A Little Silver Lining...

TEH OOC.

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 05:57:13 GMT

Real life is swallowing me up, bones and all.

Hoping once I get my work schedule figured out, I'll have some playing time.

Interesting tidbit?

Corbin's actress is Jodelle Ferland.
Jodelle Ferland is in Tideland.
Chris Boha is Assistant Craft Service crew in Tideland.
Chris Boha is my Hot Glass instructor.

That's weird. And cool. But mostly weird.

And now he thinks I'm a keener stalker, because I had to email him to ask if that was him. haha.

Anyway, yeah. Classes are great, shouldn't be much trouble, it's just a matter of settling into them and murdering my social life so I have time to PLAY. I miss you all, terribly.

I also have gallstones and am signing up for surgery, though it'll probably take like.. til summer before I get in unless I have an attack and almost die. *lol* Chemo is the devil. Just remember that. I blame all my problems on it. ;)

Also: London Fogs are the best drinks EVAR. <3

This has been your PSA. Cheerio for now! Pip pip.

OOC Arithmancy Crazy.

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:46:17 GMT

Hyde and I were playing around with Arithmancy while we RP'd, and we found some scariness.

Corbin Crawford:
Character: 5
Heart: 4
Social: 1

5 - Five is the number of instability and imbalance, indicating change and uncertainty. Fives are drawn to many things at once but commit to none. They are adventurous, energetic and willing to take risks. They enjoy travel and meeting new people but may not stay in one place very long. Fives can be conceited, irresponsible, quick-tempered and impatient.

4 - Like a table that rests solidly on four legs, four indicates stability and firmness. Fours enjoy hard work. They are practical, reliable and down to earth; they prefer logic and reason to flights of fancy. They are good at organization and getting things done. Like the cycle of the four seasons, they are also predictable. They can be stubborn, suspicious, overly practical and prone to angry outbursts. The conflicts possible in "two" are doubled in four.

1 - This is the number of the individual, the solitary unit. Ones are independent, focused, and determined. They set a goal and stick to it. They are leaders and inventors. Ones find it difficult to work with others and don't like to take orders. They can be self-centered, egotistical, and domineering. They are often loners.

Eeeerily accurate. I'm kinda scared.

August 3, 1980

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:53:40 GMT

Well. This Carnival thing is going to be the death of a certain two someones, I'll wager.

With the promise of a broom for the coming year AND Quidditch Camp, they lured me to Diagon Alley. Again. Little did I know when we headed off that we'd be spending the majority of our time in that bloody fair. If I knew more useful hexes and a way to keep the Ministry off my back, those two would be in so much pain right now. They forced me to play a multitude of games. They literally pinned me down so someone could paint my face, and they.. I'm not exactly sure what they did to turn my hair PINK but I am not impressed. It's gone now, thank Merlin.

I escaped to, well, Escape the Grind, to try to wash the worst of it off my face. Hyde was there with some girl with distasteful manners in the 'eating while speaking' department, though I suppose the excuse of extra-gummy slugs is acceptable. Briar, I believe? Another Hufflepuff. She was sharing with him. I just noticed.. well, he's a familiar shape by now. I tossed my bag at the feet of their table and kept going toward the loo, but he stopped me, and... she was going to share with me, as well. Needless to say, it confused me a little. I mean. We share in Slytherin. We're quite happy to dole out the goodies. Certain of the students are more than happy to fling Ice Mice my way at all occasions.

Either way, it was odd. Hyde made some comment about the color doing wonders for my complexion - the utter beast! - and Alfie made an appearance, and then Briar flew out and left us half her shake. It wasn't too long before those great prats - William and Lawrence, I mean - came and bodily carted me away! I could not believe their nerve, the gall those boys have! I don't think Alfie was overly thrilled with the mode of my departure, and I shudder to think of Hyde's reaction, but they took me away to try to earn my favor back with broom and other favors. And then they dragged me back to the fair and teased me about Hyde and won me a couple toys. They finally Scourgified me when we got home, but the color won't come out the tips of my hair, still. Ugh.

This is going in here, because if I leave it out, they'll show it to everyone who passes through and I'll never live it down. I promised not to destroy it when they dangled the broom.

Hyde sent an owl! He asked me to come visit. There's a beach. A real beach, with real sand, not the grassy, half-sand that borders the lake. Beach! I've never met his mother. I'm rather nervous. I don't know what she's like at all.

He held my hand under the table. I wonder if things will be like that when we're back at school. I wonder if people will know. I wonder if I care if they do...

July 12, 1980

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:11:02 GMT

Happy Birthday to me.

Actually, it was. It was.. it... was... hm.

I hesitate to put 'It was the best birthday so far' in here, in fear that a certain infuriating male might manage to sneak into my room and read it, but then again I think there's some level of trust and I wouldn't go looking at his journal without his permission so I'm going to assume that he's not and just let my utter trust in him be all the warning that one would need to not read any further than this.

(I'm so subtle.)

Wasn't quite midnight when the owl was tapping on my window. I was barely asleep - despite this utter calm exterior, birthdays have and, I suspect, always will hold an excitement for me. They usually bring about princess-style days where I can order my multitude of cousins about, make demands of my brothers to entertain me with their rather comparatively advanced magical skills, and wheedle 'they're really too old for you, Corbin darling, but as it's your birthday...' books out of my parents. Anyway, I was barely asleep, and the bird woke me. A present, of course, a charm and ice mice. My bracelet is getting full and I somehow think it's his intention to attach some memory and meaning to each one he gives.

Stars and moonlight, an invitation to my little lake, and off I went. Blasted boy. This gift-giving thing was a mistake, and not letting him give me the camera back - well I can't say that I regret it, you know, but it makes it rather difficult to refuse a gift when I nearly took his head off for trying to do so. I dare say I'll have the best Potions kit of the Second Year classes, though. It really was wonderful of him. I think he's one of the only people who realizes just how much I adore Potions...

Anyway. That's all. My present, sitting by the lake. There was nothing else that happened. Nothing at all. Not one little bit of a thing, and especially nothing that involved lips, or a stupid inability to speak. Nothing at all. Nope.

Dawn comes up over the forest rather prettily.

My brothers came home for my birthday. Valiant, a tribute to the Gryffindor blood that most certainly does not run strong in my veins, I protected him from the worst of those two. They've grown up, though, so it wasn't too bad. Books, promises of trips to London to stay with them later on in the summer, new robes and such for the coming year from mum and dad. They're all still bemoaning my Slytherin sorting, but despite that, the twins gave me a rather pretty serpent necklace - for special occasions, of course. I imagine it will look better when I have a chest for the snake to nestle into a bit.

Wow. That was really girly of me. Merlin.

It's been a busy day, and I need some sleep. I think we'll be going to Diagon Alley soon. I keep mumbling about Glacier Mountain and Birthday Cake ice cream.

June 17, 1980: night.

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 04:27:59 GMT

That.. did not go quite as I planned it.

Okay, admittedly I didn't really go to the tower with a plan. I just kind of.. went.

Note to self: For the love of Merlin, think before you act. You are not a child, to run willy-nilly as the mood strikes.

I don't think there's ever been so much yelling, screaming, and crying from me in my life. This tight hold on my emotions is really a necessity. If anyone else had been around.. well. It wouldn't have been good.

I thin 'infuriating' is the perfect word to describe him. And yet...

And yet, at the end, past all the misunderstandings and emotional reactions and yelling and running away.. There was an unexpected sweetness there. Soft hands, warm arms, and... actual caring, ~~maybe.~~

It's not how I pictured my first kiss, prompted by jealousy and followed by tears and yelling.

Ending up in the oddly comforting safety of arms, though.. It wasn't perfect, but then, nothing ever is.

June 17, 1980: afternoon.

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:41:09 GMT

If I was a poet, I could contrive the words I would speak. I could lay them out on paper and scratch away the inadequacies, cover them with ink until no trace remained. I could carve out inconsistencies and paranthesized explanations of thought (and what thoughts they are, sometimes) and I would be left only with the clarity of truth.

I... don't know what I want to say. Anger. Clarity. Jealousy. I'm awash in emotions and theres nothing to hold onto.

I looked all day. Wonderful, sunny, and the entire school was outdoors enjoying it. Not him. All day. No breakfast, no lunch, no shadow of him by the lake nor whisper at the forest, no reflection in the windows. I have never had to look for that boy in the year I have been here. Not finding him, I sat on the steps in the hall and waited: everyone goes past, eventually.

And he did. Dressed in some godawful Muggle fashion and far too much for the weather, and, as I found out shortly, hiding a bloody hickey on his neck. Lies and snogging and I have never found myself so furious. I pushed him, yelled, and perhaps I would have driven him with my hands and anger had Alfie not appeared. Hyde ran off.

Alfie.. well. I can't say very much on that front. Mysterious, words cloaked in meanings that sometimes leave me lost. I'd never admit that. I am brilliant, and it would not do for anyone to think that there is anything I don't understand.. even if it's the truth.

It's clear now, this thing inside me, and I get it - I get it, I understand, but clarity doesn't necessarily bring control and he was right, Hogwarts is not the place to shout and shove.

Three days. Three days of embarassed looks and subtle aversion - not outright, not after that. I think he knows it would be a fool's choice to outright avoid me. I've given him his time, though. Three days, and an owl with a package. Ice Mice were all my housemates saw, but I put the charm on the bracelet and slipped the note in my pocket.

I'll meet him. Perhaps I shouldn't, maybe it's stupidity. He's sorry. I should do something before my clarity deserts me. I'm a Slytherin, after all, shouldn't I be demanding my dues? Maybe it's the Gryffindor so prevalent in my genes, if not my mind, that force me to this recklessness. Sometimes it's hard to tell. I've figured it out, all of it, everything. This snapping jealousy will not do, it is beneath me, and I will make him see or break him trying.

Sunday April 15, 1980

Mon, 28 May 2007 22:57:42 GMT

I accidentally went swimming this morning. I hadn't planned on it.

Even though he pulled me in with no warning at all, and almost drowned me, it was a lot of fun. My uniform ended up soaked, and I stole his tee shirt to wear. My throat is a little sore from choking on lakewater, and I think I upset him a little at the end, I enjoyed it.

I hope he's still coming for part of the summer. It'd be nice to swim together again.

I don't think anyone saw me rushing back to the dorms in his tee and my skirt, still dripping.

Thankfully.

ooc Very Important! <3

Sat, 26 May 2007 14:22:13 GMT

So. You guys don't know me too well OOCly even if we chat a lot, and there are a few things you don't know.

Late May 2005 I had surgery to remove my right ovary, and found out that I had ovarian cancer. I was 22. This is really young for ovarian cancer (the next youngest woman in my support group was 48), and it's had a rather major impact on my life. After a long respite while they searched for someone who had seen my particular brand of cancer before, I ended up doing 8 months of chemotherapy. I finished that January 2006, and I'm thankful to say that, aside from my recurring "hip pains" (arthritis-like something in my SI joints) I've been pretty much healthy since! :)

Anyway, that's some background. I know I don't know you guys well and I've only been on HE for a little while, but I'm trying to raise the minimum $300 that the Alberta Cancer Society requires for me to walk in the Underwear Affair, which is a fundraiser for cancers below the waist. As you can imagine, this walk is very important to me, and I really want to do it! :)

If you can spare a few bucks to help me on my way, I'd be eternally grateful. It's for an amazing cause, for amazing people who are going through something I wouldn't wish on anyone, and it's searching for a cure to something no one should have to suffer through.

For more information, head to: www.uncoverthecure.org
To donate, go there, click 'Calgary,' then 'Donate,' and then type in my name (Lacy Jae Slaunwhite) and 'Find A Participant.' The levels on the left of my page are where you click to donate. :)

If you can't help out, cheer me on on July 9th when I'll be walking. Even if you can't be there for it, it'd be great to know that some people out there are cheering me on. :)

Thanks for reading. Pass this along if you think you know anyone who would be willing to donate. :)

April 9, 1980

Fri, 25 May 2007 20:38:06 GMT

Apparently, physical contact isn't all that horrible a thing.

In the grass under a happy blue sky and warm sun, it's... nice.

I wonder if Arithmancy would have predicted what happened this afternoon. I meant to ask about figuring out what to add to make an outcome turn out the way you want, but I got distracted. A reminder to myself: ask about that next time.

I think my house will be much less empty this summer than I expected. Not that it is ever emtpy, of course, but I'm usually avoiding the extended family. At least the people I'm carting home from this place will be ones I want to spend time with!

I wonder what tomorrow will hold.

LOG (ish) - Breakfast This Morning / Dear Diary.

Thu, 24 May 2007 20:53:04 GMT

This morning, when the flurry of owls come down to deliver the mail, one non-descript owl in particular comes down to Corbin, carrying a small and simple box, wrapped in plain brown wrapping paper.

Inside, of course, is not quite as simple. It looks to be an ornate, tiny wooden jewelry box, one that expands magically on the inside and she can possibly store her rings into if she so wishes it.

But that's not all, oh no! Inside THAT box is a silver chain-link bracelet, complete with a few little silver charms with it. One is pretty obviously a tiny book, and another a quill, but the third is more personal - it is a pattern of two snakes winding around each other, one with tiny amethyst diamonds as eyes, the other with emeralds. Naturally, there is no note, no hint whatsoever of who may have sent this particular gift. Perhaps a secret admirer of some sort?

Monday, April 9 1980
I don't know what's going on. Oh, I know who sent it - there's no doubt in my mind.

Lovely, though... I don't think I've ever seen such a pretty jewellery box. It's so small. I didn't even think to look inside, thinking it was decorative, and then.. the bracelet. The snake charm...

I wonder...

I don't know what I wonder. He's got me right confused. Luther dragged me out to the Infirmary to pick something up with him a couple nights ago, and I was studying in my pink - pink! - sweatshirts and jeans. I don't think most of Slytherin has seen me out of my uniform, except at the Quid party. And here he comes, dragging me off in it for the whole school to see.

And of course Hyde was there. When is he ever anywhere else? And he didn't make fun of me. Neither of them did. I didn't know what to think. I'm sure they were mocking me somehow, and I just didn't catch it.. They couldn't have meant that pink looks good on me.. really. It's not Slytherin in the least!

It's already sunny and warm out. I can't wait until classes are over for the day, and I can escape these stone walls and press my toes into the grass..

IC: April 3, 1980

Mon, 21 May 2007 20:36:42 GMT

He... and then I... and... he... it... they were..

Brilliant. He's brilliant. He's.. I can't even make words. When has that ever happened? My brain is not functioning. AT ALL. Unprecedented!

Damn him.

But they're so lovely. The colors, the movements, it's all just... It makes me think of that day I caught him there, and he teased me for dropping my wand. It's like I'm creating the colors.. The still one, it's like.. it's like I'm an angel.

Brilliant.

I'm going to be late for class. It's his fault! I had to ~~run~~ come back and hide them somewhere safe until I figure out what to do with them. If anyone in the Commons saw me rush through, I'm sure I'll bear the brunt of smiling so much when they find me.

Damn him. I'll bite to keep the smile off my face.

OOC - Actress Update.

Mon, 21 May 2007 17:18:58 GMT

Soffia was cute, but not as slight or moody as I picture Corbi. So, I realized that Jodelle Ferland, the girl from the Silent Hill movie, is pretty much perfection for a young Corbin!

