Shrouded Machinations PV Constance Finished

Tonight, just like in night's past, Constance quietly makes her way out of the Great Hall after supper. It's become a routine for the girl to leave the meal early and make her way out to the Great Lake. No particular goal in mind, as she's quite fond of just aimlessly wandering. It gives her a moment to reflect on the day's events, as well as give her some time alone with her thoughts. Today had been a particularly good day for Constance, so she makes her walk out to the Great Lake quicker than it
normally is, with a bright smile on her face.

Exiting campus and continuing the walk to the Great Lake, Constance is met with the cool fall air that slightly stings her cheeks. Despite the pain, this is the girl's favorite type of weather. It seems everything today has been perfectly falling in place, her stride quickly turning into skipping due to her easily excitable nature.

Arriving at the Great Lake, Constance lays down on the grass and observes the night sky. On peaceful nights like this with a blank mind, Constance counts all the stars she can see. Humming a tune, she begins to count the bright dots that scatter across the dark sky. "1, 2, 3, 4....", she continues on until something catches her attention. The sound of pages turning, and the hasty scribbling of writing. Surprised by the fact that another student is present on what normally is a solitary portion of her day, Constance turns her head to the source of the disturbance.

Looking over to her right, Constance sees another student, a Slytherin girl. A Slytherin girl who she's certainly seen before. Intrigued by the unplanned guest to her evening outing, Constance continues to stare at the girl, quite fascinated in what she could be doing that would make her write so frantically, and with such a frown on her face.

September 5th 23-------

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Shrouded Machinations

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-------Great Lake

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Remedy's Dialogue #796f4e

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Much to Remedy's discontentment, thorough eyes could not easily detect the answers she so desperately sought.

As an ambitious Remedy peered towards the tome, she tucked a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear just as the girl's eyes continued to devour the documents' insights. The girl reverted her attention to take a note inside her leather journal, just before a gust of icy wind shrouded Remedy's sight by tousling her tresses. A frown to tainted her stoic disposition as well as a lowly spoken, "Why did I bother coming out here?" escaping her lips.

While tailoring her curls back to their original placement, the assault of yet another windblast triggered several pages to flip over, forcing the girl to lose both her place and patience. She just couldn't win.

Straightening her posture from her once laying position in the grass, Remedy closed her compendiums with a miffed force. Her journal laid open and unconcealed as the Slytherin plunked the volume from the blades of grass, her eyes squinting as she scanned its contents, her scattered ink-notated jottings and emendations littering the pages and bleeding into the pages behind it.

As her orbs absorbed her musings and annotations of mythical creatures, Remedy could detect another girl from across the way from above the top of her notepad's edge. She lowered the journal to expand her view, a puzzled expressing crossing her grimaced face as she detected the familiar hues of verdant and silver.

'1, 2, 3, 4....'

What was she counting?

Remedy maintained lethal eye-contact with the girl; unwavering from the potential challenge at work, although part of the girl didn't feel this girl as a threat..

Was it awe upon the strange girl's features? Did Remedy's reputation proceed her?

Closing her journal and tying the latch to secure her writings, Remedy set the novel on top of the tomes and pulled both close to her chest, her black robe shrouding the items in hand. As Remedy rose to her feet, she sauntered the direction up and towards the confinements of Hogwarts. Howling drafts wafted through her frame, her ebony robe billowing from behind dramatically during her stride. In the direction to the courtyard, the Slytherin approached the fellow Slytherin to stay on the path. During intermitted eye-contact with the it wasn't until a sense of familiarity washed over her; she knew this girl.

They'd met before, surely at events hosted by overlapping Pureblood social circles, where Remedy had been introduced to majority of the ultra class's kin.

And yet, Remedy was terrible with names that her father didn't credit often.

"You look familiar.. will you remind me of your name?" Remedy inquired with a passive smile, fingers trembling from beneath her robe as they tightly wielded her books.

Tags: @Constance Aphelion. WC: 461

Constance props herself up to get a better look at the Slytherin girl that approached her. "You look familiar.. will you remind me of your name?" In this moment, Constance remember why the Slytherin girl before her seems so familiar. She's another pureblood, and a similar wealth status as herself. They've certainly met at previous social gatherings arranged by other students comparable to themselves. "Constance...Aphelion."

