| Details for Lions (and a Raven) in the Library |
| Summary: | A small group of Gryffindors (plus Gabriel) meet in the library, and Maeve and Gabe get in trouble with Madame Patil. |
| Date: | 7 October, 1937 |
| Location: | Library, Hogwarts |
| Related: | Related Logs: None |
| Characters |
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Library Hogwarts Castle
It is a fall evening. The weather is cool and overcast.
The Hogwarts Library consists of books filling shelf after shelf in a large sequence of twisting corridors that culminate at the hallowed Restricted Section. Books that cover a variety of topics no muggle could ever dream of, from Potions to Magical History to all manner of obscure, fantastical and abstract magical disciplines and creatures. Amazing as all these are, what knowledge is held in the restricted section is only spoken of in whispers. Books float across from one shelf to another, rearranging themselves back to where they belong as students never return them properly. Tables are positioned at reasonable intervals to provide students with a place to consume the vast knowledge found here, or to study whatever assignment they've waited until the last minute to complete.
Afternoon at Hogwarts finds Railan in the Library. dressed in Gryffindor robes that are just a little too big for him, he sits at one of the tables reading a large tome illustrated with Magical creatures and written in small script. face only inches from the page, due to the fact that he's already sitting on his Herbology textbook and his feet are dangling in mid air as is, he humms softly to himself as he reads.
The other smallest Gryffindor, on the other hand (and she's even slightly shorter than Railan,) doesn't worry about sitting on her textbooks. Maeve, in fact, simply sprawls out on the floor, reading what seems to be a book on Transfiguration, seemingly lost in the book, in fact."
Mabel makes her way into the library, dressed for a Hogsmeade weekend, but bringing back a pair of books, the sixth-year pausing to give the young Gryffindors a smile. "And good afternoon, young Lions, things coming along, then?"
Looking up from his Book, Railan offers a bright smile and nods. "Smashingly Ms. Mabel." The Welsh Accent thick on his tongue, he looks down at his book again for a moment before looking up once more. "And you will be glad to know I have dealt with my issue."
Maeve looks up and smiles at the older girl. "Doin' pretty well, actually. I'm guessin' ye're goin' down t' Hogsmeade? I hope ye' have fun this afternoon." She sits up, and leans back against the wall that she'd been laying next to.
Mabel gives a smile to Railan. "Excellent news, then. These things do have a way of sorting out, she says, adding to Maeve. "Did think I'd pop into town a bit. Would you like me to pick anything up while I'm there?"
Opening the door and slipping inside a bit quietly, Liam looks around at the people present for the moment. Stepping over to one of those shelves not far from where the other people are at the moment, and looking through the various titles there at the moment. Glancing around every now and then, it would seem.
Maeve thinks for a moment, then reaches into the pocket of her skirt, and pulls out a couple of Knuts, to hand over to Mabel. "Could ye' pick up somethin' fer me at Honeydukes? I'd appreciate it." She grins and looks back over to Railan. Then, noticing Liam entering, she waves to the second year.
Grinning from ear to ear, Railan nods. "Turns out…the pair of them are terrible at their care of magical creatures studies. So I offered to lend a hand with them. they were a little dubious at first until Kettleburn suggested it to them as well. Mother runs a sanctuary after all. and I assist her when I'm home."
Mabel nods. "It shouldn't be a problem," she smiles. "I know it can be a bit trying when the older students are all off for the weekend. After twice in a row, I imagine a treat's in order." Railan gets a nod, "Oh, really, that's lovely. Whereabouts? I'd heard you were just over in Cardiff, if I recall correctly?"
Nodding again, Railan smiles. "Very near Cardiff. Lovely place." Looking around, he sighs. "Speaking of studies. I must off."
Liam pauses for a few moments as he sees that wave, offering a bit of a wave in return. Pausing as he hears Mabel's words, he's unable to hold back a bit of a grin. "You mean we're not supposed to enjoy the peace and quiet when you older ones are off in Hogsmeade?" he offers, a bit lightly. Picking out a book and moving closer to the others. "Room for one more?"
