| Details for Unmentionables |
| Summary: | Students in the library; there's talk of stolen underwear and an attempt to talk around a certain book. (Partial log, please add its end). |
| Date: | 1938-12-19 |
| Location: | Library |
| Related: | Did You Hear, The Unspeakable Book |
| Characters |
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The afternoon sunlight drifts through the windows, illuminated bits of dust that slowly drift in and out through the beams of sunlight that land across the back half of the table, one of many that occupy the Library. Leaning back further in her chair, Elizabeth shifts in her seat ever so slightly, readjusting her weight to stretch her slender legs and recross them beneath the table. A book open and leaning against the edge of the table, her finger fiddle quietly with her raven locks, arranging it as some sort of braided ponytail that she hasn't practiced before. So her attention in divided between that and the book in front of her, reading steadily, memorizing the words instantly as her pale gaze flits across the page.
Shazi arrives from Third Floor Corridor.
Shazi has arrived.
Anthony ambles on into the library, lets his hand wander absently, and selects a book. He flicks it open dramatically, and….. sighs. "No. Just Herbology." And it's carefully reshelved in its right place.
Tying the tail into place with a blue ribbon, done into a bow, her fingers lightly brush at the raven strands with an absent touch as a free hand lightly flips to another page. "Hm." She considers a word she's stuck on, only briefly before deciding to push her seat back. The book is set on the table, among her other books as the bookworm pushes herself to her feet. It's when she starts browsing through the aisles that she spots Anthony. A small smile flitters across her lips. "Looking for something in particular?"
Anthony admits with a flush, "Was just wondering, really, whether this was something that drew the interested to it. Randomly, as it were. It would appear, alas, that it's not quite that simple." There's a rueful look, "Unfortunate, really."
The Library is meant to be an oasis of quiet. Shazi Shafiq is, constitutionally, a trifle notoriously, loud. Thus find the Gryffindor moving about the stacks with exaggerated care, her expression bordering on 'rebellious', as she collects up an assortment of volumes. Mostly Potions-related, from the looks of it. The sight of the two Ravenclaws some feet away catches her fancy, and she begins, all too casually, to drift in their direction.
Elizabeth quirks a brow as she pauses, listening thoughtfully. "I'm certain it isn't that simple. You have to have a genuine interest in a topic for a book to catch your eye. You have to know what you're looking for. Otherwise, you might miss over it completely." She lowers her gaze, thoughtful again for a longer moment still before she reaches for a Latin-English dictionary. "I think I need to practice my conversational German some."
Anthony switches effortlessly, "Naturlich. Es tut mir leit. Geht mir zu schnell?" (Says he, displaying German which is 25 years old, and wasn't good THEN! For the rest I'll «» it.). He gives a faint smile, «But not latin? I thought that's what you had been studying, yes?»
"Golly," contributes Shazi, inviting herself into the conversation without any shame or hesitation, now that she's ventured within easy conversational range. She peers over her stack at the two of them. "That's German, isn't it?" A pause, before the girl beams, broadly. "Can't believe people voluntarily speak that."
For the moment Elizabeth doesn't catch the sight of Shazi moseying their way, her attention on Anthony. A small amount of color touches her cheeks as her smile grows subtly. "Ich bin immer noch studiert Latein. Haben Sie Geduld. Aber es schadet nicht, um eine kleine Pause zu machen und ben eine andere Sprache." She exhales a small breath and pulls the book against her chest, as if cradling it. "Oder ich knnte nur verwenden es fr einen Grund zu sagen, wie nett Sie heute sind." It was then that Shazi approaches, apparently impressed. "Um, well languages are something we kinda have a hobby in." Elizabeth explains. "Or trying to expand upon."
You sense: Elizabeth «I'm still studying latin. Have patience. But it doesn't hurt to take a small break and practice another language.» «Or I could just be using it for a reason to say how cute you are today.»
Anthony flushes brighly, and instead of answering reaches for another book. That too gets looked through, and rejected, and carefully reshelved, "Well, you never know. If it was an enchantment, drawing the right hand towards it, perhaps?" Okay, reaching there, Tony.
