| Details for Quidditch and Chest Pillows |
| Summary: | Lillian is uncharacteristically happy, Elise is not. Claire just wants to talk Quidditch, and Cillian and Gabriel have no clue. |
| Date: | 1938-09-02 |
| Location: | |
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It is after the first days classes and Lillian seems to be in a good mood. In fact the happy smile on her face and the spring to her step has many people who know of her concerned for her health. The Slytherin is often thoughtful, sometimes angry or snarky but never ever openly smiling and happy…it is very odd for her at least. She pauses in the entrance hall and looks about that cheerful smile still in place.
"Well, no," comes a voice. "You have to flick your wand like this while you say it." It's Elise, giving pointers to a first-year Ravenclaw boy with a round face and brown hair that sticks straight out from his head. "It's all in the wrist. See?" she demonstrates once again. "Off you go," she tells him nicely once he nods in comprehension. Seeing Lillian, she waves. Seeing Lillian's happy smile, she pauses.
Lillian spots Elise and waves back to her. That smile is still there and stays even as a group of Slytherin girls walk by gossiping about why the notoriously broody Slytherin Quidditch Queen looks so…happy as they head to the great hall. Lillian just shakes her head at them and sits down on a bench. Not glaring or brooding but smiling an almost dreamy sort of smile. She watches the people pass and looks thoughtful…not depressed, broody thoughtful but happy, hopeful thoughtful instead.
"Not that we're bosom buddies or anything," Elise says, approaching Lillian. "But I did watch every game you played last year, and I've gotten to know you a bit over the summer. And while I'm pleased to see you looking so radiant, I can't help but remark that it seems out of character for you. I'm awfully curious as to the reason."
Lillian blinks as Elise approaches. The smile fades a bit and she sighs putting her head in her hands. "I've been grinning like a loon since this morning haven't I? Ugh….I'm turning into a sentimental Hufflepuff and I can't even bring myself to care." Her head comes up and she gestures to the open spot on the bench. "You are very observant and yes it is rather out of character for me. I…I took your advice but it didn't go as planned. I made a deal but I actually think I like this guy. It scares me…I haven't known him very long but he is very nice to me. He makes me feel happy and carefree and this morning he…I..we…well it was my first kiss, his as well. I…you are not allowed to breath a word okay…it will probably be obvious soon enough or he will say he thinks I'm an idiot for being sentimental and this…whatever I'm feeling will be over." She looks a bit saddened by this the previous smile fading into her worrying.
"I haven't seen you today at all, until just now," Elise comments. "So I'll have to take your word on the grinning like a loon part," she says. She tilts her head, nodding. "I am a Ravenclaw," she says when the older girl calls her observant. As she listens further, her eyes widen and her mouth drops open. She looks absolutely astonished. "Goodness, Lillian! Who is it? Don't be such a pessimist! You… you only met him yesterday and already he's kissed you? He must like you very much." She's trying to keep her voice down, but someone being sneaky might overhear her.
Lillian is sitting on a bench at the entry hall with Elise standing nearby. The Slytherin has just gone from happy to troubled and Elise looks shocked by what was said. The blonde blushes slightly and looks up with a hint of hope in her eyes. "I hope you are right….I like him quite a bit even though I haven't known him very long. I'm actually looking forward to seeing him again which is..odd..good but odd. His name is Augustin Rousseau and he is a Hufflepuff." She glances around to see if anyone is here to witness her confession before looking back to Elise waiting to see what the girl has to say.
"I've seen him around," Elise says, frowning in thought. "Spotty boy? Dark blond hair?" She looks dubiously at Lillian. "Really?"
Lillian shakes her head looking thoughtful. "His hair is dark blonde and he is fairly tall and slightly muscled…but no he doesn't have spots. Maybe he changed over the summer that or you are thinking of someone else."