Isn't she cute? :)

OOC: Soundtrack (part 2)

Mon, 21 May 2007 14:12:14 GMT

Stabilo: Flawed Design
Gowan: Innocent
Gowan: You Never Let Go

Pop Debris: Tongue on the Pulse of God

She’s got eyes that don’t make sense to me
Tell me lies of things that I could be
She’s got silver bullets somewhere in there
Just needs the willingness to use them
Everything is breaking, everything is breaking
Everything is broken
She’s got words that cut from deep inside
Mesmerize and conquer and divide
All the words it takes to make me fall
Just needs the willingness to use them
Everything is breaking, everything is breaking
Everything is broken
Well I’ve got my tongue on the pulse of god
I know it’s wrong but I can’t make it stop
If I jump in now, will it mean my life
I cannot die like this
I haven’t seen Memphis yet, and lord knows I’ve been so close
I had this thought the other night
If all the lovers I had lied to could see me now
They’d laugh so loud
That all this earth that feels so damn secure beneath my feet
Would crack
And as I slipped down I would take her with me
How in god’s name did I get this far
Young enough to care, too old to scar
She knows all the things that break my heart
Just needs the willingness to prove them
Everything is breaking, everything is breaking
Everything is broken
Well I’ve got my tongue on the pulse of god
I know it’s wrong but I can’t make it stop
I had the one chance to make it home
But she’s got her tongue on my pulse and I’m gone

(click the link to listen. Pop Debris is a local band, and I know them. They rock. Go to www.popdebris.com to hear more!)

March 29, 1980

Sun, 20 May 2007 05:00:15 GMT

11:30pm
Strange tidings...

The end of the year approaches. Think of it! I've been here almost a year, yet it seems so little time has passed. Studying had turned my brain to mush, so I took the books Luther gave me - 'Wolfsbane and Other Cures,' and 'Rare Ingredients: An Encyclopaedia of Their Uses' specifically - to see if the librarian had any similar books. Luther, Alfie, and Ciarra were there when I got there, and I joined them.

Hyde came out of the stacks after a bit, and that really should stop surprising me. It seems like I can't go anywhere without running into him - or vice versa, maybe. I... don't know about that boy. Today he was very intent on searching through rune texts, and when Alfie and Ciarra joined him, I overheard that his cousin or something had sent him a supposedly cursed locket. I'll admit, it piqued my interest, but I kept talking to Luther for a while. He wasn't sure where he'd be spending the summer, since he can't stay at home, so I invited him to come to my place for a while. It will be nice to have someone my own age around - lots of cousins, but most are either older or younger, and the wizarding ones only come to visit sometimes, a lot have wandered off to other schools for their wizarding education. Anyway. We can train for Quidditch tryouts next year.

Then Alfie was talking about his Boggart, and - well, I can write it here even if I wouldn't tell anyone else. It really bothered me. I wasn't scared, or anything, but the idea of someone falling apart, skin sloughing off, all rotten and wasting away as they live - I don't know how accurate my mental image was, but it made me appreciate again why I avoided those awful Living Dead movies. I guess I reacted badly, even though they were a couple tables down, and Luther touched my arm to see if I was alright.

Seems like people always forget how much I don't like to be touched most times. It was alright, Luther was just checking on me.

Hyde, though... he seemed..strange. Almost angry. Too direct, too.. I don't know. There was something so intense about him, the way he was looking at Luther, the way he was looking at me... I don't know what to think. He's the only person I've ever been afraid of. No, that's not right. I'm not scared of him, but that time in the library when he grabbed me.. and then the way he glared today.. It sets me on edge and makes me worry a little, makes me uneasy. I'm not afraid of him, but... I can't work out what I am. Confused, ha.

I left my books in the library when I left with Luther. Alfie didn't bring them back with him or he would have made sure to give them to me.. I hope the librarian remembers they're mine so I can get them back... and that someone else doesn't take them. There's so much useful information in those books...

I keep thinking about what Alfie said, to Luther and to me. Mostly to Luther. I keep thinking about what I felt. There's a stillness inside me, this misty grey space that I fell into today. I think it's a bad place. The fog hazed my judgement a little. It made it seem, I don't know.. Maybe that's where people go when they realize that the ends do justify the means.

Oh! Have I mentioned that we're tied with Ravenclaw for House Points? We're going to win this year!!

That's it. I need sleep.

12:45am
Why was he so mad? Why did he look at me like that? Things feel strange. I keep thinking about it. It's ruining my sleep.

OOC: Fairy Tales and more!

Fri, 18 May 2007 13:35:54 GMT

Since everyone is doing these, and I'm a good little sheep:

Live Journal Fairy Tale by x_lindsayw_x

Username

Favourite Fairy Tale / Story

Once Upon A Time In

An Enchanted forest

There Lived A

Mermaid

Named

Luther (OOC LJ)

Who Found A Magic

Wig

Suddenly, They Were Attacked By

A Man Eating Sheep

Called

dilliondrillock

All of a Sudden,

not_that_hyde

Came Riding By On

A Pet Rock

With His Side Kick,

gryff_geoff

And Together They Fought The Monster With

A Feather

Likely Hood Of A Happy Ending:

48%

Or, Corbi's secret shame:

Live Journal Fairy Tale by x_lindsayw_x

Username

Favourite Fairy Tale / Story

Once Upon A Time In

A Smelly swamp

There Lived A

Prince

Named

alfie_scrounge

Who Found A Magic

Condom

Suddenly, They Were Attacked By

A Clown with a Balloon

Called

romuald_creeper

All of a Sudden,

blaireblackroot

Came Riding By On

A Train

With His Side Kick,

Luther (OOC LJ)

And Together They Fought The Monster With

A Pickle

Likely Hood Of A Happy Ending:

68%

(as a note, Luther doesn't have an IC livejournal, but watches me with his RL one.)

Second:
I'm poking at the idea for a mu* that involves a bunch of supernatural creatures living in an (unflooded) present-day-ish New Orleans. Basically, "magick" exists. Wizards can use it (HP, Dresden Files, etc for reference), there are magickal races like Vampires, Shapeshifters, and so on. I'm going to have a few "canon" supernatural races, and then leave it open application if someone wants to app something from another source, but they have to basically write the news files for that species if it has not been app'd yet.

I'm not sure of the plot, yet, but if anyone wants to help make up species/race info, or plot, or help build, or help code/find code.. I'll love you forevers. :> Just leave a note (or @mail or whatever) and I'll fill ya in.

OOC: A Little Insight.

Sat, 12 May 2007 06:34:30 GMT

Alright. I've been pondering Corbin's songs, as I tend to get song stuck in my head and make little soundtracks for my characters.

Stabilo: Flawed Design
Gowan: Innocent
Gowan: You Never Let Go

Stabilo: Flawed Design - You've heard it. It's all over the radio.
When I was a young boy
I was honest and I had more self-control
If I was tempted I would run
Then, when I got older
I began to lie to get exactly what I wanted
When I wanted it
And I wanted it
Now, I'm having trouble differentiating
Between what I want
And what I need
To make me happy
So instead of thinking I just act
Before I have a chance to contemplate the
Consequence of action

Bridge:
And I will turn off
And I will shut down
Burying the voices of my conscience hitting ground
And I will turn off
And I will shut down
The chemicals are restless in my head

Chorus:
'Cuz I lie
Not because I want to
But I seem to need to
All the time
Yeah, I lie
And I don't even know it
Maybe this is
All a part of my flawed design

And ever since I figured out
That I could control other people
I've had trouble sleeping
With both eyes closed
And if I asked permission
If I make sure it's ok
I promise I won't slip up this time
You can trust me
But never take advice from someone
Who just admitted to being devious
Who just confessed to treason
And I would also
never ask a question
That I cannot ask myself
For it might
Dirty up your conscience

Chorus:
'Cuz I lie
Not because I want to
But I seem to need to
All the time
Yeah, I lie
And I don't even know it
Maybe this is
All a part of my -

And how can you say those things
Why can't you just believe
And how can you say those things
And keep a straight face
And how can you say those things
Why can't we just believe
And how can you say those things
And keep a straight face

Bridge:
And I will turn off
And I will shut down
Burying the voices of my conscience hitting ground
And I will turn off
And I will shut down
The chemicals are restless in my head

'Cuz I lie
Not because I want to
But I seem to need to
All the time
Yeah, I lie
And I don't even know it
Maybe this is
All a part of my -
'Cuz I lie
And if I could control it
Maybe I could leave it all behind
Yeah, I lie
And I don't even know it
Maybe this is all a part of my
Flawed design

Gowan: Innocent
What do I see behind those eyes
Who's that so cleverly disguised
Truth hurts or so they say
But a fool dies a thousand ways

And I know the blinding charm of the way you make
things seem
But alarms are ringing and I'm wide awake in your
land of dreams

How long did you think you could hide it
How far did you think I'd go
Now that I know exactly what you know
You say you're innocent
But you're not so innocent

Sweet honey's dripping from your lips
You're like the thief that never slips
One day you may confess
But til then do what you think best

There is so much more to you than you're willing
to reveal
But this game you're playing is so outrageous it's
so unreal
Tell me

How long did you think you could hide it
How far did you think I'd go
Now that I know exactly what you know
You say you're innocent
But you're not so innocent

In your tangled web there's someone who looks
like me
But you better check again 'cause you're never sure
What you
Think you see

And one day you will have to face me
One day, it'll all come clean
I can't wait for that day to happen
I can't wait for that final scene

How long did you think you could hide it
How far did you think I'd go
Now that I know exactly what you know
Don't say you're innocent
Cause you're not so innocent

You know you're not so innocent

Gowan: You Never Let Go
If I recall the day I met you
We were fifteen years old
We stood there lined up in the school yard
On a winter's day cold
You looked at me like you could see straight through
The teachers said I should stay clear of you

Strong rivers would flow
Big winds soon would blow
But one thing I know
They never could change you
You never let go

We followed footpaths in the forest
To see what we'd find
You told me all your darkest secrets
And I told you mine
The words you spoke that day were poetry
And I saw in you what no one else could see

Strong rivers would flow
Big winds soon would blow
But one thing I know
They never could change you
You never let go

You wouldn't let them drag you under
Or steal that hunger from your eyes
And I knew even then, when I met you again
There'd be no compromise

And finally today I saw you for the first time in years
I thought about your bitter rivals
How they've all disappeared
But in your eyes I see that same old flame
That brilliant spirit never to be tamed...
It still remains

Strong rivers would flow
Big winds soon would blow
But one thing I know
They never could change you
You never let go
And you never let go

And, if you know of a song that makes you think of Corbin, share it with me. :)

OOC: Quick Note.

Wed, 09 May 2007 14:32:25 GMT

I shoulda posted this, I'm not sure that I mentioned it.

May-June I have classes Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs nights from 6-9:30, so I'm gone at least from 5-10pm every day.

July-August I have classes Mon and Weds 9am-4pm, and Tues and Thurs 6-9:30pm. So I'll be gone until about 5pm Mon and Weds (unless I also grow a social life after classes!) and Tues and Thurs from 5-10pm.

September, assuming I get into school Full Time, I'll be gone for the most part 3 days a week, but I won't know my schedule until September.

Also, I'm looking for a place to move out, closer to class, so my transit time to and from will be less and I can RP more. Not sure when I'll be moving, anywhere from June - August.

Anyway. I'm in art school now, people, so root for me not to fail. :)

Wed, 09 May 2007 14:25:14 GMT

You know, when mum suggested keeping a journal, I thought she was crazy. Turns out I was right. I just don't take the time to write in this thing. Maybe it would be easier if I actually cared... but I'd much rather stick my nose in a book than write in one.

Alfie convinced me to get a practice wand so I'd get better at my motions, and get used to using the wand as much as I could. I have to say, I think it's helped. I'm not surprised, I think Alfie's rather brilliant, all things told. He's probably my favorite housemate.

I've been rather moody since I messed up so spectacularly in Nosfertum's DADA class against those horrid things. Lost Hyde points for trying to save me from my own stupidity, but I guess that was the kick I needed to focus. Those things, everything in that class.. it all still freaks me out, but the utter embarassment along with Alfie's demands for constant wand practice have helped. I was supposed to go talk to the Magical Creatures professor about it, but I never did.. I won't tell Hyde that, though, he'll be mad. I promised.

I'm doing better in the class, though, really. I'm fine as long as my first spell doesn't completely fail. It's fine. My other classes are all going well, but that's not saying much as I don't think there's ever a time that I'm not nose-deep in at least three books in addition to my class texts. Potions is by far the best. Oh, I love it. Getting lost in the rhythms of chopping, grinding, stirring. Watching the potions turn just the right colors. Learning why they work, what interacts with what, the other uses for ingredients.. It's lovely. I wonder if I can practice potions at home over the summer. Is that field classified as magic as well? I know we can't use our wands, but.. I'll have to find out. It's probably too early to start making up my own mixtures but I do have entirely too many willing ~~victims~~ relatives to make stuff for. I think I could improve a few things, to be honest, if I can convince mum and da to add to my book collection. Maybe not improve things compared to the professional junk, but compared to what we do in class. I imagine I'm just suffering the effects of ambition to be better than the others in my year - then again, isn't that what Alfie is grooming me for?

I hope he's not mad about the other day. Things were getting rather heated between him and that chippie, Chayse. Gryffindor. Imagine! Hyde snogging a Gryffindor. It sets my teeth on edge. Just the idea of it - then again, I'm not that fond of the idea of anyone snogging.. but a Gryffindor?! She seems to be working her way through a fair number of boys, though, climbed out of the bushes in the garden and Alfie had some scathing remarks about selling herself for a chocolate frog in Knockturn Alley in the future - all in the guise of warnings to me, of course, about being a good student and taking my studies seriously. When this girl wandered in, followed by the prefect Nikolay - oh... right. Him. - I had to step in. Hyde and I had good timing, and he got the points back I'd lost him earlier, but we broke them up before things became physical and that was good. Put me in a bad mood, though.

I'm not mad at Alfie. Even if he'd lost us more points than that. It's not a big deal. We're just supposed to be being good and he was provoking her. Not that she didn't deserve it. I'd like to do a little more than provoke her - I don't see what Hyde sees in her, I really don't, but I don't think he should spend so much time with her. It's uncouth.

He showed me something yesterday, though, after teasing me over another bout of clumsiness. And he took my picture. I wish he'd taken more, when I was sitting right in the colors, just so I could see what it looked like. I felt sparkly. I'm not going to tell anyone, though. He was so.. peaceful, almost, so I think I'll just keep the blue-green ferret to myself and if I'm lucky I'll catch him there again.

I think it was the first time he didn't smirk at me when I laughed.

Whatever. This is far too much dallying when I should be writing for my History of Magic class. Seriously, what a waste of time. Blathering on like this. I don't know how the others do it. It's taken me ages to write this.

Oh! Slytherin won our match against Ravenclaw! I'm so proud of our team!

LOG 17 - Books and Potions

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:49:21 GMT

Place: Library, Hogwarts
Characters Involved: Corbin, Hyde
Brief Synopsis: Corbin returns Hyde’s spellbook, and somehow convinces him to lend her another.

It is afternoon, and the Library is held with its sort of natural silence, occasionally broken by soft murmurs and shuffling books. Hyde is among the students to be found, sitting at the table farthest from the librarian's desk as possible and as a result, surrounded by a good number of students in the surrounding tables. But none with him, of course. He is lounging with a detached boredom, reading a paragraph out of his ancient runes text; he is leaning back so far, the front legs of his chair hover above the ground tenuously.

If anyone has ever looked chagrined entering the library, Corbin does as she slips into the quiet mess of students, but the look melts quickly from her face when presented with a room that.. isn't quite empty. The girl schools her face into a stony, bored expression as she wanders farther in, eyes seeking out - ah, there, the boy in the corner. As the little Slytherin lass heads in his direction, Hyde might notice her unease, and the forceful, almost daring way her eyes seek out his when she clears her throat. It's subtle, though, the jut of her jaw, so that others might not notice the uncertainty she's trying to hide.