"Ooo, do the Ravenclaws have a secret language-learning cabal?" Shazi does not, for the record, appear to be asking Elizabeth this with unkind intent: she's grinning broadly all the while. "I'd abbbbbsoLUTEly believe it." 'You NERDS', adds her expression. Having failed to catch onto the other conversation at hand, Anthony's comment has the Gryffindor eyeing him, and his book-rejection, with bemusement.
Elizabeth quietly dips her chin, seeing the color in his face without directly looking at him. "I'm sure it's that. An enchantment drawing a hand towards a book… or perhaps its destined…" It takes her another moment before she shyly glances a Shazi. "Not… Ravenclaws in general." she murmurs. "I suppose we just have a capacity for it, more than others I mean."
Anthony chuckles slightly at the Gryffindor. "Do you not find that having another language is like having another soul? That it permits a whole different area of yourself to be explored?"
Shazi sighs, a little regretful, at Elizabeth's nixing of her notions of secret cabals. "Bother. I always imagine Ravenclaw House as just one long endless study session. With a common room that's more books than people, and no one's ever allowed to talk, and -" Speaking of talking, the volume of her cheerful voice has been steadily rising over the course of her patter. From behind a nearby bookcase, someone gives an irritable 'SSSH'. Shazi makes a freckly frown, but dutifully lowers the volume by the time her attention drifts back to Anthony. "Um." Her fingers drum, thoughtfully, on top of her books. Baldly: "No." After a second, she modifies the statement. "I mean, I can patter with the best of 'em in Hindi, and my Arabic's pretty good, but I'm still the same nuisance whatever I'm babbling, d'y'know?"
"Eine andere Sprache, eine andere person…" Elizabeth murmurs softly to herself before whatever thoughts she had seem to drift. She shakes her dark head to herself, raven locks flowing lightly from the motion as she turns her attention back to the Gryffindor girl. For some reason, her thoughts on Ravenclaws elicits a small smile. "If you only knew." The bookworm glances to Anthony out of the corner of her eye, her smile growing before she glances away.
You sense: Elizabeth «A different language, a different person…»
Anthony gives Elizabeth a nod, "Exactly so!" He seems inclined to keep it Lion friendly. "You must express yourself differently in another language. Think differently, sometimes even dream in the other language. And so it is, in some ways, a different person who is there, because if thought is a matter of language, and we are constrained by the language we're thinking in, then the change of language changes the details. And of course, some of the great Philosophers of Magic wrote in French and German. If you wish to read their works, you really are best to do it in the original, so there's not another mind interposed between theirs and yours."
"Um." Anthony's explanation has the wayward Lion's forehead wrinkling in her efforts to keep up. "That makes my head hurt," Shazi informs him, accusingly. "But I guess I know what you mean, only I'm not sure I agree I'm a different person when I'm not speaking English - I mean, I'm still me." Her voice is starting to carry again, a low echo through the stacks; she is the absolute worst at libraries. "I still have my basic reasons for the things I do, don't I? I don't think changing the exact way I phrase things changes that. And anyway," the furrow in her brow deepens as she mulls the matter over. "I think in English and Hindi, whichever language I'm speaking."
When Anthony talks like that, he really gives her goosebumps. Her smile smile grows ever so slightly and she tries her best to hide the subtle flush, though it's difficult she finds. Exhaling a breath, Elizabeth finally reaches for a book and slides it carefully from it's slow. "What he means is, if you're trying to understand something that's been translated from another language into english, there's a person that translated the text for you. It's possible that they won't interpret the text the way you would, mentally speaking, and something could be lost in translation during the process. That's all he means really."
Anthony says, "Well, partly I _do_ mean it more literally. Do you not feel some thoughts fall more naturally in a given language, rather than in the other? There are certainly some things I could say in French, that… um, well, actually, it doesn't matter."
Shazi blinks, slowly. After a moment's consideration, she finally sets her books down on the nearest flat surface, if only to give her arms a break, and rests her hands akimbo. And then she seizes upon the most comprehensible part of that, expression intrigued. "What sorts of things do you think in French that you can't think so well in English?"
