Like Spinning Plates PV Vienna

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mentions: @Flash Holmwood interactions: n/a

wordcount: 444 words outfit: slytherin uniform, no robe

This was not how Vienna was expecting to spend her evening. She was actually quite prepared to be sitting down in her common room, able to relax after a long day of classes. Her lack of homework that night seemed beneficial to her goals. But alas, something had to go wrong.

The problem was, Vienna did not like potions. And it was safe to say potions didn't like her either. Consistency, perfection, and rule-following was everything potions was, everything potions required. And for anybody who had spent a minute with her, they'd know that that was everything Vienna wasn't. And so that was the reason the girl was failing. She didn't exactly mind it at first, but the consequences of failing your first year of potions eventually caught up to her, and being a Hogwarts dropout was not something she was expecting for her future.

Of course, Vienna wasn't expecting this. She had anticipated some worksheet or some pop quiz. Maybe even just some advice. But this? Chores? But she had no choice, for even if it wasn't worth it, denying a professor's offer to boost your already terrible grade would probably not land you on their good side.

And so, she grudgingly made her way to the potions classroom that evening, a large (and quite exaggerated) frown. She had been informed she'd be working with an older student, a second year? Third year? She couldn't quite remember. It had intrigued Vienna, considering she hadn't gotten much of a chance to socialize with the older kids at the school yet. It had been a barrier of sorts, for all the older years had made friends by then. But she never really minded, kids her age always seemed to have interests, anyway.

She wondered what they were like. What this student would be like. Growing up Vienna only had two kids that were older than her. Her cousins, Genevieve, and Ezra. The two had quite contrasting personalities, so Vienna had her fair share of the varying personalities of a teenager. Perhaps this student would be grumpy, irritable, and short-tempered, like Genevieve, or kind-hearted and humourous, like Ezra. Perhaps neither. She'd have to find out.

She finally found her way to the classroom, leaning in through the doorway. She peeked in, finding her companion had already gotten to work. She slipped into the classroom, sneaking up behind him. "Hey, you can't keep all the fun to yourself," she said with a teasing tone. "I know you're probably super excited to," she squinted, tilting her head. "Organize... cabinets..." Yeah, she had no idea what they were doing. Oh well. "But," she continued. "Patience is key." She grinned.

While Flash was usually the type to be hyper-vigilant to the point of paranoia, his skills of perception were most useful when he was wide awake and paying attention. Given the workload before him, he would be calculating the order of doing things that would be most efficient when he was alarmed by the sound of a voice behind him.

The surprise would be wholly unwelcome, and his reaction would be clearly over-the-top. Recoiling backward from her as he turned, his hand would be thrown on his heart and his odd eyes would search her with fear. Quickly after percieving the expected youth, the alarm would shift into open disdain, though he would not open his mouth until she finished with her pithy greeting.

"If patience is so important, then try not to wear mine out." His first words would not be a greeting, but an admonishment. He used to be a pinnacle of politeness, but it was drained of him alongside his absence of sleep. "If you're ready then let's just get it over with."

It wouldn't take him long to regret his caustic reply, as he was still intelligent enough to know she had meant no harm, most likely. "That is to say... if we work efficiently, it shouldn't take much time. I'm Flash Holmwood, by the way."

Flash would not offer a hand to shake, and barely spared her eye contact for more than a brief moment. He would instead stand, his height imposing for a child his age, as he started gesturing to the ingredients that he had been sorting into haphazard piles.

"These are the three ingredients that need to be bundled with this twine. I'll keep sorting them, then join you in knotting them together." Flash's voice would be clear and monotone, clearly used to holding authority and giving instructions. "Do you understand?"

With the explanation out of the way, Flash's gaze would return to her expectantly. He'd be watching her expression and body language closely. He would never let the visage of a harmless young girl fool him again.

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mentions: n/a interactions: @Flash Holmwood

wordcount: 382 words outfit: slytherin uniform, no robe

Vienna couldn't help but smirk at the older boy's excessive reaction. She did nothing but smile innocently as his frightened eyes took a minute to observe her. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I scare you?" She pouted. "Didn't mean to."