Observing the girl in front of her, Constance notices the books that her acquaintance is latched onto. Those pages must've made the fluttering sound that interrupted her earlier counting of the stars. She had been writing with such fury, it was obvious that whatever she was working on was urgent. But what homework could be of such importance that the girl would have left supper to finish it? Along with that, why come out to the Great Lake to do work? It was hardly akin to a library, and Constance believes that it's honestly hard to get any work done outside.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Constance's attention diverts back to the Slytherin girl before her. She has quite a tight grip on her books, and it appears as if her fingers are trembling every so slightly. Is it possible to be that protective over some homework? The girl's mannerisms led Constance to believe that perhaps the books beneath the girl's robes are not something from class. Maybe the books are something personal, something she herself is working on that pertains to a subject outside of school.

Constance's curiosity gets the better of her, and she stands up from where she was laying to be level with the girl. "We've certainly seen each other, yet I can't remember your name." Constance lowers her head to try and get a better look at the books hidden underneath the robes of her acquaintance and asks, "what is it that you're working on?"

Tags: @Remedy Norden WC: 315

September 5th 23-------

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Shrouded Machinations

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-------Great Lake

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Remedy's Dialogue #796f4e

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Prying orbs were noted peering at the sliver of Remedy's hand that desperately clung to her books neath her robes prompting Remedy to glare menacing and create additional space between them.

With her free hand, the wolfish girl would also pull the edges of her ebony cloak together to better conceal her tomes with a glare upon her fellow housemate. Once the brunette had uttered her name, Remedy mulled it over in silent contemplance. She had met dozens of 'Constances,' yet her surname of 'Aphelion' sounded familiar.

How the girl had regretted hindering her own work, but an insatiable curiosity demanded to put recognition upon a familiar face. Yet, the dark haired girl lingered with hesitation before Constance as she inquired one too many questions that set Remedy on edge, and somehow was oblivious to the fact that Remedy had desired to maintain a level of privacy and secrecy when her work came to question.

Every glance of Constance's eyes lingering at her books, Remedy internally noted promoting a lethal countenance that seemed to declare a silent ‘drop it.’ Remedy revolted internally for putting herself in this situation; it would be suspicious to turn away from Constance and make for the hills, so the dark haired girl would pivot the conversation for now. Perhaps Constance would catch the hint; perhaps not. For now, her side stepping was her final resort for getting herself out of this mess, or in the least, gauging trust; or, use.

"Norden. Remedy Norden." The girl would state with a passive smile, before swiveling her frame to overlook the rocky shoreline with a stoic expression. Her darkened orbs glistened with hues of purple as the evening sky edged with pink and orange tints as the sun slowly dropped below the horizon. The sound of waves lapping the edge would cater to the silence as between vipers as Remedy didn't bother to answer her inquiry, and rather determined one to ask of her own.

"Do you come out here often at this time of day?" the ravenous girl questioned, only slightly turning her head to peer downwards at the stargazing girl. "I don't see you often at the table for dinner,"

Tags: @Constance Aphelion. WC: 358

Taking note of the girl's silent glare, Constance realized that she had perhaps stepped over a boundary. Watching the Slytherin girl before her grip her books and pull her cloak over her, Constance concluded that she had gotten too curious from her excitability, and decided to turn down her emotions. The last thing Constance wanted to do was scare away the potential friend in front of her.

Remedy Norden. The name jogged Constance's memory. Another pure blood like her. Her dark orbs and black hair were unforgettable, and her strong aura had already left an impresson on Constance in the past. Surely they've conversed with small talk before, but Constance never had a chance to actually get to know the girl. Perhaps this was her chance.

Looking back up at Remedy, there seems to almost be a sense of hostility. Just maybe, the books she was working out of weren't for homework. They could be something personal, something meaningful. Constance didn't want to intrude upon Remedy's privacy, so she decided to not ask anymore questions about the work that she was hiding within the folds of her cloak. At least not until Remedy herself was ready to talk about it. Despite respecting her privacy, Constance was still a tad bit curious about what Remedy was hiding.