Andromena had to return to the library for some small task that isn't really interesting or important to mention aside from the fact that it brought her to this particular place. And once her chore was done, why, she had no reason to linger except for the fact she overheard some voices and thought one sounded like Tony's. Slinking over, she'd peer around a stack of books. Yes, you three, Andromena Rowle is giving you all the look. That is, the 'might I intrude on this?' look and not the 'I am counting the ways to kill you' look that she has been sometimes known to unleash from time to time.
"Um, well…" Elizabeth decides to step in on that question, "Besides the fact that you can communicate more easily with a person in their native language, when it comes to the French language, well… You know what it's supposed to be the language of…" Everyone knows, even if she couldn't say it out loud. And she burns a little brighter because of it. Her shy glance away catches sight of Andromena, and her expression softens with a friendly smile. Elizabeth lifts a hand, waving towards her in welcome."
Anthony says very firmly, whilst also very pinkly, "Wine. I can talk about wine more easily in French. Because it's the language of wine."
"Wine. Right." Shazi looks from Elizabeth to Anthony, and then back. "Right." The face she makes at them can be described succinctly: >:D The expression fades but slightly as she registers Andromena's existence. The Gryffindor gives a welcoming wave, nearly knocking a book off the nearest shelf in the process.
Andromena returns Elizabeth's smile as she makes herself a proper part of the group. The Ravenclaw can't help but notice the younger girl's burning red cheeks, but decides not to make mention of it. Anthony, however, is not quite so fortunate. That's what happens when family comes around: if it's not to defend you it's to tease. Her smile transforms itself into a crooked grin.
"I read in a book once," said as she smoothly extends her arms to catch the book if it were indeed to fall. "That the blood of virgins is akin to a more woody, as opposed to flowery, wine." Necromancers would know this sort of stuff, after all.
The reply from the youth is, perhaps, not quite what might be expected, "Well, which book would that be? You need to start citing your sources, Andy!" He looks from one young woman to another, "But I can't help feeling a touch outnumbered here."
Elizabeth blinks once at Andromena, though the flush brightens easily in her cheeks. "I don't think it matters which book… she's obviously teasing you Anthony…" she murmurs softly, unable to glance up at him. Even still, it didn't help her position any. It only made her that much more awkward and shy.
"You think you're outnumbered," complains Shazi, rather jovially. And loudly. There's another 'SSSH' from behind a shelf. "The three of you'll start talking in German about Arithmancy at any moment, I bet." Ravenclaw NERDS. Having knocked the first book off the shelf (and into Andromena's waiting arms), a theatrical flourish threatens another. Absolute WORST at libraries.
"Nothing special," Andromena teased in a cheerful manner. "Just some fun fiction. You know how I adore Diderot." Because her love of literature extended beyond the academic. When Anthony confessed to feeling outnumbered, Andromena brightened, a hand alighting upon his upper arm, gentle as could be.
"You really ought to spend a little more time with Alphard and Edgar. People are going to start gossiping that you're collecting a harem if you keep company with us girls constantly." One book caught, set aside, but since she's busy pat-patting Anthony, could she catch another? Oh no!
"Hey Shafiq, I don't speak German," yet, "Or take Arithmancy." At best, she'd have to worry about them babbling on about Ancient Runes!
The second book falls. A work on Herbology, but not one that Tony had been randomly selecting. And it falls open. To a page almost full of heavy gothic printed script- full apart from a woodcut of some… creature… writhing in the centre of a band of people with wands. Perhaps a troll? Maybe a small giant, but in any case, most certainly not a plant of any sort.
Anthony winces as the book falls, but gives Andromena a smile, "A… harem?" Okay, he thinks that sounds pretty ridiculous, and sufficiently so that he doesn't even blush about it
That/ could be a quick buzz kill, though Elizabeth doesn't say anything of a sort, though she was finding this stereotypical Ravenclaw label a bit tiring. She exhales a small breath her pale eyes catching the sight of the book when it falls, but as it opens she narrows her gaze on it. Wordlessly Liz leans down and reaches for it, pulling it into her arms to casually hold onto the novel. "I have to admit, a harem doesn't sound like Anthony's style." she says softly. "He'll have to start with one first, maybe work his way up from there."