Hyde isn't quite so engrossed in his studies that he misses Corbin's arrival, but he doesn't exactly look upwards even as she approaches. His eyes remain downcast for a few moments as he finishes up a few sentences before he finally raises his eyes to meet and hold her gaze for a second. And then, his lips quirk into a dryly amused smirk. Oh, he's most definitely not going to make things any easier for the young girl. "Yes?"

Corbin, pushing back a curl, lidding her eyes with an unimpressed stare, drags Hyde's familiar book out of her bag and lets it thump lightly on it's end upon the table, to fall toward him. "Here's your book back," the girl offers civilly, fighting down the urge to blush, and instead falling into the chair across from him and relaxing slightly. "Thanks for letting me borrow it." Her violet gaze casts about the room a moment; surely he won't say anything with other students so near. She's safe for now, isn't she? Surely.

"Ah. Right." Hyde murmurs dismissively, feigning a sudden comprehension. Like the boy would have forgotten, pfft. "Did you have fun reading it?" He inquires, leaning forth over the book to rest his elbow on the table and his hand in his palm, a slightly mocking stare that he squares onto the first year ceaselessly. He's getting some sort of sick and twisted joy from this, the insufferable prat.

Corbin watches the boy through half-lidded eyes, and while her stance is relaxed, she's all tense muscles. The girl manages a blase smile and tilts her head to one side just slightly. "I would have enjoyed keeping it a while longer, but I enjoyed the time I spent with it. It was very... enlightening." The pause surrounding that word makes her nod slightly, agreeing with her description. Abruptly, Cor moves to mirror the boy, and then she hikes a brow slightly. "I don't think Luther was entirely impressed with my inquisitive nature, though."

If it were anyone other than Hyde, one would say that his eyes sparkled with some flash of emotion just there. But, naturally, he wouldn't do that. "You see, I wouldn't have minded letting you have it a bit longer if you weren't prone to accidentally murdering spectators or burning down the school in a blazing haze." He retorts, and there's a specific lift to his tone that indicates he is mostly joking. But not completely. "No, I don't think he is particularly fond of your studying...techniques."

Corbin does have the grace not to look apologetic, though she widens her eyes a touch. "I'm fairly certain that I don't have murder on my conscience, just quite yet," she responds, fingers tapping her cheek lightly. Casually, she avoids the topic of fire, instead offering a slight laugh and a nod. "Strangely enough, despite the attempted hex of fur on his face, he /still/ seems to enjoy my company." Enjoy might be a slightly strong word to use, but she'll let it slide for now. Chewing on her lip slightly, the girl leans forward and shrugs one shoulder. "What were you looking for out there?"

"Good." Hyde calls out curtly then, following the word with a nod of his head. "Keep it that way." Lucky girl, that seems to be all the Hufflepuff really has in mind to chew her out for, as he goes to grab the newly acquired text from the table and shove it in his bag. "I'm not particularly sure why, either. I fairly surprised he's not a Gryffindor - that reeks bravery and recklessness in the face of danger more than I've ever seen." He continues to tease her mildly, and only the truly perceptive would notice his slight hesitation at the mention of his activities. It seems he hadn't been expecting that - but regardless, he continues on as usual after a moment. "What? Oh. Just looking for someone, I guess."

Corbin gives a /look/, but it is brief. "Mm, yes, well, I know /I/ always wander around searching desperately for, maybe, someone.. So I can understand possibly looking for someone maybe, I guess." Her teasing falls quiet and the girl looks seirous for a moment, fingers lacing together beneath her chin. "Honestly, Luther knows my plottings, it /does/ seem kind of lacking in intelligence to blindly follow me around the grounds... I worry about that boy a little bit." Her voice has hushed, taking on the tone of one speaking to a confidant, but with a small grin playing about her lips. "Then again, you don't seem to have any qualms about risking life and limb."

Hyde's gaze flickers to her face. "I needed some help with an assignment. Besides, I was /hardly/ desperate." He announces evenly, if not /too/ convincingly. It's not a lie, but not a whole truth. His hesitance washes away as soon as the topic shifts. And then, it is his turn to arch a curious eyebrow. "He hasn't tried reciprocating, has he?" The Hufflepuff asks, something of a brotherly protectiveness coloring his words. And then he just shakes his head slightly. "I'm older and wiser - I can take whatever you end up brewing."

Corbin widens her eyes, 'I believe you' plastered all across her features. It settles quickly into an affectionate, if not slightly uneasy, smirk. "Well, I'm sure you can take more than he can, but for the time being I'll keep my experiments on the younger members of my own house - they're less likely to cost the house points." The girl looks thoughtful, though, and tilts her head a little. "Well, he /did/ drench me in the process of putting out what I'd started, but otherwise.." she falls silent, considering. "He really hasn't got me back for... Well, I'm sure he's just.." Not biding his time, right? Not plotting something crazy?

Hyde ends up furrowing his brows a bit pensively, an attempt to decipher the contents of Corbin's words. Eventually, however, he merely nods. At length, "well, he doesn't seem likely to charge at you any time soon. But, it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out just in case." There's the paranoid boy we all know and love. "Whatever the case is, tell me."

Corbin laughs a little at that, relaxing again. "Now, now, Hyde," she warns, playfully serious, "if you keep saying words like that in tones like those, you might lead me to believe you've got a bit of a soft spot deep down there somewhere." She pauses, growing a little more serious, eyes narrowing. "Deep, deep down. In the dark, dangerous pits at the bottom of that cold, dangerous place, where the villagers scream and wail and the sun never shines." Suddenly, she brightens. "And then it does, and *poof* - all the little villagers burst into flame." There's a silent, perky 'the end!' left unsaid.

Though at first Hyde seemed rather amused - he even let out a grunt for effect at mention of his cold, dangerous place - he seems to grow more and more confused as she story progresses. The brow hikes upwards and he just stares at her quite pointedly. Strange girl. "Ah...yeah. Wouldn't want that."

Corbin beams rather cutely for a moment, and then settles back into her serious mode. "Now, do you still have your potions book from last year?" she asks, voice low again. Innocent blink.

Hyde appraises the younger girl carefully, brows furrowed with slight determination as he shakes his head, then nods, then shakes it once more. "It's at my house," he explains. "I suppose I could pick it up over the holidays, but I'm not quite sure I trust you with it. Without a supervisor, at least." He admits, quite frankly.

Corbin watches Hyde's various responses with amusement, and then brightens. "Bring it when you come back," she makes it a request. "You can supervise, if you want - I mostly just want to read it, though.." Briefly, she looks chagrined. "I need a little more focus on current teachings before adventuring off into the unknown. But potions - they're better than spells and charms and transfigurations. And I figure reading up on next year's potions won't get me into any trouble." She does make it sound innocent, though, she's good at that.

Hyde considers her plea, leaning back into his seat idly as a hand lifts up to brush by his chin. "I suppose you can't get into /too/ much trouble with that. You /just/ want to read, right?" He clarifies, narrowing his eyes at the girl. "/No/ ventures into unknown, advanced potions especially. It's surpringly easy to turn a serum into a poison.”

Corbin hesitates at Hyde's last words, interest dawning in her eyes, but she finally purses her lips and offers a nod. "Unless I can convince you to come hang out in the dungeons with a cauldron and play with me, I'll /just/ read it," she finally relents, with a long-suffering sigh. "But you'd better, or I'll be very sad that I can only read it."

The corners of Hyde's lips quirk slightly. "I suppose I should have said something along the lines of 'potions are regrettably safe to tamper with'." He remarks. "But that works as well. I'll get it." He arches his brow critically at her desire to tamper with higher level potions. "Huh. Why should /I/ care about your mental state? You're wanting to experiment with love potions, I wager." He preens.

Corbin is torn between drawing back with a distasteful wrinkle to her nose, and pandering playfully to Hyde's ego. She wavers visibly for a moment before settling on the latter and fluttering dark lashes prettily. "Only for you, Hyde, O Light of my Life." Again cupping her chin in her palm, Cor tilts her head a little, peering at the boy, before she just smiles. "I really like potions. I think I want to do something with them eventually.. I dunno what, really, but so far they're my favorite thing to learn about. So, really, you'd not just be helping me sneak about with love potions, you'd be actively bettering my future prospects." Smile! See how useful you would be?

Hyde snorts his amusement at her performance, shaking his head quite slowly. "I already agreed to it, in a manner of speaking," he points out languidly, lowering his chin to rest his head on his chest slightly, his hair falling forward. "Honestly, I should get some sort of extra credit."

Corbin almost blanches. "I don't know that they'd particularly /like/ you aiding a first year with playing around in advanced magics, though.." she muses worriedly. Tapping fingers against the line of her jaw, she shakes her head, leaning forward to dip her chair legs off the floor. "No, don't tell any of the professors," Cor finally decides, as if she really has any say over what he does or doesn't do. "We'd both probably get into more trouble than I'm interested in right this moment."

Hyde arches his brow finely, allowing her to finish her little stint without interruption. Although, he is looking a tad bit incredulous. "I wasn't going to," he clarifies, chin lifted slightly. "Please, Corbin, I'm far from /daft/. They barely allow us to practice our scheduled and curriculum material - not particularly liking you studying advanced magic with my help is a rather large understatement." Pause, and then. "/I'm/ the older student, here." He adds as a gruff after-thought, not quite pleased with the possibility that he seems to be listening to the younger girl and doing her bidding more often than not.

Corbin idly taps her lips with her fingers, nodding slowly. "Well, as long as we're in agreeance, then." She doesn't even seem aware of his annoyance at following along with her ideas, instead smiling again and tipping her chair back to stand. "So you'll bring it back from holidays, then," she leans down over the table to whisper, braced on her elbows, eyes alight, "and we'll meet, clandestine and secretive, to further my potionmaking education. Excellent!" The girl whirls to leave in a flurry of black robes and tangled locks, but pauses. "Are you going home for the whole holiday?"

Hyde is still brooding slightly to himself when she begins to address him once again, and it takes him a bit longer than normal to digest her words. He nods curtly, and then shrugs at her next and final question. "I believe so. Should I not?" Not that he would listen to her. Because /he's/ older, /he/ is! She's going to listen to /him/, that's what's going to happen!

Corbin tilts her head a little at that and hesitates, touching her lip with clasped fingers before smiling again and shaking her head, all little kid innocence again. Where are her pigtails and freckles? "Well - no, no reason. I was just wondering." She hesitates again, before nodding and wiggling her fingers. "Gotta go finish Transfigurations with Luther. I'll see you later. Take care of the villagers!" With a shush from the librarian, the little Slytherin girl ducks toward the door.

LOG 16 - A Touch of Fire

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:20:11 GMT

Place: Edge of the Forest, Hogwarts
Characters Involved: Corbin, Luther, Hyde, Peter
Brief Synopsis: Testing out spells above and beyond her ability, Corbin tries to kill Luther by lighting him on fire this time. It doesn’t work out that well, and Corbin ends up a little damp.

When Corbin peeks her head into the cold boy's dungeon dorms and, with a secretive little smile, lures Luther forth, only doom can follow in the little first year's footsteps. A book, most definitely not her own, clutched tightly to her chest, the girl has since led her housemate out into the chill afternoon air and toward the forest with little explanation but the mysterious grin playing across her lips and sparkling in her eyes. Obsession is never a good thing, but with Corbin it tends to be a little dangerous as well.

The leaf-strewn grass crunches under their feet as the two wind their way toward the forbidden place, deserted but for their young forms. Casting an almost suspicious look around, Corbin flops down to sit a little too near the treeline for comfort, and sets the book before her, drawing her wand. "Alright," she finally lilts to Luther, tilting her head back to look up at him. "Sit down."

Luther has his eyes mostly on the forest as he follows the little girl. He breaths a bit of a sigh when she actually stops short of going in, although when she commands him to sit he looks down at her and raises an eyebrow. "What are we doing out here anyway?" he asks finally. Funny how he waits until they are outside away from their nice wa.. well luke warm dungeon to ask this. Even so, after a few seconds, he sits down beside Corbin, his interest in the book she sets down.

A little while after the two Slytherins arrive, Hyde also finds himself making his way down from the castle. Looking as sullen as he is reputed to be, the boy is acutely aware of his surroundings, shooting pointed glances here and there every once in a while. He never keeps quite still, either walking and pacing restlessly or clenching and unclenching an impatient fist, and judging by his curious glances, he is most definitely looking for someone. His gaze flits over the two without much reaction, as it is clear that, for once, they are not the ones he is looking for.

Corbin's innocent expression doesn't quite mesh with the spark that turns her eyes almost blue. "I want to try something," she answers, lips curling in an almost unnerving little smile. She flicks the book open, movements easy and unworried. The book falls open on unfamiliar spells and words and she doesn't look up at the Slytherin boy again, perusing instead the text before her. The little girl gives her wand a twirl through her fingers before moving it in slow, experimental movements, mouthing words silently. Hyde's movement catches the corner of her eyes and she glances up with a narrow-eyed glare, but straightens slightly when recognition hits, her face falling blank and her wand lowering subtly to hide in her lap as she watches him.

Luther is, too, mesmerized by the book as soon as she opens it. He recognizes the text of various spells but he knows they haven't been taught them. "And why did you bring me?" He asks with a slight edge to it. They study often together but this is different. She wants to do new spells and he'd bet his only galleon she'd need a target for a few of them. He doesn't noticed when she stops reading and actually moves to turn the page when she doesn't. "Your a slow reader..." he comments idly.

Hyde is a boy with a purpose now - any sort of interest at what the first years could be doing comes second in light of his main goal. So - lucky them - he is rather too pre-occupied at the moment to recognize the far away book for what it really is - his! Instead, he walks around a few times, sure to look around every once in a while with grim hope.

Corbin, with a hiss, bats Luther's hand away from the book and glances back down. "Stop that, this is the page I want," she commands in a low voice. Relaxing when the older Hufflepuff seems too interested in his search for - whatever, perhaps that damned owl again, to bother them. She's bound and determined, however, to do /something/ before they draw his attention. Flicking a violet gaze in Hyde's direction, Corbin's lips curl into a sly little smile, eyes narrowing, gazing up at Luther then through her lashes. The girl takes a breath and raises her wand, murmuring something - something the two first years had just read - and motioning at Luther. Poor kid.

Unfortunately, whatever it was that she was attempting seems to backfire. Sparks swirl from her wand and, though she's quick to fling her hand to the side in an attempt to save her housemate from the brunt of whatever failure she's wrought upon them, the sparks alight on the dry leaves between them, coaxing growing licks of fire out of the parched foliage. Oops.

"And then I told him that he was just like Rochefort," comes the voice of Peter, as he makes his way over in this direction of the edge of the forest, grinning a bit to himself. And especially when he sees the people. "Ah, ladies and gentlemen," he begins, before he adds, "Well *lady* and gentlemen, then." He then sees what kinds of actions that are undertaken. "Stop that at once, or they'd bring in some of those important people to see what's going on," he remarks.
Luther pages: So what spell was on the page she was trying on him?
You paged Luther with 'I suppose the fur spell. :) since you like it.'.

Luther frowns as his hand is slapped and he glares at Corbin. However he looks back down again. "That is an interesting spell." he comments, pointing out one. That is, of course, when he realizes she has lifted her wand and is murmuring something. "Corbin?" He asks, and boom, sparks everywhere! Ha! This time he has proof she was trying to do something to him. Not that such issues are his immediate concern. Instead he hops to his feet and pulls his wand pointing it at Corbin's own. "frigus!" he says, which does nothing, really.. no wait! His wand sputters and some liquid spews out. Of course the aim is horrid but most of the water lands on the growing fire. The rest of it on Corbin. Hyde is lucky, not a drop finds its way towards his book.