Turning to observe the hues of orange and pink that litter across the sky, Constance finds it hard to conceal her small smile. Remedy had noticed that Constance had a habit of leaving the Great Hall early during supper. Constance knew it was only a matter of time until someone brought it up to her. "I come out here every evening, without fail. I have no need to spend my entire evening in the Great Hall. Besides, it's quite nice out here." Constance lets out a giggle and lays back down on the grass, feeling the cool air surround her. "Sometimes I come out here to talk to myself in peace. Sometimes it's to do nothing but think about anything and everything. But more often than not, I come out here to work on my own personal studies."

Constance looks over to Remedy, making eye contact with her piercing gaze. "But answer my one question Remedy, if nothing else. Why are you out here tonight? I've never seen you come out to the Lake. What made you want to spend your evening outside?"

September 5th 23-------

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Shrouded Machinations

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-------Great Lake

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Remedy's Dialogue #796f4e

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It appeared Constance determined Remedy's displacement, yet such an inquisition Constance beckoned had boggled in the girl’s mind; jigging the board underfoot as Remedy now rapidly mulled for a carefully-crafted response.

She would avoid answering her so soon, merely replying under her breath: "Every night, you say? Interesting," to buy herself additional time to seek words for Constance's query. Remedy heaved a defeated sigh under her breath as a shiver scaled down her back. It would be easier to lie, surely, but the wolfish girl held onto the notion that doing so could throw the investigation off; or that her lie could betray her by bringing on additional suspicion or questions. Avoiding the inquiry altogether would paint a target on her back, so Remedy settled with, "I've discovered a few fascinations of mine."

Not feeling that answer would suffice, Remedy feigned a smile, seating herself beside Constance and slowly revealed her novels from under her cloak.

"I'm actually kind of embarrassed, so I came out here to avoid prying eyes," Remedy remarked dishonestly, but a slight inflation of her voice posed with a certain sincerity. Handing Constance a tome with a wolf-like creature embroidered on the cover, Remedy would offer this assuming the fellow Viper's apparent curiosity still ate at her. She removed her journal from under her cloak as well, but kept it close to her side.

Perhaps this Constance could be useful to Remedy's investigation after all. Constance appeared to contain drive and an inquisitive nature; it would be a pity to dismiss her first prospective informant if Remedy's suspicions of the girl sitting beside her were correct. Of course, Remedy wouldn't share the details of her case against one certain second-year's face and essence that had engraved her mind since their meeting on the Hogwarts Express. She even toyed with the idea of consulting with a certain adversary who shared her seat on the train, assuming he experienced the same strange euphoria in her presence too. Her essence felt inhuman, otherworldly beyond Remedy's knowledge.

"Do you happen to know anything?" Remedy inquired as her dark orbs examined Constance's countenance.

Tags: @Constance Aphelion. WC:
So so sorry to keep you waiting! I will be so much better about my speed moving forward

Maintaining eye contact with Remedy, Constance found her demeanor to be quite complex. She seemed to show some interest in the conversation, perhaps specifically in Constance. Yet, there was still this sense of apprehension, an air of secrecy. Constance believed she could knock down this emotional wall between herself and Remedy, and be able to get her Slytherin counterpart to open up more.

Remedy speaks of her fascinations, something that Constance can relate quite personally to. While it was true that Constance often comes out to the Great Lake simply to relax or to have a moment to herself, many days she would also come out to privately indulge in her own research of dark creatures. Constance owes thanks to her uncle for this fascination, and she has blessed herself with countless notebooks filled with her notes about beings from vampires to werewolves to even dementors.

Taking note of the sheepish tone that floats around Remedy's words, Constance couldn't help but smile. She knew the feeling of awkwardness all too well, and she was determined to help Remedy get rid of it. Just maybe, if Constance was to share that she had similar hobbies to Remedy, their relationship would improve. Excited by the thought, Constance lets out a giggle and lays back down on the cool grass. Staring up at the sky, she took a moment to gather her thoughts.