"I'm not an expert on Hufflepuffs," Elise says nodding. "But Luci's one, so I'm vaguely familiar with lots of them, at least. I might be wrong. But… did you notice him at all last year?" She sits on the bench finally and rests her book bag on her lap.
Lillian thinks for a moment and then shakes her head in a no. "No I didn't even know he existed till this year. I don't normally pay attention to Hufflepuffs…Well there went my reputation as the scary Slytherin tomboy." She sighs dramatically not really looking like she actually cares that much about her former reputation.
From the main door of the castle comes a loud, "Run, RUN! You got it Cillian, jump for it or you're going to miss it!" Gabriel is standing just outside the open door with his hands cupped around his mouth as he calls out to the Cap'n clearly having just thrown the bright red if a little worse-for-wear cricket ball flying through the air.
Cillian runs past Gabriel…the tiny pirate captain is wearing robes as is necessary as school, his satchel bouncing against his thigh as he moves very quickly, skidding to a stop and trying to jump up to catch the ball. "Oi! Are ye tryin' to get us caught…?" He hisses/whispers with a soft laugh before he catches it…yet, half cuz it hits him in the side of the head and half because he catches it, stumbling back and pumping his fist in the air.
"Cillian!" Elise says when the cricket ball hits his head. She jumps up from the bench and leaves Lillian behind, rushing to her captain's side. "Are you alright?" she asks fretfully. She turns a glare toward Gabriel. "What are you /doing/?" she hisses.
Lillian for her part looks rather amused. Watching the younger boy get hit and then catch the ball she giggles softly. "He has good reflexes…though it he where truly great he would have caught it before it hit him. So what are you playing?" She looks curious but then she does love sports…
Gabriel comes in running after Cillian, laughing at his friend's less than stellar catch. "We have to get you some more practice…" he says before sliding to a stop next to him and Elise, giving both of the girls a slightly confused look. "Ummmm… We're playing catch." He says it in a tone of voice that makes it clear he's trying to figure out what's such a big deal to have Elise glare and him and why someone *cough*Lillian*cough* would have to ask what they're playing.
"Are you going to try out for chaser, with an arm like that?" Claire says loudly, descending the grand staircase. She angles towards the cluster of students, her arms are stacked high with textbooks.
Cillian flashes a grin to Gabriel and winks as he offers the ball back to his buddy before looking to Elise. "Oi…ease yer mind, Mousie, we was just plain' a bit of catch…as he calls it. M' out of practice seein' as I spend me summer…" He trails off and sticks out his tongue. "Doin' other tings!" Then he looks to Lillian and then to Claire and purses his lips. "Hmm…one…two…"
"Oh," Elise says. She deflates a bit. "Well… just be careful you don't knock anyone unconscious, alright?" She sighs quietly. "What other things were you doing?" She looks up at Claire's entrance and waves. "Hullo, Claire," she says.
Lillian nods and shifts a bit leaning back on her bench her curiosity apparently satisfied. She looks at the growing crowd and frowns slightly but doesn't comment further. Her bag sits on the floor beside her and she glances at it trying to determine if she should leave or not.
Gabriel catches the ball with practiced ease and stuffs it into his robes' left pocket then pulls out smaller, white one out of his right pocket. "Nah, if I wanted to knock someone out a baseball is better than a cricket ball." Clearly someone's given that particular topic a little too much thought but he's immediately moving on to answer Claire's question with a big grin and an enthusiastic nod, "I am, I am… Well, trying out for the Quidditch team in general I mean." Then he notices Cillian counting and he looks at him with a little concern starting to show on his features as he stage whispers, "We're surrounded and outnumbered Cap'n… Do you have enough chocolate to keep them all satisfied?"
"Ahh…explorin', cleanin'…writin'…learnin'…cleanin'…" Cillian lists things offer on his fingers before rummaging around in his satchel for a few moments, eyeing Gabriel with some concern before eyeing the girls with a charming grin and he offers a bow before asiding to Gabriel in a stage whisper. "Aye, but ye gotta smile first, these aren't bein' first years, we're second years now, iffen we give a girl a chocolate too quick she might tink we're sweet on her!"