"So you say," Shazi tells Andromena, archly. She is IGNORING the talk of harems. "I've heard that before. 'Oh, Shazi,' they tell me, 'don't worry, we're going to do something fun', and then five minutes later I'm getting a detention because they wouldn't stop talking about obscure potion techniques and I get bored and -" And there's a book on the ground, whoops, did she do that? "Oo," she says. "That's a jolly looking illustration. What's that?"
"Well, think about it, he's almost always in the company of females. I'm sure there are some boys out there just burning with jealousy," said by way of explaining herself. It was still all in good fun, and that was why Andromena was happy to see it hadn't caused Tony much embarrassment…even if Elizabeth had appeared as if she wanted to crawl beneath a rock for a moment. She seemed utterly oblivious to the fact that Shazi was, well, Shazi. Her eyes darted to the fallen book, where they lingered until Elizabeth picked the object in question up because…
Anthony would received a pointed look.
Anthony looks from one woman to the other, to a third. It would appear he hasn't noticed the illustration. Oh dear. "What?"
Elizabeth smiles lightly and shakes her raven head. "Nothing I'm sure." she murmurs, her attention shifting towards Andromena as a small frown tugs at her brow. "Not to change the topic though, somehow the rumor of my… missing garments, has spread." she says softly. "I know you wouldn't say anything of a sort to anyone, but I still wonder how that rumor spread." Not that it's actually fake. "I should really be more careful with what I say…" Is the Library safe as well? Probably not. And Elizabeth realizes this after the fact. Is nothing sacred?! Neither the Library nor her panties!
As the conversation turns to panties (of all things), Shazi's expression becomes a picture of bemusement. The Gryffindor rocks idly on her heels for a moment, out of her depth, before she abruptly asks Elizabeth: "Hey, can I see that book I knocked down?" She beams with incandescent friendliness, because naturally that's the kind of thing that a shy and uncomfortable person needs thrown at them. "It's only that I'm wondering what it is!"
Andromena had not, in fact said anything. However, since Elizabeth's mentioning of it to her, the older girl had checked her personal small clothes drawer and found that a pair was missing as well. Can you imagine her shock!?
"It's possible a portrait overheard," she muses. Taking in those around: three females for whom this was safe to discuss as well as Anthony…Andromena would spare him the potential discomfort otherwise, except Elizabeth has already been so bold as to already make mention of it. A careless shrug. Now or never moments.
"I have noticed that something of mine," one of her FAVORITES! "Is also missing. Most disturbing." Who could it be? Certainly not a boy, since the — unless he was getting them from the laundry! One hopes…the clean pile.
"You had better show that to Tony, though, he's uh," another look his way. Can't you read her not-so-subtle: crap, look at this, it's another faces!? "Got an eye for this sort of thing." The four of them are standing near a couple tallish (Guys like Edgar or Anthony wouldn't find them all that tall, but Andromena can't see over them), stacks of books. Elizabeth has one open in her hands, and her cheeks probably aren't all that free from a reddish-pink tinge. They're talking in mostly library-appropriate tones.
Anthony blinks, looks, and then pauses, "Can I have a look, Lissy, please? If you don't mind?" He sighs, "Do I want to ask if it's what I think it is?" A beat, "Also, unmentionables…? Really? Do you think honestly anyone would care? Surely it's a poltergeist?"
"Did they strike again?" Edgar asks as he comes in, apparently overhearing that bit about panty-thieves striking yet again on his way into the Library. Some of the male students near the girls are given an indifferent look by him. "Mena, Rowle, hello." he greets both Andromena and Anthony. "Dweedle," he mentions in passing.
Elizabeth exhales a small breath, helpless perhaps when he uses that nickname for her. She doesn't hesitate to shift the books in her arms and slips them to Anthony. "It's just a Latin book." she murmurs, almost sounding bored. Though the next comment… it gives the girl pause, color touches her cheeks as she glances away. "Are you saying that my… panties," she whispers the word, "aren't interesting?" Elizabeth sounds a little hurt. "I'm sure someone must have been interested enough in them to bother taking them in the first place." The idle greeting from Carrow earns her gaze, briefly. The last time they had talked hadn't been very pleasant and she only anticipated more of the same.
