It's all just the Shadows pv Evelynn

Early to bed, early to rise. The way of the most successful individuals, was it not? To be up bright and early at the dawn of a new day and take advantage of juvenile hours to get a head-start with that days' objectives? That was the tendency for one Evelynn Decipio, at the very least. Well... perhaps not the early to bed. With her plethora of activities and responsibilities and... other distractions, the prefect had a tendency to struggle with sleep. Too much to do and too little time. And the dark never had been terribly friendly.

That night had been even worse than usual, however. Shifting dynamics of previously comfortable relationships and the uncertainty that silence had played in the wake of recent events had left her more shaken than usual. Perseverating thoughts plagued her days while nightmares assaulted her nights. Nary a restful night, she had given up before long, surrendered herself to the depths of her books in an attempt to distract herself, and sought the numb frigidity of the open air as soon as curfew had been lifted sufficiently to wander beyond the borders of her dorm. Exercise did wonders to quell rising anxiety, and the chill of the air that burned her lungs had accomplished its task to set her straight, just as her morning run along the lakeshore always seemed to do.

Fresh from her run, Evelynn had only a short time to get something to eat before dashing off to the prefects' lavatory to change and prepare for classes that morning. Hair tied up in a bun and dressed in grey athletic wear with cerulean accents and an oversized sweatshirt, she wove her way through the narrow spaces between benches to find an open seat at the Gryffindor table. Nothing heavy this morning, she decided. Still fatigued from her sleepless night, her stomach churned uncomfortably. Still, nutrients were important and a little vitamin C with some wholegrain toast should do the trick nicely. Not to mention the selection of cheese, meats, and berries that she gathered into a napkin before slipping it out of sight into a deep pocket. Peanut butter on toast, and grab an orange and she would be on her way.

Except that she never did quite manage to wrap her fingers about the citrus. Already rising from her seat even as she reached for the fruit, the bowl in which it rested seemed to jump out of reach. Which was.. odd.. to say the least. She hadn't felt any shake of the table that might have happened if someone had knocked heavily against it. And when she reached again, the dish skittered to the side yet again. Then proceeded to hop and jolt across the table's surface as though it were... dancing...

"Oh for heaven's sake.." In an instant, Evelynn's wand was in her hand. "Finite incantatem," she impatiently uttered.

[font=century gothic]Wisdom roll: d20[18]+15 = 33
Evelynn successfully casts General Counter-Spell[/font]

The bowl wouldn't even have finished clattering to a complete standstill before Evelynn was extracting herself from the bench, pivoting on the spot with narrowed eyes hunting for the source of the spell. Generally speaking, despite casting outside of class being against the school rules, it was actually one that she tended to turn a blind eye to. How else were they supposed to master these new skills if not with repeated practice? To do so in the midst of a hall, however? No. Such was an act worthy of disciplinary action.

[font=century gothic]Perception (wis) roll: d20[7]+15 = 22
Keen Eye roll (91+): d100[82] failure
Evelynn does not immediately spot Clair[/font]

Unfortunately...in a hall growing ever more packed by the minute with students shuffling sleepily in to break their fast, discerning the source of the spellwork was easier said than done. More than a few students were situated with line of sight to the bowl—some even had wands visible and within reach. Still more were even looking her way, her conspicuous identity drawing unwanted attention and making even the innocent appear potentially guilty. It was a longshot, but perhaps... Brow perking, arms folding haughtily across her chest, Evelynn elected for an unorthodox approach: to ask. "And who is to be credited for that rather impressive display of a Dancing Feet Charm?"

It had been a long shot—she'd known that—to hope that someone might actually respond to her inquiry. Really, the only students she could have hoped to call out would be those that were either intellectually challenged or narcissistic to the point of self-sabotage. Or...those who cared to mock her efforts and take credit for trouble they clearly hadn't any part of. There were a couple of those nearby who had begun whispering amongst themselves, casting jeering smirks her way. To them, Evelynn shot a scornful don't-even-attempt-to-take-credit look to squash any such notions before they could really come to a head.

Of course, it wasn't just the obviously evasive or the raucously antagonistic that cast an individual into shadow of potential guilt. As much as conformity isn't always the best course of action on a moral compass, deviation from the norm could draw an eye. In this moment, more and more eyes seemed to have swiveled to the prefect as she called attention to the little ploy. Some snickered; others craned their necks curiously; the odd finger pointed in her direction. And yet, others chose to ignore the charade in its full entirety. It was to these individuals that Evelynn's gaze was drawn. And one student in particular seemed entirely all too disinterested with the unfolding event.

[font=century gothic]Perception (wis) roll: d20[19]+15 = 34
Evelynn spots Clair[/font]

Eye's narrowed on a young brunette whose hands had lifted to cover her face and whose focus was decidedly away. Lips thinned into a line. Silent for the moment, Evelynn thrummed a hum of dissatisfaction at the recognition. The heels of her boots clipped dully on the hall floor as she retreated from her spot down the length of the space between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. Students may even have thought that the prefect had abandoned any effort to identify the perpetrator, instead preferring to vacate breakfast in its entirety and get on with her day. Not quite so.

As soon as she had made it to the end, she rounded it, and doubled back on the other side. She didn't stop until she came abreast of one particular individual who had proven to her already to have a certain disregard for rules. Clouded eyes looked down the length of a nose shrouded in an otherwise neutral expression as she leaned in and quietly uttered, "Miss Fernandez. Have we you to thank for this little stunt?"

