| Details for Changing Tactics |
| Summary: | On the way to the study hall, Angelus and Josie talk and Gel ends up doing his best to freak her out. |
| Date: | March 25, 1940 |
| Location: | Gryffindor Common Room - Roaring Corridor, Hogwarts |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Angelus is sitting at one the tables, writing in his notebook while consulting an opened textbook. He’s quite focused on his work, trying hard to ignore the chatter in the common room even as he grimaces now and then. Ending one phrase he writes with a period, the boy sighs, leaning back and letting his blue eyes sweep around distractedly. He could always pack up and work in the library or the study hall. One such conversation going on catches his attention, one involving him about the recent rumour, and a smirk flicks against his lips. As he shuts his books and rises from the table, one of the girls says aloud. “What girl are you going to say you kissed next week?”
Looking over, smile sliding smugly across his lips, Angelus regards the girl for a moment before looking distasteful. “It’s not going to be you.” He rolls his eyes as he turns away as the girl gasps, turning back to the table as he begins buckling his strap around his books.
"Better not be me, either," Josie comments jokingly as she steps over to the table. She has her books with her as well, which she sets down on the table. She doesn't sit down immediately, though, looking to Angelus, "I don't really get why anybody cares. It's your business, and Samira's, not theirs."
Angelus’ fingers stop working at the buckle as his eyes flick to Josie. He regards her quietly as a single brow arches, his eyes then straying to the side as he frowns, considering. Letting out a heavy sigh, Gel smirks as he brings his studying gaze back to Josie. “They talk about whatever they find interesting. I’m-“ He cuts off into a short chuckle. “Who wouldn’t want to know who a Star kisses next?” He glances down and finishes the last of the fastening before he glances at her again. “I’m going to the study hall, why don’t you come with me? We can help each other with our work,” he suggests easily enough, smiling as he tilts his head.
Josie shrugs a bit and says, "I don't care. Well, unless it's one of the teachers, but then it'd just be /funny/, not interesting so much." She nods then and smiles again, "Alright." She picks up her books again. She turns to follow Angelus, though glancing to make sure Sain — her cat/kneazle, who is curled up on one of the more comfortable chairs — is alright before going.
Hoisting the book strap, Angelus swings it onto his shoulder and stalls momentarily. A dry laugh escapes him, tossing Josie a look. “All the teachers are corrupt.” His lips twist into a sneer, which is washed away into a simple smirk. “Under Dumbledore’s spell, no doubt, to help turn this school into a joke.” He stretches out a hand for her, beckoning towards the exit. “You have a mind of your own, not so easily puppeted. We need more Gryffindors like you and I.”
Josie rolls her eyes, and says, as she follows along. "Yeah, I do. Even if I don't agree with you. I /like/ Professor Dumbledore. But, I like Professor Slughorn too. And I like you. I don't like or don't like people because I agree with them or don't."
A sigh escapes Angelus as he ducks on out of the portrait hole, straightening and turning to face the hole on the other side. “I did too,” he lets out in a disappointed tone. “I respected them until they proved to be weak minded.” Gel gestures with his hand, motioning for her to step on ahead of him as he regards her thoughtfully. “So what do you want to do when you come over? There’s the theatre, the library, the stables, down in the basement, maybe quidditch…” He trails off as he walks.
Josie's eyes widen a little as she looks to Angelus, "You have your own theatre and library? How big /is/ your house?" Then she says, "Well, Quidditch, definitely. I'd love to see your stables too."
A grin tugs against Angelus’ lips as he nods. He looks away and around the corridor as his lips twitch into a cruel, brief smile. Replacing it with a sweet smile as he brings his gaze back to Josie, he bobs his head as if eager. “We do have a lot of space to move around,” he says in quite the boasting tone. “We can always head down and check out the ocean, too. I’ve found a few good shells.”
Josie smiles and says, "Brilliant! I've never seen the ocean. Cillian was gonna try to get us a trip on a sailing ship last summer, but it didn't work out. For sure it won't happen this year, with the war."
Angelus glances at her curiously, arching a brow, but gives it a moment of thought first. “Er-“ He lets out. What’s a sailing ship? Instead of asking allowed, Gel lifts his head as he lets out an arrogant laugh. “Peele. Why do you fall in with that lot? You could do so much better.”
