| Details for Assembling an Entourage - Soleil |
| Summary: | Leander asks Soleil to join him on his trip to Durmstrang. |
| Date: | November 3, 1937 |
| Location: | Slytherin Common Room |
| Related: | Hallowe'en Feast and Dance - 1937 |
| Characters |
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Common Room Hogwarts Castle
It is a fall night. The weather is warm and clear.
The Slytherin commons room is a low-ceilinged, dungeon-like affair illuminated during the day by a multitude of greenish lamps and a roaring fire which also works to partially ward of the perpetual chill of the dungeons. The common room is filled with low-backed, black and dark green leather sofas and armchairs accented with buttons that create dimples deep in the upholstery. For the decorative carvings of the dark wood cupboards, the columns, the mantelpiece, and other architectural details of the room run strongly towards snakes and skulls motif. All these details combine to create a quite grand atmosphere with a touch of spooky and cold.
Day or night the enchanted windows are filled with an eerie green glow from the water on the other side. Occasionally the Giant Squid and other residents of the Black Lake will swim by the portals. Over all the common room has a sunken ship feel, though is oddly enough also gives a strange cozy sense as well.
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On this unusually warm Saturday evening, when most other students are still off to Hogsmeade to engage in the guzzling of hot drinks and the consumption of far too much leftover All Hallows Eve candy, Leander is tucked away in the Slytherin commons by himself. After the recent feast, he's been making a point of avoiding all but a few students, although this is hardly a change of behavior for him. He's sitting up in an armchair near the fireplace at the far end of the room, a book and a parchment in his lap and a quill in one thin hand.
Soleil comes from the dungeons and has several bags in her hands. She made some spending money on the potions that people bought from her for some costume effects. When she comes in she gives a little wave and greets, "Evening Leander. Enjoying not being swarmed at the moment?" She carries her things which are all potion making ingredients and equipment of course to her little corner where she has a mini laboratory set up behind a privacy screen that's folded close revealing the work space to the common room right now. Sitting down she starts to quietly organize.
Leander scribbles down a few notes and then glances up when he hears the approach of the slightly younger student (not difficult, considering how much she's carrying). The boy offers her a polite smile and returns her wave. "You have no idea," he says, his dark eyes briefly flicking behind her to make sure there isn't a horde of returning students on her heels. Once it's clear this isn't the case, he sets his things down on a table and sits up, his attention all on his Housemate now. "Your potions have earned you quite a reputation this Halloween, Soleil."
Soleil looks a bit mortified. "What happened with Balthazar wasn't my fault. Someone must have switched the potions." It might have been noticed that during the costume ball she was supposed to have gone with Balty but when she arrived as an angel there was no Balty by her side. So she's still very embarrassed and a little sensitive about it.
Luckily for Soleil, Leander is oblivious to the vast majority of social gossip. One of his dark brows quirks up, and he looks vaguely lost in response to her worried statement. "Er — I don't know anything about that," he says plainly, offering a polite smile along with the words. He decides to try a change of tack. "Sorry, I was actually hoping to ask you a question about potions. People are always talking about how you're right trig with them."
Soleil blinks a little when he seems to not be here to mock her. She's been getting a lot of that. Mostly because things with Balty and her after she turned him into a demon unicorn instead of just plain demon to counterpart her angel put quiet the crimp in any sort of possible relationship the might have had brewing. "Oh. Well I do try my best, a lot of weight on my shoulders, future of the family legacy and all of that. Not that I'm complaining, I like potions very much. I suppose I am… trig with them." Beat. "What's 'trig'?"
Leander gives a solemn nod in return to this. "Well, that's understandable. Mother and Father expect a good deal out of Ripley and I, as well…" The boy frowns a bit at her question. This isn't the first time his family's own brand of extremely outdated British slang has caused confusion amongst other students. "Er - trig just means smart, I suppose." Another cool smile. Suddenly, the boy reaches out for his book again, and flips it open to a random page (if Soleil can see it, it's a Potions book, and he's opened it up to the 'Advanced' section). "Anyway, you'll help me out? I have a quiz on Monday. Right, so…" He glances down at the book, then back up. "How many Valerian roots should be used in a Draught of Living Death?"
<FS3> Soleil rolls Mind + Potions: Amazing Success.
Soleil looks at him quizzically. "If you have the book, and are the one with the quiz, why are you asking me the question?" She rests her chin on her hand looking up at him. "You're trying to quiz me and see if I know the answer, aren't you?"
Leander pauses, his dark brown eyes narrowing a little at the girl's accusation. His polite smile curls up a little at the corners, and he mimicks her posture, resting an elbow on his knee so he can crook his chin in his hand. "Well, what if I am? Do you know the answer, Miss Parkinson?" His other set of digits raps once or twice on the surface of the Potions book.
Soleil giggles a little and raps three of her finger on the potions book as well. "The answer is on the eight line of the ingredients list. You take three Valerian Roots and you dice them up." Her eyebrows raise up and she gives him a smile. "Have I passed your test oh mighty Hogwarts Champion?" She is teasing him now, but she also has a touch of jade to her words.
"Impressive," Leander murmurs - he leans back in the chair, letting his hands fold on his lap, and clears his throat. "Yes, I think so. Anyway, I needed to make sure." His expression turns slightly more thoughtful, and he exhales. "I'm decent at brewing potions, but it's not my strongest skill. It would be good to have someone along with me with a better handle on the craft…" His dark eyes meet his Housemate's and he gives her another chilly smile. "What I'm saying is that I'd like you to accompany me to Durmstrang, if you're up for it."
Soleil was by now of course assuming that this is where it was going. But now that the question is officially posed she is a little in disbelief. "Thank you so much. Of course I would like to accompany you. I'm honored. Yes."
"Good. Thank you," Leander responds evenly, relaxing a bit now that the real business is dealt with. He eyes his Potions book again for a moment, and then looks back at the girl. "Perhaps we could do a bit of studying together soon - I really /should/ brush up on my Potions skills, just in case." He stands, then extends a hand to her politely to shake. "I think I'll be getting some sleep."
Soleil stands up and slides her hand into his and even gives a small little curtsy. "Good night. If you ever have trouble sleeping. You now know who to come to." A little Potions humor.
"Good night - I'll keep that in mind." Leander offers the girl a far warmer smile than he's accustomed to giving out - a rare show of real thanks, rather than just courtesy - and then retreats to the boys' dormitory after collecting his things.