Hyde is still considerably distracted as the little situation escalades, and he only brings his attention over to the lot when Peter arrives. Frowning, he begins to redirect his steps toward the Slytherins, and once he is close enough to get a vague sort of idea of what has happened, his strides quicken into brisk, sharp steps. "Merlin's beard!" He growls out sourly, looking down at Corbin in particular. "Can't you go a bloody day without starting something?" And her then proceeds to stomp on the dead leaves a little harder than absolutely necessary in an attempt to smother the lesser embers, making sure to hold his robes back.

Distracted by Peter's call, Corbin is caught completely unawares by Luther's chill splash and is left, sputtering, to very guiltily shove the textbook back toward her, under her robe, and glare mulishly at the boy from behind sopping bang and dripping curls. Oh, but then there is Hyde, and Corbin mellows just a little, wide eyes tilted back up to him. "Do you need to ask that at this juncture?" she comments, calmly, despite the little bits of flame still struggling for life between Slytherin's water and Hufflepuff's stomping feet. The girl purses her lips and glances over her shoulder once more at Peter. Hm. "No one will come. It's just a little spark."

"Doesn't matter," Peter replies to Corbin, as he gets his own wand out to try killing the last pieces of flame. "They will come, just like the Cardinal's guards..." He shakes his head a little, as he looks between the others. "So she's a bit of a troublemaker, is she?" he asks in Hyde's direction, after a couple of moments.

Is that a vague tug of the young slytherin's lips as he meets the girl's mushy glare? Nah, he isn't that suicidal. He only did that to save her, she could have caught on fire. Or so he'll inform her later when she accuses him of getting her wet on purpose. However very suddenly there are two elder students around, one whom Luther recognizes. The other, Peter, gets a narrowed eye gaze. "And who are you to be calling her a trouble maker?" he asks Peter with a slightly accusing tone, sliding his wand into his robe pocket.

"This is -precisely- why third year spells aren't taught in first year," Hyde hisses, his thinly veiled annoyance occasionally making an appearance in his voice. He makes a jerky sort of movement, presumably to grab back his spell book, but that was before he noticed Corbin tuck it away. No way is he getting it from under her robes, so he just settles for crossing his arms over his chest authoritatively and glaring down his nose at the Slytherins. But, Peter's inquiry distracts Hyde's attention from the two and seemingly zaps away some of his initial anger; as he too turns over a more guarded, coolly composed front. His frown darkens at the older boy's words. "Please. She is hardly trouble-making material." He defends loftily.

Now this.. this she can get into. The brunt of Hyde's anger is easy to ignore, but the unfamiliar Ravenclaw.. he is trouble. Eyes widening, Corbin shakes her head, air of innocence all about her even as water drips down her face, almost like tears. She goes so far as to catch her lower lip, before frowning and crossing her arms, turning her back on the stranger. "I'm not good with my spells, if you MUST know." Her glare at this admittance is easily heard in her voice, and the slump of her shoulders looks annoyed and embarassed at her proposed failure of a completely legal first year spell.

"Well, I didn't say that the young lady was a trouble maker," Peter replies to Luther, before he adds, "I was merely asking for his," a nod towards Hyde, "opinion on the matter." He then nods a bit at Corbin, "Well, then it's probably good that you are here, so you can learn them better," he offers, before he asks, "Any particular kinds of spells that are worse than the others?"

Luther actually grows a little more annoyed as Peter manages to sidestep the real point of his question. However Peter's questions direct at Corbin make the boy hesitate. He smiles, faintly, and instead remains quiet, crossing his arms and glancing towards Corbin to see how she responds to this.

Hyde glances back to the two in question, and after lingering on Luther almost speculatively, his attention trails over to Corbin and her theatrics. He is sure to look /away/ from Peter as he rolls his eyes quite liberally, apparently unwilling to accidentally ruin her ploy. And even so, when Peter buys into it, he indulges himself in yet another set of eye-rolling. But now that he isn't required to jump to the defensive, his irritation seems to be building right back up again.

Corbin chafes at Peter's question. Her! Not good with spells! The amusement she'd hidden by keeping her back to the boy and her face set stonily drains from her eyes, leaving them a washed grey of annoyance. "No," she murmurs in a bland, almost blank tone. "They're all the same." Shoulders tensing now, the girl hunches, tilting her head up in an attempt to pin a glare - and the blame for all this, obviously - on Luther. For the moment. He'll surely share the blame with the Ravenclaw, when she's not playing games. Glare. Seethe. A surreptitious glance at Hyde from the corner of her eyes, almost questioning, but she looks away when she realizes he's still mad. Uh oh.

"Oh, really. Sounds like there's only one thing to do, then," Peter replies, before adding, with a half-grin. "And that's more practice. But under safer conditions, I'd say." He then glances back in Luther's direction. "Oh, and I forgot to ask one thing. Who might you be, young sir?" he asks, with a bit of a grin.

Luther continues to cross his arms, smiling faintly as he feels more than sees Corbin's annoyance, and her dripping hair. However suddenly Peter is addressing him and he looks up at the elder student and his smile fades. "I believe I asked you first." the young boy points out, standing up a little straighter, although the fact that his clothes are perhaps a little to big for him only enhance how small he is relative to the other boy.

Eventually, Hyde's restlessness gets the better of him, and he glances to the three of them one final time. "Tomorrow at the library," he drawls, apparently addressing the female member as his eyes are on her, pointedly and with intensity uniquely characteristic to the boy. "And not a mark on it." He adds foreboding, and with the he turns on his heels with a dramatic whoosh to stalk away.

Corbin relaxes when the Hufflepuff boy speaks, giving a nod and not looking at him until he's sweeping off. She watches for a moment, before retrieving the book and tucking it too quickly into her own book bag. Oh, there will be hell to pay from both of her boys for today's outing. But still, she's by the forest, and /her/ name is not being asked, and so Corbin stands, peels off her sopping robe, and wanders to pluck at pretty-colored leaves still hanging, forlorn and forgotten, from the trees edging their little spot of dampened fire. Despite the chill on bare legs and damp hair, she seems almost cheerful now, back to the remaining two.

Peter shrugs a little, looking a little amused as he hears Luther's words, "True, very true," he replies, before he adds, "I'm Peter Kovacs Szuper. And you?" He then gestures over at Corbin as well. "And you, young lady. May I inquire about your name?"

Luther is, of course, honorbound to give his own name now, after his instance. "My name is Luther Gordon." he states evenly. His expression is anything but friendly, although it isn't hostile. The elder student has obviously not made a good impression upon the young slytherin.

"No," she answers, simply, and rather polite. "You may not." Without another word, she begins twining a bright red leaf through her curls. It is followed by a vaguely golden one, and she slips a little closer to the trees, seeking more adequate leaves to twine into her hair. Corbin smiles lightly to herself before turning her back to the Forbidden Forest and planting a hand on her hip, the crowned princess of the wood.

"Gordon, like the commissioner?" Peter asks, rather lightly. Before he blinks for a few moments as he hears Corbin's reply. "Okay then. Maybe some other time. But for now, I need to bid the two of you farewell." And with that, he starts to move back towards the castle, humming a little in the process.

Luther is taken off guard as the elder student decides to leave. His arms uncross as he watches the boy retreat. He actually waits a specific amount of time, bascially until the boy is out of eat shot before he turns and glares near death at Corbin. "You tried to spell fur on me!" he accuses the princess of the wood, pointing at her to make sure she knows that yes, Luther means Corbin Isabel Hunter Crawford. "And nearly set me on fire!" Its not exactly anger in his voice. The boy rarely gets angry. Actually he sounds mostly annoyed and surprised.

Corbin watches Peter depart with her hand still on her hip, but she looks mildly surprised herself. She was expecting a little.. something.. from her rather rude response to an older student, but he just leaves. Eventually, Luther speaks, and she turns an innocent face on him. Unfortunately, it quickly deteriorates into a slow, lip-curling grin. "Well.." And then she remembers that she's soaking wet, and her smile fades and her eyes narrow. "You SOAKED ME!" she responds in what passes for a roar from the small girl, stalking toward the boy with her own finger out and ready to jab him in the chest. "Beast. I'm /freezing/." Corbin cuts another quick glance toward the retreating Peter, and simmers a little. "Blasted Ravenclaws."

Luther takes the jabs like a little boy, that is he steps back after the first one, the jabs having hurt. He still looks unphased by her yelling back at him. "I was trying to save you. The first almost caught you robes!" he states firmly. Yup Luther is the hero. Corbin is the villaness. His eyes follow Corbin. "I thought the ones in House Gryffindor were supposed to be the arrogant ones. He is not a very good representative of his house." Like Corbin and Luther are, anyway. He glances at her and does notice how soaked she is. "Come on. Lets get you somewhere warmer." He moves to find her discarded robe and pick it up for her.

Corbin's blows soften when Luther steps back, but she still /looks/ just as vicious as she did originally. She's not /that/ mean, but she sure can look it sometimes. The girl relaxes a little - she doesn't mind her role as villainess; in fact, if Luther spoke it out loud, she might actually preen for a second. She does have plans, this one. Cor seems inclined to ignore the goosebumps flowing across her flesh and making her shiver, but she's quick to nod her aquiescence and scoop up her book bag. "I don't like him," she agrees with a nod, comeraderie replacing her annoyance with the boy as she walks close to his side. Then again, she doesn't seem to like many people outside of Slytherin... and Hyde, for some reason.

Luther holds her robes for her. Okay maybe he feels a little bad. He did intentionally spill some water on her. He didn't really mean to soak her. The least he can do is carry her soaking robes for her. He walks close to her as they head towards the castle, perhaps sheilding her a little from the wind. Although he won't admit it. "I believe, next time, we should aim the spell towards him." Luther decides out loud. Did he say we? He glances at her. "And you needed to twist your wrist at the end, not at the beginning." he states simply.

Corbin makes a slight face at Luther's last comment. "I know the words," she complains, mildly. "I know half the words to everything, but they wouldn't even get me a practice wand to play around with. They wouldn't show me the proper movements, ghastly boys." She's not bitter, really. Now, though, she's shivering visibly and picks up the pace, her arm nudging his. "Come on, let's get back to the dungeons. I want to change into something dry."

LOG 15 - Random Interlude

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:57:03 GMT

Place: Courtyard, Hogwarts
Characters Involved: Corbin, Hyde
Brief Synopsis: A rather brief interlude in the randomness that is Corbin’s mind.

Lately, it is almost more probable to catch Hyde outside the castle than in. Whether he is walking, or studying, or exercising his photographic hobbies, he seems to prefer the cool November air to the warm chaos often associated with the castle. Today, however, he seems to be out for a simple walk, as he is not inhibited by any books, or cameras, or bags and doesn't seem to have a specific destination in mind.

As the weather cools, Corbin finds it almost warmer outside than in the chill Dungeons where she resides. At least it's more interesting out here, with a chance to see people doing things other than studying and playing games - like falling off or brooms. Besides, one can't properly stalk older Hufflepuff boys from the supposed comfort of her common room. Slipping out of the castle with a hooded glance and a plume of white breath ghosting around her face, the little Slytherin girl takes a quick, appraising glance around the courtyard, seeking out something of interest. Eyes settling on Hyde, she offers the cold air a brief grin before shoving her hands into her pockets and wandering toward the boy.

As the older Hufflepuff boy hasn't been reduced to paranoia yet - even though, for all intents and purposes, he should be - Hyde doesn't notice Corbin wandering over. And for once, it is not because he is terribly lost in thought but because he just doesn't happen to see or hear the girl - likely made temporarily deaf by the sounds of the winds brushing by. He continues his trademark ambling, slouching slightly and relaxed.

Corbin, grinning very slightly, raises a hand as she reaches her friend, fingers hovering just out of reach of his back. She hesitates, though, and lets her arm drop before touching him. Instead, her hand finds its way back into her pocket and she hops the last couple steps until her dark, toussled head pops up beside the boy. "Enjoying the weather?" she questions in a quiet voice, falling into step beside Hyde.

Hyde does not exactly start at Corbin's sudden appearance, but he does frown slightly as he looks down to her slyly. With a nod, "Yes, I am. How /do/ you do it?" He inquires, quite dryly. Whatever 'it' is, he does not specify yet.

Corbin pauses as a gust of wind blows hair across her face, fingers tangling in the mess of black. She eyes Hyde through the curls and then grins a little, shifting one shoulder upwards. "I'm just talented, I suppose." Freeing her pale cheeks of hair, she folds her arms atop her head and then turns to give the boy a shrewd look. "Well, depending on what you're talking about."

"It. Just suddenly pop up, wherever I am. Honestly, I half expect to see you coming out of a stall in the boy's bathroom, sometimes." Hyde explains, quirking the corner of his lip upwards in slight amusement. "Is it a charm perhaps, or woman's intuition? Or a quality that's strictly yours?" He is still walking, but has slowed to a stroll, so that she may keep up.

She doesn't mind his slower pace, letting her relax and take her time rather than rush her footsteps. The joys of being shorter than almost everyone. At his words, Cor turns her head away to hide the faint laughter escaping. "Well, I'll have to keep that in mind," she comments in amusement, "but I imagine the professors would frown on that little bit of excitement." The girl considers for a long moment in quiet, and then smiles slowly out at the courtyard. "I'd like to think it's all me, but that's rather unlikely. Maybe it's just luck."

Hyde shakes his head, deliberately slow. "I don't think you would ever want to sneak into the boy's loo, nevermind the trouble that could come with doing so. Trust me," he advises her sagely. He shrugs at her later comment then. "Looks like you happen to be quite lucky, then. Which is a good thing."

Corbin lids eyes sparkling laughter. "Girls can be rather unfastidious, too, you know. If there weren't house elves to clean everything - well, I shudder to think what our loos would look like." Falling silent, she finally lowers her arms, spreadking them out to her sides and turning into the wind, letting her eyes close fully. "I wish the wind would blow like this more often." Turning to face Hyde now, walking backward before him, she tilts her head. "Do you like to fly?"

Hyde looks over to the first year with a wry and solemn expression, all the while repeating "/Trust/ me. You would not want to go into one of the boy loos." He falls to watching the girl more casually then, before turning his attention back onto the path they are walking on. "Mhm? Yes, it's rather nice. Refreshing." His brow rises slightly as she moves up before him, the corners of his lips once more tilting positively. "Careful now," a teasing, subtle reminder of her previous lack of poise. "Flying is all fine and well. I like it, but not to the degree some people do."

Corbin gives a little bow of her head, acknowledging his words, accepting the warning - no boys loos for her. She twists, glancing down briefly, before walking along the line joining two stones, and the next two. "Some people like it altogether too much," she finally agrees. "I wonder if that's not what half of what draws people to Quidditch." She seems a little random, today, just voicing whatever thoughts flicker into her mind. She turns again, wandering off her path on the crack of the stones. "I wish the lake had a warming. Someone did that to a pond back home, and we could swim in it any time, even in the dead of winter."

"The fanaticism?" Hyde inquires, looking to clarify her thoughts. "And, to be completely honest, I enjoy flying more than I do Quidditch. Just the act of flying." He tosses her a considering sort of look then. "Swimming, I like. Very much. There's a good amount of freedom in it, and it's enjoyable all around. I'm sure you can wait until spring comes around - it's warm enough to swim then." And then, out of the blue, "What are you thinking?"

Corbin brightens. "Swimming, of course." Arching a brow, she shakes her hair out and offers an uncertain little shrug. "I don't know. I think of a lot of things." Her voice is filled with consternation. "I'm very full of thoughts these days, they keep me locked up writing essays and playing flick-and-swish and saying words over and over until they're perfect. And I find myself wanting to fly, and swim, and various other things that are forbidden or strictly regulated here."