Now resoundingly out of her depth, Shazi hovers on the edge of the conversation, listening with interest but blessedly silent (as her player needs to idle). Enjoy while it lasts, because a silent Shazi is an abnormality.
"Of course people care," Andromena assured Anthony, hands upon her hips. "If not the person to whom the missing article belongs, then the bandit. And now that word has spread across Hogwarts, why, everybody else seems to have one reason or another for caring." Like all the young men wondering who the chap was that was bold enough to steal so many! Or how they looked. If they were silk. If they were see-through…
"Oh, hey Edgar," Andromena said with a grin as the Crow appeared. Much like Black, Carrow had a good way of clearing out a place. She loved Anthony but…he did not exactly illicit involuntary shudders of fear when he strode down the halls. "Yes, they've struck again. At least two Ravenclaws, not counting however many out of Slytherin. I've yet to hear of any girls out of Hufflepuff or Gryffindor with lost panties."
Lucinda walks into the library with a school bag slung over one shoulder. Most of the comings and goings in this part of the school don't seem to concern the girl. Her eyes don't linger on anyone's face or any certain direction. She pauses at a table as she unloads her bag. Lucinda places the bag down and opens the satchel to unload several thick books, more than a couple of which appear to be potion books. She sorts through the stacks… six, seven, something like eight books sorted into two uneven piles. Had to unload the library material before she left for Christmas Vacation. The narrow girl pays no mind to those gathered, her gaze usually averted and shy- it maintains contact with her book as she floats by like a background character.
Anthony looks from girl to girl, "That's not what I meant! I mean, who would be interested in stealing them? Surely the important thing is wh…. " He changes tack, "But we have more important things to deal with here!"
"I have… a plan, actually. I should talk to you about it later, Mena. And yes," Edgar furrows his brow, "I keep hearing screams from the other dorms at night, while I am trying to sleep or studying, so I am guessing this individual is continually making victims in our two Houses. Who knows, maybe the thief is a damn Gryffindor." A pause, and he mentions to Andromena, "So, um, I'm gonna have to release Chuckles tonight or tomorrow with Sykes. Want to come with?" Lucinda passes by and he greets the Slytherin, "Slughorn, hello."
"Boys, obviously…" Elizabeth says softly to herself, the color intent in her cheeks as she stares at the floor. She feels awkward now, without any books in her arms. She misses the weight of them. 'Why' isn't difficult to figure out, but maybe it was for Anthony. She was beginning to wonder if the reason why it hadn't occurred to him is because his interests weren't with girls. Elizabeth shakes her raven head to herself, her eyes peeking up at Andromena and Edgar.
"Carrow," Mutters Lucinda in the shadow of a greeting as she strode right by with her eyes downturned, giving her a shy cast. Her own tone is it's usual disconnected tenor; not a girlish voice by far. She looks tired, her vacant eyes bedecked with a heavy set of bags below them. In her arms are five books which she is taking over to an area for reshelfing. Lucinda sets them down in the care of a library cart which wheels itself away after accepting the books. As she heads back to retrieve the last few she passes the table of panty slueths again. "I thought boys couldn't get in the girl's dorm." Is all she remarks, the shadow of a girl lingering by the others. Her delivery is antiseptic and bored. "Makes me think someone wants attention." Dour.
"Chuckles has to…go?" Andromena gives Edgar a rather disappointed look, but then she straightens herself out. The creature was a frightful menace, truth be told. More, Hogwarts did not allow dogs to be kept by students. Not without some sort of special permission, or so Andromena guessed. She nodded to Edgar when he mentioned speaking to her about his plan. Whatever it was, it was likely to be good.
"You are right though, Tony," said as she pushed some hair back from her face. The long, dark brown locks tumbles loose and free past her shoulders. "We shouldn't talk about it too freely, we don't want the thief to possibly catch out to our machinations." Andromena was waiting to see if Anthony would support her suspicions about the book Shazi had knocked over. Lucinda's tired eyes, or indeed, her painfully dreary tone of voice are given all the attention the deserve, even if her observations would later be chewed up in thought. It's clear that, for the moment, this Ravenclaw's mind is partially elsewhere.
