There's no rule against fire (tag Anya, Mab and Leonor) on Pecari Commons

Theo Spurn

March 06, 2020 7:39 AM

There's no rule against fire (tag Anya, Mab and Leonor) by Theo Spurn

Leonor had never had a smore. Theo had done his best to explain that smores were made with Graham crackers (which are crackers) and marshmallows (which are like sticky little pillows for your mouth) and chocolate (which is chocolate), and explained the melty-squishy-bit-icky process of combining them but that wasn’t anything like actually having one and so he was determined to fix this as soon as possible. He had given her a marshmallow on their first night back because he had some in his room but had needed to write home for the rest of the ingredients.

They had arrived that morning, and he had excitedly told Leonor to meet him in the common room after class and to tell Mab too, and now he was working out how best to set things on fire. It was fine. They did it all the time at home. Oh, also Anya. She was there and invited, even if she didn’t know it yet.

“Come have smores!” he called out. So. Now she did. So long as he got the bluebell flames right, they wouldn’t burn anything around them. That was what Aunt Sophie and Mum did when they wanted to have camp outs indoors. Theo liked The Great Indoors. It was less spiky and unpredictable.

He pointed his wand at the floor, casting the familiar charm, pretty pleased as bluebell flames leapt to life. He’d find out later whether he’d done it right enough to not scorch the carpet. It didn’t smell like burning. No one had made a rule against not starting fires in the common room, especially not ones that didn’t even burn things.

So. There it was.

He was wearing his camping sweater, which was a really old pullover of dad’s that had just got so worn down it was all gentle, and it was cottony and loved and it quite liked adventures, so it was okaaaay if things got on it. It was not ideal, but it didn’t freak him out and it helped to know that the sweater was okay with it too. It made it easier to do things and not worry because that was the point of it. And he had one of his older pairs of pyjama trousers on too, which had once been new ones, and had got past the point of being fluffy best ones, which was always upsetting, but then having special activities that you could do once you weren’t so worried about upsetting your best clothes helped it be better when clothes got to this stage because they were still best just in a different way.

He sat happily staring into the fire, close enough to just feel its warmth, and mostly enjoying the sight of the leaping flames, his ingredients ready around him along with paper plates and the necessary utensils.

13 Theo Spurn There's no rule against fire (tag Anya, Mab and Leonor) 1476 1 5

Leonor De Matteo

March 06, 2020 1:26 PM

Then let's get lit! by Leonor De Matteo

Leonor was pretty happy that she got to tell Mab to come join them, because the girl's face was utterly fascinating to watch. Even when she didn't make any notable change of expression, she always seemed to be thinking something or other and there wasn't enough for them to talk about for Leonor to relish in that as often as she'd like, despite being roommates. She did try, though.

Nothing, however, could quite compare to the look of Theo's face, cast in dancing blue light by a fire. In the middle of the Common Room. Leonor broke into a grin as soon as the initial shock wore off.

Most of her concerns - concerns she didn't know she was carrying - about the changes that would need to take place for her to step into her new role were assuaged by the fact that stuff like this was still going to happen. Apparently. She was still Leonor and Theo was still wonderful and Mab was still hilarious and the whole thing suited Leonor just fine.

There was also a big part of her that was just honored. She'd gotten to try the marshmallow, which was surprisingly pretty good, and thought that would be the end of it. But it wasn't, and Theo remembered her. He didn't just remember her as a De Matteo, although it might not have meant much to him anyway, but as Leonor, and that meant a lot.

Remembering again how great her roommate's face tended to be, Leonor turned to see Mab's expression as she came down the stairs beside her. "I'll give you this one," Leonor admitted as if she were losing a bet. "This is unexpected."

But it wasn't really, she decided, as she looked back at Theo. It made sense that the nicest kid at school, the one who didn't care about the rules, would do the nicest, borderline rule-breaky thing there was to do. Plus, she got a s'more out of it.