Hyde frowns mildly, coming to a stop as he looks to her. Slowly, he purses his lips and nods. "I think I understand. A little, at the very least. What other things?" After a moment, he picks up his previous pace once more before he begins to re-assure the girl. "Unfortunately, you're just going to have to be patient. You'll find a way to cope."

Corbin laughs a little at that, relaxing. "I'm not accustomed to be patient," she admits, as if he should well know that by now. Giving a little shake, she shrugs off the thoughts and waves them away with a hand. "We always find ways to occupy ourselves, right?" A smile ghosting around her lips, the girl turns away. "I'd best go find some trouble to get into. Don't forget to check the loo for suspicious figures," she reminds, playfully, before dashing off toward whatver has caught her thoughts now.

LOG 14 - Taming of the Slytherin

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:52:24 GMT

Place: Gardens, Hogwarts
Characters Involved: Corbin, Hyde, Ciarra, Jonathan, Patrick
Brief Synopsis: A quiet afternoon in the Gardens turns into a musical taming of the Slytherin. She’s not very happy with it.

It is a cool afternoon, this Thursday. Colder than usual, and as a result there seems to be less people out. The weather can hardly keep Hyde in, however. This time, he is wearing the appropriate winter cloak, thick and dark in color with only a hint of his Hufflepuff scarf showing under it, wrapped loosely around his neck. He is tucked away in a little corner of the Gardens, currently, sitting quite casually on a bench with his feet sprawled to the side of him, occupying the whole seat and making it impossible for anyone else to steal. On his lap is a book, and a quill is tucked carelessly behind his ear, but he doesn't seem to be reading. Rather, staring drowsily at the pages, but not actually seeing anything. There is a definite trace of light blue bags under his eyes.

A furry hat and a soft step dodging through the garden are the only indication of an approaching student. Corbin, cuddled up in her scarf and a cloak, collar trimmed with fur to match her hat, meanders through the garden as if exploring the bright wintry colors for the first time. Hands trailing along the flowers with just enough force to sway them slightly, she pauses, catching sight of the boy in the corner. Only a glimpse, but enough to draw her curiosity and she changes her path to wander closer. In thoughtful silence, the girl approaches.

It's almost as if Hyde is sleeping with his eyes open, one would assume. Or otherwise, has been put in a trance-like state. Either way, he's far too busy in his own mind to notice the silently approaching friend. His breathing comes out steadily, a faint mist of white forming from the moisture.

Corbin is rather surprised when she manages to get within a few feet of the older boy without so much as a haughty glance in her direction. One hand moves to her mouth, bent fingers touching her lips in mild consternation matched by furrowed brows, before she closes the distance and falls to her knees in a swirl of black to peer into his face. Corbin's eyes flow across it, taking in the bags, before she tilts her head slightly and voices, softly, trying not to startle him, "Hyde?"

Hyde snaps back to attention at the sound of Corbin's voice, and though he barely moves, it is obvious by the way he tenses up. Closing his eyes, he shakes his head softly before opening them once more and peering over to Corbin. "Yes?" The sight of her coaxes him to relax his shoulders a bit more, but not completely. He frowns then, already assuming he knows what her next words are going to be. "Before you even start - I'm fine."

Corbin draws her head back just a touch when Hyde tenses, and she watches him for another moment until he speaks. She stands, a flick of slender hands smoothing her robe out before moving to tuck long curls up under her hat. "Of course you are," she replies easily, eyes lidded just slightly. Disbelief unvoiced, she finishes with her hair and gestures to the remainder of the bench taken up by the Hufflepuff. "Care to share, or shall I leave you to your musings?"

Hyde has also already surmised that he would not be believed. And this perceptiveness on Corbin's part makes him look ahead almost sullenly. Begrudgingly, he swings his off of the bench and scoots over a bit, to allow the girl more room. It's an odd sight, really. The darkness, in multiple levels, of Hyde being framed by the colorful autumn flowers. "What're you hear for?" He inquires of the younger girl casually, watching her out of the corner of his eyes.

"Nothing, really," the girl offers with a shrug of one shoulder, settling into the vacated spot and drawing her knees up to her chest, cloak tenting about her to dangle over the edges of the bench. "I get bored very easily, you know. I'm on a constant quest for new experiences, new places.." Turning toward the boy a touch, she cants her head again. "What were you reading?"

Hyde shrugs, "Nothing, really." And for once he doesn't sound like he is just saying that to avoid the question. Instead of just explaining himself to her, he reaches for the book and opens it to a page in the middle to reveal blank stationary with perforated edges, ready to be neatly pulled out. He specifically does not turn to a page with his own neat, sharp writing on it. "I was writing a letter." And then, as an afterthought. "To my brother. What are you going to do when you've done everything worth doing?"

Corbin leans forward, eyeing the book of stationary for a moment before offering a single nod. "That's a good idea, the book," she comments, before shrugging and leaning back, arms moving to hug her legs. "I suppose by the time I've found everything worth doing, I'll have figured out a way to do the things that aren't strictly smiled upon," muses the girl. "I suppose I'm being pretty optimistic that worthwhile things will keep popping up."

Hyde puts the book on the other side of the bench passively. "My family manufactures it." He states simply, a fact. Her words prompt him to glance over at her with a slightly raised brow, but he keeps his silence for the moment. Finally, he leans forward, propping his elbow up on his knee and resting his chin in his palm. "Let's hope that they will, then."

Corbin, bundled up with a furry hat and matching cloak, shares a bench with an equally heavy-clad Hyde in the corner of the garden. She purses her lips, and then smiles, a bright flash of her teeth that quickly disappears. "Well, I have plans, but so far they're going nowhere. I imagine I'll need a few years, really, before I can manage to figure it all out. Gotta start early, though, and be ready." All good plans take time. Corbin gives a tug to her hat, pulling it down a little farther on her forehead, almost hiding her eyes. "I'll enlist your help when I'm ready. I think I'll need at least one other person." That sounds rather dangerous, and the little smirk itching at the corner of her mouth doesn't help.

Hyde draws his eyebrows to furrow in a dubious expression at her 'plans', his calculating gaze settling on her face expressly - appraising. His newfound shrewdness even does its share of hiding the boy's exhaustion and the bags underneath his eyes. "I see," he replies at length, hesitantly. Pause. "And what makes you so sure I would consent to help?"

Ciarra tucks her gloved hands together in the little wrap she has over them as she glides through the castle grounds. It's not quite cold enough for her fur-lined cloaks and robes; that said, it's chilly enough for her to break out the muff and gloves and scarf. Pale blue eyes like the wintry sky above flicker over the gardens, the hedges, most charmed to grow on. Others simply winter plants meant to come out at that time. She has a faint slither to her graceful steps as she walks, though her features remain dispassionate. In stark contrast to the chill of the air and the chill of the auburn haired Seventh Year, the faint tinkling sound of metal to metal chimes as her large white cat, a Maine Coon, chases leaf litter and the things that skitter through it with chirping, happy abandon. Her wandering is just that - wandering.

Jonathan walks out of the castle. He's wearing just a single cloak, though it seems to keep him warm. He keeps his hands inside the pockets, and for once he's without his broom or bookbag. Making his way through the courtyard, he enters the gardens. He starts to wander along a path, seemingly lost in thought, until the sight of Hyde and Corbin shakes him out of it. He nods a greeting to the the two, moving towards them.

Corbin doesn't reply to Hyde's question, though whether she's just being secretive and difficult, or because Jonathan is approaching remains unclear. She just offers another short-lived grin to the boy beside her and hugs her legs a little tighter to her chest. There's feline chirps, though, and they finally draw Corbin's attention enough that she turns to peer in Ciarra's direction with a canted, birdlike glance.

Hyde's gaze lingers on the first year for a moment longer, before he slowly drags his dark eyes over to the rest of the garden at the shuffling of the new occupants. Jonathan is noticed first and then Ciarra, and for a brief second, his lips purse slightly. But that is as far as he allows himself to go before he consciously replaces his expression with a noncommittal, fairly generic front. Haughty and bored, one would assume. His posture also shifts, as he slumps further into the bench in a display of sheer casualty. He isn't inclined to acknowledge the two older students, and certainly is not about to say anything of importance with them in such a close proximity, so he remains silent.

Ciarra, for her part, doesn't seem inclined to respond to any of the others. A glance flickers over them, noting them duly, but then moves off again. The white fluffy cat, however, pauses and twitches his tail, eyeing Corbin eyeing him with sudden hope. A friendly beast by nature, he moves towards her with a purr and a little soft meow. Mr. Bread 'n' Butter Pickle T. Kemp, Soul-Eater, at your service. His tufted ears twitch a little as he lifts up and rests his front feet on the bench, stretching a nose and head towards whomever shall endeavor to /pet him/. Peeeet the kiiiitty.... His metallic collar and tags chime again, and his eyes, blue as his owner's, go looking between Corbin and Hyde speculatively. Spoiled rotten. Unlike her pet, though, Ciarra doesn't need /quite/ as much attention-whoring affection. In a brief moment's pause, she rescinds her internal order to be aloof and turns to face Jonathan directly. Inclining her head at him, she greets him with a polite, "Master Anderson." Ah. Arithmancy. How we love thee.

What was it that her brothers said about cats? Cor draws back a little, eyeing the feline with vaguely concealed distaste. She stares at the large beast for a long moment, until finally a single little pat between the ears is offered. Cats. Cor watches it with almost too much care, her head drawn back a little as if unwilling to get too close to the feline, and her hand retreats to hugging her legs quickly. "Good cat, go.. do cat-like things," she murmurs under her breath, though in the quiet it's not hard to hear.

Hyde is not a pet person, or an animal person, really. Cat, rat, it is pretty much all the same for him; the poor feline probably wont get the affection it demands from him. A final glance is given to the cat's owner, however, before he lolls his head to the side to peer at Corbin. "It wont bite. Well, I suppose I can't really promise that." He drawls almost encouragingly. It is a cool Thursday afternoon, and Hyde and Corbin are sharing a bench, the latter of which is being stared down by Ciarra's cat. The seventh year herself is currently a little ways off, talking to Jonathan.

Ciarra glances towards the cat as he closes his eyes at the pet, purring... loudly. She says softly, if with a hint of command, "Pickle." He lowers himself again and moves back towards Ciarra, rubbing around her legs happily. Sigh. She lifts her gaze to Hyde, then to Corbin offers simply, "He doesn't even chase rats. Biting and clawing and being your usual feral cat is unknown to him. You have nothing to fear from a cat named Pickle, trust me." She smiles down at the cat around her legs, trilling softly and then clucking her tongue softly afterwards.

Jonathan smiles slightly, pausing in his tracks. The cloak settles to a stop, though it can be seen that the inside is a Gryffindor scarlet. "Ms Kemp." He turns slightly to look at Corbin and Hyde again. "What brings you two out? Chilly day, isn't it?"

Corbin makes a slight face at Hyde's words, and watches the big cat move back to his owner. Taking in the older girl's noises and soft looks, she blinks twice slowly and then gives a glance at Hyde. Her mouth moves soundlessly, but then lips curl into a light smirk and a chuckle breaks her silence. "He doesn't look particularly dangerous," the girl's tone agrees. Not that she seems to want to be /anywhere/ near the coon cat. No, Cor is happy to sit on her half of the bench, hugging her knees. Jonathan's words draw her eyes slowly from the cat up to his face, one brow hiking at the statement. "Yes, it is." Oh, talkative little snake, that one.
You whisper "Oh Merlin, she's one of /those/ cat people..." to Hyde.

Patrick wanders into the gardens with his violin, which he hasn't played in a while. He assumed it'd be deserted, seeing how it's getting cold, but nonetheless there are people here. He pauses in surprise, holding his instrument under his cloak.

Whatever Corbin ends up muttering elicits a curt snort of, possibly, amusement from Hyde. He looks at the cat passively after Ciarra has finished, and after a hesitant pause, nods his head pensively. "The only question left to ask is whether it is harmless because of the name, or whether it is named because of its harmlessness." Which is more than he usually gives to strangers. Apparently, the Slytherin is approved of. Do I sense a pattern here? In contrast, Jonathan is eyes smoothly, and seeing how Corbin has decided to play coy, he merely shrugs his shoulders in response, a deliberate movement. Patrick is not noticed yet.

Ciarra may be the TA for Arithmancy, and Jonathan may be the leader for any study sessions regarding it, but she definitely offers the Gryffindor Prefect a rather faint smile. It fades exponentially between the tuft-eared cat at her legs and the cloaked boy across from her. And then? Another Gryffindor enters, this one carrying a blessed violin. Only the boy carrying it... well. Ciarra's blue-eyed gaze frosts over from violin to young man, and then moves away. Some people, that one look intimates, should never lay hands on the same instrument as what she plays frequently. Instead, she offers a level, if passive, look back to Hyde, responding simply, "And your name? Does it tell anything about you, Mr. Hyde?" A glimmer in her eyes, almost amusement?, and then she's nudging the heavy tom back with one delicate ankle. "Go play with the other kitties, love," she croons at her pet. Except Leonard's. That's a love-hate relationship.

Jonathan grins in response to Ciarra, then looks around, spotting Pat with his violin. "Hey," he says, his grin continuing. "Practicing?" he asks. "Is it good for that thing to take it outside? I thought it hurt them. Unless you enchanted it or something." His eyes then find Hyde and Corbin again, and he raises an eyebrow, not saying anything.

Corbin seems to perk with interest when Hyde speaks more than two words to someone other than herself, and she considers her older housemate for a silent moment. When Ciarra replies, the young girl's knees are graced with a faint laugh. She huddles a little more in her cloak and raises her eyes when Jonathan speaks, eyes seeking out - Patrick. Lips twitch at the Gryffindor, gaze lingering on the violin before she offers him a nod and a vague little smile. "Hey."

"My father put a charm on it that prevents the cold from damaging it. It was his violin, after all. It gets pretty cold up in Gryffindor Tower too, and I often take it out to the battlements because I like the acoustics there." Patrick replies, either not seeing Ciarra's look to him or ignoring her. "Come to think of it, I think it's fireproof too, but I'm not about to try setting it on fire to find out." he nods back at Corbin.

"I suppose," Hyde begins dismissively, "that it could be seen as such. But, then again, I'm sure the same could be argued against." He is finished for now, partially because he has already exceeded his 'speak to the people' quota to the point of mild surprise as well as the fact that he is profoundly disinterested in violins, and to a rather lesser extent, the other boys about. He looks to Patrick a moment before going back to looking in front of himself vaguely.

Ciarra remains unaware of Patrick after that first, almost angrily wounded look she gave him, as if he'd just spat on her mother's grave. If her mother were in one at least. She lets the lions chat amongst themselves, much prefering the company of the quieter ones overall. There's a touch of Cornwall in her accent, the same as what's found in her Gryffindor twin sister, Celwyn. Far more gregarious, that one. She does listen to Patrick long enough to catch that part about setting his violin on fire. A suddenly, viciously smug expression crosses her face, as if she would like nothing better than to offer to test it for him anytime.... but a blink later and it's back to dispassion all over again. "You're... Miss Corbin Crawford, aren't you?" she asks the girl, letting Hyde go quiet and stay that way if he desires. "First Year."

"Interesting," Jonathan says. "The charm was applied after it was built, not with it? Your dad must have been a good wizard. Usually when you do that, it doesn't stay for that long, especially not at full strength." He glances around for someplace to sit, but settles for leaning against a tree. His eyes flicker between the others, listening to them talk, but he doesn't butt in.