Maeve giggles softly. "Oh, I dinna mind havin' a full common room. Everyone I've met in Gryffindor's been so wonderful. Ye've all made me feel so welcome." She waves to Railan as he prepares to leave. "I'll see ye later, then." Then she turns back to the two older Gryffindors.
Mabel smiles, :giving Railan a wave, "Not far, then, I expect, by boat or broom," she notes, and gives Liam a nod, letting Maeve do the inviting, since it's her spot. "I suppose it's all very new to you indeed, a whole new world, yes?"
Liam remains standing for now, offering another bit of a smile to the two. "But new worlds are the most interesting after all, aren't they?" he asks, with a bit of a smile now.
Maeve grins. "O' course there's room f'r another. Please, join us." She does nod to Mabel. "Yes, and it's all so fascinatin'. I've never seen anythin' like it. Before all I ever knew about was regular school and horses. Imagine, flyin' on broomsticks, and castin' spells. I never dreamt of it.
"Thanks," Liam offers with a bit of a smile now, moving to seat himself. "So, working on anything in particular?" he asks. Pausing at the talk about growing up between the worlds. "Me too."
Maeve shrugs. "Just learnin' a bit more about transfiguration. I think it may be m' favorite subject. Professor Dumbledore makes it so interesting. Nae like Professor Binns and History o' Magic." She nods to Mabel. "M' Da raises horses. I practically grew up on horseback."
Mabel smiles to Maeve, "I suppose it was the same with me and ships. It's been some time since we had horses. There's not much room for them to stretch out at Zigzag Walk, you see. But, yes, Professor Dumbledore is a very good teacher: I tend to give him credit for my good marks in the subject," she smiles. "Professor Binns, well, I suppose you have to be the right kind of student, let's say."
Liam smiles a little bit as he listens now. "Horses? That sounds interesting," he offers, before he adds, "I prefer water, though. Grew up next to the sea, and my father working out there." Nodding a little at the mention of the teachers. "My favorite class would be Charms," he offers after a few moments of pause.
Maeve nods again. "I like charms too. I've been havin' some trouble with potions, but I'm thinkin' of askin' Professor Slughorn if there's someone who could help me…" She sighs, and shrugs at the talk of water. "Oh, th' ocean's beautiful, but I've been missin' my roan mare. She's back at home, of course.
Mabel nods to Liam, "You do have that look about you. My Daddy's in shipping, you see: we've always been near the sea, if not on it." To Maeve, she says, "I suppose your first time back may be an adjustment all to itself, but there'll be books. Even Potions. I've always had to work at that, but Professor Slughorn is a dear fellow. Any trouble in particular?"
"My father came from Sweden thanks to being a sailor. Met my mother while in port, and that's that story," Liam offers after a few moments of pause now. "So the sea is almost in my blood, I guess." Another brief grin at the mention of Potions. "It's a test of patience, that one. My mother used to say it was a bit like cooking."
Maeve nods. "Aye. It is, but I'm still not quite gettin' th' hang of it. I think it's th' ingredients that are throwin' me. Sometimes I have trouble keepin' them straight. " She smiles as she listens to Liam talking about his parents. "That's such a sweet story. My Da and Ma grew up together, and were childhood sweeties…"
Mabel smiles. "The part that's like cooking is largely a matter of patience, it's true. Remembering what to do, that takes study and all. So you know it just when you need to." She doesn't elaborate on how her parents met, herself, though from her somewhat upper-crusty accent, it might be less romantic, or perhaps more. "We've been thinking we might take a bit of a summer tour around the British Isles, circumstance permitting, I'll be of age by then, and it may call for a bit of celebrating. If we make it up to Ireland, we'll just have to pop in."
"That sounds lovely," Liam offers to Maeve, before he grins at Mabel. "What parts Ireland would you want to visit, then?" he asks, after a few moments now.
Maeve nods. "It's a bit inland, but ye could come and visit Wicklow. There's the old monastery near where I grew up, and th' gap's lovely in th' summer…"
A very, very faint, rhythmic *thump* *thump* *thump* can be heard from the outside corridor.
Mabel ohs, "Well, I hadn't given a thought to specifics: I suppose I've seen most of the major ports, by now: along the way back from Nova Scotia as they are. I suppose we'll see what the times bring."
