years. I can't remember why I ssstopped playing. I think I just...lost interest over time. I'm not quite sssure." She added, with a distant tone. Peering up at the boys silvery gaze, she revealed a distant smile. "If you keep that up, he might just leave me for you." She mumbled in reference to him petting Schrödinger. She lazily pointed a slender finger at the chubby feline; "And don't go getting any ideas mister." She narrowed her eyes at the mass of fat and fuzz.

She then poked at Schrödingers round, moon-like face; with the quill. The long black feathers tickled his grey, button-nose. "Ah I see- I think that would be fine." She paused for a moment, to think about her schedule. "-Yes, thats fine." She confirmed again. "I'll look for your owl. Hopefully it doesn't get lost." She added, before returning to the conversation about music."I think...I would like to get back to playing the piano- I feel that I haven't got the time though." Her eyes returned to the books that laid before her and her study partner. She had not yet realized that the two had been sent off track, by Peri's questions, and Xailahs willingness to answer some of them.

Pericles' curiously pale countenance managed to be marked with warmth at his mother's mention. "She is," he recalled quietly, glancing up as he tacked on a "thank you." He didn't dwell long on his homesickness, instead watching with care while Xailah explained her history with instruments. The bumped bridge of his nose would wrinkle once more when she played her phantom piano. Peri thought to ask which of the instruments she preferred, but when the attention "starved" cat was accused of potential mutiny, the boy tutted gently as though to comfort him. "You are too loyal for that, aren't you?" he asked of the feline. Evidently, he had relaxed enough to realize she was joking this time.

The answer would arrive without the need for a question after all, and after a moment of contemplation, Peri proposed: "Maybe when you aren't in class, or investigating the macabre-" one corner of his mouth twitched "-you might find the time. Surely they have instruments here which you might practice with." Spindly fingers adjusted his spectacles in an idle gesture, bumping them upwards. "I learned to play, but only the barest essentials. I wish I remembered more than Chopsticks...." Again the default smile faded, if only a little, replaced by something vaguely more grounded. With certainty he stated "I will owl you, and if I don't hear back, I'll send another owl in case the first was lost. I promise." He didn't seem to have caught the jest behind that comment, but at least the young wizard meant well. He even offered out his hand for a shake. "I'm glad to've met you, Xailah. I look forward to writing you soon."

I am a sheet of paper. Well, a few sheets of paper.

Dark Misfit

A doll made of rags and string, the innards are filled with sawdust and a bit of hair. Three full pieces of hair, including the root. The first from the maker, the second from the child whom the doll is intended to take the likeness of and a third from a unicorn. The duality of the pure unicorn hair and the dark marker's hair is a powerful catalyst for magic. The doll is sentient, but not entirely alive. However, this doll has ambitions and its greatest want is to become the person whose hair they possess.

Dangerous magical constructs, these dolls appear inanimate and indistinguishable from normal dolls. While they are usually featureless, these dolls do make efforts to make themselves look like their intended victim slowly over the course of weeks or even months. Mobile, they are rarely seen moving. These dolls prefer to move at night. Incapable of casting magic spells and not particularly strong, these dolls are incredibly mischievous and their 'pranks' often prove deadly for their intended if they remain unchecked. 

Soul Jar
A doll made of glass and light. Often featureless but humanoid in shape, some are adorned with the shell of an actual doll. These dolls are characterized by their glowing core. The glass vessel with a vaguely humanoid shape has a faint cool glow. The glass vessel itself has no means of filling. 

Called a soul jar because this vaguely humanoid shaped bit of blown glass said to require dragon's breath to create houses a soul. Not to be confused with a horcrux or a phylactery which house a portion of someone's soul; while this is also dark magic, it is the whole soul that is placed within the vessel. This is considered to be an incredibly vile artifact, with the soul tethered the will of the person whose soul has been taken would be subject to the will of the holder. 

Only three such vessels have ever been seen. The process to make and bind a soul to a soul jar is unknown.

