| Details for Girl Trouble |
| Summary: | It's the first day of the new year, and no matter if you're Ravenclaw, Slytherin or Gryffindor, the trouble with girls isn't likely to get any easier. And asking one for advice? (Partial Log) |
| Date: | 1939-01-01 |
| Location: | Diagon Alley |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Anthony is carrying a neatly wrapped paper and string parcel. Book sized/shaped, of course. He's talking with Variel, "Honestly, I'm alright at Defense, but… it doesn't _sing_ to me the way Runes do!"
Andromena is out and about, seeing as its break and how could she waste it by staying indoors the whole time? Well…actually, Andromena could have done that, too. She had plenty of books on her reading list as well as some personal practice she wanted to see done before school resumed. Yet she had actually chosen to come out instead! It's by luck that she spies Anthony from across the way. Stretching her arm out to its fullest length, she waved to catch his attention.
"Anthony! Variel! Over here," she calls out. There's a friendly smile on her face as she begins to make her way towards the pair of them.
Variel grins as they're hailed. "It's a day for connections, Rowle, and they all seem to swing around you," he remarks, tossing a hand up in reply. He doesn't wave it much, but a green face pokes out of his sleeve as Clever flicks its tongue towards the other student.
Anthony's back is straight, and he's unfolded for once. He too raises his hand, and waves, "No!" he yells in reply, "Anthony and Variel over here! Andromena over there!" It's an old one, but still manages to delight Tony.
Andromena will leave it to Anthony to always impress with his stellar comedy. Chuckling as she drew near enough to speak in reasonable tones she can't help but say, "You're just awful, sometimes, Tony." There's a light cuff upon his shoulder, too, but there's so little force behind the action it almost wasn't worth the effort.
"What sort of trouble are the two of you getting into today?" Andromena first eyes the parcel in Anthony's hands, and then the…small snake at Variel's wrist. Rather an interesting choice of pet for a Gryffindor.
"No trouble, I'm afraid, just some book hunting and a failed attempt to locate an expert on exotic creatures," replies Variel with a dramatic sigh. "I trust your day thus far has proven more interesting than that?
Anthony looks to Andromena with a thoughtful air, "You've been… alright?" And then, "Actually. Weasley here wanted your advice about something."
Andromena may have had a suggestion for Variel concerning the notion of exotic pets, but it's not one she's willing to share. That doesn't mean she's grown distant, however! Variel receives a good-natured, "Nothing to complain about." When Anthony mentions that the red-head actually had something on his mind that she could give advice on, Andromena arches a brow in obvious interest. What could it be?
"You are in luck, it just so happens that I dispense with my profound wisdom freely at the start of the new year!"
"Fantastic!" Variel gives Anthony a tiny bit of a look before looking to Andromena. It was the sort of look the guileless get from their more plot-likely friends, the ones that plan things a bit more than most, and void of malice. "I was told I might ask you how you'd handle a valued friend and a significant other finding each other intolerable."
Anthony grins beatifically, "Well, isn't that nice of her?"
Andromena gives each of the young men a suspicious look before seeking to clarify. "So, for example, how would I deal with Alphard and Anthony if they were to," Heaven forfend! "Find each other miserable company?" Because the alternative was that Variel was asking her how she'd approach a couple that detested one another. It made little sense, but then…when did relationships and sense ever go hand-in-hand? Andromena folded her arms, lips pursing thoughtfully.
"Because if that were so, then I'd only seek to keep them apart when and where I could. I value them both far too much to attempt to manipulate their own personal relations. Oh to be sure I'd try to see that things could at least be peaceable between them…" But her example was Alphard. Even his fictitious self had to be treated with the proper care and respect.
Anthony gives a faint smile. Because obviously her boyfriend had never threatened to break the nose of her cousin. "See? That any use to you, Weasley?" He mouths a name to Andromena. "E-Liz-A-Beth."
Variel listens with a perfectly deliberate face, considering the words as they're spoken. "Yes. Yes, I suppose that rather would be the best course of action. If you've two potions whose fumes explode on contact, best to keep them separated. Wish I'd thought of that earlier." He sighs. "Still, not like I planned any of that."
Andromena gives Anthony a quick nod to show she caught the name. So…Elizabeth, but who else? She sort of wanted to say something along the lines of: So the girl got her Christmas wish, did she? There was no way of knowing either of them would catch on, and well…wouldn't it be considered a little mean?