Liam smiles a little bit. "Wicklow… One of the easterners, then?" he offers a bit lightly to Maeve. "From Cork myself," he adds. "Which probably qualifies as a major port or something…"
Maeve nods. "Aye. Ma and Da's farm is jus' outside o' Glendalough. I always used t' ride through th' gap durin' th' summers. And I went t' Cork when I was seven. Nae been back since, though…"
Mabel nods, "Neither's such a long trio, in good weather, at least," she says, "And at need, I know a few charms for that. Just over from Bristol, you see." She adds, to Maeve, in particular, "Your family's adjusting well, I hope?"
The *thump* *thump* *thump* from the corridor gets louder, clearly coming towards the library and at this point starting to draw Madam Patil's attention.
Liam smiles a little as he listens. "I've never been to Glendalough, although I've heard it's rather pretty there," he offers. Pausing for a few moments at the thumping outside. "Wonder what that can be…" he begins.
Maeve nods in agreement to Liam, then looks over, curiously, towards where the thumping noise is coming from, curiosity on the tiny girl's face. "I've nae idea, but it seems t' be botherin' Madame Patil…"
Mabel's ears quirk up a little, at the thumping. She glances back to the library's entrance, "Perhaps one of the statues is getting restless, or some other stray charm's afoot."
The library doors open and what was a light *thump* becomes a very clearly audible *THUMP* as Gabriel walks in, a few of his books under his left arm since his right arm is busy bouncing a baseball along the floor. His expression is one of complete surprise when Madam Patil rushes over to shush him in angry, subdued tones that ease off a bit as the small boy blushes and looks at the ball as if he'd never seen it before. He immediately stuffs the ball in his knapsack and dashes off as soon as allowed, gravitating to the first table where he knows someone. Apparently that someone is Maeve, if one's to guess by the wave he directs at her.
Liam pauses for a few moments as he sees Gabriel's entrance, shaking his head a little bit now. Unable to hold back a bit of a chuckle, as he looks a little amused now.
Maeve shakes her head, trying to stifle a giggle as she suddenly realizes what the thumping is. She picks up her (now long abandoned) book, and closes it, waving to the Ravenclaw first year. "Gabriel, please, come an' join us."
Mabel gives the young one a little bit of a nod of greeting, "I hadn't realized baseballs were for bouncing," she smirks thinly. Pauses to see if the younger students would prefer to be on their own, …it does seem she's dressed for that trip to Hogsmeade, after all.
Liam pauses for a few moments, studying Gabriel a bit carefully for now. Otherwise keeping quiet at the moment, it would seem.
Gabriel zips into a chair and takes books out of his knapsack, quickly building a tower to hide him from Madam Patel's disapproving sight,"Hi Maeve. Gee, you'd think I killed someone or something." Looking at Mabel and Liam he grins, chastisement already forgotten. Well, considering his speaking in whispers, maybe not completely forgotten,"Hi, I'm Gabriel. How are all of you today? Seems I can get in trouble even when I'm trying to do the right thing, can't I? And baseballs, you need to play with them all the time, as much as you can so you hand gets used to throwing them and catching them. Bouncing them is a good way to do that." His attention focuses on Mabel for a moment, genuinely curious,"You know about baseball? Most people from Great Britain know more about cricket than baseball and all the wizards and witches I've met don't seem to know a lot about… Muggle sports in general." There's a pause there in front of Muggle, as if he actually has to think before using the word.
Maeve shrugs. "Well, like I said last night, I don' know anythin' about Baseball. Still, thank ye again for yer help in the Owl tower. Ye an' yer cousin both." She stands up from the floor and stretches, then moves into one of the chairs, almost seeming to get lost in it. "I'd like for ye t' meet Liam and Mabel."
Mabel ohs, "Well, Daddy's taken me to a game or two. I've spent a lot of time overseas, and well, he does a fair amount of business down the coast. Great fun, it seems." She winks. "Cricket's more civilized, of course," she jokes a little, and offers a hand. "Mabel Hawker."
"Baseball… I've heard of the sport, but nothing more. My favorite sport would be Gaelic football Oh, and rowing," he offers, after a few moments, before looking over at Gabriel. "I'm William Jonathan Tertius Hellstrom, but most people call me Liam," he offers, offering a hand to the other boy as well.