Claire shifts her textbooks so the corners aren't stabbing into her arm. "Bludgers are best if you're looking to render someone unconscious. Easier to make it look like an accident, too."
Elise frowns, easily hearing Gabriel's whisper. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asks. She glances over at Lillian and gives the girl a bit of an encouraging smile. At Cillian's words, though, her smile fades. "Don't worry, Captain," she tells him, sounding a bit sad. "I haven't illusions that /any/ boy will ever be sweet on /me/." She eyes Claire, slightly aghast. "Only if you're on the pitch," she says. "They're chained in a box for a reason." She pauses. "Any idea when tryouts are? And what positions are open?"
"Bludgers -are- much better at knocking sense into people yes. I have been known to use my bat as well." Lillian agrees with Claire and adds her piece smirking a bit. She looks at Elise with a hint of sympathy but then she makes the comment about only using bludgers on the pitch. The blonde smirks again. "She didn't say anything about the bats though…I'm safe it seems."
Gabriel smiles a big smile at Elise, following Cillian's instructions. A smile that turns into a big grin as the topic turn to one of his favorite topics, "Ooooo… You have your bat here? My parents won't let me bring my bats. They say they take up too much space in my luggage. So what kind of bat do you have? Is it made of oak? Or is it another wood? Is it a Louisville Slugger? It doesn't have cork in it does it? That's really not kosher…"
Cillian eyes Elise with some concern, shaking his head and wrapping an arm around Elise. "Dun worry, Mousie…ye'll 'ave allll the boys followin' after ye. And at yer request, or if any of 'em hurt ye…" He looks around and then leans in. "Lets just say pirates are particularly skilled at buryin' tings. Treasure…maps…broken legs…" He grins and giggles before with a flourish, closing and opens his hand revealing one of those golden wrapped chocolates he always has and then he looks between Lillian and Claire and then to Gabriel and then back between Claire and Elise and so on and so forth. Ahh, Quidditch talk…he stays very quiet.
Claire twitches a smirk and gives a short nod to the other beater. She sweeps her eyes across the crowd, noting who wears what house crest on their robes. "We'll see who shows up. Tryouts are Thursday before dinner." It does no do to discuss strategy in mixed company.
"Don't let the caretaker see you with it," Elise tells Lillian. "He might confiscate it and hang you up by your thumbs. He's always trying to do that to students." She shivers and grimaces at the thought. Gabriel's smile doesn't seem to catch on with her, and when Cillian wraps his arm around her, she crosses her own arms and looks down. Her cheeks are pink, but she looks a bit upset, truthfully. She doesn't even look at the chocolate. "I'll be there," she promises Claire.
Lillian sighs not really understanding what kind of bat Gabriel is talking about. "Its a Quidditch bat, custom made and solid oak good for whacking bludgers and heads if they need it." She stands up and looks around. She gives Elise a brief worried look but its not really her business so she doesn't pry. "I should probably get to dinner now. Excuse me." With that she heads on into the Great Hall.
Cillian now looks even more concerned as he frowns and peers at Elise more closely. "Mousie…Elise? Are ye alright?"
You give Lillian a cookie.
Claire gives the bat a more studious look when she learns it is custom made. The standard one she uses is a little short for her, to be honest. "There's a big legacy to hold up this year. Ravenclaw had a smashing season last year. I've gotten quite used to the sight of the Quidditch Cup in the common room."
"Bye," Elise tells Lillian, glancing up to watch the girl go. For a few seconds she just looks down at her own crossed arms, but Cillian will be able to feel the tension in her shoulders. "You /know/ why I can never have a boyfriend," she whispers to Cillian. "You shouldn't tease me about it. It's not nice." She nods to Claire, and steps forward, out of Cillian's arm. "Well, if I make the team, I'll do everything I can to keep it there," she promises.