"You'll just upset both parties if they think you're meddling, and then where will you be?" What was that about Anthony and a broken nose? Why, that was just a misunderstanding between men. It happens. And no noses were broken! Or books thrown off a train…
Anthony says, "Well, no, obviously not! You're a Gryffindor! Planning's optional!" He says with a grin, to say it's not meant harshly, "Still, maybe we can sort it out. Who was being a swine about Half bloods and Mu…ggle raised?""
"Swine?" Edgar chimes in after listening at the tail end of Anthony's question. Given that he's a Carrow, and Carrows really can't give enough of a damn about Mudbloods, well… "You mean Purist, Rowle? Because as far as I know, your family isn't known for blood treason, either…"
Variel gives Anthony the same amused look he'd given the Rowle boy when he'd been teasing him about getting startled by a girl in formal dress and heels as Carrow snipes at him, and speaks up. "Nobody was being a swine, and Rowle was just being a bit clumsy in an attempt to be supportive." No greetings for Edgar, he's been here the whole time! Everyone said hi earlier. "And I'm not looking to gossip, either. The question was posed without names for a reason. I wanted advice, not comisserate mudslinging. Though the gesture's appreciated!" Variel grins, ever unflappable by anything short of his own failure.
Andromena's own expression became one of neutrality, saying little as the three other youths drew the conversation further. Edgar is given a wave, though, because that didn't mean she'd seen him lurking about the way Variel apparently had! Eventually, however, she did have to tell them, "I wasn't fishing for any names." Though her cousin had very helpfully supplied her with one! Variel did not need to know that. "My advice stands, and more importantly, it's really hard to try and keep everyone happy. Trust me." Because she'd tried it once, and it was a bloody miserable affair she wasn't soon to repeat.
Anthony flushes a bit, and replies to the previously unnoted Edgar with, "Just haven't met the right girl yet!" Is that a joke? If so, it's in questionable taste. "And yes, that's rather what I thought. Thanks, Andy! Knew you'd know!"
"Hi, Mena," Edgar intones to Andromena with a faint smile, then glances between the three pure-bloods and especially at Anthony after his 'haven't met the right girl' spiel. "The right girl for … what?" In his hand is a piece of red ribbon, although, once the Carrow realizes he has it, he shoves it into a pocket without much thinking about it.
Variel gives Anthony a look at his comment about meeting the right girl. It's more of a "Yeesh, kid, put down the shovel" look than disdain. "I know, Rowle," he says to Andromena. "Believe me, I do. I'm trying to assess things before I have to react to them on the spot. I've got my worst case reactions planned out, it's the in between I have to figure out."
Andromena levels another look Anthony's way. Has she missed something? Damned tumultuous holidays. She hopes he's just talking without any real weight behind the words. Or…she thinks she should hope that. What a quandary. So long as Anthony kept his tastes pure then Andromena wouldn't have cause to worry over-much.
"It's no trouble," directed toward Anthony since he'd thanked her. It appeared their other companions were aware of Anthony's own personal woes, and in that very moment as Andromena looked between the three of them, she started to laugh. It began as a little giggle, covered by her hand, until it grew into a proper laugh.
"Don't mind me," Andromena said, waving her free hand at them. "I'd only had a thought…" That all three had experienced a bit of girl trouble lately. They ought to make a club.
Anthony smiles faintly, "Oh, you know. The right muggle girl might sweep me off my feet one day."
"I pity your having to face your family to explain /that/ blunder, Rowle," Edgar quips wryly, "But I'm sure there's plenty of decent pure-blooded girls out there, just waiting to be rescued from the clutches of boredom. Boredom's a pretty dread enemy, though," he points out. Then Adromena starts laughing at them or by herself, it's either or. An eyebrow quirks.
Variel doesn't seem to know how to react to Anthony's continued joking, shoving a hand up through his hair. He spends a lot of time blinking between Anthony and the random fabric in Edgar's hand. Then there's laughter! "Am I the only one who suddenly feels like they've completely lost their grasp on reality?"
"That's just a bad joke, Tony," says Andromena as she begins to bring her laughter to its end. "What's more, you're the man, you have to sweep the girl off her feet!" She looks between the three of them again, grinning still. No! There won't be an explanations forthcoming regarding her fit of giggles. "I have to excuse myself, though. There are still some things I need to see to…perhaps I'll catch you all later," this said as she began to part from their company. Over her shoulder to Variel, Andromena quipped, "If it's that easy to lose, then maybe you never had a very strong grip to start with!" Around a corner she goes, disappearing from sight!
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