(1939-10-24) Blessed Are the Peacebabies
Details for Blessed Are the Peacebabies
Summary: Madeline, Anthony and Calista talk: peace babies are freely given, accepted, and consumed!
Date: Friday, October 24th, 1939
Location: Dungeons: Labyrinthine Hall
Related:
Characters
AnthonyCalistaMadeline

Anthony is leaning against a wall near the entry of the serpentine maze. He's got a book out. Yep. Still Caesar's secret chapters of the Gallic War, in Latin, which he's plodding his way through, whilst waiting for whatever he's waiting for.

It is evening, after classes and dinner, haunting music feels the passage way towards the lower mazes that separate Slytherin from the other parts of Hogwarts. A sweet melancholy of violin dances off the stone, stifling and echoing in turns. One has to go further to the darker side, beyond the potions class to see the source is the Flint that remains at Hogwarts.

Anthony listens appreciatively, and does, indeed, move closer. Afterall, he knew about Calista and the violin. And it would, indeed, appear to be she that he was waiting for. He moves a little closer, but doesn't interrupt.

The sweet music goes on a little longer, then stops with a final held note. The bow is lowered and placed in the lid of the case. She lowers the violin to start a gentle cleaning and polishing with a cloth. "Rowle." She states, and it might be a greeting, or simply an identification and statement of awareness.

Anthony clears his throat, "Flint. Just thought I'd come and… you know.." He extends a hand towards the girl, for shaking purposes, "… say 'no hard feelings', and so forth."

Calista looks at the hand and then the man offering it. The violin is eased to the case. Then she presents her own hand, and shakes gently. Her face though bares the expression of one drinking something sour. "I am curious why you were not on our side, Rowle?"

On the heels of Anthony's own peace offering comes Madeline - her usual book bag at her side, but it's bulging and overstuffed. She skips as she moves - spotting Calista and Anthony and greeting them both with a wide smile. "Oh, hello! Was that music yours? It was so nice!" she remarks in a cheerful tone.

Anthony squeezes gently. It's clearly a heartfelt symbol of reconciliation, at least on the Ravenclaw side. "Because your Uncle took things far too far. He committed one of the Cardinal Sins of the Academic. He permitted his personal beliefs to distort his Scholarship. He ignored evidence to the contrary about the magical ability of the Muggle Born." He looks apologetic, and says, sadly, "He served a lie, because he believed it was true, even though the evidence showed it was not."

Madeline arrival cause Calista to divert a little attention towards her, "Thank you, Evans." She looks back to Anthony, lifting a brow, "It was handled poorly. There is no proof that the cause and belief is wrong. I never said others were less capable." she states as she slips her hand free and turns her attention to clicking the clasps. "The food thing was always simply wrong. What the future holds is still up for grabs though. If.. If I am right, it may hold an end to magic."

Madeline frowns slightly at Calista's words. If they're talking about the food, they're talking about the Muggleborns. The end of magic? That sounds ridiculous to her. Magic can't end! "I-" she starts, before clicking her mouth closed. No, Anthony can probably tell Calista how ridiculous she's being better than she can!

"Thank you for going to help the aurors and hitwizards, Flint," she says instead, reaching into her bag and pulling out a little bundle wrapped in tissue, with a ribbon tying it closed. "These are peace babies! You can share them with anyone you'd like to get on with better. They're candies!"

Anthony considers this. Never let it be said that the Ravenclaw dismisses anything out of hand, "I can see how that theory could be advanced. However, what I don't see is any evidence of a causal link between the Muggleborn learning magic and it occurring." He considers, "And I'd agree it was poorly handled. A problem whenever ideology gets in the way of Pure Magical Research. I should be very interested in sitting down with you and looking at your theories in more depth…. if you want to, of course."

Calista regards Evans a moment and gives her a graceful nod, "You do not need to thank me, Evans. I am a law abiding person. I still maintain, the M.L.E. had no business with those documents. I see that the rings on the wands were too much. My Uncle can be.. Over concerned." Such a better word than paranoid. She does lift her hand to take the bundle. "Thank you very generous of you. I do hope you will recall that I did offer to make certain you did not go hungry. I did not agree with that or the S.C.U.M.S. arrangement."

She looks back to Anthony though, moving to stand as she does from her seating, "Academic debate is always welcome. I am curious though about how your family felt on the matter? It is a very difficult thing to try to prove in one generation. Perhaps we can speak of it during the next weekend in the town though?" Her voice is careful, it would not be so hard to tell there is a reluctance and suspicion from the Slytherin, but polite, that she remains. "I do think being attacked, well, that troubled me deeply."

"Well, following the law's got nothing to do with going somewhere dangerous," Madeline says solemnly. "So thanks!" She wrinkles her brow as she adds, "Yeah, but… they had a warrant. So we don't get to decide what's their business or not." She looks at Anthony as she asks, "Right?" And then back at Calista. "A warrant means they get to take what they want!" Okay. So. Maybe the twelve year old doesn't understand warrants completely…

"Oh, and I have peace babies for you too, Anthony!" Madeline adds brightly as she offers him some. "But no sharing with Eibhlin! You have to share with someone you want to get on with better."

