| Details for Haka Dance And Vain Chivalry |
| Summary: | Pease note: that this is an old log which I believe hadn't been shared yet, but which I gladly share on request. :-) A dinner in the Great Hall, where Colton shares his deep knowledge of Hawaiian dance with Lara and still gets rebuffed by Ravenclaw pride. |
| Date: | 03 September, 1938 |
| Location: | Hogwarts, Great Hall |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Another day another dinner. The first few days of school has been a lot of introductions made for firsties along with brief talks between prefects and all of that. Other than the one on the train that is. Conall is inside and greeting the younger students and helping out a bit. Being among the firsts in the great hall. "Enjoy!" He offers as people are starting to slip into their seats.
Josie comes into the hall, pausing to chat with one of the students heading towards one of the other tables before going to her own. Last year at this time, she barely knew anybody, but she's so much more at home here now. She waves to Conall as she passes by, smiling cheerfully.
Morgana feels like she had it easy last year, no NEWTs to worry about and no young firsties to answer questions to. However the new Head Girl has been taking it in stride, and has even set up a few study sessions for the weekend. Mostly for those who have let their mind wander over the summer away from their studies. Pausing at the doors she'll nod her head to Conall. "Surviving?" She asks lightly.
Lara enters the hall behind Morgana, looking even paler than usual with dark rings under her eyes. She greets to Morgana respectfully as she passes her. Spotting Conall her expression brightens and she hesitates a moment, considering.
Conall chuckles and nods to Morgana, "Something like that." Offering a wave to the others entering. Lara getting a smile and a nod along with the wave. Waiting for people to get seated."It's interesting seeing all the people again." He offers to all that are close. Smiling brightly.
"Evening Lara, making it through the first few days alright?" Morgana asks as she spots her house mate, recognizing the look of impending OWLs on the poor girls face. "Indeed it is, though it's nice to have everyone in the same place and not having to apperate all around London just to see them." She says, folding her hands behind her back for the moment.
Lara nods at Morgana. "Classes are much more challenging this year, but I guess I shouldn't complain. Nothing compared to NEWTs /AND/ being Head Girl. I think you are doing a great job." She means it. Turning to Conall she says "Hi Conall! I suppose you won't have time for the Arts Club this year with NEWTs and Prefect duties?"
Conall nods as he listens to Morgana. LEtting her talk to her housemate.Though as he is spoken to, he grins. "I am sure I can make room for Arts Club. Don't think I will be playing any quidditch though." Not that he played much last year either with the injury having just recovered. Soon enough taking a brief walk around before returning to take a seat at the Hufflepuff table. Speaking to some first years that are asking something from him. He does still glance over to the others as well. Sitting at the edge of the table to it is easy to get his attention. Some gryffindor prefects speaking to him from the nearby table as well.
"And being part of the Art Cult as well." Morgana says, looking over to Conall and giving him a wink going back to one of their old jokes. "Well we have less NEWTs than we do OWLs, they're all stressful when you think about it. But being Head Girl on top of that is defiantly not something I am used to." Speaking of Head Girl duties, she is being flagged down by a Slytherin Prefect, so she'll bow her head to her friends and slip away. "Duty calls."
Lara glowers at the Slytherin table as Morgana takes her leave, then follows Conall back to the Hufflepuff table, without taking a seat. "That is good to hear!" she says cheerfully to Conall, looking content. "Better to stop Quidditch than the Arts Club!!" She never quite liked the game. Not that she ever tried herself.
Conall offers another nod to Morgana as she needs to leave for duties. "I will catch you later." Starting to chuckle and nod. "I suppose so. I do so like singing and need to learn to play the guitar better." He offers with a bright smile. "How about yourself? How does it feel with the new year coming?"
Josie, only hearing part of the conversation, looks up towards the other table, eyes a little wide at what she heard said, "Wait, they're not stopping Quidditch, are they? I spent all summer practicing!"
Lara shrugs. "Well, you know how the fifth year goes. The difficulty and work-load of classes suddenly soaring. And the year has just started. But I definitely want to continue with the Arts Club, too. I…" She blushes slightly. "Well, I… Will you also practice dancing again?" She looks like she meant to say more, when she is interrupted. Turning, she looks for the speaker, finding Josie.
"Nono, of course not." Conall says to Josie with a smile. Nodding to Lara as well. "I am quite sure that you will do well. I am around to help you out if you need it as well." He assures her with a smile. Raising a brow as there seem to be something she does not tell him. "I could do dancing as well." He offers and still smiles.
