Details for Fireside Chat |
Summary: | John and Mackenzie catch up on what each other have been up to as of late. |
Date: | 1941-11-21 |
Location: | Slytherin Common Room |
Related: | — |
Characters |
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John looks about the common room for a few moments before spotting Mackenzie. He seems to contemplate the girl for a moment before he makes his way over to her. "Doing alright, Lestrange?" he asks as he reaches her.
Mackenzie looks up from her Transfiguration book in her lap. Holding out her wand from where she's sitting on the couch, she points it at the fireplace and says in a domineering voice, "Sagitta!" Out shoots a well-made arrow that flies across the room and sticks into the back of the fireplace. As it catches aflame, she looks over to John with a bright smile. "I am fantastic," she says sincerely, "Yourself?"
John drops to sit on the couch near to Mackenzie, returning that smile and saying, "Impressive," as he shifts a bit to settle himself. "I'm not doing too poorly myself, really. Taking a break from studying - only so many times one can practice that bloody Intruder charm, or so many lines one can write on potion techniques before they start to doze."
Mackenzie shoots another arrow into the fire which quickly alights before she seems contented and puts her wand away. "I've been having a lot of trouble with that damned spell," she complains, "But I think I have it under control now." She nods curtly to the fireplace before turning on the couch to face John more fully. One knee comes up onto the cushions in front of her and she pulls a nearby blanket over her lap after she tucks away her Transfiguration book.
"A bit of practice tends to help with that sort of thing," John observes, perhaps a bit obviously. "Still, nothing is quite like finally getting that spell you're struggling with down." He turns, then, mirroring Mackenzie somewhat in that he is more fully facing the girl. "I must admit, I'm rather surprised you're not out and about the castle or the grounds before it gets too much colder."
"It's already too terribly cold for me," Mackenzie says before giving John a wink, "Besides, I get out about enough, even if it's not when everyone else does." She's referencing, of course, to sneaking out, which she's been caught and punished for on multiple occasions. "So, tell me what interesting things are going on in your life, my dear cousin," she says.
John snickers a bit as he considers Mackenzie, ultimately sliding just a hair closer to her on the couch, though there is still a fair bit of space between the two. "I am quite certain you could find a way to keep warm if it was something you desired," he says, perhaps a bit -too- innocently. "But truthfully? Things have been all too dull as of late. Sneaking about the castle after hours is growing far too dull."
"Yes, yes," Mackenzie says, sighing out as she leans sideways on the back of the couch, "Probably why I haven't cost the House any points yet this year: too little to do when sneaking out." She pulls the blanket up a bit farther on her lap, snuggling beneath it. Cocking her head to the side, she says, "Do you know anything of Bowen Nott?"
John 's expression sours almost imperceptibly before he answers. "Seems a decent sort, for the most part. Though he certainly doesn't have any qualms looking to -mudbloods- for help when he could likely find it from a more proper sort." He shrugs his shoulders, then, hands rubbing at his thighs a moment as if to work away a bit of cold. "Why do you ask, hmm?"
"Hm," Mackenzie intones, and for a long moment she drifts off in thought, not answering John. Taking a deep breath in, she focuses on him and the topic at hand again. "He seems desirous to spend time with me," she says with a slight frown, "But if he wishes to act like a blood traitor, I'm uncertain how much of my time I'm going to waste on him." She reaches up, running her hand through her hair atop her head and spreading it about her shoulders roguishly.
John simply shrugs at that before commenting, "Perhaps it is just a lapse in judgment…though really, I cannot imagine why he would be looking to -that- girl for the help he seems to want." He pauses then, lips pursed as his gaze slips to the fire for a moment before finally adding, "Though I do not think he can be blamed for wanting to be around you, dear cousin. Only so many things that are on our minds beyond our school work after all."
Mackenzie makes a 'hmph' noise, but smiles in spite of herself. "Has your mother put in any effort to get you betrothed off to anyone?" she questions, changing the subject rather violently, "Or is she one of those to let you run off and do as you please?"
John snorts a bit lowly, then, turning to face Mackenzie once more. "My -dear- mother doesn't seem to be in too much of a hurry there. Though I've a feeling it is due to the fact that she knows that if I am not happy with whomever she picks I'll likely find some way to screw it up. Either that or she thinks I'm going to end up doing something that will force the issue." He grins in spite of himself at that last remark but shrugs otherwise, pulling his legs up onto the couch and shifting about so that his back is against the arm of the couch facing Mackenzie. "How about you, hm? Your mother dropped any hints about some lucky boy in your future?"
Mackenzie just blatantly rolls her eyes. "That would require her to -talk- to people, which she hasn't done since Father went away," she says with no small amount of bitterness, "No, I thought for a time she might do such, but it looks like it's up to me to keep the family honor." Her hands toy with the fringe of the blanket, unable to keep still as she talks to John, though her eyes remain focused - almost hyper-so - on him.
John rolls his eyes then, even as he shakes his head. "She should get out more, then. S'not like what he did was -wrong- really. And the way my mother talks, I'd think any scandal over the whole affair has long since died down." He leans forward a bit, then, before adding, perhaps a bit bitterly, "Though now that I think of it, mother could simply be too -busy- putting on with her parties and the like to bother finding me a match." He shakes his head once more, obviously more than a little exasperated.
Mackenzie gives a curt nod. "Seems we are both in the same predicament then," she says, "What a pain. I had not expected to have to deal with this. I suppose I should start paying attention to who is a worthy prospect now." She rolls her shoulders in an irritated shrug, leaning into the couch's cushions comfortably.
John reaches up, rubbing his hand over his forehead for a moment before flopping back just a bit and allowing his gaze to linger on the ceiling of the common room. "Truly vexing, eh? Though I suppose there are worse problems to have."
"Yeah, like being a mudblood," Mackenzie says with a sharp laugh of amusement at herself. She stretches her leg out to the side, knee cracking once in the process. "Well, no use dwelling on it, especially so close to the Holidays," she says reasonably, "Speaking of, I suppose you are going home for break, yes?"
John allows himself a rather enthusiastic laugh at Mackenzie's remark, though her question seems to sober him once more. He shifts where he sits once more, sitting up more properly and pushing his legs out, and, in the process invading what might be seen as Mackenzie's portion of the couch. "Suppose I am, yeah. Mother's not sent word for me to arrange to remain here which likely means she plans to drag us off to some gathering where she can show off just how -wonderful- a family we are," eyes rolling along with the emphasis. "You? Heading home or staying about here?"
Mackenzie rolls her shoulders in a shrug. "Undecided," she responds, "I may just stay here; I can certainly get more done here and likely be less bored. At home I have to focus so much on trying to do anything and everything she wants that I don't have time to do reasonable stuff, like homework." She shifts on the couch, allowing John a bit more room in front of her.
John gnaws at his lip for a few moments in consideration. "Maybe I'll stick about as well. Not really much point going home if I'm going to be miserable….eh." He simply shrugs, then, growing silent as his gaze lingers upon Mackenzie.