To the Ravenclaw's credit, she seemed entirely undisturbed by Evelynn's appearance and inquisition. Or perhaps that wasn't something someone ought be praised for at all. Once at the tavern, where Miss Fernandez had put on display an absolutely pristine mask of uncracked clay, that was a moment. An instant. Something that could have been cast off as a coincidental one-off occurrence during what should have been a stressful situation that would have tested the composure of most eleven year olds at Hogwarts. But this time, a second case of barely batting an eye or flinching a muscle...that was a pattern. While it was only a shadow at this time, not yet having fully coalesced into a formed appraisal, there was something about the young fledgling that reminded Evelynn a little too much of another uncaring student with whom she had often clashed.

"Mn.." Evelynn hummed, straightening to her full, relatively unimposing height. Impertinence or not, at least the girl had the good sense to remain polite with forms of address. And with a complete admission such as that, the prefect wouldn't even have to bother with a game of wits to tease out the confession if there was even one to be had. It seemed she could give herself a mental pat on the back for intuition well placed. "I may, at the very least, commend you on being forthwith this time. Might I ask why, however?"

Since she was no longer leaning next to the girl, she had no reason to whisper. Her words would carry as much volume as they did weight. She was by no means shouting, nor even raising the register of her voice; but neither was she making an effort to evade attention of any nearby who may deign to listen in.

"By now, you should be well aware that casting is not permitted outside of class or monitored situation," Evelynn continued, referencing the rules that all first year students are provided in great detail. "And here, in the hall where students are packed together, you are fortunate that the spell struck the china and not a peer. Never mind the embarrassment you would have caused them, it could have done very real physical damage. So why? What could you possibly have hoped to gain by recklessly risking the well-being of your fellow pupils?"

If Evelynn thought her speech were at all impressionable upon the first year, she was sorely mistaken. The silence and distant stare that the prefect had initially taken as an internalization of reflection upon her words quickly showed itself as the sham that was when the girl began to speak. The corner of Evelynn's mouth twitched at the admission that rather than the rebuke, Miss Fernandez had been focused upon a question for her History of Magic class, if the prefect's ability to fill in the blanks could be trusted. So much for attempts at peaceable parlay.

Straightening, her lips drew to a thin line, a moment of pregnant silence spanning between the pair beneath weight of Evelynn's heavy judgment. For all the self-assurance and confidence of wit displayed by her younger peer, respect was slowly dwindling. "So why risk casting into a crowd?" Evelynn riposted, entirely dissatisfied with Clair's half-baked assurance of consideration for her peers. "A student slipping in front of your line of fire... A jostle from a passing peer to jar your aim... A slight miscalculation to your trajectory... Any number of situations could have caused a misfire of that spell. There is good reason that casting is not permitted beyond carefully regulated and supervised situations; and as a student at this school, it is the expectation that you not only be aware of the rules, but that you follow them."

"That goes for all of you," she added, pulling her gaze briefly from the girl to pan over those nearest the confrontation before settling back upon its original target. "It is not an unreasonable request."

OOC: My apologies for the delay. This thread seems to have fallen through the cracks. :<

Peeling her gaze back from the surrounding crowd, Evelynn returned it somewhat reluctantly back to the younger girl. A pregnant silence spanned between the two, one that the prefect dare not curst. Wheels were turning in the younger mind. That much, at least, was obvious. But what, exactly, Miss Fernandez was thinking was another mystery entirely. Whatever it was commanded the Eagle's full attention, as though a war waged behind those sapphire eyes. Eventually, her lips would part, though no sound would escape them. Initially, at least. And when finally it did, the lioness felt the weight of disappointment settle so familiarly upon her shoulders.

"Regardless of your intent, the consequences of what could have been cannot be dismissed," she replied, voice laced with a hint of futile fatigue. It softened as she continued, a mental mantra reminding Evelynn to have patience for those still finding their footing. "You can practice the magic, but there is reason why the school rules state no magic outside of class. We are still learning, and far from masters, no matter how accomplished you have become. We cannot necessarily account for those unexpected situations. The place for practice is in the classroom, or in supervised situations and areas of the castle such as the duelling room.

"Let us say that you had accidentally missed, sending a peer into a fit of dance? Have you yet mastered the counter-charm? Could you end it? What if their forced dance had led them to collide with another, injuring them? Can you bandage them? Heal their wounds? In order to do something, you must first ensure that it is safe to do so, accounting for and able to manage the worst-case scenario. If you persist on a hope that nothing will ever go against you, you will surely find yourself in dire straights before long."

Was she being somewhat hypocritical? Perhaps. Ever since her enrolment at Hogwarts, Evelynn had been just as—if not more—keen to master all that which their professors would command her to learn. The courtyard, the lakeside, her dorm, the pitch... it made no difference where she was, really. In her early days, she would practice her spells with little consideration of the consequences.

Granted, it wasn't out of any ignorance of the danger, nor a blind faith that she would not fail. Rather, the risk was worth the reward. The mass of years and years of ignorance wasting her childhood away in the muggle realm, the feeling of needing to use every waking minute to close the gap between herself and those of her peers who had grown up in the midst of it all.. that had driven her to find excuse to bend the rules. But now that she was older, she had seen the consequences. She understood the implications of disregarding those instated regulations. As a prefect, it was her duty to uphold them as well as to lead by example. So she would. And did.