22 Leonor De Matteo Then let's get lit! 1471 0 5

Anya Delachene

March 06, 2020 6:53 PM

You people are the best! I need to check into what other rules don't exist! by Anya Delachene

Anya was down in the common room because her room was empty and quiet. Not as empty as in September. She'd accumulated a sufficient amount of clutter in the past months that the place didn't grate on her anymore. She had piles of stuff and some half dirty clothes laying around, and while she could navigate it just fine even in the dark, it was likely a minefield of hazards to anybody else. It's how she liked her room to be. She knew exactly where everything was, even if the organization didn't make sense to anybody else, and nothing was in her way, and the area felt well loved and lived in, but anyone poking their head in would just see Chaos.

No, her room was as good as it got. The problem was that it was devoid of other people. Sometimes this was good. She liked not having to have the place conventionally tidy, which she'd probably have to at least attempt if she was sharing the space. Or at least maintain clear paths of travel and contain it to her side. That part was for the best.

But sometimes she just wanted to be around people. This was one of those times. Which was why the common room was a fantastic concept that she approved of whole-heartedly.

Today she was forgetting to do her Charms homework and instead seeing if she could balance on the back of an armchair. It was tricky because the weight distribution meant it was prone to tipping once she shifted her weight off the seat or arms of it onto the back, but if she backed it up against the wall so it couldn't, it was hard to stand on the back because the wall was in the way. It was a real challenge.

She had just begun experimenting with counterweights on the seat when she noticed the first years gathering. She stood on the arms of the chair, tilting her head in curiosity as she watched Theo gather his friends.

Come have s'mores!

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, jumping down off the chair and running over. No way was she going to miss out on s'mores! "Hi! I'm Anya," she introduced herself to the two she only sort of knew from class.

As she joined the huddle she realized there was something missing for s'mores, but then Theo cast a spell and Anya's eyes widened a little, and she quick looked around to make sure Professor Carter-Xavier wasn't around. Then she stood to make sure she was in the way so the professor couldn't see what Theo had just done if she did open her office door.

It wasn't exactly like any fire she'd ever seen before, but it was still clearly a fire. Her hand drifted to her own wand, just in case she, as the responsible second year present, was required to stop it from spreading. It seemed not to be doing anything bad so far though, so it was all good. She had been promised s'mores and s'mores didn't work without a fire.

Leaving her wand in its holster (but still ready for easy access), she instead drew a paper plate and collected the bits she'd need to make her s'more. She poked a toasting fork through her marshmallow and held it over the fire. "Should we be telling stories?" she asked, unsure if this was something the first year Pecari class did frequently or if there were any rituals she should be engaging in.

1 Anya Delachene You people are the best! I need to check into what other rules don't exist! 1453 0 5

Mab

March 06, 2020 7:38 PM

Just because a rule doesn't exist doesn't mean it shouldn't be followed by Mab

"S'mores?" Mab had repeated when Leonor invited her down to the Common Room after class to make some. The word held an obvious note of incredulity and a hint of confusion. She knew what s'mores were. She hadn't actually experience one before, but she had been exposed to the concept by popular media. She was pretty sure they were an outside thing, not a common room thing.

But then, this was the Land of Fey, and she suddenly could not remember if the common room had or did not have a fire place in it, so maybe making s'more inside wasn't completely impossible here.

Just curious enough to risk it, she followed Leonor down to join Theo - of course it was Theo - for the s'mores making. The girl who was always climbing on things and sitting on desks joined them too. Anya. Mab edged just a little farther away, as if making room for the additional person. Anya was just as much of an attention lure as Theo was. She was some kind of Air Fey, Mab was pretty sure. She was almost surprised Anya didn't have wings. Some fey had them. If anyone here was going to, it was Anya. But then, it was mostly the smaller fey who did, and while Anya was a little small by second year standards, she was still within normal height ranges of human twelve year olds.

Then Theo lit a fire.

Mab managed not to blurt out a curse word. She also stifled the instinct to leap backwards and flee back to the relative safety of her room. For one thing, if the building caught on fire, she'd have to come back through here to evacuate.

Leonor's voice was astoundingly conversational. I'll give you this one. This is unexpected. Mab turned her appalled and nearly panic-stricken stare from the fire *that was burning on their Common Room floor* to her roommate. Unexpected? This was unexpected? Yes! It was bloody well unexpected! Theo had just set their House on fire! Who expected that?! And why was she the only one who seemed bothered by this?? The older girl was just getting ready to toast marshmallows and asking about stories of all things.