Colton nudges Josie with his mouth full he mumbles, which isn't far from how he sounds in full Shelta mode. "Imbite'r ober." He's got his, be the bait for me! Look he gets when he uses Josie, all cute and young and exuberant to help him pick up on girls.
Josie looks relieved at Conall's answer, "Oh, good." She smiles then and says, "Thanks." As good as Josie is at picking up on Colton's Shelta-speak, mouth-full-speak seems to throw her for a loop as it takes her a moment to figure out what he said, "Oh, yeah." She looks back then to Lara and Conall, and asks, "They do dancing in the arts club? My friend Cillian's in that club, but I've never been." Then she adds, "This is my friend Colton." As if Colton wasn't already well-known around school.
Lara hesitates, turning back to Conall. "Well, I have - borrowed - an interesting record from my brother during vacation. I think I might get it running on the school gramophone, with some adaptions. Maybe Phae can help, I have to see her." She realizes she starts babbling and stops abruptly. Then, dropping her voice to a bare whisper only Conall can hear "Anyway, I wanted to ask you if you'd try out a new kind of dance with me." She looks over at the Gryffindor table, looking slightly annoyed and mustering the young second-year. "Why do you ask? Wanna join us?" Rather straight-forward. At Colton she throws a mistrustful, but not unfriendly look and nods politely "Hi Colton."
Conall smiles as Lara speaks about the record and listening interested. "Ah, that sounds lovely." Though as he hear the low spoken words he nods a bit slowly. "Sure." Turning to grin at Josie. "Yup. Art club does all about arts. Song, dance, acting, painting. All of that and more." He offers and smiles. LEtting Lara speak as well. "Indeed. Feel free to, if you enjoy dancing." Raising a brow at the talk between Lara and Colton. Nodding to the other boy. "How are ya, Colton? Had a good summer?"
Colton grins with his cheeks still all pooched out with food. It's the way you have to eat in his family. Shove as much in your mouth before it's all gone. But he looks rather adorable like that, in a goof ball way. Typical Colton. He waves his hand in return and then gives Josie another gentle elbowing and prodding. He answers with a nod and as he stands up there seems to be enough room for another roll so it's shoved in his mouth and chewed as he walks over to join the others. He chugs some milk to gulp both food and drink down so he can point out to Lara as suave as he can get (which is a bit on the cheesey playful side), "Miss Pay's gotta rig. Yee can sign some paper ta reserve it an plays it in the Muggle Studies Room…" He ruffles his hair with one hand a big smile towards Lara. Conall doesn't go ignored, so that should be telling that Colt likes the guy well enough to not be entirely honed in on the pretty girl. He offers Conall his hand for some random string of shaking, patting, clapping swinging and all manner of nonsensical 'secret hand shake'. "Aye, grand, went to 'Awhy-ee wif de clan." The hula dances he starts to do batting his lashes at Lara might help translate what in the hell ''Awhy-ee' is. He is also looking quite nicely tanned. This springs a memory back to his and he hits his forehead. "Oi, Kid, remind me ta give yee yer pressie aftah chow."
Josie blinks at Lara's question, and says, "Um.. well, maybe, yeah. But I'm not very good at anything like that. My mum taught me a bit about dancing, but that was mostly preparation. Acrobatics is kind of like dancing, but on a rope or a trapeze or something else. Have to follow a routine." She grins at Colton as he talks about his summer. She seems surprised at the mention of a 'pressie', but smiles and says, "Ok."
Lara eyes widen in surprise. She looks flustered, but also somewhat panicky at Colton and his little show in front of her. "Uhh… pardon me?" is all she manages to say, while leaning slightly back in case the boy does anything rash. Yet, she is intrigued. "Awhy-ee wif the clan?" she adds uncomprehendingly, glancing to Conall, then to Josie for help.
Conall chuckles and shakes his head at Colton's words to Lara. Seemingly amused. Going along with the handshake as well. "You seem in a good mood." Turning to nod to Josie. Hands resting on the table after the handshake with Colton. A shoulder shrugged. "You should try it all. IT's fun." As for Lara's question about Colton's answer to the question he nods, "I think… IS it Hawaii?" He asks. Guessing from the type of dance.
Colton grimaces as her incomprehension dawns on him. When he speaks next he's speaking much more clearly and in a manner that's not posh, but it's not East End Cockney sounding either. Just Colton's own spin on the English language as it was taught to him by an Oxford Professor. "Yep." He taps his nose and then points at Conall. "Went to Hawaii with my family. We're called the Quinnland Clan, so that's what I was sayin." He smiles to Lara and gives his hair a ruffle looking sheepish and apologetic to the group. "Sorry. Just coming back from break for the first few days…takes a bit of time to adjust and remember no one understands what the hell I'm saying." He chuckles. "So Conall, Head honcho ay? Fancy. You're not gonna be a lil Hitler like your Girlfriend are ya? Nearly missed Feast cause she ratted on me." It's said in friendly enough tones. No hard feelings against Morgana.