Corbin winces as her name is offered so openly, and her unusual eyes squint with a look of distaste before her expression returns to a more balanced, blase look. "Yes," she replies slowly after a moment. "I am." The girl sounds rather unthrilled, and quickly flicks her fingers as if dismissing the conversation, raising her gaze to eye the older Slytherin. "I haven't met you yet, though."

"I'm not sure, it was before I was born and I never asked." Patrick replies with a shrug. "Now I can't, and I doubt my mother would know." Patrick glances over at the snakes and badger, and shrugs. "Well anyway." Patrick sets the violin under his chin and starts warm-up exercises, whether the others like it or not. He then pauses. "Oh, so that's what your name is." he says, notices the wince and smiling, just a bit. Then he goes back to exercising before eventually segwaying into 'Blackbird'.

Hyde remains astute, despite having lapsed into his usual state of silence. His dark eyes occasionally circle throughout all those present, before being drawn back to Corbin at her physical trepidation at the mention of her name, and then to Patrick. An eyebrows rises then, and he learns back as he turns to regard Corbin more critically. "A little parlour trick of yours?" He drawls then, only to start almost imperceptibly when Patrick begins playing. Pursing his lips, the music seems to darken his mood.

"Ciarra Kemp," the Slytherin replies simply. "Seventh Year. Your House." She glances up and over disdainfully at Patrick as he begins to play, but doesn't bother raising her voice to be heard over him. She said what she had to for the moment. Rolling her eyes, she lifts her lip just a little in a sneer that fades as quickly as it arises. Nodding at Hyde and Corbin both, she turns and glides with serpentine grace along her way. It's only offensive when it's Patrick's playing, and it's getting in her way of making polite conversation with her Housemate.

"Maybe you could lend it to me, I could look at it?" Jonathan asks. "I should be able to tell, at least. And maybe I could strengthen them a bit, or add some more protections on. I'll practice on something else, though, so that I can be sure I don't ruin the sound of it or something." He glances over at Corbin, raising an eyebrow at the name issue, and shrugging slightly. Then, as Ciarra departs, he nods his farewell.

Giving a /look/ at Hyde, Corbin remains silenced. Unlike the boy and her housemate, she seems mildly interested in Patrick's playing, and rests her chin on her knees, closing her eyes. "Well," she murmurs finally to the Hufflepuff beside her, "so much for your quiet little hiding spot." An amused little grin follows her words. When the girl cracks an eye open and Ciara is gone, she blinks a couple times in confusion. Huh.

Patrick shakes his head at Jonathan. "Thanks for offering, but I couldn't bear it if anything happened to it." not that he's saying you suck or anything, but...well. Ciarra's departure is a welcome, Patrick can't stand that girl. Glancing over, he notices Corbin being somewhat interested. "Any requests?" he asks her. "I know quite a few songs."

Hyde reciprocates Corbin's look with a slow, steady quirking of his lips - a wry smirk. One that is wiped away as quickly as it had appeared. After a moment, he responds to the younger girl with a drawled. "Indeed." He gets to his feet lethargically, brushing his dark cloak off more out of habit than necessity. Reaching out for his book on the bench, he gives the other occupants of the room a nod before turning to Corbin. "I suppose it's about time I went back inside." He offers, an odd sort of goodbye, but one nevertheless.

"Well, I'd love to stay and listen...but I was looking for a bit of quiet too," Jonathan says with a smile to Patrick. "Some other time, I promise. And yeah, I understand about the instrument. It's personal stuff, I don't blame you. Well, I'll see you around." He nods, then heads off, slipping his hands back into his pockets.

Corbin is almost unusually mellow, her eyes lidded at half-mast and her voice slow. She barely registers that Hyde is leaving until his words reach her, and then she's blinking darkened eyes slowly up at the boy. "Oh," she offers, not bothering to waste energy on hiding her vague disappointment. "Alright." The eyes lose their battle and slip closed again, and her head weaves slightly in shake. "No. Just play."

Hyde's lips twitches upwards at the effect the music has on Corbin, and he even looks around to toss the musician a quick glance, before returning his attention to the girl. "So, music tames the firstie. I'll see you around." He says finally before turning on his heel and following Jonathan's path unintentionally, heading for the castle.

Patrick smirks slightly, then considers. Well, everyone does like the Beatles, right? He starts playing 'Imagine'. He glances curiously at Corbin, wondering if she'll recognize it or if she doesn't know anything Muggle.

Corbin doesn't seem to register the slightest recognition when he begins to play, but she stills and listens there with her eyes closed, shoulders dipping down and grasp around her knees relaxing until she has to catch her fingers akwardly to keep arms from falling to her sides. The action seems to wake her enough to glare slightly through dark, slitted eyes, but no more.

Patrick shrugs one-shouldered at that. Oh well, not may wizards know muggle music anyway. He continues playing, watching Corbin in amusement. He hasn't ever been able to capture a 'crowd' quite like this!

As long as Patrick continues to play, the little Slytherin seems almost hypnotized by the music he makes. The girl doesn't move, beyond relaxing further into a little slump on the bench, she doesn't speak, and barely even seems able to open her eyes farther than their sleepy glare.

Patrick finishes the song, then lowers the violin and grins at Corbin. "You really like music, huh?" he asks her, barely suppressing mirth. "You looked like a cat with catnip." heh.

Corbin is still for a moment, but she finally raises her head, nostrils flaring as if she's scented something altogether unpleasant. Her head draws back, and eyes widen before narrowing in a glare. The girl slips to her feet with an angry stomp and all but bares her teeth at the boy. It's painfully obvious that she's trying to cover for her reaction, two spots of color high on her cheeks more the shade of embarassment than anger. Her voice warbles an angry, "I--" before she simply turns and bolts toward the courtyard with an angry hiss.

Patrick raises an eyebrow, then bursts out laughing when she runs off. Heheheh. Firsties!

LOG 13 - Breakfast at Hufflepuff

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:29:57 GMT

Place: Entry Hall / Great Hall, Hogwarts
Characters Involved: Corbin, Hyde, Buzz
Brief Synopsis: Early mornings do not lead to particularly happy inter-house relations.

Welcome to early morning in the Hogwarts castle. Breakfast has barely started, and slowly but surely the early bird student begin filing through the hall with the eventual destination of the Great Hall in mind. Hyde, naturally, happens to be one of those students, looking particularly grumpy as a result of the hour. Arriving from the kitchen passage, he has his eyes cast down to the floor introspectively as he walks, completely disregarding the other students all around.

Corbin, an early riser, is not quite as moody and darkly featured at this time of day. However, she's alone, most of her snakey brethren still hibernating under warm blankets in an icy dungeon. The girl wanders up from the dungeons with a slow, measured step, hands pressed into the pockets of her robe and form slipping wraith-like between the other wandering students. Cor actually brushes against Hyde before she recognizes him, but brightens a little - narrowing her eyes to hide it - when she turns to glare at the offending student. "Hyde. You look sunshiney today."

When Corbin brushes by, the Hufflepuff doesn't even bother looking up. When she speaks, however, he slowly lifts his gaze to watch her through his lashes, as his head is still inclined downwards. He shrugs dimly, responding with an eloquent sort of grunt. Oh, mornings are terrible. "And you. Anti-social as always, I see."

Corbin widens her eyes with a look of mock innocence. "Always. I can't be affected by these peons. Getting all buddy-buddy and acting like we're friends." Despite her small stature, the girl manages to look down her nose at the passing zombie-like students. "No, they're not worthy of my attentions.." She pauses, leaning a little closer to peer up into the boy's face. "I'm wondering if I should talk in single syllable words. You do /not/ look awake."

Hyde only manages a small snort of amusement to her show, and he does not seem to realize that she has moved closer at all. "Hm? Oh, well, I'm sure I can make do if you speak /really/ slowly." He drawls after a brief moment's hesitation. "I don't do well with mornings, usually. Today, I don't even /feel/ awake."

Corbin tsks softly and shakes her head. "That's awful." Her tone turns helpful. "I could push you into the lake, I bet that would wake you up promptly." A sweet smile lights her face, before fading a little in a yawn hidden by her hand. "It's early, though. Why are you up if you don't like mornings? Isn't that kind of counter productive?"

Hyde looks at Corbin with a shrewd, suspicious expression. Or, at least what would have been one, as the morning grog rather diminishes the effect. He takes a step to the side away from her before he speaks up. "It's complicated," he begins with a dismissive tone, shrugging his shoulders once. "The hall tends to be more quiet now. And, I'd like to get some things finished up before going to classes. Besides, it builds character."

Corbin nods lightly. "I suppose that's as good a reason as any." She pauses. "You know you have a few more steps to get to where the food is, right?" Gesturing, she turns to wander into the Great Hall. "No one else is here from Slytherin. I think they're all really lazy half the time." A hand emerges to push her curling locks away from her face. "I'll just sit with you."

Hyde blinks at her question, frowning and lifting a hand to rub at his eyes tiredly. "I knew that," he defends blandly, following her into the large room. Then sigh, "Well, so much for quiet." But, he doesn't sound very sad about it.

Corbin waves a hand idly, trailing the sleep-ridden boy into the hall. "I'll be quiet. If you have work to do, I'm not about to bother you too much." Which is likely half true: she's bound to bother him about seeing whatever he's working on, if the past is any indication. Her gaze sweeps the room on their way to the table, as if making sure no one of any importance sees her slumming at another table. That's a thought. "What do you have to do, anyway?"

"Just things," Hyde replies vaguely, but with a finality in his tone that hints at the fact that he probably won't give out anymore information regarding the topic. "Nothing at breakfast though, so lucky you." Tired he may be, but he still retains enough perceptivity to catch her glance around the room. A corner of his lips quirk upwards in smirk. "Are you sure you can risk it? I've noticed sitting at other house tables seems to be a little guilty pleasure of yours," he says.

Corbin can handle being told to drop her inquisitive questions in so few words, but she bristles at Hyde's last comment and glares out over slightly pinked cheeks. "I do /not/ take some kind of pleasure in spurning my house's table. It's just boring when no one else is here." She entertains a pout for a moment, before flopping down at the Hufflepuff table. "I /can/ just go eat out at the lake like normal, if you'd prefer."

Hyde lets out a short, crisp chuckle at her reaction, shaking his head slightly. It's okay, though - there's barely anyone around who could have seen it. "I never said you did," he points out simply, as he ambles his way over to the Hufflepuff table, taking the closest seat he can find that is an acceptable distance away from the rest of society and inclining his head to the side of him, offering Corbin a seat. He reaches for a few pieces of toast then, and proceeds to fill his plate with food. "What do you think of school?" He inquires then, suddenly.

Corbin purses her lips. Stealing Hufflepuff food on Hufflepuff plates, suddenly breakfast isn't looking so bad. Scooting next to the boy, she follows suit and starts adding things to her plate. Looking up briefly, she shrugs a little. "I like it well enough. I guess I'm a little annoyed because I've read my brothers' notes and heard about it a lot, but everything is so basic.. I guess we all have to start at the same place, but.. I don't know. It's kind of boring." She shrugs and smiles, holding a little sausage and waving it. "It's better than being stuck at home doing nothing, though."

Hyde nods slowly. "I understand. Especially since it seems you were so intent on understanding everything before you even came. Honestly, you're rather lucky you don't go through the trouble most first years have adjusting to and grasping the beginning concepts." He points out sensibly. "And, with your house? How are you fitting in and all?" His tone is casual, and though he is also starting to chew his way through his breakfast, it's clear that he is, in fact, paying attention.

Corbin seems to agree silently as she chews, before nodding. "I know. I'm not too good at the wand movements, but I practiced the pronunciation of things before I came.. A lot of people seem to have trouble with that. I'd rather know it." She seems pleased at the idea of knowing more than other people her age. At his question, she snorts a little and coughs, inhaling a touch of juice. "You mean, aside from abandoning my table at breakfast for others?" is her amused reply, before she gives a noncommittal shrug. "I'm equipment manager for the Quidditch team.. and Rhian is trying to get Luther and me some lessons in quidditch in addition to flying.. or see if we can get permission to practice with the team, so we can try out next year."

This response seems to please the Hufflepuff to some extent. Hyde nods his head then, mumbling a quick, "Good. Pass the butter." He doesn't allow any more insight into whatever he is thinking, and a childish impatience drives him to reach across Corbin's side of the table in an attempt to grab some butter, despite the fact that he knows he can't reach.

Corbin reaches out to smack the boy's hand smartly away. "Manners, Hyde. I know it's dreadfully early but you really must maintain some modicum of civility," is offered in a haughty, over-cultured tone. She reaches for the butter, and offers it balanced on the tips of her fingers. Amusement makes her eyes shine almost blue for a moment, before she hides them in lowered lashes, focused on her meal.

Hyde snorts, turning to eye Corbin with little heat. He accepts it from her civilly enough, but after he puts it down, the boy goes to tug on a lock of her dark hair insistently, not hard enough to hurt, however. "There are no manners for the wicked," he offers. Well, at least he didn't mess it up again.

Corbin makes a strangled noise, her head tipping to the side with the tugs. "Manners are especially important to the wicked," the little girl counters with a squint. "Makes people nervous. They don't expect deviousness when you're all polite and proper." The girl laughs, then, and tilts the other way to tug her hair free. "Now, if you're not careful, I'll muss your hair beyond any hope of redemption."

"They don't expect deviousness from Hufflepuffs period." Hyde points out, "And, perhaps my wickedness is just a facade. Perhaps, deep down, I am to be the world's biggest hero?" He suggests, before waving the hand that had tugged on her hair dismissively at her threat. "Oh, I'm sure you will. Of /course/." Sarcasm, anyone?

Corbin nods agreeably. "You're all too sweet and kind," she replies, tone utterly serious. "Very helpful, always pointing firsties in the right direction, carrying books, opening doors.." The girl grins toothily before continuing to munch her breakfast. She doesn't speak with her mouth full - see, manners. "I will.. or maybe I can find a secret, hidden charm to make your hair fall /out/, and then we'll see how smart you were to dismiss me so easily?"

Hyde arches a brow definitively at her first words, most likely because he can't tell if she's joking or not. He shrugs approvingly at her possible course of revenge. "And just how smart would you have been to test me in the first place, after I cut off all of your pretty hair to make a wig for myself?" He returns slyly, looking dryly smug with himself. It's early morning, and breakfast has just begun and there are very few currently awake enough to actually come down. The two of them happen to be sitting over by one end of the Hufflepuff table, eating. Despite the fact that the girl is clearly not a Hufflepuff.

Corbin does not find that idea very amusing. Her eyes widen, a piece of toast is /flung/ as she claps her hands to her head protectively. "No!" she cries, before sobering and eyeing Hyde appraisingly. "You wouldn't look good with curly black hair, anyway. Though," she adds, slow and thoughtful, corner of her lip curling, "I could dye it blonde first, and then you really /would/ fit my cherubic image of Hufflepuff.." Reclaiming her toast from across the table, the girl chews, staring at the older boy as if seriously contemplating this new idea.

Not much for sleep, Buzz has crawled from the warm sanctuary of his bronze and blue sheets to greet the chilly November day head-on. Despite the close cut of his hair, it still bears the rough shape of having been mashed against a pillow only moments before. Still, the boy's eyes are bright and wide awake as he scampers into the great hall. He's just passing the far side of the Hufflepuff table when the toast is tossed and, though it comes nowhere near to hitting him, he pauses and looks wide-eyed at the tosser, tilting his head curiously. Surely, his expression seems to say, something interesting is happening if toast is being tossed. His gaze is both unabashed and lingering.