"I have...a fascination of my own." Taking a moment, Constance collects all of the thoughts running through her head to prevent herself from starting to ramble to Remedy. "My uncle, he's a researcher of dark creatures. Currently, he's in Japan conducting research of kappas, a type of Japanese water demon." Talking about her uncle made Constance quite sentimental. The two of them had such a close relationship, and Constance felt that her uncle was the one person she could truly be herself around. Recomposing herself, Constance focuses on the glowing stars to prevent her mind from wandering off once more.

"Ever since I was a little girl, he would show me his research. It piqued my interest, and ever since then I've spent my free time learning everything I can about the creatures he researches." Turning away from the sky, Constance looks back at Remedy. She scoots to the side, making room for Remedy to sit or lay next to her, if she would like to. "Our fascinations are probably not the same, but I know how it feels to have something you're passionate about. I often want to keep it a secret, perhaps out of fear of embarrassment. Yet, I feel there are certain people that are right to open up to."

R E M E D Yx♔xN O R D E N
♦ Shrouded Machinations, 5th of September 2023 at the Great Lake ♦
Dialogue #796f4e

It appeared dropping the rope aided her resolve.

Constance's interest switched toward herself, just as Remedy originally intended. As the girl rested upon the soft bed of grass with her fellow snake, the girl beside her began to disclose her truth; a fascination akin to Remedy's. While the vipress had no inkling of dark creatures aside from innate curiosity and her mother's storytelling, Constance's fascination originated from an uncle investigating Kappas in Japan. Her brow furrowed as the raven-haired girl sought to recall any information regarding the demonic being from her mother's readings; "Is that the sea horse or the sea monkey?" Remedy asked plainly, her gaze alternating between the sky and the girl.

Laying, her hands resting loosely over her stomach, her orbs admiring the orange-hued sky as it darkened over the black water. Remedy attempted to remain inconspicuous as she stretched her arm over her stomach to graze her fingertips along the journals' bindings, reassuring herself that her journals remained by her side and alleviating her nerves. The vipress' attention deviated from the query and journals for a moment as Constance began to recollect anecdotes from her uncle's travels and studies, her voice inflating with joy as the girl seemingly reminisced fond memories between them. Her uncle must have been held in high esteem..a touchy subject, Remedy hoarded this observation in the back of her mind.

As Constance rattled on, Remedy pondered upon her own life. The girl sat in silence, trying but couldn't relate to having a bond with her aunt Cadence, Uncle Willard, or better yet, her cousin Avery who was just a year her senior. Fortunately for Remedy, her father's friend Perseus Drake would help to fill the void left by the absence of extended family. The same would occur with Perseus' wife, yet there appeared to be a rift between her and Remedy's mum, which Remedy considered extremely petty and entertaining. Between those two, 3 more boys -- one being Remedy's friend, Ulysses. Perseus and his broods' interest in dragons was unmatched, but Remedy trod the line engraved by her parents that handling beasts was a fool's gamble. A fascinating career, fruitful yet short-lived.

There was a silence between them as Remedy meditated on her housemate's words, dissecting them for more. Constance had so far represented herself as an ally, somebody who could be relied on as long as the witch remembered her place; her knowledge could prove useful as Remedy lacked the insight that Constance's uncle so kindly and freely bestowed upon his niece. Perhaps both of them will prove informative. This little excursion revealed to be far from a futile effort after all. Rising to her limbs, Remedy shook off the soreness that derived from sitting on them, and a smile reached the corners of her lips. Her hands brushed away any blades of grass that would cling to her cloak's fabric: "Well, this was fun. Your uncle sounds like quite the teacher. I'd love to talk again; somewhere indoors, perhaps?" Remedy said.

A smirk touched her lips as she spoke, the weight of her ambitions feeling much lighter a load. Before making her trek to the Courtyard up the hill, Remedy would bend down to collect her tomes and journals, her eyes meeting Constance's once more. A smile touching the corners of her lips; "Truly a pleasure. I do hope our paths cross again soon, but if not, be awaiting my owl, Constance."

Remedy is leaving; feel free to interact and godmod if needed, but think this is due for a close!

Tags: @Constance Apelion