Gabriel shakes hands all around with the grin changing to a friendly smile that rests easily on his lips,"Nice to meet you both. You have a really long name Liam, I'm glad you have a nickname too. What's Gaelic football? I don't think I've ever heard about that one. But right now I think I like the idea of Quidditch more than anything else. Does either of you play? Are you planning on trying out for the team next year if you don't?" Turning his attention to Maeve for a moment he shrugs,"No problem. It was all Cathal's help anyway, but it was nice to meet you and nice to see you again." And over to Mabel,"Really? What does your dad do? Where have you been? Only place I've been is to the US of A to visit my Mom's father. Cricket is fun too but baseball is so much simpler to play. I like you last name by the way."
Maeve smiles, as she lets Liam explain about Gaelic Football, since she explained Hurling the previous evening. She can't help giggling slightly at the boy's curiosity, which attracts a nasty look from Madame Patil, causing her to swallow it back.
Mabel smiles at the rapidfire questions, "Oh, he's in shipping. Sea transport, the like. He's from Nova Scotia, you see, we'd make it down, oh, as far as New York City, fairly often." She nods, though, "As a matter of fact, I'm a chaser for Gryffindor, this year, you might just meet my Daddy. He follows a bit of sport from overseas, himself. Part Yank are you, then, Gabriel?" she says.
Liam grins, "It's a version of football, but using most kinds of movement to get the ball to the goals. Very exciting." Pausing at the mention of being partially from outside of the British Isles, since after all, he's that as well.
Gabriel winks at Maeve from behind the protection of his wall of books when Madam Patel tosses a mean look her way. "Yes, I am. My Mom is actually from America, she came over here for her first nursing job because she wanted to spend sometime overseas, met my Dad and, from what they tell me, after he tried a lot, fell in love and ended up here permanently. Been visiting my grandpa for the last six summers, that's where I learned to play baseball. What teams does your dad like? I want to be a chaser too. I think all my practice with baseball would help me. Don't you? How good are you? I met one of the chasers for Ravenclaw the other night. She was telling me she broke two bones last year, other people's bones, not hers." He seems to be a little bit in awe at that idea, even though the expression on his face includes a little bit of disapproval of that idea too.
Maeve nods quietly, and speaks up again. "If I were to be on the team, I think I'd want to be the seeker, but I don' think I've got th' skills t', at least nae yet." She does shudder at the thought of broken bones, the girl not having had any experience with Magical Healing just yet.
Mabel nods, to Maeve, "Oh, it's part of the game, but not too often, I think. By the look of you, you'd make a fair seeker: it's quick you've got to be, rather than big." She nods to Gabriel, "Helps to have a throwing arm, to be sure, being a Chaser. We'll see, of course, as you learn to fly. "
Liam chuckles, "I'm not sure if I'd want to play Quidditch," he admits after a few moments. "While I enjoy flying, the fear of getting knocked off my broom is too strong…"
Gabriel tilts his head at that thought,"You know, you're right. I wonder why no one has come up with a way to keep riders attached to their brooms? Like seatbelts in automobiles. Hey! It could be a belt, then you attach the belt to two straps and those go on rings attached to the broom. How would that work?"
Maeve shakes her head. "I'm nae sure that'd work. If ye're strapped in, it could interfere with some o' the moves ye'd have t' make when ye play."
Mabel smiles, "It's a little hard to explain, I suppose, but that's mostly the thing of it," she nods to Maeve. "Of course, it's best to get over that early on, I'm told, and besides, once you've fallen off once or twice, it's much less scary. Those of us who've been riding since we were children start with a bit of an advantage, but less than you'd think."
"Would be interesting if the broom breaks," Liam offers to Gabriel, rather lightly.