Hyde snorts at Corbin's dramatic reaction, rolling his eyes mildly as he turns a deliberate, haughtily amused look towards her. "Now now, /manners/." He drawls, but her suggestion coaxes a frown on his face. "Dye /your/ hair and then give it to me? Are you /sure/ you're willing to make this sacrifice?" Buzz is not yet noticed, otherwise no doubt the Hufflepuff would have straightened up. It's early morning, and breakfast has just begun and there are very few currently awake enough to actually come down. He and Corbin happen to be sitting over by one end of the Hufflepuff table eating, while Buzz is walking by.

Corbin lids her eyes in a rather holier-than-thou expression. "I'm willing to make certain sacrifices," she comments, chin jutting up just a touch to aid her regal expression. Her movement brings Buzz into focus, though, and the girl falls silent, blinking a few times at the Ravenclaw boy. Toast hovers just before her lips. The little Slytherin stares at the boy staring so openly at them, looking almost nonplussed.

Buzz continues to watch, his journey toward his own breakfast now completely forgotten. He remains there, still, locking in a kind of frank stare-down with Corbin for several more painful seconds then smiles. It's one of those smiles that suggests he's seen something unexpected, or perhaps something that he -did- expect but that remains a secret. If that weren't bad enough, he follows it up with a little laugh.

Hyde seems more affected by the oddity of the girl staring off at what looks to him like nothing than by her words. He seems cautiously wary, narrowing his eyes at the girl before slowly following the direction of her eyes to land on Buzz. Although his mere presence would be enough to sour the Hufflepuff's mood, the laugh seems to sharpen Hyde's irritation tenfold. "Yes?" He calls out, dripping cold venom.

The little snake's reaction to Buzz's laughter is not quite positive. Nostrils flare as a bright pink colors two spots of mingled anger and embarassment high on her cheeks, and her unusual eyes flash, narrowing to bare slits. Standing up slowly, the girl's lip curls in an almost snotty smirk, and she very slowly looks the Ravenclaw up and down as if looking at something that leaves a bad taste in her mouth by sight alone. A very faint hiss of annoyance emerges from clenched teeth, but she says nothing. Apparently, Corbin doesn't like being laughed at.

The sound of Buzz's laughter has not quite died out by the time Hyde's question splashes over him like unexpected water. He blinks rapidly several times, the mirth on his face dying to an ember. "Um..." It's all he can seem to muster by way of answer for a moment, his eyes swinging from Hyde to Corbin as the girl rises. He involuntarily takes a step backward. "...the toast," he murmurs, "is it good?" He's adopted his best little first year expression, blue eyes wide.

Unlike Corbin, Hyde apparently does not believe the situation requires him to stand up. He just keeps his even, dark-eyed gaze square on the first year boy, and once he thinks that Buzz is intimidated enough, turns to examine Corbin's stance. He quirks a brow, cool and expressionless, before snorting at Buzz's words and returning his attention to his breakfast. He doesn't bother responding to the Ravenclaw.

Corbin glares for another moment, before sinking back to her seat with a rather uncertain look pressing the anger out of her face. She looks down at her plate, at the discarded toast, and casts a quick glance at Hyde before hiking one shoulder. "It's.. toast?" she finally offers, voice almost devoid of any emotion. She smirks again, slightly, after that. "I suppose it's as good as toast generally tends to be."

"That's...good," Buzz stammers, remaining motionless for a moment longer before he turns and flees toward the relative safety of the Ravenclaw table, slipping into its ranks like a winter hair against a snow bank.

Hyde has returned to cutting his waffles into manageable pieces and popping them into his mouth, chewing in silence with his eyes narrowed at a tub of syrup in front of him. Whether he is aware that the Ravenclaw has fled or not, he remains silent and - in all honesty - moody, not recognizing Corbin's glance.

Corbin is not exactly her previously perky self. She pokes at the food on her plate, moving it around with her fork. Her cheeks are still slightly pink when she reaches over in a halfhearted attempt to steal one of Hyde's little pieces of waffle. It's not even a good attempt, really barely more than idly flinging her fork in his plate's direction in the hopes of managing to spear something. Grumpy little girl, now.

It is her half-hearted attempt at waffle-theft that shakes Hyde out of his reverie. He throws a mild frown to her based on principles alone, but stops halfway through. He appraises her thoughtfully - while it would be perfectly natural for him to fall back into reclusion, when she does it, it seems to alarm him slightly. "What's on your mind?" He inquires casually. He doesn't think she would actually respond completely, but at least she would get to speaking once more.

Corbin, unpaused, spears waffle and chews on it for a moment, before glancing up to the boy and considering her reply. The girl's jaw works even after she's swallowed, as if chewing on her words and gathering their taste before offering them. Finally, she shakes her head, and seems to shrug off how bothered she was. "Nothing. I suppose I just don't like to be laughed at without reason." Cutlery returning to push food around her own plate once more, she manages to look unimpressed and a little chagrined at once.

Hyde arches his brows, slowly nodding his head once. "Hm, apparently not." He agrees at length. After a few moments of quiet contemplation, his expression turns sly as he looks to her out of the corner of his eyes before tossing a curious look over to the Ravenclaw table. "I'm sure he will remember that as well."

Corbin follows Hyde's glance, and tries to fight the little grin sneaking about her lips. "Maybe my reputation is safe for the moment, then," she concedes, relaxing enough to draw her legs up and sit cross-legged in the spot she's stolen. Cor turns a smile on the Hufflepuff and shrugs one shoulder.

"Under normal circumstances, I'd highly doubt that. Lucky for you, things aren't particularly normal." Hyde tells her, leaning back in this bench ever so slightly. "Lost your appetite?" He inquires, looking down at her plate as he reach for an apple near the middle of the table.

Corbin gives up on rearranging her food in a less than artistic manner, and sets her fork down. "I wasn't all that hungry to start with." She unfolds and stands up, pushing hair back behind her ear and giving a little wave-equse gesture. "I'm going to go walk around for a bit. I'll see you later." Cor quickly steps away from the table and toward the door, hands settling themselves into her pockets again.

LOG 12 - Hyde-ing Out

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 05:53:53 GMT

Place: Entry Hall / Edge of the Forest, Hogwarts
Characters Involved: Corbin, Hyde
Brief Synopsis: Corbin and Hyde wander, discussing pets, photography, and – of course! – the Forest.

Dinner is still some time away, and the majority of the castle is busy bustling around, attempting to get everything done before heading to the Great Hall to eat. At a first glance, Hyde looks like he too has fallen into this pattern. He is lingering by a wall, having just emerged from the Kitchen passage with an open book in hand. Upon closer inspection, it is a tome of wizarding photography, and he - like many Ravenclaws - has mastered the art of walking while reading. Walking to the large doors leading outside, to be more precise.

Footsteps welling up from below, an energetic Slytherin bolts from the dungeons. The little form darts between the bodies filling the entry way, though what she's chasing isn't altogether apparent until the little, pale champagne-colored rat scampers right across Hyde's foot, and out the door as another student pushes his way through. "Socrates, you little beast!" Corbin's yell, slightly shrill with annoyance, falls as she races after the creature, taking almost his exact route, and heading practically for Hyde's feet on her way to the door.

Hyde almost does not even see the rat scamper by, but the sound of stampeding feet causes him to look up just in time to see Socrates make his grand escape. Predictably, an eyebrow of his arches up, and Corbin's cry only serves to heighten his sharp sense of amusement. Perceptive enough to determine her eventual path, he steps back but sticks his hand out to, hopefully, get the Slytherin to stop. "Should have figured it'd be you. Relax, you'll find it again - in any case, the house elves can help if you ask."

Corbin pulls up hard when the hand threatens to knock her down, though she actually has to grab onto Hyde's arm to stop from stumbling onto her backside on her own. "Euuhh.." She looks almost dizzy at the sudden stop, purplish eyes blinking at the change in focus. Rat... Hufflepuff. It's enough to spin her head. "He took my packet of Ice Mice," she explains with a look halfway to dour. "I think he hid them somewhere along the way..." Corbin pushes hair out of her flushed face and does, however, relax, though she doesn't look too happy about it. A pause, a blink, and she's peering at the book her favorite badger is holding. "You're really into photography, huh?"

The corners of Hyde's lips quirk into a slight smirk, his outstretched hand moving to hover right above her shoulder, so that he may steady her if she seems likely to fall. "Well, just think how you would feel if he was going around eating icy Slytherins," he says, managing to sound entirely seriously. He observation about his interest in photography, however, causes him to frown a little defensively. Stiffly, he shrugs his shoulders. "Yes."

Corbin makes a little moue, whether from his Slytherin statement, or the rather chill 'yes' he gives... One shoulder hikes, and she shoves her hands in her pockets and takes a step out of his reach. "Well, good," she finally says, rather blankly. She squints at him from the corners of her eyes. "I suppose you need something to do."

Hyde shrugs once more, looking wry. "I think so. There's not much to do when you finish off your homework and have already skimmed through the next lesson." As it has become clear that she's not about to give into some sudden vertigo, his hand drops to his side as well, before he motions for the door with the inclination of his head. "Going to stay in hot pursuit?"

Corbin makes a face. "No, he's sneaky and very, very small. When he's got a mind to disappear, I've no chance of finding him. He'll come back." Kicking her toe idly into the floor, Cor watches through gaps in the door as people pass through. Looking back at Hyde, she wonders, "What do you take pictures of?" rather nonchalantly.

"That certainly didn't stop you from trying a few moments ago," Hyde points out casually, dark eyes focused on the young girl. The flicker from Corbin to the door, and then down to the book in his hands which he closes and tucks underneath his arm. "Landscapes and nature," he tells her eventually, watching her intently as he adds on to his words. "I find people rather...difficult to work with."
Corbin tries to hide a little grin. "If I can catch him before he disappears into a hole, it's alright. Outside is just hopeless." When he answers, she nods thoughtfully. "I've never really taken pictures, but if people are anything like you, they'd be very hard to work with." Wouldn't even smile. Horrible horrible boy. "Have you taken any of the forest?" Ah, her favorite forbidden place. "Would you show me?"

Hyde merely shrugs his shoulders, nodding once in agreement; someone like him would be especially terrible to work with. "I have, naturally." He responds to her, easily. "Remember, I liked to linger there long before you even came into this school. I haven't necessarily developed all my film yet, but I'm sure I have something back in my dorms. If you like, I can make a note to get them out for you, later."

One hand emerges from a pocket to wave /that/ notion away. "Didn't you know? Nothing of importance happened before /I/ got here," is her happy response. Corbin nods her head. "I'd like to see your pictures." For once, honest and open, no chiding or teasing. Which she has to quickly cover up. "If you're any good."

Hyde snorts idly, giving her a solid, challenging stare. "Oh, forgive me," he drawls, but he cannot help his lips from curling upwards ever so slightly. In an almost uncharacteristic show, his free hand shoots out to attempt and ruffle her black hair. To show her who's the boss, of course. "Well, I can hardly tell you whether I think I take good pictures or not, so I suppose we'll have to leave that for you to decide."

Corbin just.. blinks. An almost wild look passes across her features for the briefest of flashes, and then it's gone with a squinted face, head pulled into her shoulder. "Sh-guh.." she mumbles, before laughing with a musical little tone. "Hey." Mess up her carefully tangled curls. Beast! "Well, you'll have show me, and I can affect a snooty demeanor, look down my nose at them, and mutter about how photography isn't /really/ art."

Hyde has always been particularly perceptive - especially since those flashes often reveal so much about what a person is thinking, and so he peers at the younger girl with an intense, barely concealed curiousity. His hand then goes back into his pocket, and though he can't help but look amused, it's clear that he is straining to remain in control of his expression. Oh how easy and damaging it would be to accidentally laugh or, Merlin forbid, smile! He nods his head, deciding then to play along with her. "Oh, but of course. Then I would just say that you have no vision, naturally, and not an artistic bone in your body."

Corbin's lips twitch. It's obvious that she's pleased at his amusement. A little sadly, she reveals, "It's likely true. Those who can, do. Those who can't, critique." Pushing back a lock of hair he's caused to fall about her face, she tilts her head. "Besides, you saw that drawing of the gargoyle. You should be well aware of my artistic ability from that alone."

Hyde shakes his head calmly, silently disagreeing with her statement. "There are many forms of art," he murmurs, before looking around the hall with a slight frown. "C'mon. Let's go somewhere."

Corbin hesitates for a moment, wavering on her feet. She offers a faintly dubious look, and then nods a little. "Okay. Where?" She again tucks hair behind her ear, before getting fed up and quickly, messily braiding it behind her head. See, this is why you don't ruffle!

Hyde turns his frown to Corbin, quick enough to catch her hesitation. His brows furrow, and he goes to cross his arms over his chest defensively. "Forget it then," he quips, shaking his head, taking a few steps towards the doors leading outside.

Corbin shakes her head quickly, moving to catch up with the boy. "No, Hyde," she starts, frowning as she reaches for his arm. "I want to." She moves to give him a little shove. "Take me where you were going to take me, and stop being so bloody moody."

Hyde looks back to Corbin as she both reaches for him before pushing him forward. Up goes the eyebrow. "I'm not bloody moody," he says, although not with too much conviction. Pause. "I wasn't - I don't know where I'm going."

Corbin relaxes with a faint smirk plastered across her lips. "Difficult, then," she decides, "if not moody. Let's go to the forest, if you don't have anywhere in mind." Going the way of the rat, Corbin heads toward the door, shrugging her robe a little closer around her shoulders.

Hyde purses his lips slightly, and instead of voicing his response merely nods his head once, his long legs crossing the floor towards the door and pushing it open. Naturally, he doesn't go out but waits for her to take leave first.

Corbin offers a slightly odd look as she steps through the door, turning away to hide her grin. Aw, he's polite sometimes! Two steps out, the girl yelps and pitches forward when that damned rat scampers across her foot and scrabbles his way up her robe. So very undignified, she pinwheels, trying to catch her balance. Poor Corbin, she's not usually quite this bad.

Hyde completely ignores her look, as it is highly unlikely that he missed it. Her unbalanced behavior, however elicits more of a reaction. His arm lunges forward in an attempt to grab one of hers to steady her on her feet, and he is frowning quite seriously. "Are you alright? What could you possibly have tripped on?"

Corbin happily avoids falling, but narrowly, thanks to the quick Hufflepuff. "Ow," she murmurs offhand, taking a step backward and stabiling herself with her free hand moving to Hyde's arm. "Blasted rat," Cor answers, shaking her head. One can practically see the steam coming from her ears. "I should be used to it. It's why I don't take him anywhere.." The girl frowns, shaking her head and grabbing now for the champagne beast crawling up her robe, shoving him toward a pocket. "This whole, pets at school thing... I don't get it." She gives a fierce little glare at nothing in particular.

Hyde loosens his grip on the first year, not yet relinquishing her until he is positive of her stability. He alternates between eyeing her and the rat rather warily once it emerges, letting out a quite 'hmph'. "Why did you bring him, then?" He prompts conversationally.

Corbin turns away a half step and rubs the back of her neck slightly. "I've never been away from home for long," is answered quietly, nonchalant. "I figured having something my brothers helped me pick out would be comforting." The girl scowls, planting hands on hips. "Not that I need it." She's tough, she can handle being away from home and surrounded by strangers. The girl pauses, and turns, moving to continue their trek. "Did you bring a pet?"

Hyde finally lets go of her, sticking the freed hand into his pocket idly. He merely nods at her story to show that he is paying attention, deciding against commenting on it for some reason or another. See, he can be graceful. At her question however, "Ah, I did. An owl. He's more serviceable, I think, than other pets."