Josie giggles a little at Lara's reaction to Colton, opening her mouth to translate when Colton does so himself. She grins, and adds to him, "I know what you're saying… usually." Then she looks back to Conall and says, smiling, "Ok, I will try."
Lara looks at Colton in awe now, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You went to… HAWAII? Really?" She musters him critically. "Must be, by the color you've got." She turns to Conall. "I'm starving, mind if we sit here?" He's Head Boy, after all. If he says it's ok, the other Hufflepuffs will listen. To Colton, she smiles. "Just try and speak slowly for me, will you? Anyway, I want to hear all about Hawaii." Purely academic interest. She would offer him a seat beside her, if there's enough space at the table. Her eyes fall on Josie, half-forgotten. "You're still hungry, too?"
Conall grins to Colton and shrugs. "We'll see. You should be behaving though." He tells him and runs a hand through his own hair. Nodding to Josie as she finally agrees. Reaching to pat her shoulder. "I am sure that you'll enjoy it." He offers and beams. "Go ahead." Gesturing for them to sit after Lara had asked. Gesturing for Josie to join if she wants. Grinning at the others.
Colton gives his wingman Josie a big grin as he squeezes in next to Lara. Pringle glares at him across the room, but when Colton points innocently to the Head Boy that's making gestures to invite them to sit the Groundskeeper grumps at being denied tormenting his favorite troublemaker and moves back to looming like a vulture. "I'm always behaving, just how I'm behaving is in question." He winks over to the Head Boy and then starts to tell them all about Hawaii, though he looks from Conall to Josie to Lara, it's Lara that gets the bulk of his attention. "Well, took us a few weeks sailin'. Beautiful sailing tho. Every day you could watch the dolphins and sometimes whales…even a shark or two swimming around the ship in the crystal clear waters. When we arrived the village we usually stay with all came out in their canoes and they poured thousands of petals into the water so all around our boat the sea turned pink and purple. We all got greeted in the traditional style with a necklace of flowers they call Lei's. Then when we got to the beach the men greeted us with what's called a Haka. You want to talk interesting dancing…" He winks to Lara.
Josie smiles at the invite, "Thanks." She moves over to join the little gathering around Conall, taking a seat as she nods quickly to Lara, "Yeah. A little, anyway." She looks to Colton curiously at his story of Hawaii, though.
Lara absent-mindedly pushes a red strand of hair from her face, tucking it away behind her ear. Her blue eyes gaze intently at Colton as she listens in fascination. While she had taken some dishes on her plate initially, she has not taken a bite yet, obviously taking sufficient nourishment from Colton's tale. When Colton winks at her she blinks in surprise, as if a spell was being raised from her. "Haka? Is that some kind of folk dance?" She glances at Conall and Josie, frowning, then returns her full attention to Colton.
"Don't behave questionably then." Conall tell Colton and rolls his eyes. Though still with a grin on his lips. Listening to the story as well though shrugging at Lara's question about the haka. "Not sure." Comes his admitted words before he pushed to his feet. "I should get going though. Duties and all that." Bowing before he will leave. First pointing to Josie. "Come and dance with us." Then to Colton. "Behave like is expected. Or like me." He grins a bit at that before sending the pointed finger towards Lara, "I'll see you tomorrow?" He asks, since she spoke about a dance. "It will be fun." He assures her with his usual bright smile. Starting to hum and he finally start to move away.
Colton pffts in a good natured way towards Conall when he's instructed on how to behave. Then he offers with a grin, "Can I come dance? I can show you guys the Haka then. Cause I'd get thrown in the dungeon in a blink if I did it here." He nods as he says this to Lara. "Yep. It's a fierce warrior's dance. When visitors come this village which has a lot of Maori influence does a Haka. It's a mix of a challenge and a welcome. They'll roar their language and make faces and have strong gestures with their arms and the leader will come forward and lay down a feather or piece of fern to the visitor's leader. The visitor needs to pick it up, or it'll mean that the visitors are there to fight. Gives me chills every time they do it. After the welcoming, there's a luau. Which is like a picnic or pot-luc. So damn good." He looks like his mouth is watering just thinking of the pit pork.
Josie nods quickly to Conall and says, "I will." She looks back to Colton and Lara and grins, and then hops to her feet, "I better go, homework. Bye." She did her part, getting Lara and Colton talking, now she knows to get out of the way.
