The show must go on on Library

Araceli Arbon

March 14, 2015 4:10 AM

The show must go on by Araceli Arbon

She had thought it would just be speaking. That would be all there was to it, speaking to other people and getting it right. But it was everything. It was the way she walked, the way she ate, the way she held herself even when no one seemed to be looking, just in case they were. It all had to be just so and it was so exhausting. She didn’t want to resent the chance she’d been given but it was hard to have as much appreciation for it after living it for half a term. Even Christmas hadn’t been very relaxing. It should have been a chance to take a break and be herself but there were people in the room who still didn’t know, and she’d had to watch herself. It hurt very deeply that one of those people was Effie, and that she couldn’t just be natural and normal with her sister. When this solution had been put to her, she had seen all the worlds that would open up to her, chances she couldn’t have had before. She hadn’t thought about the doors that would close and she regretted that now. Not that she was very sure it had been a choice…

She wandered the shelves of the library, looking for a book they’d been asked to read for Potions. Most of the time she could coast through the curriculum and only spread her books out for the show of it but this was too specific. Irritatingly, the book was on a high shelf. Why, when it was required reading for the youngest students in the school, had someone put it there? She glared at the book, cursing whomever had put it there along with the fact of her having to be so damn short. She longed not to have to go and ask for help. She wished she could just accio it down and not have to deal with other people. But she couldn’t…. She was only a pathetic little second year, after all, and they didn’t know that spell. It was an irritating snag of the wizarding world that the younger and less capable you were, the more limited the magic you could use to help yourself was. She found herself frequently aching for the spells she knew could help her but which were currently forbidden.

She spotted a student who wasn’t in her classes - the book was tantalisingly only just out of reach, so most of Sonora’s population was suited to help her - and approached, trying to look vulnerable and nervous.

“Excuse me,” she asked softly, “Could you… could you reach a book for me please?”

13 Araceli Arbon The show must go on 290 Araceli Arbon 1 5

Duncan Brockert

March 15, 2015 5:28 PM

Whether we want it to or not... by Duncan Brockert

After a nice ghost filled break, albeit one with some nagging from his mother about making more friends, Duncan was back at school-and back to lonliness. Serena and Liliana both had other friends that they could spend time with. Other things to do.

It also meant back to schoolwork. This was an area that he wasn't feeling quite as much pressure in, he had good grades. However, the Teppenpaw wanted it to remain that way and it wasn't like he had anything better to do anyway. Well, other than look for ghosts for the millionth time. Why were they hiding from him? It was sort of bothering Duncan, that thought. That they didn't want to talk to him. It was one thing with living people that he had nothing in common with, but ghosts? He'd always been friendly with them.

Maybe the ghosts that were haunting Sonora weren't...very nice. They'd been living people once of course, and living people weren't always nice. On the other hand, maybe they'd seen him and found him sorely lacking. And that really hurt.

Duncan sighed. He had a Potions essay to do, even though at the moment, he didn't feel up to doing it. The idea that the school ghosts wouldn't want to talk to him was a disturbing, rather unacceptable, rather upsetting one, and it was hard to concentrate when one was unhappy about something. Still, he didn't really want to fail Potions either.

He put his stuff down on a table and went off to find some books on the topic he needed. Before he could find any, he was approached by a younger student. Duncan gave her a friendly smile. She seemed nervous and he wanted to put her at ease, even though he wasn't in the happiest mood himself. "Certainly, Miss..." He didn't recognize her as someone whom he'd had class with before or someone in Teppenpaw.

11 Duncan Brockert Whether we want it to or not... 271 Duncan Brockert 0 5

Araceli Arbon

March 24, 2015 10:49 AM

Is the intermission coming soon? by Araceli Arbon

“Arbon. Araceli Arbon,” she introduced herself. She thought it a little strange that he didn’t know, as it was a small school and she felt like everyone knew everyone. What was more you were expected to know whom everyone interacted with and how, and who had said what to whom last week about someone else… It was all exceptionally tiresome and did not aid her unease at the idea that she was being constantly scrutinised. All in all, that made it positively refreshing and pleasant to meet someone who didn’t seem to know who she was. If he hadn’t been involved enough to put a face with a name, it was unlikely he could put related gossip to either one, and thus he might be the first person she had met, other than the first year, who didn’t know her as ‘that strange silent girl.’

She knew the boy was Duncan Brockert because she had studied everyone who mattered’s name and face before starting school. He was a couple of years older than Araceli, falling in between her and her sister (and thus making him an unsuitable prospect for her, as people tended to frown on the girl being older). For Araceli though, he could work. There was also the boy she had attended the dance with last year, though it might be more awkward to try to continue that than to start afresh.

She knew it was father’s agenda for her being in school at all, but for now she decided to simply be content with Mr. Brockert’s company for her own reasons. She returned his smile, pointing the way.

“It’s this one, over here,” she explained, stretching up. Her fingertips brushed the edge of the shelf just below the book. “I can almost reach it…” she added, a very slight note of irritation creeping into her voice.

13 Araceli Arbon Is the intermission coming soon? 290 Araceli Arbon 0 5

Duncan

March 30, 2015 7:21 PM

I believe it technically just ended, by Duncan

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Arbon." Duncan bowed and rather unaware that she already knew he who he was-after all, the Brockerts didn't seem to have a distinct look and he didn't really see himself as someone who stood out too much-introduced himself. "I'm Duncan Brockert, of the Western Brockerts."

He knew of the Arbons and although she was young, he knew that she was someone that his parents would approve of and want him to be friendly too. Granted, Duncan wasn't unfriendly to anyone but he knew how badly his parents-especially his mother-wanted him to make connections and not be 'socially maladjusted'. Mother was not pleased about his lack of ability to connect with his classmates. The thing was, Duncan just couldn't force it. Still maybe this younger student would be different. He had to admit, she seemed much less intimidating, possibly because of her age.

Plus, he had to admit, he was pretty lonely. His lack of ghostly company and lack of anything in common with most of his yearmates beyond being pureblood had seen to that. Maybe Duncan could try with this girl. She was from a good family and so it would be something. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out, though he'd be rather disappointed admittedly.

What Araceli seemed to want though was not pleasantries and politeness-though those were a given, both given Araceli's social status and just general common courtesy-but help getting a book down. It was just out of reach for the young Crotalus, but given his age and gender compared to hers, was no problem for Duncan. He easily retrieved it and handed it to her. "There you go." He gave her a warm friendly smile.

"So, you're working on potions too, huh?" The fourth year asked. It wasn't the most brilliant starting point, but it would have to do. "Or is it just something you're interested in?" Most people had a favorite subject, though of course, his favorite-history-wasn't offered. Duncan had to settle for just reading about it on his own.

11 Duncan I believe it technically just ended, 271 Duncan 0 5