| Details for Not Standard Coursework |
| Summary: | Andromena takes a spill, resulting in three boys coming to help her. They end up being more curious about what she dropped instead. Elizabeth watches, and but isn't quite excluded. |
| Date: | 1938-12-20 |
| Location: | Castle Corridor |
| Related: | Various logs in the Strange Defense plot. |
| Characters |
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"It was a try…" Elizabeth answers softly, chewing her small bite. Her gaze returns to Anthony. "You know, I was just teasing about the glasses thing. But now I'm beginning to wonder if you really do have a glasses fetish." she murmurs, teasing him again, wondering what sort of reaction she would get out of him next." She reaches for the next cookie he offered.
Anthony flushes, "No. Not really, I'm afraid. I tend to look beyond the accessories to the person beyond. The glasses, or the hairstyles, or the clothes." Does that mean he looks beyond clothes? What sort of spell would THAT be? Also, does this mean he overlooks underwear?
Andromena, walking briskly down the castle corridor. Beneath one arm is a book on Ancient Runes while held in her other hand is a parchment that has obviously been folded and refolded many times now. It has seen much use. Her mouth moves silently as she reads something, brows pulled down in an expression of fierce concentration. So lost in her own little world (which is not all that unusual, Andromena often stalks the halls in such a manner.) is Andromena that she is utterly unaware of any students that may be near. She even missed a timid wave from one younger student she had helped to tutor once. Tap tap tap, went her heels, slim legs stretching to their fullest length to carry her quickly from point A to point B. My, my, Meanie, so intent.
Elizabeth smiles faintly and quietly shrugs a shoulder. "That's would be nice in theory, but… not realistic either. I don't think of those sort of things as accessories. More like… icing on the cake. Still part of a whole that makes up a person. Besides. It's those sort of things that catches interest and pulls others into wanting to know more about the person for who they are." From her casual lean against the wall, within comfortable vicinity of Anthony, Elizabeth glances up to catch sight of Andromena, appearing very much lost in thought. Perhaps she was caught up in travel plans?
Anthony helps himself to a gingerbread wizard, and peers at it thoughtfully, "Does this look a touch like the headmaster? It has the angry scowl, doesn't it?" Then he pauses, and says more seriously, "Honestly? I'd be happy getting to know people with my eyes closed." There's a momentary pause, "Not that lots of you don't look adorable!"
Variel travels under the power of his own distraction. A book on… actually, it's an advanced theory manual for the same topic which Mena is studying. Another book, labeled Alternative Magical Concepts, rests under his arm. He's moving more sedately but happens to be on a collision course with the Ravenclaw.
"Hi, Mena," Edgar greets, looking up from his read. Something like Potions for Advanced Class Dummies or some such. He flips the page and seems intent on trying to learn whatever process is being described to him in that page specifically. He flashes her a friendly smile as she passes.
Andromena certainly looked adorable. She was one of those girls that would never need to worry about catching a guy by means of winning personality, though it helped she had one. The slightly curled, more wavy, locks of her hair bounce upon her shoulder as she continues down the hall, just passing Anthony and Elizabeth. Which really spoke of her level of concentration if she didn't even stop to say hello to her most favoritest cousin in the whole wide world! And at that precise moment, when Edgar greets her, Andromena glances up, about to return the hello, that she crashes into Variel. Her book and parchment fall to the floor.
"Oh, oh no!" She exclaimed, looking abashed. "I'm sorry, I just - " She began to reach for her things…
It should be noted, Andromena took a spill as well. She's a small, slight person walking at a fast pace at a larger, slower obstacle!
Elizabeth gives the wizardy gingerbread man an odd look when Anthony asks for her opinion on it, though his next words make whatever faint smile on her lips fall away. "Then you are only seeing half of the picture. Reading half of the book." And briefly, if only a flicker, does a look of annoyance flit through her expression, mixed with hurt as well. She takes another bite from her cookie as she glances away, looking instead at the collision between Variel and Andromena. Elizabeth blinks at this. "Books and walking doesn't tend to mix."
Or starts to! Variel impacts, loses the book in his hands, and then the one under his arm as he flicks his hands out to snag Androme
… Andromena before she
Anthony shrugs, "Maybe, but some beautiful people are absolute…. " What they are absolutely is never heard, for impact occurs instead, and the chivalrous chap shoves his box of nibbles to Elizabeth, and goes to help pick up the casualties. Because even Geeky Ravens can be chivalrous. Oh, and Variel might need picking up too!
"Huh," Edgar approaches the veritable mess left as the impact's aftermath and assists in collecting things. Particularly the piece of parchment that caught his attention.
Andromena appears somewhat flustered as she tries to maintain some semblance of dignity. Taking a fall to ones rump makes that rather hard to do, even if she does have three guys attempting to help her up, or pick up her things for her; the latter of which seems to make her tense. She tries to assure all she is fine and that it's not a big deal - oh, by Merlin, had they seen anything? She'd been so foolish to walk around with that out! But perhaps they'd have no understanding of anything they might see…"I'm okay, I'm okay…" Said as she gets to her feet. Don't call undue attention to it…maybe that will work.
