| Details for Secrets and Lies |
| Summary: | Elspeth seeks out Maddie for answers about Angelus, but ends up with more questions instead. |
| Date: | 4 November, 1939 |
| Location: | Entry Hall |
| Related: | A Lie For Trouble |
| Characters |
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Waiting for her staircase to swing around to the right landing, Elspeth's fingers tap on the railing. The Ravenclaw seems deep in thought, but that's hardly new. She is an Eagle, after all. Once the stairs lock into place, she steps off and continues towards the front doors, aiming to finish her errand before the afternoon classes if she can. She pauses to look towards the Great Hall to see who might be lingering there over lunch, first.
Madeline is not lingering - though she did stop in to grab an apple. She tosses it idly in hand as she makes her way out of the Great Hall - headed towards the doors leading out of the castle. There are trees to climb - and books to read in them! She moves with a bounce to her step, causing her book bag to bounce off her rump as she moves.
"Evans," Elspeth states clearly as the Gryffindor leaves the Dining Hall. "Just the person I am looking to see." She turns her steps towards the younger student. "How are you feeling? You are looking fine." There's a bit of a smile to go with the easy, conversational tone.
Madeline looks up as she hears her name, her gaze locking on the older student. "Oh, umm, hi Els- Rosen." Right. Rosen. When someone calls you Evans… "I'm doing alright. You were looking for me?"
Elspeth nods once. "I am, yes. I am just wanting to be sure you are all right after Eibon trying to cast a leg-locker curse on you. I am glad to hear that you are being fine, and are looking fine." She glances towards the front doors, and then gives a nod of her head as she takes a step to indicate that she'll accompany the girl in a continuance of walking to her planned destination. "Are you knowing why he was being so upset as to be trying a leg-locker curse?"
"What?" Madeline asks, confusion on her features. "Eibon - Angelus Eibon?" Was one of her friends tring to get him in trouble - because of what she told them? "Umm… I dunno who told you that," she says uncertainly. "But, uhh… he didn't. Use a leg-locker curse on me or nothing. He's- well, he drew a wand on me, but that was at the beginning of the year, and Dumbledore took care of it already."
Looking down to Maddie as she answers, then looking back up Elspeth blinks and purses her lips slightly. "Interesting. Not fifteen minutes ago, Angelus Eibon was confessing to me his need to confess that the two of you were being upset at each other, and that he was drawing his wand and trying the leg-locker curse… although he was saying that it fizzled." She reaches up to pull her braid over her shoulder. "Are you minding if I am asking about what it was you were being upset?"
"Me and Eibon?" Madeline asks. "Umm. Well. The last time I talked to him, umm, was… last night. But he didn't take out his wand or anything." She shifts a bit uneasily on her feet, looking around for another other students that might be able to hear them. "It's… it's complicated. And, umm, it involves a, umm… A secret," she admits.
"I see. So, Eibon was being mad that you were not telling him a secret?" Elspeth guesses, not looking at Madeline. "And you are being sure that he was not drawing his wand? You are not trying to cover for him as being part of this secret?"
Madeline shakes her head. "That's not it at all," she answers. "He already knows the secret. And if he drew a wand on me again, I'd tell." There's a determined set to her features at that declaration. "But he didn't. It's… well." After another glances around, she holds out her right hand, pinky extended. "You need to keep the secret," she says solemnly. "Pinky promise. Then I c'n explain it."
Elspeth pauses, surprised at the offer. She looks down at the extended pinky, then to Maddie's eyes before she lifts her own pinky and twines it with the Gryffindor.
Madeline gives Elspeth's finger a confirming tug before letting go - and letting out a sigh. "Okay. So. The pirates know, and Colton knows, and so does Anthony Rowle and Shine and Miss Taylor and Professor Pettigrew," she explains solemnly. "But, um, well. They don't know about the arguement - but they know about the secret. But Eibon and me and Dashur were on the room. They were playing exploding snap, and it scared Mischief, and Malfoy - he wasn't there for long, he was just passing by - and Eibon started being mean about me having a raven and them being stupid pets. And then Malfoy left. And that's when Eibon said to Dashur that maybe he oughtta tell Malfoy about my secret - even though he promised to me just the other day he wouldn't tell - and then Dashur said that if Eibon's just gonna be mean she don't want any part of it and she left and me and Eibon stayed for a few more minutes and had a bot of a row - just words, mind, and that was it."
She gets all of that out in one long breath.
Elspeth's eyes seem to swim a bit at the end of the retelling, then she blinks a couple of times to process the torrent of accounting on the happening. "I am thinking that I missed the secret somewhere in there, but that was all I was needing to know. Thank you, Evans." She gives the younger girl a smile. "I am having to find Professor Pettigrew, although I am not being entirely sure of what I shall be telling her regarding Eibon. This is… " she shrugs.
"You're sure?" Madeline asks - she looks a little relieved, truth be told, though she quickly adds, "I mean, I trust you, since you gave your word and everything, so if you want to know… But I mean, if you tell Professor Pettigrew that… that Eibon was threatening to tell my secret she'd, umm… I'm pretty sure she'd know what that means. I just… I told Eibon I wished we could just… just get on. I think he's mad at me 'cuz he gave me this bracelet, you see, to say he was sorry for everything but I just can't wear it 'cuz it don't feel right and if I even see it, I think about all the stuff he did and he heard me talking about it to Gabriel and I didn't mean him to I only took the thing because I was trying to be nice and thought it might fix things a little if I took it, but… But I just can't wear it."
Elspeth chuckles. "I am imagining that perhaps Eibon was being lucky you were not throwing it back in his face." She nods. "I am understanding. It was being kind of you to be accepting his gesture at an apology, but, if you can be helping it, I would not be letting Eibon know any more secrets." Her smile is meant to be kindly, perhaps even reassuring. "Please, be enjoying the rest of your day, Evans."
"I didn't let him know," Madeline says with some frustration - and even a hint of bitterness. "Rena thought he should have a chance to prove himself. I think he's just gonna prove himself to be a foul little snake again." There's, perhaps ironically, a little venom leaking into Madeline's tones with those words - though from the expression on her face, she regrets it immediately. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I, umm, shouldn't talk that way about folks. My mum'd get cross at me. I really dunno why he'd say he jinxed me, though. I, umm… I should go study if I'm gonna have any chance of passing Transfiguration this year."
"It is being all right," Elspeth says gently, a bit of underestanding in her gaze as she lays her hand lightly on Maddie's shoulder for a moment. "It is hard to be believing, I am knowing. Only time will be telling." Her hand falls, then lifts to ease the pressure of the satchel strap that crosses in front of her. "Good luck with your Transfiguration." With that, she gives a little wave with her other and turns to retrace her steps and find Professor Pettigrew.
Madeline nods, giving Elspeth a smile. "Thanks. I'm gonna do my best!" It's an important class - and she knows it. Turning, she continues on her way out of the castle - and into the fresh air. She's gonna need to climb something to get Eibon back out of her mind!