Anthony reads briefly through the Herbology book. Those near can see that unlike the usual textbooks this is in a heavy gothic script, with a few woodcuts, which Tony quickly leafs past. Then he firmly closes it. "It's the same. Pretty sure. It's _certainly_ not Herbology, or in the same language as the rest of the book." His tone is quiet. A little sad, perhaps?
Elizabeth quietly turns her head to give Anthony a glance out of the corner of her eye. He had said what she already knew, but she wished he would be more careful saying that sort of thing out loud. She didn't want anyone else to catch wind of what's been happening, or risk anyone else.
Blessedly silent all this while, a glimpse at the book has Shazi's voice making a return, in a cheerful chirp. "Can I see it?" She holds her hand out to Anthony, obviously expectant. "I want to look at the pictures!" She only reads things for the illustrations, didn't you know?
"You seem tired. Had a long night or something?" Edgar asks of Lucinda, apparently not minding his own sense of tact. "But yeah, generally, they can't. Unless… well, I suppose we should ask Professor Slughorn to see if there aren't potions that uh, would remedy a person's situation on that?" The blonde's statement on the perpetrator wanting attention draws a nod from him. "Yes, sadly," he tells Andromena, "But we nursed him back to health, for what it's worth. At least we know we'll have done a good thing by the fellow." Well, aside from the /bad/ they've done by him already too. "What's that book about, Mena?"
With a girl as awkward and ill looking as Lucinda the longer she lingers the more uncomfortable it's apt to be become for everyone else. Silent, she seems indifferent to the effect she has on people. She was wholly in love with herself. A cold smile finds her features as she attempts to play the social butterfly in response to Edgar. Only instead she makes a better Slug, smarmy smiles drift away from the others instead of prying into things she didn't care about- like Herbology texts. Her gaze finds Carrow, simpering, "Yea, I had to stay up guarding my trunk so no one got ahold of my red lacy christmas knickers." She returns in a sarcastic deadpan that lacks any overy honesty. After which she lingers, rolling her eyes and just… sorta… standing.. there.
Anthony glances from one Ravenette to the other, as if silently appealing for their support, and he says, slowly, to Shazi, "I think that would be… inappropriate. But there are other copies of this same book on the shelf? Perhaps look in them?" Okay, he may be one of the Ravenclaw linguistic geniuses, but his acting ability is lamentable. He's clearly very uneasy at anyone actually _reading_ too much of this book. "How much did you see when you knocked it open?"
Elizabeth exhales a small breath of a sigh, and silently she reaches into Anthony's arms and pulls out a book. "Look. Herbology book was mislabeled." She holds out the book in question and opens it up, revealing foreign text. "It's in Latin, and honestly not that interesting. So drop it." She says sternly, pushing the book back towards Anthony, clearly put off by the insistence. Gryffindor's are always too interested for their own good.
Andromena trusts Edgar. She's really rather easily accepting, but to his credit, he was a Slytherin and the same year as Black, and if they weren't mates then they certainly weren't enemies. More, she got along with him and that went far in her book. Then again, maybe it had a lot to do with the fact that, outside of Anthony, she had very few close friends through the years. But since Elizabeth and Anthony seemed so intent on keeping it from Shazi…
There's an imploring look from Ravenette Rowle to Ravenboy Rowle.
And then she's standing on tip toes to whisper something in Edgar's ear.
It's the soft click of heels, the rustle of skirts, the arrival of the ever studious, not one to mince words, Lea Marie Rashley, as prime and precise a soul as ever there was. She's a first year on her heels, a pure blooded Hufflepuff, who's keen and quick to accept the list that the older student offers the girl before she skuttles off into the racks to collect them. It leaves Lea, standing composed, with hands folded against her middle; fingers laced in perfect symmetry.