Box of cookies shoved into her arms, Elizabeth blinks once, looking from it up at the tangle of people on the floor before she leans from the wall and takes a few steps towards them, where Anthony and Variel are helping Andromena. "Are you two okay?" she asks, concerned. It didn't look like a severe tumble, but one can never be too sure.
Anthony considers one piece of parchment, and carefully puts a book on top of it, and goes to pick both up, to offer to Andy. "You alright? Accidents happen…." There's some stressing there, in the words, as if they might mean more.
Variel loses his book in hand, reaches out to snag Andromena as she falls, but suceeds in doing nothing but dropping his other book. This all falls to the wayside as he catches sight of the runework, and the inscription. His lips move as he reads it, squinting a little in consideration. "Those runes didn't look like standard coursework- that's more like a historical inscription." He's muttering to himself under his breath, clearly turning the puzzle pieces about in his head.
Andromena is grateful for Anthony's attempt to conceal her paper, unfortunately, it comes a little too late. "Uhm…" Comes her decidedly nervous reply as Variel mentions how it sounds nothing like coursework. "It's a personal project of mine," she tells the three boys gathered. At least Elizabeth had remained where she was! Who knew what that girl was perceptive enough to pick up on. She holds out her hands to Anthony, smiling faintly. He may have heard talk from some of the other Ravenettes about how she and Eibhlin Shine were keeping them up at night with this little project. A younger girl had even said with a big roll of her eyes that she had heard them talking about a castle and dead old wizards. Lestrange may have been dropped.
They were a puzzle, too. More apt, they were riddles. Four had been translated, the remaining half still blank.
"Careful, Mena," Edgar advises, letting Anthony take the page and give it to his cousin under that concealment. Something else is murmured to her along with a light hand upon her shoulder, an expression of concern and then a thoughtful look given at Variel and Tony. "Weasley, Rowle." He glances at Elizabeth, then, and nods faintly. "Dweedle."
"Ahoy, Carrow," responds Variel distantly, his attention still on the paper. "… what's the context? Is it something that could do with Hogwarts, or British wizards? I could see that; 'with the dungeon' could refer to Slytherin, which would set up "beneath my eye" as- presuming that Slytherins are the joyful set- referring to… well, I want to say those of less pure blood, but I dunno what the rest of that verse said. Can I see it?"
Anthony says softly, as he finishes handing over, "Come talk to me on the train, Andy. I have a picnic arranged for the travel… "
"Carrow." Elizabeth murmurs softly, her gaze looking from the other boys to Andromena and her secretive paper, most of not all the attention focused on it, though she can also see that the other girl is uncomfortable. She's personally torn between wanting to defend her friend, and the possibility of a puzzle. Oh why oh why did it have to be on the last day, right before the holidays?" Her pale eyes flit to Anthony, listening, and for a short moment there's a hint of longing. Wishing she could be invited as well.
"That's an intriguing piece of runework, no doubt. I really want to hear more about it. Riddles, ANCIENT riddles? This sounds fascinating." He snaps his fingers and glances at Edgar as he snags his rune book and alternative theories tome. "You any good with Runes, Carrow?"
"It's one of my electives. As for activating them, I think I'm better with that," Edgar replies. "But most probably not as well placed in Ancient Runes as you are, Weasley." Likely not. But then, this is a Slytherin that pretty much has some skill at everything which makes him a weird sort of jack-of-all-trades. "Now I read some of that too, but maybe we should take this discussion aside, yes? Privacy's sake and all."
"Private?" Personal. "Persona- /private/. Loud and clear. Er. Well, clear now, anyway." Variel gestures vaguely. "Sorry, Rowle, I didn't mean to air your particularly interesting launnn-" No no no not finishing that word that way FIND ANOTHER WORD "nnnnchair. Which would be a grand place to discuss such a thing with a sufficiently private lawn. Shall we step aside?"
Looking to all those gathered, Andromena's expression becomes serious, nay, grave. She holds up one finger as if that can convey how very important what she is about to tell them actually is.
"Listen, if Alphard hears about this…" Yes, ALPHARD. Not: this could be bad if we're caught by faculty or any such thing. Her primary concern was Alphard learning she'd failed as a keeper of secrets. She sends shifty eyes to all those gathered, even Elizabeth. "You heard nothing from me, understand? Nothing." The Ravenclaw would lead them towards a darkened, empty alcove, an begin to speak in low whispers. "These are riddles to a set of doors," not going to share where. Edgar could take it up with Alphard, he at least had that over Variel, since they were both Slytherins. "We don't know if it really means anything, but we've been working on translating them. I'd really, really, really appreciate it if this didn't leave us. I especially don't want any professors catching wind of it, or the whole thing will get stomped before it can ever really start."