Mab looked from one to the next, taking a step away, toward the exit to the Gardens. "Is this . . . safe?" she asked, doubtful and deeply concerned. "There is a fire on the floor," she pointed out, like Theo didn't just put it there on purpose. "The floor looks flammable." Maybe he hadn't noticed that?

1 Mab Just because a rule doesn't exist doesn't mean it shouldn't be followed 1473 0 5

Theo Spurn

March 06, 2020 8:53 PM

How do you follow things that don't exist? by Theo Spurn

“We’re teaching Leonor smores because she’s never had them before,” he explained when Anya asked about stories or plans. They could maybe do stories. Or play with the fire. He didn’t mind. He hadn’t planned really beyond the having of smores. “You can teach her the sticky bits!” he added happily, because whilst he was willing, it was definitely preferable to have someone else around who didn’t mind them. He offered the marshmallows and toasting sticks to Leonor. So, that was good. Anya was having fun. And Leonor was having fun. And Mab was… standing. Which was a different feeling. Anya was standing too but she was also toasting marshmallows. Mab was not sure if the fire was safe. Oh.

“Of course it is,” he assured her gently, looking up at her wide eyed. “I wouldn’t do a dangerous thing to you. You’re my friend. I wonder if the carpet is flammable?” he queried, slightly, distracted. “It would probably be a good idea given… us,” he gestured vaguely around, not bothering to specify whether this meant their little group, Pecaris, or underage magical users. There were probably several reasons why a flame-proof carpet would be a good idea. “But these ones don’t burn anyway. They’re safety flames. Look,” he rolled up his sleeves, just because he didn’t want them to get touched, and reached out scooping a small handful of the flames with his hand. He giggled because the fire was tickly. He poured it back and forth between his hands so it touched them both equally and thus he felt the same on both sides before pouring it back into the middle and gently brushing his hands down his sweatshirt. Tickly was a fun feeling. He liked it. It was like lots of little gentle softs over and over again but then sometimes it felt funny afterwards.

“They have all the advantages of fire - the heat and the light - but without being dangerous. Their behaviour is influenced by proximity and they are non-contact dependent. As soon as they physically touch something, they stop being hot. So, if you stuck a marshmallow right in there, it would just stay the same. But if you hold it over the top, it’ll toast.

“You don’t have to touch it if it makes you uncomfortable,” he assured her. He thought that should have been a pretty basic and obvious rule but he knew from experience that it wasn’t always the case, “In my world, you never have to touch anything that makes you uncomfortable. I will be having my smores in pieces today because I do not want to get sticky. You can join in however you want.”

13 Theo Spurn How do you follow things that don't exist? 1476 0 5

Leonor De Matteo

March 18, 2020 9:57 PM

Optimists do it all the time. by Leonor De Matteo

Leonor was pretty stinkin' excited. For one, Mab was being hilarious again. She looked utterly appalled by basically everything, but was also sticking around to ask questions about it, which gave Leonor hope that her roommate had not just been mis-sorted. Then there was Anya, who wanted to tell stories and was one hundred percent invested in everything that was happening. Leonor wasn't sure whether she knew any good campfire stories in English and didn't feel like translating, but she tried to designate some of her energy to thinking of something appropriately dramatic, should the need arise.

Then there was Theo. He was also being hilarious, but not like Mab was. He was assuring everyone that it was safe and that their comfort and safety was a priority, but also so was eating s'mores. The idea was almost laughable to Leonor and she might have indulged the instinct if she hadn't been so keen on impressing her classmates. She did want them to like her after all, especially Theo who was probably everything that she needed from a friend. There was so little that Leonor didn't know what do with, and Theo always seemed to fill in the gaps for her.