Josie shakes her head and says, "That's where you keep messing up. There's no value in only knowing certain people. Having /friends/ is what counts. People who'll stand by you, even when you mess up. Who'll stick with you no matter what."
Angelus smirks, shaking his head slowly. “Choosing the wrong sort of friends only makes you look bad.” A glint flashes in his eyes as his lips twist nastily. Gel stops at the staircases, lowering his book strap from his shoulder as he leans against the railing, turning and facing Josie with his head slightly tilted back. “You keep hanging around with mud and it’ll start rubbing off on you.”
Josie shrugs, and answers Angelus' nasty smirk with a grin, "And again you don't get it, I don't care. I'll be someone important someday, but it'll be because I have friends, not because I let anybody else tell me how to think."
Angelus’ eyes frost over, giving a little spark as he sneers. “No you won’t. Not if you cover yourself with filth and parade around.” He lets out a chuckle, stepping away from the railing and closer to the steps, glancing to Josie again. “It’s always about who you’re seen with, who you’re enemies are, and if you don’t choose wisely you’ll end up being squashed underfoot, not sitting on a throne.” He lets out a heavy sigh, standing looking down at the staircases before looking to her again with a sadistic curl to his lips. “When you come over, you can take a look what you could have or you can spend the rest of your life on a dirty old farm doing servant chores.”
Josie shakes her head, "If that was true, how do you explain you being dirt at this school for months, hated by both muggleborn /and/ purists? Being seen with the right people doesn't mean they'll defend you when someone's against you. People with friends can't be squashed, because they have an army behind them. While you, being seen with the right people, are all on your own, and hoping you don't get stepped on by those 'right' people, like happened at New Years." With that, she turns to walk away, back towards the common room.
Angelus whirls around to watch her walk away. “You have it all wrong,” he scoffs. For a moment he hesitates on following her, glancing to the stairs. Then, tilting back his head, he lets out a mocking laugh. “That just goes to show you that you should be wary of who you make enemies with. Wait, Davies, if you go you’re going to miss out on the new news at school.” He moves swiftly to the banister of the staircases, propping his foot against the railing. “I might as well jump. I’ll do one good deed in my life and bring happiness to those who hate.” Way to change tactic, Angelus. Hopping up onto the banister, he uses it to climb - with an effort - to the railing above.
Josie glances back at the 'wary of who you make enemies with, "/That/ I agree with." Then she blinks and steps back quickly, "Don't do that! You already did a good deed, telling the aurors about what Flint was doing."
Angelus crouches, his hand resting on the railing beside him. As he looks over with one raised brow, the boy snorts, shaking his head. He draws in a breath and twists his head to look over at Josie. “It backfired, obviously,” retorts Gel, rolling his eyes. “I tried to protect Flint as best I could so they couldn’t study the contract and ended up betraying him. How is that a good deed?” Angelus snorts, looking back down in front of him. Lucky he’s not afraid of heights, because that’s a long way down. “Come to think of it, all I do is mess things up. I’d be doing everyone a favour.”
Josie puts her books down and slips her wand out — just in case — but keeps on talking. "'Course you mess things up. We all do. But doesn't mean you gotta keep messing up. And jumping'd make a /big/ mess." Then she says, "You just gotta learn when not to talk, sometimes, that's all."
Angelus steals a quick glance back at her and grins, looking back down. He’s quiet even as she speaks, head tilted as he studies the rotating staircases. He’s wondering whether or not he could jump from his place to the staircase as it swings into position when he lets out a sigh. Shifting on the railing, Angelus kicks his feet out from under him so that they fall over the side of the railing before hopping down onto the floor himself, giving Josie a sneer. He’ll keep the façade going at least. “Well I wouldn’t be talking if I jumped,” he retorts, laughing. “Go on,” he says, turning up his nose and waving his hand in front of him. “I’m starting to smell the filth you let yourself be covered in. No need to concern yourself with what I’ll do.” He rolls his eyes, turning to walk down the stairs correctly.
Josie watches Angelus a few more moments as he walks down the stairs properly. She doesn't say anything more, (probably worried whatever she wants to say would make things worse), but waits until Angelus is out of view before pocketing her wand. She picks up her books again and turns to go.