"You're UP to something!" Shazi points at Anthony, then at Elizabeth, her freckled face in a mighty scowl. J'ACCUSE! Her voice is… it is loud. "What's the big secret, you two? I was the one who found it -" no, Shafiq, you were the one who ATTACKED IT with your careless flailing, the finding was incidental "- obviously I deserve a peek!" Again she reaches for it, obviously unswayed.
"You're UP to something!" Shazi points at Anthony, then at Elizabeth, her freckled face in a mighty scowl. J'ACCUSE! Her voice is… it is loud. "What's the big secret, you two? I was the one who found it -" no, Shafiq, you were the one who ATTACKED IT with your careless flailing, the finding was incidental "- and I just want to see that illustration again!" Again she reaches for it, obviously unswayed by the glimpse of the text Elizabeth gave her.
Anthony lets out a little sigh of delight, and bursts into fluent and flowing French towards Shazi. Northern French accent. «Ah, m'lady speaks French? Ah, but of course! And I will reply to your accusation, in the clearest way possible. But then, perhaps you are just quoting Zola, maybe, and cannot understand the faintest word which I am saying?» It's clearly a question at the end, and aimed at the Gryffyndor. (Don't judge me. I can't spell it.).
"Oh." Edgar frowns, looking remarkably worried after that point. He murmurs something back to Andromena, which by his body language might be advice, before he asks Anthony, "Mind if I take a look?" Not that he knows Latin but Ancient Runes… are Ancient Runes. "Shafiq, calming down perhaps is in order," he advises with a half-smile. Lucinda's sassing him earns a laugh from the older Slytherin, "Well, at least we'll know it's a /festive/ thief if that's the case."
He grows quiet when Lea approaches. Trying to make eye contact with her, he smiles, nods and greets, over the din of murmuring students, "Rashley. How are you? Care to join us?"
At the advent of whispers Lucinda's gaze cuts to the older students and she nods knowingly to herself. A consigned but still still very bored purse to her smile accompanies her as she takes a step back and looks down to the floor. Her shy averted gaze carries her silently back over to her belongings instead of in the thick of everyone else's problems. A gentle snicker is lost under her breath as she walks a short distance away to her bag.
"We are in a library," the words are quiet, well within the permissable rage for the library and yet there is little to mistake the sharp tone. "Moderation. One must learn to speak," the words of course, are aimed rather loud Gryffindor. "In a tone of reasonable moderation when in a library." It was as much of a greeting as could be managed, before Lea's attention touched on Edgar and she offered a polite if somewhat chill bow of her head. "Carrow. My care will depend upon the ability of one to be respectful of the rules for the setting. However, should they be followed, perhaps." As close as a yes as he could hope for. "You are looking well regardless."
Elizabeth blinks at Anthony when he suddenly breaks out in fluid, flawless French. She couldn't help a small sigh that escapes as she murmurs, also in French. "Honntement… Je pense que vous tes juste montrer maintenant… Il me rend nerv…" she murmurs lightly. In Edgar's direction, she just waves a small hand, "It's just a Latin to English dictionary. Obviously it isn't as big of a deal as this is being made out."
Anthony looks to Edgar, and then to Shazi. Rather reluctantly he flicks the book open to a 'random' page. One which is just text, which he turns around, so the others can see.
It seems to be written in a gothic printed font. Probably in German.
Back over at her bag now Lucinda is sorting through the last few books she has amoungst her belongings. There are two that can't decide between, picking one up and then the other. She glances between them, hefting and weighing various options as she looked left to right at the two books in her hands. "Festive." She mutters after a belated pause. "I get it." Is spoken to the books, followed by a private soft laugh as the air headed girl gets some private joke several minutes too late. She keeps her attention on the books.
Unfortunately, Andromena only knows little bits and pieces of the French language, and can't really make sense of all Anthony said to Shazi. A nod to Edgar for the whispered reply. It would be something she could bring up to her cousin later. There's only so much Andromena can actively pay attention to as their little group grows! Why, her thoughts largely remain with the book, to be turned now and again to Christmas themed knickers and how she's really very disappointed the particular item missing from her collection was really such a nice pair. Elizabeth's firm defense of the book's nature actually receives a sudden, albeit brief, scowl before disappearing beneath waves of equanimity. There's another suspicion percolating within her brain, too, but the young woman wasn't quite caught up with it, yet.