"Could you levitate your s'mores together and then into your mouth to avoid stickiness?" Leonor asked Theo as she accepted the stick and marshmallows. "That might require more precision than we are capable of yet . . ." It was a fun thought experiment though. What would happen if you stayed in bed and didn't get up at all? You just levitated food into your mouth, siphoned your business out of the bed, and the only movement you ever did was to flick your wrist? That would probably be a boring life. But it would be a comfortable one if you could get the right bed. "So you said I toast this?" she said, snapping back to the moment and waving the marshmallow around on the end of the stick.

22 Leonor De Matteo Optimists do it all the time. 1471 0 5

Anya Delachene

March 28, 2020 12:23 PM

You imagine there are pretend tracks and you follow them. Not sure why you'd follow pretend rules though. by Anya Delachene

"Never had s'mores?" Anya repeated with dismay and a little bit of pity. "Well, it's good we're fixing that!" She nodded in glad acceptance of her part in the teaching. The sticky part was the best part. Who didn't like a soft marshmallow and melty chocolate? Sure, it could get messy and sometimes even in your hair, which was icky, but that's what cleaning charms were for, and she was a second year now and knew one she could do herself.

Then the quietest of the new crop of first years expressed concerns, and Anya nodded along as Theo explained the special fire he had used. It was all news to her, but it seemed totally safe when Theo stuck his hand into it with total confidence. When this did not seem to entirely reassure the girl, Anya added, "And I can yell really loud for Professor Carter if something goes wrong."

Then Leonor made a suggestion about levitation that made Anya think about it before she shook her head. "Maybe someone really skilled at charms could manage it, but I've never seen anyone do anything like that. I mean, my Uncle Daniel once popped an M&M into his mouth from across the room without touching it, but that's a little different than putting together a whole s'more. You can barely eat them with your hands without getting them all over everything."

Anya nodded eagerly as Leonor waved her marshmallow around. "Yeah, hold it a little above the fire, not too close, you just want it to get toasty gold, not catch on fire." Though she wasn't sure if it could, with it being Safety Fire and all, but best to teach proper toasting technique from the start. Though some people - crazy people who have names like Philippe - actually liked to have theirs charred black and Anya just did not understand. "Keep it turning so no one side get too overdone."

1 Anya Delachene You imagine there are pretend tracks and you follow them. Not sure why you'd follow pretend rules though. 1453 0 5

Mab

March 28, 2020 1:26 PM

"Fire is for Fire Pits Only" seems like a universal rule even if not specified by Mab

A strangled sound escaped Mab's mouth as Theo stuck his hand in the fire and she took half of a panicked step forward, as if to push him out of danger. She didn't know if she should scream or gasp or yell at him to stop and somehow all and none of those happened at the same time. He magically did not get burned, and while her mild terror and absolute horror faded a little bit at his complete lack of injury, her heart still beat quickly, lodged in somewhere around the middle of her throat. She half wanted to lecture him that 'safety flames' were still flames and should therefore not be trifled with, and she half wanted to just get out of there because clearly they were all insane because nobody else had tried to stop him even a little, and the last little bit (the pieces of her did not add up to one hundred because of rounding error) was just fascinated (like how people were with train accidents) and she couldn't look away.

The Air Fairy promised to yell really loud if anything bad happened, and while that would have been more reassuring if she had yelled when Theo tried to burn himself, it was better than nothing. At least she seemed to acknowledge the possibility that things might get out of control.

They started talking about how to toast marshmallows then, like everything was totally normal, but Mab wasn't pay attention to that part. She was noticing the door to the Pecari Head of House's office opening, as if Professor Carter-Xavier had been summoned by the sound of her Name. Well, she was a fey. Obviously that was a thing. Names were big deals with the fey.

Mab gestured to catch her attention, and then pointed at the fire, her expression saying everything: I don't think this is allowed. I didn't do it. It was them. You need to know this is happening.

The professor looked it over, waved her wand once with an incantation Mab did not catch, and then swept her eyes over the rest of the room and left. With the fire still burning there.

The Heck?

Well, apparently it was safe after all. Still doubtful, Mab moved in closer, being very cautious. She did not move to collect marshmallows or sticks. But she watched the others. And she did not leave.

OOC: The part with Professor Carter-Xavier was approved by her author.

1 Mab "Fire is for Fire Pits Only" seems like a universal rule even if not specified 1473 0 5