Corbin nods slowly at that, thankful that he's ignoring her quiet revalations. "I've always liked owls," she remarks. "The boys said, get a rat. Rats are cool. Rats aren't girly like cats are." She pauses, and then grins a little. "Girls who like rats are almost as cool as girls who like bugs. Get a rat!" She shrugs, toying with the braid across her shoulder. "Never really liked cats much.. Owls are pretty, though, and far more useful. Socrates just steals stuff and hides it." She falls quiet as they walk, setting her hands in her pockets and lightly petting the pretty colored little head that peeks out, peering around with beady red eyes. Eventually, Corbin voices her thoughts as they near the forest, reminded of his words in the entry hall. "Do you like art in general, or just photography?"

Hyde frowns slightly, scrunching up his nose in thought. "I don't particularly find cats girly. They're fairly self-sufficient, not always hanging off of you for attention or anything. But, a bit of a hassle." He admits, his eyes darting around the colorful trees astutely. Pause. "You mean, like your ice mice?" He asks with a bit of wry amusement. The art question causes him to think. "...Well, I have a basic sort of appreciation for art, naturally. But, mostly only photography. It's a moment in time you've captured."

Corbin smiles. She's tensed as they near the forest, in that way a string has when it's being pulled tight. Tense with interest, she heads as close to the trees as seems safe, and settles down on the carpet of brilliant colors. "Well, lots of girls like cats. I suppose that's what they meant," she replies, leaning back on her hands and tilting her head to gaze up into the shifting colors above. "Socrates steals everything. Sometimes I think he's far more kleptomanic than the average rat. Maybe he was a magpie in a previous life." Slowly, her attention moves to the boy again, watchful and calm despite the tension of being so close to danger. "I think I like pictures more than paintings," she admits. "I don't get lost in them so easily, so I can appreciate them objectively."

If Hyde has noticed her being proverbially wounded by the alluring proximity of the forest, he doesn't show it. He shrugs in response to the speculation of cats, and Socrates gets a snort of mild amusement, but he does not speak of the subject. Instead, he watches her as she settles down on the floor and, without needing to be prompted, does the same. Except, he actually lies all the way back down, pillowing his arms behind his head. "Objectivity is all well and fine, but I think, what draws me to photography...it's real. Reality, put on pause."

Corbin turns, after a moment, to flop onto her stomach and cup her chin in her hands, watching the older boy. When he speaks, her head tilts slowly to one side, and she's quiet. "That's true," she replies, very soft. "I hadn't thought of that before." Her eyes, shaded by the proximity of the forest and her lowered lashes, still spark just a touch. "I don't think about art too much." Her tone has the sound of someone admitting something distasteful, but she's smiling just a touch when she looks up again. "It's like.. the common room. To you, it's just a wall. Just some bricks or some stone, or smoothed rock. And then... I go, and it's not just a wall." Long black locks fall from their loose braid, twining and falling to hide the face she bows toward the leaf-strewn grass.

The Hufflepuff boy has his eyes closed at this point, breathing evenly, deeply. Serene. "You know, sometimes I think over-analyzing things take away from their wonder and beauty. So, maybe it's best that you aren't a rabid follower of art." Suddenly, Hyde's eyes shoot open and he leans his head slightly to look at Corbin, a difficult expression on his face. "Your common room? Ah, right. Yes, I suppose that works."

Corbin tilts her head again, blinking rapidly. The girl colors. "Oh.. right. Don't tell anyone, huh?" She inclines her head, rubbing the back of her neck, embarassed. Way to go Cor, just give away all Sltyherin's secrets. Kudos, kiddo. "But, that's not quite what I meant." She flounders now, and finally shrugs. "Art is just weird." Chin propped on one hand, she stares off through the nearest trees, probably hoping for a glimpse of that unknown something she saw on their last visit. "Do you know anyone who's gone into the forest?"

Hyde tilts his lips into a wry sort of smirk, which only ends up looking rather odd thanks to his angle. "I won't. Until I need to." He says, almost smug. Instead of inquiring about how weird art is, he lifts his gaze back to the sky. "Hm? I don't know exactly. Perhaps. There are rumours, of course, but anyone can /say/ they've gone somewhere."

Corbin stills. "The people who've said they did.. Did they get expelled?" Oh, this line of questioning is just far too tempting, and the girl folds her arms and rests her chin there, watching Hyde. "Nevermind. I shouldn't be asking that." Pause. "Tell me about before you came here."

Hyde's left eyebrow rises slowly, and he ends up nodding in approval when she retracts her question. He decides simply ignoring it is the best route to take, but her other /demand/ is almost as cringe-worthy. He works his face into a mild frown, darting his eyes down to Corbin before the return to the heavens. "What? You mean, before I came to Hogwarts?"

Corbin is still young. Her eagerness and little faux-pas are excuseable. She smiles against her arm, relaxed, legs kicking slowly in the air. "Yeah. What was it like before you came here? What's your family like? What did you do?" Her voice is soft, curious.

Hyde is quite for a considerable amount of time, clearly debating about whether or not he wants to talk about his early childhood or not. Eventually, he sighs, and attempts a shrug from where he is laying down on his back. "UhI don't know exactly what to say," he begins, with the hesitance of a person who is choosing and picking his words carefully. "It was...quiet." Pause. "I have a younger brother, you know. Isaac - he'll be coming to school next term, I think. My family is...uh, normal. And...I liked to go out on my own a lot." Quickly, and more to turn the spotlight away from himself and to her than out of honest curiousity, he adds, "What about you?"

Corbin listens carefully, one violet eye planted firmly on Hyde's face, watchful and patient. "Not much different than now, then." She smiles a little, briefly. "You seem to like to be on your own more often than not." Leaning up and balancing her chin on her hand again, she shrugs. "Two older brothers. Lots of cousins, all around our lands. Out in Ayrshire, you know? Lots of land. A litle town. Not a lot around to do, too many people to avoid. Everyone else is so friendly and happy all the time..." She trails off, and remains in silence for a moment. "I never fit in. They were all happy to.. just be happy with the way things were, I guess. Being together. I always wanted to know things, know more." A faint laugh emerges. "Well, you know that much. More than one person has asked why I ask so many questions.. I suppose I'm annoying," she announces finally, tone sobering. "I just like to know anything I can."

"Not very different at all." Hyde concedes, matter-of-factly. "But honestly, I've been much worse. In fact, I'm fairly surprised with myself." When she says she never really fit in, he lifts his head slightly, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he looks over to her thoughtfully. "Was it a wizarding community?" He inquires at first. Then, "Hm. Well, there's nothing wrong with asking questions. You just need to give people time to absorb the onslaught. Knowledge is always good."

Corbin wonders, "Surprised with yourself? Are you more open now than you were before you came?" The girl shakes her head a touch. "No, I'm all mixed.. My brothers and my parents are all wizards, and a lot of the family who lives with us in Craufurdland are, but there are more than a few muggles.. and I think most of the town itself are muggles. Mum never let the boys do magic down there.. but the family knows about it all." The girl perks, brightening. "I'll try to keep my questions slow from now on."

Hyde smirks all too dryly. "Terrifying thought, isn't it? What with my friendly disposition and all...But, I suppose I am, now." Pause. "I don't like crowds, or lingering around people I don't know well. Hell, I don't much tolerate hanging around people I /do/ know well. I never have. I suppose I'm a bit socially awkward." He nods then at her mixed lineage, a slight frown tugging at his lips. But, he remains silent, keeping without questions to himself. "Good. Surprising as though it may be, we tend to need time to breath."

Corbin lets her eyes narrow just a touch, catching the frown lacing about his lips. "I know. Lots of the wizards here frown on the mixing of blood." The girl glances down at a leaf she's idly lacing through her fingers. "I'm in Slytherin, I /know/ people look down on it. It's like house, though. You don't choose it.. it chooses you. We're not always happy with the choice," and she glances pointedly at Hyde at that, "but it's one we have to live with, and rise, if not because of, then, in spite of it." Her lips, purse, and then she grins a little. "My house might be full of kids who can trace their families back through Slytherin since time began. Well, as far as I can see it, I'm the first one in my family. That has to say /something/ about me."

Hyde's frown becomes more defined as Corbin goes off on her blood rant, and he lets her finish before bothering to correct her. "My father is a halfblood." He says, pointedly. End of discussion. "Although, it must say something of you, yes. Good things, I think." That's as far as he goes, before letting out a breath and sitting up, running his hand through his hair repeatedly in an attempt to get all of the debris out.

Corbin brightens a little at his words, though she doesn't reply. Instead, she raises to her knees and reaches over. "You should leave it, you have a very dryad, wood elf look about you," she suggests, teasingly. Though, she seems inclined to help him as she shifts closer on her knees. "Though I suppose you'd have to be wearing altogether more bark for that."

Hyde shakes his head, partially to dismiss her words and partially to shake the leaves out of his dark locks. "Wonderful. I've always wanted to be mistaken for a wood elf," he drawls, not maliciously however. He turns to look at her then, leaning the majority of his weight back to his palm idly. Quietly, with sharp, acutely aware eyes.

Corbin offers a brief laugh, falling quiet when he stares. Her hand pauses there, outstretched in the air, before falling to her lap. Eyes growing a little wide, she blinks. "What?" Cor finally demands, faintly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Hyde frowns mildly, delivering a little half-shrug. "Nothing." He dismisses easily and dispassionately. A convincing performance. "I'm not looking at you like anything. I think constant Slytherin exposure has gotten you paranoid."

Corbin snorts at that, shaking her head. "Wouldn't surprise me," she answers, agreeably, slowly rising to her feet. "I'm going to go back. Don't forget to find your photos for me," she reminds with that slightly demanding tone and one side of her mouth curling up just a touch. "I want to see them." Quickly, she leans forward to snag a deep red leaf he'd missed, and then turns away.

Hyde nods his head slowly, slumping down a little calmly. "If you insist," he says wryly, his attention drifting off to the forest at her movement. He doesn't much react to her plucking the leaf out of his hair, except to quip up a simple "bye."

Corbin gives a little wave of her newly aquired leaf over one shoulder, placidly heading back toward the castle.

LOG 11 - Tumbling Firsties

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:27:09 GMT

Place: Entry Hall, Hogwarts
Characters Involved: Corbin, Travis, Patrick
Brief Synopsis: Corbin seems to have a thing for the Badger house – or at least running away from them.

At Hogwarts, breakfast on the weekends tends to be a bit catch as catch can, with students coming and going as they drag themselves out of bed and down to the Great Hall. Travis usually finds himself somewhere in the middle of the time, and this morning would be no different than others. Having already popped in and grabbed a piece of toast off the nearest table, the boy is back out in the Entry Hall. As he moves through the students he stops now and then to talk to a friend, but mostly he seems to be looking around a lot, as if seeking someone in particular.

Like Travis, the little Slytherin girl has already snagged her breakfast, and gone for her morning meeting with the giant inhabitant of the lake. Coming back into the entry way, her head is bowed over a book and the girl obviously expects - for the most part, anyway - other people to avoid /her/. She does seem to do a fairly good job of weaving around people, though she doesn't go out of her way to avoid crashing into anyone.

Normally, Travis is pretty observant. But as he turns away from a group of yearmates, letting his eyes scan the crowd, he moves faster than his gaze travels and nearly barrels right into the book-reading Slytherin. His hands go out automatically, to steady either her or her book, and he stops himself with a little wobble. "Oi, lass!" His voice is surprised, but not particularly reprimanding as a smile surfaces. "Mind yer step."

Corbin comes to an abrupt stop, book crushed to her chest, and blinks slowly up at the Hufflepuff. If the girl has an inkling to where she is, it doesn't show as she turns her head, glancing around with a curious look. "Oh," she finally remarks, focus returning to the boy before her. "Right." Clapping the book closed and tucking it into her bag, the girl tilts her head a little. "Do you make it a habit of stepping into first years, or should I feel special?" Her tone is mostly serious, but the corners of her lips twitch.

Although he's not one of the tallest in his year, Travis still has a clear height advantage over the girl, and he looks down at her, his bushy brows slightly raised in amusement at the cheeky question. "I choose only very special firsties tae step into, rest assured." He looks around, then points to a taller boy from his house that he knows to be another firstie. "That one there. A bit large for stepping into. Hardly any chance of a clean tumble over."

Corbin gives a serious little nod. "Yes, well, one has to be choosy. Minimum effort for maximum effect, and all that," she agrees. A pale creamy little rodent head peeks out of her robe collar, and the girl quickly shoves it back down, blank look on her face. You saw NOTHING. "Unfortunately, I'm notoriously hard to tumble over." She smiles a little at that.

Travis looks at Corbin, a slight frown drawing his brows together as he nods slowly. "Low center of gravity. It's a good thing, that is, but not very good for the tumbler. Does keep ya from bein' a tumblee, though." If he notices the rat head there isn't an outward sign of it. His face retains the serious cast as he coughs, one hand coming up to politely cover his mouth with a fist. Or perhaps that's to hide a smirk. "Well, Travis Paterson," he finally says. "What're ya readin'?"

"What's this? Tumbling firsties?" Patrick drawls, wandering onto the scene. A raised eyebrow as he notices the first year who still hasn't introduced herself.

Yes, more people to whom she shall remain nameless. Corbin doesn't offer her name in return to the Hufflepuff, but glances down at her bag, brimming with books and parchments, and looks thoughtful. "Just something my brother sent me," the girl finally answers, "It's an old book on magical creatures - a muggle book." Smirking a touch with amusement, she shakes her head. Patrick's arrival is met with a grin, quickly schooled into a narrow-eyed look. "Yes, these Hufflepuffs are all troublesome and eager to send firsties sprawling. And Slytherins have a bad reputation? Hah."

Travis glances toward the new arrival, face still holding the sober cast. He nods his head briefly, offering a simple, "McElroy." His eyes drop back to the girl's book, as he goes on. "Muggles don't tend tae ken over much about magical creatures, but what they think they do is usually good for a laugh. Usually as amusing as people expecting everyone in a house to be the same as the next." Now an easy smile comes to his lips as his thumbs hook into the belt loops of his jeans and his eyes wander again, scanning the entry hall.
"Sometimes they're true though, what muggles find out." Patrick comments. "I think in a few cases, muggles found something wizards hadn't known. Can't list any at the moment, but I'm sure there's something."

Corbin pats the book, pushing it back into the bag. "I like it, anyway. And the pictures they've done.." She trails off, thoughtfully looking past the boys. After a moment, Cor shakes her head and returns her attention to the present. Hiking a brow at Travis, the girl smiles just a touch.
Corbin adds, almost jokingly, "Nah. There's always one or two who don't fit the mold."

Travis turns his blue eyes to Patrick again, his face schooled into a neutral expression. "Sure, muggles find out some things. But I can't think of an instance of a muggle ever finding out something about the wizarding world that a wizard doesn't ken first. And much of what they think they've got is absolute crap." The last word comes with the relish typical of the Scots, making the word sound nearly musical with it's lilt. His eyes return to the girl. "What's yer name then, lass?"

Patrick shrugs. "Muggles aren't as dumb as you think." he replies. Not that Patrick knows, really... "Take Dill, for instance. He's halfblood, and he's not dumb."

Corbin stays decidedly silent on the topic of muggles, toying instead with the long locks of hair that fall to her chest. Twining it around one finger, she glances between the two before answering Travis softly, "Corbin Crawford." The girl seems to have little else to say at the moment, and finally takes a step backward. "As interesting as the debate on muggle and halfblood intelligence is, I've got some things to take care of."

Travis fixes Patrick with a look that would be just as fitting had the Gryffindor suddenly sprouted a horn from the center of his forehead. "Dumb? Christ, McElroy, don't hurt yerself with the conclusions you jump tae. The only one saying muggles are dumb around here seems tae be you." He huffs out a breath, then nods to Corbin. "Nice tae meet ya, lass. Time for me tae get some fresh air." Without waiting for any parting remarks, Travis turns, heading off toward the door out to the courtyard, shaking his head and muttering under his breath.