"Rashley," greeted to her fellow House mate. Andromena had been about to tell Edgar she'd explain more later, but there was Anthony, displaying the book for all to see, with text in German, not Latin.
"Now listen here -" With visible effort, and also with a rather irritated look at Lea, Shazi dials it down, speaking in an exaggerated whisper. "I can bloody well smell a secret when it's dangled right in front of my face, and -" And another exaggerated flourish of her hand follows, as she evidently must resort to theatrics to express her ire. The books are safe, this time, but hopefully no one is unlucky enough to be standing too close to her. "Fine, keep your secrets." She scowls, crossing her arms. "But I'm not stupid, that's no dictionary! Do a good job if you're going to fib."
"Oh, is that so?" Edgar questions, point-blank, feigning a sudden and overwhelming interest. "I misplaced mine, the past year, mind if I take a look at it, then, Dweedle?" He smiles sweetly at her, well, almost sweetly, but there's a certain edge in the way a Carrow smiles. "Thank you, Rashley. You look, as always, rather beautiful." The text seems to intrigue the Carrow and he thanks Anthony for the display with a nod. "Not surprised, considering that, according to the Ancient Runes classes, even Old English is a descendant of a form of German." A flimsy lie, but it suffices right now. "Care to lower your tone, Shafiq? You're making a scene." To the Gryffindor. "I believe I owe you a chess match, don't I?" He asks of Lea.
Anthony snaps the book closed, and says, warmly, "Ahah! Are you both signing up for the Chess Club? I hope to encourage inter-house competitions for next year! Maybe even for points, so it's not just Quiddich and physical prowess that is rewarded in the sporting arena!"
"Ooo, yes, who wouldn't want to sit in the bleachers and watch people play chess." That hushed tone could not be more sarcastic. Shazi, thwarted, is evidently feeling persnickety. Especially after Edgar's comment to her. She makes a face at him.
Lucinda sits down at her own table and cracks both of the books, flipping through the pages of one and then the other. She is trying to decide which one was worth hanging onto during break. At the current moment though it's just a quiet girl sitting in the library and reading from a few different books. Her right hand fiddles with a strand of blonde hair which has fallen loose from her updo. It's an idle gesture done with a demure insistence down near her shoulder so as not to be goofy looking. She leans into the elbow of that arm, making herself sort of small.
Elizabeth exhales a small breath, but the topic shifts. "Playing Wizard Chess for points should be interesting." she murmurs lightly, "Though I'm not particularly good at strategy." The bookworm admits. But if it's for house points she knows that her houseu would sweep up the competition. Glancing at Anthony, she smiles lightly and says with a sweet voice. "Vous devez tre plus prudent l'avenir, pas le montrer inutilement. Ceci est dangereux et nous ne voulons pas des regards indiscrets." With another breath, she turns and slips from the aisle to return to her seat, picking up her books and slipping the strap of her knapsack over a shoulder.
While Shazi's snarked question may have been rethorical, Lea replies in the same even tone she does with all things, not sounding the least bit upset. "Someone who could not comprehend what was going on in the game." Absently smoothing at her skirt something akin to a rather chilly smile was offered Edgar. "Thank you, Carrow." Though it was a toss up as to whether or not she was thanking him for the compliment or his assistance in shushing. "Rowles." Plural. Both greetings delivered with a single word, as if she had none to waste.
A bell tolls. And Tony makes use of it (fairly obviously, "Oh! Is that the time? Sorry! I have to… uh. Find the Head Girl. Because… um… Runes Tutoring. Right." Elizabeth gets a slight nod, and there's a similar reply in French, «Less so than being caught out in a lie, I think.» And with that, he and the book, are heading for the exit, although Lea gets a slight smile.
Andromena bids farewell to Anthony as he departs, saying quietly to Edgar before she begins to edge away herself, "Come talk to me about your little idea when you've the time." Unspoken but heavily implied was that she'd explain all of this to him as well. And then the ~Ravenette~ was exiting the library as well, "Ta," -ing all as she went.
…