Anthony takes the bag, and gives Maddy a teasing smile, "You think I don't want to get on with Eibhlin better?" And whilst the 2nd year ponders this, he says, to Calista, "As to what my family think, I don't know yet. They will probably ask me to demonstrate the reasoning behind my actions. Which I'm quite prepared to do… it's not as if I didn't think my way into the position I took. I am… relieved… not to be completing my education in French, though."

"Yes, the warrant allows them to take what they desire. I just still think the documents were between those who signed them. I am also confused why they were of interest to those outside the club at Hogwarts." Calista gives a soulful sigh and shakes her head. "I am not disappointed that the food and the courses were fixed. Of course I am not delighted with the current arrangement either." Her shoulders lift a little, "It has hurt my family's reputation. It will likely affect any marriage prospects and perhaps my career."

The dark haired Slytherin turns her attention back to Rowle though as the topic shifts more to Shine. "You know, it was wrong of her to strike my wand from my hand? I had done nothing violent. We did not start that confrontation. It was also not really within the right of the head girl to obstruct me in performance of the headmaster's will. He has been dismissed, but at the time.. She was in the wrong. She was not empowered to act on behalf of the Aurors, and Professor Viridian was acting beyond his personal authority to order students into harm's way.. No better than my Uncle so far as rights go."

Anthony says mildly, "You didn't say it was the Headmasters instruction. She gave a reasonable request. You didn't obey it, so I think she was the only person there in the right. I wasn't… entirely. Nor were you. Because the Head Girl has part of the power of the Headmaster deputed to her. She asked nicely, you didn't obey." He shrugs, "It doesn't really matter, now, does it?"

"That's not what I meant!" Madeline giggles at Anthony. "You already get on with her good!"

Her attention soon shifts back at Calista, a frown tugging at her lips. She has had a long time to think about the matter of the contracts - since last school year. Looking strangely solemn the girl answers, "Little kids shouldn't be signing contracts about their wands that they can't get out of. They told us the first week of school. Every wizard has a right to their wand."

"Surrendering something in my possession is not a reasonable request." Calista listens to Rowle, a faint smile rising on her lips when on the like note Madeline mentions that wands are sacred and she makes a head motion to the young girl, "I did not take her property from her when I possibly could have. That was only to inspect it." Calista though turns to Evans, "You are right, I apologized to Eibon about his being broken, but understand, the same ring was on my wand. It was wrong of my Uncle."

Anthony gives a faint smile, "She asked to inspect it. Not to take it. In case it was the one I'd lost." Yep. That plausible deniability went in there. "As it was, it clearly wasn't what I was looking for… but your actions were sufficiently suspicious, I think no prefect in the School wouldn't have taken it into safe keeping." He shrugs, "But as the saying goes, it is of academic interest only. And we should, perhaps, agree to disagree."

"If your uncle was wrong about the contracts - then it was right for the MLE to want them, and wrong to try to hide them," Madeline points out. She shifts on her feet before adding quietly, "I really don't like the idea of using magic on people, though. I hope I don't ever have to do something like that ever, ever again. I didn't like it."

Calista looks at the fellow seventh year, "Ah, well, if you hold that you think it was your property. I suppose I should apologize to you. I would not wish to question the honor of the House of Rowle. Please forgive me. I do hope you have been able to, or will be able to recover that which belongs to you." She shifts her shoulders again, taking up her case and readying to head towards Slytherin.

Flint looks back to Madeline. "The library is where documents should be kept, Evans. What ever was done with the other packages is worthy of questioning. But the warrant had not yet been presented. No one knows if my Uncle would have cooperated with the authorities. Eibon did, as did I. In the hall, I was not stopped from delivering personal papers to the library archives by the M.L.E." She shakes her head though, "Never the less, I am happy things are now resorted and you are able to return to studies and eating as you should."

Anthony waves a hand, "I was clearly wrong. But you know. Mistakes are easily made. I did say… and so did Eibhlin. But I can understand your blood was up."

"The Headmaster knew what he was doing," Madeline says stubbornly. Then she shrugs her shoulders before adding, "But I suppose he wouldn't tell all of you that." She smiles suddenly. "Have either of you have peace babies before? You should try one! They're very good."

"Of course, I must study a bit. Please excuse me." Calista says as she turns to the maze, The little package Madeline gaze her is pressed into a pocket, "Thank you again, Evans." Then she pauses, if anything manners are the only shield Calista feels she has left, so she takes the package back out to try it.

Anthony pauses, and then offers his own packet, opening it, to the Slytherin. "One for the road, Flint?"