Gabriel has become a bit oblivious to the emotional undertones of the conversation between Cillian and Elise, his focus being on the sports. He looks a little confused for a moment as Lillian talks about a custom made bat until he realize his mistake. Quidditch bats, not baseball bats, "I wonder how much getting one made for you costs?" The question comes a bit late as at this point Lillian has already walked away but maybe Claire will know…
Cillian just blinks owlishly and stares at Elise for a few moments, eyebrows shooting up before his mouth opens and shuts and he rolls his eyes. "I dun be teasin'. Yer me friend and ye will be way past our graduation so dun ye ever tell me what ye'll never 'ave." A pause. "Unless its a willy cuz m' sure that's nigh impossible without polyjuice potion…"
Claire dramatically rolls her eyes. "Romance is a waste of time and a distraction, and you're better off without it," she says, with perhaps a bit more snap than is really necessary to direct towards a gaggle of second years. She scowls at Cillian. She has a hard time following what the pirate says on a good day, he's completely lost her now.
"Ask Lillian," Elise suggests to Gabriel. She shoots Cillian a look like he's just kicked her, and turns quickly away to compose herself. Clair would have a good profile view, if she cared to look that way. "I think I'll go to dinner as well," she says quietly in a voice less steady than usual. She nods to Claire. "Right. Quidditch. Nothing better. Thursday, I'll be there."
Gabriel waves to Elise as she leave, "By Mousie. Enjoy dinner." Once their co-second year is out of ear shot he turns to Cillian and Claire, " Does she have a cold or something? She sounded kind of weird…"
Cillian's jaw sets as he watches Elise for a few moments, looking back to Gabriel and then after Elise and then back to Gabriel as he takes a deep breath, watching her carefully as she's headed to dinner and he looks back to Gabriel, frowning and wiping at his eye. "Mm. Its happenin' mate…" A sad twist of his lips. "First they lose their 'ope, then their joy…and then become mysterious and before ye know it, they 'ave chest pillows and dun wanna give ye the time of day…" He pats his bag. "M' gonna need a lot more chocolate…"
Gabriel frowns a little bit then gives Cillian a brilliant smile, "Don't loose hope Cap'n! It doesn't happen to all of them. Yeah, sure she has chest pillow but Cameron here isn't like that. You've seen her play Quidditch. No one without joy and hope can play like that!"
Suddenly the conversation has swerved into territory Claire is decidedly not equipped for. She searches for anyone over the age of thirteen to bail her out, or at least someone over the height of five-six. "I do not… Gabriel! I do not know what those two topics have to do with each other but I will warn the two you to watch your mouths." Claire shifts her books to serve as a shield in her arms. How is she going to get out of this situation without looking like she's running away…
Cillian hmms and places a hand on his his hip, shaking his head and looking down to the ground for the time being. When he looks back up he just rubs his cheek. "I dun usually be watchin' much of the Quidditch…"
The look Claire gets is one of complete innocence. "What? Girl grow breasts and suddenly they're all morose and sappy and such. Apparently its something to do with hormone changes but I haven't bothered to read too much about it. At least you don't act like most girls even if you did grow breasts. You're all normal and such, emotionally." The look Cillian gets, on the other hand, is one of complete disbelief, "What!? But it so much fun to watch! Almost as much fun as baseball! You are going to try out for the team, right?"
Claire gives the boys a look that is defiantly not fear. More… prudent caution. "Well… thanks," she says hesitantly. "I'm going to check on Harper. You two, well, just don't get expelled. I need bodies on broomsticks."
Cillian just shakes his head and gives Gabriel a small look, uncertainty on his face. "Ye..Josie…Mousie…" He counts things off on his fingers before frowning. "Its happening…" He whispers to himself before shaking his head. "Quidditch…ahh, ye'll all have lots of fun. I'll be sure to be watchin' ye all." He wipes at his eyes before dashing off. He's got work to do.