Gabriel hmms,"Are there any floating spells you cast as you're falling? Or is the sand under the field enchanted? Oh, I know! There's cushions under the sand!" He starts frowning now that he thinks more about it and about how high the game is played at,"Wait… Do people ever die playing Quidditch? Now that we're talking about it, its really, /really/ high up…"
Maeve shudders at the thought of a broom breaking in the middle of a game, and again just at the thought of the fall. She doesn't even want to consider the possibility of someone getting killed during a game. "I'm sure there are ways t' heal through magic. There have tae be…"
Mabel ohs, "Yes, there are a few things, but people almost never die playing at Quidditch, and certainly not here at school, with professors and all watching. " She smiles: it's hard to tell how much she's teasing, there. But it's Gryffindor. She winks. "Oh, most certainly, there's healing magic, too, it's not like a broken bone is all that inconvenient for long. My cousin's actually studying to be a mediwitch, you know Lois by now, I'm sure," she winks. Distractedly, muses, "It might be a bit of fun to have a game of Quidditch in that Fenway Park place I've seen," I think you could just about squeeze a pitch in there."
Liam smiles a little bit, keeping quiet for the moment, listening to what's being said at the moment. And opening the book he took from the bookshelf, blinking a bit as he sees what it's about.
Gabriel nods as he listens to Mabel then jumps in with completely unrelated questions,"Claire was mentioning that the nurse can fix broken bones in seconds. How good do you thinks Claire is? She thought she was really good but a lot of people think they are and are not. And what about the house teams, who do you think is going to win this year? Not the Slytherins right? Claire was saying their not all that bad but I've heard lots of bad things about them, even if I really haven't met any." Catching Liam's reaction to his book he leans over a little bit to try and catch a glimpse, asking a very typical Ravenclaw question,"What are you reading?"
Mabel just laughs at the rapid fire questions, "Oh, I think it's far too early to tell: so many new players on all the teams, it's early yet to make any predictions. A wink to the kids. "Of course I like our chances, generally." She has a bit of a step back, starting to be inclined to start off.
"It's… a book?" Liam offers a few moments, pausing as he looks to the book again. "It's about…" A brief pause, and a wide grin. "I don't have a clue, actually. Just grabbed a book." See, honesty's good, right?
Gabriel pulls a book off his stack and puts it in front of himself,"Oh, yeah. Honesty is always… Almost always good. That reminds me that the reason I came here in the first place was because I had to catch up on some History of Magic. I thought it was going to be boring, and class is, but the history itself is kind of fun. But there's been sooooo many goblin rebellions!"
Liam offers a bit of a grin to Gabriel now. "When was the 348th Goblin Rebellion again?" he comments a bit lightly.
Gabriel gets a look of panic on his face and then dives into his book, feverishly looking for the 348th goblin rebellion in the text, mumbling the number to himself almost inaudibly as he searches.
Maeve shakes her head, not knowing. Mind you, she's one of those who simply has trouble staying awake in Binns' lectures, although she does her best.
Liam chuckles a little bit, looking between the others now. Seemingly a bit unsure of what to say at the moment.
Maeve sighs, and turns to Liam. "Ye'll have t' come up t' Glendalough, and visit durin' th' summer next year." She can't help grinning. "I'm surprised at how many of us here are from Ireland…
Liam chuckles as he hears that, nodding a bit. "Sounds like a good idea, if my parents'll let me. Beats just staying in the same building as Freya all the time. She's a bit too bossy." He smiles a little, offering a bit of a grin.
Maeve nods. "Well, Ma and Da always welcomed m' friends when they came over. And you're nae that far from us. And even closer if ye use Floo powder."
Liam chuckles, nodding a bit now. "I'm sure they'll say yes," he offers, with a bit of a smile.
Maeve grins. "Then we'll have t' do it then." She glances over at Gabriel, still buried in his book. "I think ye really managed t' stump him. Mind ye' there's no way I'd be able t' answer that.
"I'm not really sure if there were a 348th Goblin Rebellion," Liam offers a bit quietly. "But if so, I'm sure he'll have the answer. Either today or at some point this week." It's said with a bit of a grin.
Maeve's eyes go wide, and she starts to look incensed, then giggles as it sinks into her head. "Ye're probably right. But tha's just CRUEL!"
Liam grins, "Well, it gives him something to do, right?" He shakes his head a little bit. "And who knows, it might probably teach him something, although I'm not sure what."