Madeline beams as Anthony offers one of his treats to Calista. "See? Wasn't this peace babies idea great? My uncle sent them to me!" She's very pleased with herself.

As Anthony offers his, Calista drops hers back into the pocket rather than retrieving it. "Thank you," she says and moves to try it. There is a nod to Madeline, "Yes."

Anthony gives Maddy a nod, and Calista a faint smile, "My pleasure." And he too tucks his packet away, once the girls got her sweetie.

"You try one, too!" Madeline encourages Anthony with a nudge. "Then you can give the rest away!" Still beaming cheerfully she adds, "Then do you think you could help me with jelly fingers? I'm having trouble with it and we have to try the spell on imps soon and I just know I'm gonna flub it up."

Calista takes up the things and tries it, chewing briefly and swallowing. "Thank you again, good day." she offers and with that turns off towards the maze, disappearing into the darkness with the skill of someone who has called them home for seven years.

Anthony helps himself to one of his chews, and pops it into his mouth, with foolhardy abandon, given it's from Maddy, who is a known associate of MacMillan.

"So - what do you think?" Madeline asks cheerfully, as she starts to move out of the dungeon - seeming to assume Anthony will come along with her. "Great, aren't they? And class was great today, too! Casting magic with everyone again! I'm sorry I got all upset with you, before, you know."

Tucked into the package with the jelly babies is a little slip of paper - inviting Anthony to a bonfire and marshmallow roast with the little addition of 'Bring a MUD book if you can!'

Anthony strolls along, "It's understandable." His tone is grave, "You understand I was angry with everyone in the world once, too?"

"I wasn't mad at everyone," Madeline contradicts uncertainly. "…was I? Why were you mad at everyone?" she asks curiously.

Anthony waves a hand, as he walks, "Oh, after I'd been Cruciated. My… view of the world wasn't right." He shoves his hands into his pockets, "I wonder if you were the same. You felt tortured?"

"Oh," Madeline says quietly. She stares down at the floor, then over at Anthony, then right back at the floor. "Well. I dunno if… if tortured is right," she answers uneasily. "I just felt… trapped. And angry."

Anthony nods, and strolls along, as though nothing had happened, "Very much how I felt, in fact. Betrayed, as well, maybe?"

Madeline's lips set into a straight line, and she's silent a few moments before she nods. "Yeah," she admits.

Anthony nods, as he strolls along, and he says, "It passes. Really, it does. And you get some clarity, at the far side."

"Clarity?" Madeline asks. "What's that mean?" Her tone is uncertain. She knows what it usually means she just isn't sure what he means by it.

Anthony shrugs, "You come out of it all, with a lot fewer illusions about.. .well… everything." He pauses, and then says, "Want to know a secret, Maddy?"

Madeline frowns - still not sure she understands - but as he offers a secret, the girl nods and gives Anthony an amused and somehow knowing smile. "I'm good at keeping secrets," she announces.

Anthony nods, sagely, and waits a few moments more, before saying, "Eibhlin and I will be getting married, as soon as we have jobs."

Madeline's eyes widen, then she lets out a little squeak. "Really? Wow! That's great! Can I come? To the wedding, I mean. Ooo, ooo! Do you need a flower girl?"

Anthony laughs, "That's up to her, really, isn't it? And you're not supposed to know, given I've not proposed yet."

Madeline's eyes go even wider. "You haven't told her yet?" she asks. "Oh, wow! That is an important secret then!" she says enthusiastically. "She won't be mad you told me first?"

Anthony laughs, "No… no, I haven't proposed. We both know we're getting married." He gives a grin, "It's just it's not… official yet. You know? I can't ask her to marry me until I can support a wife, you see."

"Ohhhh… So you both talked about it and agreed you want to get married," Madeline reiterates. She gets a thoughtful look on her features. "How do you think you'll propose? Is it going to be dreadfully romantic? I bet it will!"

Anthony flushes a bit, "Well, I've had a few ideas. But lets see, eh? There's a long time until I'm earning. Almost a year."

Madeline nods her head. "Well. I think it's great! I bet you guys'll have the greatest family ever!" she asserts cheerfully. "..oh." She lowers her voice abruptly as she adds, "Am I being too loud?"

Anthony removes a hand from his pocket, to waver it, "A little. But that's the secret." He grins. "I do love her. And I'm lucky to have her."

"This is gonna be a haaaaard secret to keep," Madeline remarks with a smile. "But I think I can do it."

Anthony gives a broad smile, "Good. I know you can keep secrets. And maybe I'll propose before we leave school, so it won't be a secret. Maybe."

Madeline wrinkles her brow in thought for a moment before asking, "But I don't have to keep it a secret from Eibhlin - that I know?" she asks.

Anthony says, "Um… for now. Although, I guess you could hint. To her, I mean. Or ask her if she and I are serious."

"Oh," Madeline says in a musing tone. "Hrm. Okay. I'll try that," she says thoughtfully.

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