The young girl stood and leaned against the wall as she waited for the boy to finish his... greeting? Vienna frowned, furrowing her brow. "Not even a hello?" She asked teasingly, honestly a bit taken aback by the older student's hostile response. "And," she hummed. "I'll try my best. Hopefully you're patience isn't too short, though. I do plan on making this task a bit fun, at least," she continued, shrugging. "But trust me, I'm just as eager to get this done than you are."

Vienna tilted her head, watching as the boy introduced himself as 'Flash.' "Hm, Flash? Is that your real name?" She inquired, genuine curiosity evident in her voice. "I'm Vienna. Vienna Goodwin," she offered a smile. The boy didn't seem as eager for introductions as she was, however, his eye contact brisk and hand absent. Vienna frowned, forcing herself to suppress her instinct of offering a hand. While she didn't have the best manners, handshakes seemed to be something that growing up in an aristocratic family had inflicted onto her.

After giving his short introduction, the boy went on to his instructions. So that's what they'd be doing. Vienna grimaced, as the idea of organizing and tying together ingredients for the rest of the evening wasn't all that appealing. However, the older boy's instructions were quite straightforward, his voice stern. However, she did have to admit, she found the last part of his statement quite unnecessary. "Yeah, I got it," Vienna said, pushing herself off the wall and making her way towards the table. "You were pretty clear about it. I'm not five years old or anything," she said, sarcasm apparent in her tone.

She grabbed some twine and ingredients and began working, tying the ingredients up as her gaze returned to Flash. As she worked, the realization of her snarky comment caught up to her. He didn't seem to be in a joking mood either. What if her comment was too far? She shrugged it off, returning to her work, but cautiously keeping her gaze on the boy.

Her response to his over-reaction was the worst he could have asked for, though entirely expected from one of his Slytherin peers. An opportunity to feel superior was rarely missed. Though he himself took part in the bad habit, he wouldn't be so tactless as to mention the thought out loud. It wasn't good for the reputation to boldly declare one's amusement at another's misfortune. It made people angry. Someone clearly never learned their manners.

Her continued laisses-faire attitude, paired with the disrespect she showed him, would lead to a swift judgement. He didn't like her. If it wasn't for the fact that his short temper had started getting him into difficult situations, he might not have had the willpower to restrain himself. He wanted to be cruel, to say something that would hurt her just as badly as he hurt. Looking at her face though, even through the lens of irritation, he found he could not hate her in good faith. All children were stupid and careless. As she talked about 'having fun,' Flash's eyes would narrow, never letting go of the sour expression.

"I'm fascinated to hear how you plan on making this 'fun.'" That good faith he pretended to have didn't extend to his voice, which dripped with bad faith. To her question, he'd be less phased, as it was not an uncommon one. "It's the name I answer to. The only name I answer to. Nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Vienna."

To his instructions, and in payment for the work he was doing pro bono of supervising her extra credit project, he got more catty sarcasm. For some reason, she had entered this classroom with no regard for the task nor his authority as an upperclassman. He drummed his fingers on the desk rather than speak, realizing that there were many ways this afternoon could go. He could insist she learn her place, assert himself in an attempt to enforce peace, or he could resort to apathy. As low as his energy was, in no small part to it being after a full day of classes, he found himself liking the idea of apathy more the longer he dwelled on it.

Once the short silence ended, he straightened himself up, and breathed a heavy sigh. It would be more painless to just let it go. "Sorry. Right. I'm sure you know everything."

He'd turn back to the table and continue sorting the piles. He would attend to it quickly and mechanically, having done the task a time or two before as well. As long as there was a task in front of him, he stop thinking just long enough to feel normal. The important thing this time was making sure she didn't tarnish this opportunity by doing a lackluster job. If she were to be in any part a reflection of him, she had to be just as perfect. The fact that he so easily parroted his sister's teaching tactics when faced with younger children would not dawn on him, his closeness to his emotions blinded him from a fair assessment. Therefore, she would get a small taste of what it felt like to be him at her age.

"Show me the first one you finish. Tie it correctly, and don't mishandle any of the ingredients." He'd speak as he sorted, not looking at her, droning on. "They are already weighed so if you break a stem or lose a leaf just tell me, because then it's ruined and needs replaced. Everything you break will make more work for me, so do it right the first time."