"I'm taking Advanced Runes." Elizabeth murmurs lightly, likely to go unnoticed perhaps. "It's my speciality, you could say." she shrugs a shoulder. Not like anyone cares to ask her. It's alright though. Her pale eyes glance from one to another, lingering on Andromena. The other girl's reaction only makes her frown. "Um, alright." she agrees. Confused, but she agrees. Doors? Elizabeth's frown deepens. "What doors are they supposed to be for?" Now her curiosity is peaked.
"That's why I suggested we went to a more private place. I know this might actually mean something to you, Mena," Edgar appears serious, since, well, this is serious business if she doesn't want to involve professors in it. He nods to her when she demands the promise of secrecy, tapping his lip. He can keep a secret.
Elizabeht isn't unnoticed. When Variel catches her reaction, he reaches over and plants a hand on her back, gently urging her a touch closer, so she's part of the circle of discussion and not at some small, ego-based remove. "No teachers, then. I'm as curious as anything, and between Dweedle here and the rest of us- I happen to be a fair hand at Ancient Runes myself- we should be able to get something outta this. And Dweedle's got the right idea- is there any more context to be had? What'd the area around the inscriptions look like?"
"Well…Shine has been working on the last four. I'd like to catch up with her before we waste our time on these…" Another look for those huddled around her. "I'm really not comfortable sharing more, because I'm not the only person privvy to this…project. How about I confer with the others, and we bring the rest of you in for a group setting? I can't take back your knowledge from you, but I don't want to let the others feel steam-rolled, either. Does this sound fair?" Andromena is nothing if not an agreeable sort of girl. Still, she really does not want to upset Alphard, which means she has to now exert damage control. For herself if no one else.
Variel places a hand along the curve of her back, pushing her forward gently and eliciting a small flush. Not that she resists the small touch. Elizabeth gives him an appreciative glance, if only for a moment as she turns back to Andromena. Uncomfortable, far from ease. "You don't have to tell me any more." she offers with a soft voice. "But… just make sure you don't get into trouble you can't get out of?" Elizabeth worries for her friends after all. "And it does. Sound fair I mean." She didn't want to nose in on stuff that she's excluded from. It's just a pity she's always excluded, for one reason or another."
"I would wait until she figured it out, then. Patience is key in these sorts of things. Especially if secrecy is going to be a must. The more anxious /any of us/ appear, the worse it will be since the faculty will catch a whiff of it. They smell it in the air like blood hounds," Edgar points out with a frown. "Anyway, Mena. I'll get in touch with you about this soon, because it intrigues me. Particularly that riddle. I think it's a riddle anyway."
"They are riddles," Andromena assures.
"There's four?! Oho, this sounds fanTAStick. I get the need for discretion- my gob's sealed. Even if y'can't bring us along for some reason. Though you'd bloody better tell us about it all if you're not gonna take us along." Variel sounds particularly enthused about the idea, and he has his thinking face on.
"I'm glad I can trust you three," said Andromena, rather generously. If anyone was suspect, it was Variel because she knew him the least well of the trio. But…well, Andromena was pretty kind hearted and blindly willing to extend her trust. And weren't Gryffindors meant to stand by their word and such? Something like that.
"If we can't all meet during break, I'll make sure that we all find the chance to do so once school resumes again." If Elizabeth ended up excluded from this, at least she could rest assured the other two would as well. However, it seemed highly unlikely. As Andromena would soon point out to Alphard, it would be better to tie them to their cause as opposed to letting them run free with a greater chance of loosening their lips because they had nothing to lose. He hadn't really expected it to remain between them all for long, had he? Besides, Evie had told Gus! (As if that made the current scenario acceptable).
"Alright, we have a deal. I suggest we all casually go back to our business…I have to get to my last class, anyway."
"WEll, y'know me. I bloody well live in town, not like y'can't find me if there's t'be a meeting," Variel offers with a grin.
Elizabeth does agree, patience is always important when it comes to runes. And about the part that secrecy is a must. The more that know, the worse it can potentially becomes, so she can't blame Andromena for wanting to be cautious. "Unfortunately, this is true. About teachers…" She turns her head to glance at Variel beside her, cursing enthusiastically. Probably expressing what Elizabeth can't. Exhaling a soft breath, she glances down at the floor before looking back up at Andromena. "Well, everyone knows where I will be. Dweedle's Wheedles." Her family's little bookshop in Diagon Alley.
"I will hold everyone to their word," Edgar replies, "And you will hold me to mine." There is no compromise in his tone, which might seem strange. "And we should speak no more of this for now. Until later, Weasley, Mena, Dweedle. I can be found in London for the holidays." And then the Crow leaves.
"Tata, Carrow- catch you later, my fine, metaphorically feathered friend," Variel quips on Edgar's exit.