Maeve is still giggling, uncontrollably. This, of course, draws a loud 'ssssh!' from Madame Patil, causing the girl to try her best to swallow her laughter. "And ye're right. O' course, it seems like a Ravenclaw could learn from readin' th' back o' a biscuit tin, after all."
"Lots of good things that can be learned from the back of a biscuit tin." Offered rather lightly for now, Liam shakes his head a little bit.
Maeve nods. "I guess ye're right. Still, better than most o' th' Slytherin's I've met. There are a few who seem decent sorts, but so many o' them come across as base bullies."
Liam nods a little bit. "Many of them seems to be that. Not really sure if it's how they are, or just what they pretend to be, though."
"He does," Liam nods in agreement, before he sighs a bit. "I should get going. Got a few things to take care of now." Starting to get to his feet, and picking up the book he had brought to the table.
Maeve nods, as she stands, stretching. "Well, have fun then, and I'll see ye in th' common room, I guess.
Gabriel gputs his forehead in his hand, leaning his elbow on the table, completely absorbed by looking for the answer about the 348th goblin rebellion. With his right hand he starts to take notes on his scroll, using a Muggle pencil he's pulled from his knapsack.
Liam smiles, nodding a little bit as he hears that. "I'll see you." Moving to place the book back into the bookshelf, before heading out of the room.
Maeve grins, and glances over towards where Gilbert is still buried in his book. "Gilbert, are ye still lookin for that answer?
Gabriel doesn't really look up from the book. All Maeve gets as an answer is a distracted,"Hmmmmm..?" Maybe a little more effort is needed to snap him out of his study trance.
Maeve giggles, and gently starts to tickle the Ravenclaw first year…
Gabriel lets out a loud "ACK!" and falls out of his chair in a sudden spurt of energy as he tries to get away from the tickling fingers. In the process of falling out of his chair his foot catches the table and send his tower of books tumbling all over the table and the ground. And the tower that was meant to protect him from Madam Patel suddenly turns into the exact reason he attracts her wrath. Striding over to the table she hisses,"Out! Now! And do not come back until you learn the appropriate behavoir for a library Mr. Ward!"
Maeve blushes, and immediately does something stupid and Gryffindor-like. She defends her friend. "Um… I'm sorry, Madame Patil. It was m' fault. I was ticklin' him…" She's bright red, embarrassed.
Madam Patil rounds on Maeve,"OH, it was, was it? Well, you can get out too Miss O'Brian!" Standing with one hand on her hip Madam Patil firmly points at the exit door while Gabriel scrambles to repack his knapsack, making little choking sounds.
Maeve goes even pinker, as she scrambles to her feet. She doesn't have any of her own books or belongings with her at the moment, so it's simple enough for her to get out of the library…
Gabriel snatches up his knapsack in one hand and Maeve's hand in the other, tugging her behind him as he makes good his escape before Madam Patil can think of something more drastic than kicking them out of the library.
Maeve almost squeaks as she lets Gabriel drag her out of the library, even before she can retreat. "I…I'm sorry, Madame Patil," she says as the two first years depart…
You head towards Silent Corridor
Gabriel's choking sounds turn into a few guffaws which he quickly stifles by clapping both his hand over his mouth, releasing both Maeve and the knapsack in the process, then sliding down the wall and burying his head between his knees.
Maeve is still blushing, then suddenly starts to laugh as well, although hers is still more of a musical chortle rather than a guffaw.
Firm footsteps can be heard coming from the library towards the door, prompting Gabriel to scramble to his feet and grabs both his bag and Maeve again, half-running, half-stumbling further away from the library door,"Last thing we want is for her to catch us again." He says betwen bouts of laughing and gasping and what not.
Maeve nods, and runs along with you, trying her best to choke back her own laughter. "I know… C'mon…"
Hogwarts Lake Shore Hogwarts Grounds
It is a fall night. The weather is cool and fair.
This narrow crescent of grainy sand and smooth small beach stones spans east to west between the cliff face to the east and the large fortified stone campus perimeter wall to the west that runs north to south until it runs many yards into the water of the Black Lake itself and further off to the north. The only spot along the shore that isn't given completely to a topography of rocks and roots, the latter of which extend right out into the lake, it's a commonplace sight to see students hopping about on the rocks or skipping stones across the water.