Lara's cheeks redden at Conall's pointed finger, and she returns his smile as he takes his leave, nodding. "Tomorrow then!" Remembering the (cold) food on her plate, she takes a bite, listening to Colton's explanation but looking not half as excited anymore. At the mention of "Warrior's dance" her face darkens further. "It does not really sound like a… suitable… dance… for the Arts Club. A WARRIOR'S DANCE?" She shakes her head in distaste. "Sorry, Colton, honestly, I don't approve of this idea." She stares at the bit of meat on her fork, then takes another bite, waving to Josie as she leaves. "I like the luau part, though" she offers awkwardly, trying to soften the edge of her last comment and to change the subject.
Colton shrugs and takes her dislike of it with a grain of salt. He's rather used to his ideals and interests not meshing well with the bulk of the society most of his schoolmates are from. "What do you think dancing as we know it come from? It all started as posturing and spear waving to challenge intruders or prove something to a romantic interest. Beery eats this sort of thing up. He won't mind it's someone's ancient tradition and culture. Ask me, I think it should be appreciated for just that alone, nevermind that it looks amazing."
Lara is now keenly aware of sitting at the Hufflepuff table with a Gryffindor boy of doubtful reputation beside her. Sighing, she pushes her plate away, having lost her appetite. "I see your point." In fact, she is pleasantly surprised at his serious reply. At least, it was perfectly congruous this time. "Still, I believe it is one of the greatest achievements of our civilization that we have overcome our barbarous roots with chivalry." She musters Colton, blue eyes resting on his unkempt hair for moment. He definitely had something… wild… about him.
Colton becomes aware of her lose of interest and sudden discomfort and he begins to stand and offers her a hand to help her up. "Interest m'lady in a stroll? I think that the barbarous roots only makes the chivalry that much more important, actually. Cause it reminds us how far we've come, without forgetting where we came from." If she seems interested in said stroll he offers her his elbow with a grin. "So what did you do over the Summer, m'lady?"
Lara stares at the outstretched hand for a moment, then at Colton. Just when it seems she would not rise at all, she shakes her head and takes the offered hand. "Well, that is chivalrious enough, I suppose, SIR." She releases his hand as she stands, prefering to ignore the offered elbow. "A short stroll then, I still have an assignment for tomorrow and must practice my charms." Well, not THAT kind of charms, obviously. Lara feels her cheeks turning pink yet again. Oh, how she hated that! "I was at home in London, mostly. My brother showed me a new dance, swing. He said it's very popular in the US and even managed to get hold of a record. In fact, it can look rather offensive, too."
Colton grins all ear to ear that she's even walking with him at all. With his hands in his pockets he continues along next to her. "Yeah, I know swing. My cousin knows a guy that owns a swing club in London. Maybe uhh, we could check it out over Winter Hols? Do you like Italian food? That's what she says they serve there." As they stroll he heads through the halls winding their way towards the Ravenclaw Commons door. Might as well head in that direction since she's got that assignment she mentioned.
Lara stops in her tracks abruptly, flabbergasted. "You actually… know it? I… wow! Even my parents did not know, nor approve of it when they found out. My mother freaked out when she catched my brother giving me lessons. She thinks this is no proper dance for… well, me." She shakes her head angrily. "I don't think she would approve of me going to such an establishment, as much as I'd like to." Glancing at Colton she is quite certain that her mother would not approve of HIM either. But, hell, she would love to go.
Colton smirks and looks ever so devilish. "So tell her you're going to go out for Italian instead. It's not a lie." He winks to her again and pauses in the stroll, eyebrows arched up with a smile, waiting to see if she'll recover enough before continuing. "The owner is like famous. He's a crooner, which isn't my style. But they also do Swing. Or so my cousin tells me. Not been personally. But I would like to take you. What do you say?"
Lara stares at him incrediously. Hazel color, a part of her mind notes. His eyes are hazel. And he is so… bold. Silence stretches. "No." She finally drops her eyes. "No. This is terribly sweet of you, but I don't think I will let you drag me into one of your dubious endeavors." With an effort, she regains some of her Ravenclaw composure and pride. "In fact, don't expect I will go anywhere with you outside the bounds of this castle any time soon. I am very sorry. Besides, I need to study for my OWLs in Winter Holidays." With that, she walks on.
Colton doesn't seem wounded or rejected at all by her rejection. "You know where to find me when you change your mind." He calls after her as she walks on. He leans against the wall with a smirk. "I can also help you study, did just go through it all last year… good luck m'Lady. See yee round."
Lara stops, turns and courtseys with a sly smile on her lips before walking off. "Thank you for the 'stroll', my chivalrous knight. Another time, perhaps."