Hag Doll
A doll made of straw and bits of found materials. The doll itself has often exaggerated features such as arms that are too long or eyes that are too wide, however despite these characteristics the doll maintains an uncanny resemblance to someone. Hag dolls do not posses magical items, the clothes that the doll dons and the hair that is situated on top of its head are unrelated to whomever the doll represents. The only congruence is how 'similar' the doll appears.

These dolls often festoon the area in great numbers near the lair of a hag. These dolls represent a macabre obsession that hags have with children. These dolls do not in fact look like anyone in particular, however these dolls take on the appearance of a child known by the viewer or at the very least seen by them. These dolls are considered magical but are in and of themselves harmless, it is the area around which they are located that is considered to be very dangerous.

Living Doll
A variant of the Hag Doll, these dolls are very similar to Dark Misfits in that these dolls are sentient and have murderous intentions. These dolls are made of straw and bits of found materials. There is no strands of hair making up the core, but these dolls are very much magical and very much aware. 

These dolls are often made when an unsuspecting child picks up a Hag Doll and takes it home. Being in close proximity to the child, the doll becomes nourished by the presence and the spirit of the child. Over the course of months the doll would become aware. 

It is believed that at first, the doll is simply aware but immobile. After several more weeks the doll would start to move. It would not be strong enough to move to a different location but the doll would be sitting in a slightly different pose than it was before. Often even those with the keenest of eyes overlook this. The first thing that most notice is laughter. It is unknown if they learned to laugh or run first, but this is when things become dangerous. With murderous intent and greater strength than a Dark Misfit this doll does not focus on the child that holds it in the same manner as a Dark Misfit. Dangerously mischievous, these dolls seek to ruin their holder and to kill those around them so that they - their holder and the Living Doll can play together undisturbed forever.

"Perhaps. I've heard that the rehearsal room has some instruments." She said with a shrug. "Guess I'll be checking it out sometime." In her three years at the school, Xailah surprisingly never bothered to go in the rehearsal room. "I'm sure if you sit down at the piano, and ssstart playing, you'll realize you actually remember more than just...Chopsticks." She said with a soft laugh. There was not particular reason for not exploring the rehearsal area, it was simply one of those places that could be easily forgotten. Instinctively, her eyes glossed over the books once more; as she listened to the boy make his statement. A promise. "Very well." She chuckled.

From her robe pocket, she would produce a pocket watch. It was golden, but was stained with the red color of rust, on the chain. The object was not hers originally. It was originally a lost object, she found it, and gave it a nice little home in her pocket; another student would later fix the watch, giving the object a heartbeat once again. Checking the time during conversations was a bad habit of hers. "Oh." Yellow eyes gravitated to the books once again. The inklings of a reminder were starting to form in her head. It would eventually come together and click. "Oh! I'm afraid we have gone off topic-" She exclaimed, shoving the watch back into the pocket in witch it came from. "And I have somewhere I need to be."

She took the boys pale hand, in hers. "I am very glad to have met you as well, Pericles. You have no idea how much help you have been. Thank you, really." She, then would scrambled to the books on the table, careful to not pick up any books that Pericles was previously reading. "Are you going to hang around here for a bit longer or..." With a wave of her hand, she would interrupt whatever though she had previously. "Actually never mind, I need to get going. Schrödinger." She clicked her tongue to get the cats attention. "Lets go, friend."

The cat would say goodbye to his new friend; leaving the boy with a sneeze. He would jump from the table and follow after his mistress. Xailah would turn on her heel, as if she had forgotten something. "Hey, take care." She called to the boy, from behind the stack of books in her arms. She would then exit the scene with her cat. She had all the information she needed. Or so she thought she did. There was one book that she had forgotten to grab. It was the one on the hags. And if Pericles noticed this, he would also see that there were two pages missing. The pages in question where about Dark Misfits, and Soul Jars. The removal of the pages, was simply a freak chance. They had gotten stuck underneath a particularly sticky book she was carrying, and had been ripped from their spines. So, Xailah had the pieces to the puzzle, just...not all of them. And it was very important to have all the pieces.