Gabriel lets go of Maeve's hand once he's sure she's not going to fall behind and leads the run out of the castle and towards the lake. As he reaches the shore he drops down to the sand on his back, gasping for air and still chortling,"Well, that was fun. GUess now you know I'm super-tickling and I'll learn some really, really mean hexes to try on you if you tell anyone or take advantage of it." Too bad the threat is kind of ruined by the laughter he's still trying to contain.
Maeve grins. "I'll nae tell a soul, Gabriel.. O' course, that doesn' mean I won't take advantage of it m'self."
Gabriel looks up at the clear blue afternoon sky and shakes his head, oblivious of the sand grains grinding into his hair,"Madam Patel is soooo going to hate me after this. That's going to make it hard to study? I wonder if I can find somewhere else to study? Hmmm… But then how do I get books out of the library? Oh, Cathal probably never gets in trouble! We can have him get books for both of us if we need to. That's a good solution, yup!"
Maeve nods, then suddenly thinks about something. "Is there anywhere we can get muggle books? I've almost finished th' mysteries I brought with me. I haven' gotten Th' A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie yet…
Gabriel sticks his hands behind his head then turn it to look Maeve,"I was going to write my grandpa to have him send some swing sheet music I wanted Cathal to try out. He's so… subdued… I'm sure he would not mind sending a book or two. But I don't think anywhere around…" His words petter out as something sinks into his brain finally,"Hey! Wait a second, what do you mean you're going to take advantage of it!? That's cheating!"
Maeve giggles. "Can't I tease a friend?" She grins at you. "I won't tickle ye, I promise. And I guess I could ask Ma or Da t' send me books, although they'd have t' learn t' send via Owl Post too…"
Gabriel gives Maeve a suspicious looks, eyes slightly narrowed, even thought a smiles lurking in the corners of his lips,"Lies… Hexes, bad, bad hexes, don't forget that. Hexes for all ticklers I say!" Switching tracks he goes back to the music and the books,"Ooo! Do you think you'd like to learn some swing music too? Its really happy and peppy and fun. I've never heard it with a harp in it but I'm sure someone can adapt it. I think it would be a great way to teach people a little bit about our world. Maybe even have a swing dance…" And now to disappointment,"Ohhh… But /I/ don't know how to swing dance. We'd have to bring someone in to teach…"
Maeve shrugs. "Don' look at me. I've naer done anythin' but a little bit o' traditional dancing and some waltzing. And even then, I'm nae very good…"
Gabriel kicks his shoes off and pulls his stockings off with his toes. Letting out a little sigh that combines contentment and disappointment he asks,"Are you ready for classes tomorrow. I am learning so much and its a lot of fun but its sooo much work too." Says the boy who spends about two hours of studying at night and seems to be done, as long as there's not a lot of writing to be done. As he speaks he digs little holes in the sand with his toes,"Although Defense Against the Dark Arts is tomorrow for me. That one's a lot of fun!"
Maeve nods. "I'm lookin forward t' it. I've got Herbology in the morning, and Transfiguration in the afternoon. What I'm nae lookin forward to is Potions on Tuesday." She shrugs, grinning ruefully.
Gabriel chuckles as he digs his feet deeper into the sand,"At first I wasn't sure about Charms, but I'm getting to like it better now that I know its not all about taking over people's minds. I think the only class I'm never really going to like all that much this year is Astronomy." Flipping some sand up and towards the water he puts his foot back down and starts digging his toes in again."Potions is fun, its like putting together puzzles but you get something a lot better than a picture at the end. And its one of those things I need to get really good at if I want to be a healer."
Maeve nods. "Astronomy's nae been troublesome fer me yet, but I'm nae sure I'm all that interested in it either." She thinks for a moment. "Do ye think ye could help me with Potions? As I said, I've had trouble keepin' th' ingredients straight.
Gabriel nods,"Sure. But for now we should really be heading back." As he speaks he sits up and start putting his socks and shoes back on. "If we don't we'll get caught out here past curfew."
Maeve nods, agreeing. "Aye. No sense gettin' in more trouble than we already are."