Hogwarts: Part 24
May. 17th, 2006 01:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unforthOh so sleepy!
As I was writing this, I realized I left out a lot of the things that happened in the first date (ie, the stuff I wrote yesterday)...I managed to find ways to include it in this section, but it's the sort of thing that ultimately will require a rewrite to not be stupid. :)
Ah well. Watched more ER today, hung out, did more sudoku...mom's going to make me a knit handbag, spent some time picking out the yarn for that. Got more menus. Made some basic plans to meet![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ultimabaka on Thursday - now I have to call claireon and see if she'd like to join us, hopefully she will - hopefully one of the phone numbers I got from baka will work! :) Anyway, off to bed.
Marcus had given me a gift, had insisted on it, in exchange for the hedgehog toy. The Headmaster had, in an effort to support the war and reduce costs, been most insistent that even as winter arrived each student was to have but a single blanket. This had already made for many cold nights, and was likely to make for many more. Wrapped in neatly folded paper, Marcus had presented me with a kingly gift: a beautiful blanket, a second one, to keep me warm. I have treasured it all my days, but immediately following the date it was especially nice, and I took to studying in the common room wrapped in my blanket. I received more than a few dirty looks from my cold fellow students. Yet all I could do was repeat to myself that I WOULD be his girlfriend.
A few days after our meal, I was surprised to receive a note from Marcus. We had agreed that, for various reasons, we should keep relatively quiet about things. He was, after all, going to the ball with someone else, and it was important that he keep up appearances in that regard, and so I was surprised. The note he sent said only that he’d like to talk to me, though, and named some times that he was available. Looking them over, I selected one of them – which was but a few hours hence – and wrote him back.
I arrived at the meeting time a few moments late, for Professor Lestrange had held us a little bit late in class. Marcus was there, waiting. He looked anxious.
“I’m sorry I’m late!” I apologized.
“No, it’s no problem. I can’t talk long, I just wanted to tell you – to warn you – about something.” He sounded worried and hurried. I nodded, and he continued. “I know that you are close the headmaster, but, well, as head boy I hear a lot about the things that people do around the school and such. And, well…” He paused, and I wondered what it was that had him so upset. “Well, I’ve heard rumors and seen some evidence that suggests that the Headmaster might have been responsible for the creation of those things that attacked the students, those horrible monsters. I’ve seen – it looks like they were trapped in the dungeon under the north tower, and had broken free when the tower collapsed during the zeppelin attack.”
Shocked, I tried to figure out what to make of this information. “I don’t believe it – the Headmaster would never do such a thing. He cares too much about the school – to much about the students.” Thoughts of necromancy in the dungeon, of the other rumors I had heard, permeated, and a small part of me wondered if it might actually be possible. I quashed the thoughts ruthlessly.
“Please, just, be careful.” He took a deep breath. “I have to go. Promise me.”
“I’ll be careful,” I replied, “but I truly don’t think that he would do such a thing.”
Nodding, Marcus left in a hurry, and I stood there, thinking on what he’d just said. How could the Headmaster have done such a thing? Why would he be playing with necromancy? I firmly believed that Headmaster Nigellus would never do anything purposefully to endanger the student body, nor did I think that he had evil intentions or any such. Was it possible, I thought, that he had somehow created those monsters unintentionally? Was there any good reason to be doing necromancy? No, I tried to reassure myself, it must be a false hood, it must all be untrue. But what if it wasn’t? I must have stood there for half an hour, arguing with myself, before I realized the simple truth of the situation. I believed in Headmaster Nigellus. Even if he had been conducting necromantic experiments, I knew that he must have had a good reason for doing so, and would never have purposefully endangered the student body. Thus, it didn’t matter to me that might have done this awful thing.
Vaguely reassured by this realization, I moved on to more pleasant topics. Only when I was done being concerned about my mentors roll in the creation of necromantic monsters did I realize how truly concerned Marcus had sounded. Blushing very red, I left our meeting place and went on with my day, wondering what was happening to me. Whenever I saw Marcus, he seemed to either be on WAP duty or with Katrina. I knew he was going to ball with her; I also knew that he wanted to be going to the ball with me. One of the more interesting things that had come up in my conversations with Marcus during the date was the matter of Katrina. He had informed that he strongly suspected that she had used some sort of mind altering power on him, for at the time she had asked him out he had been about to say no when suddenly his emotions had shifted and she seemed to the most lovely and perfect of beings, and he’d found himself saying yes. Apparently, he had found that happened often when he was around her, and it was most distressing. I tried to defend her – I have no idea why, in retrospect – pointing out that as a half-breed she might have abilities she couldn’t control, pointing out all sorts of possible explanations that her actions might not be her fault. Marcus certainly concurred, but I could tell that he remained unconvinced. I felt distinctly silly, standing and defending my rival, yet somehow I knew it was the right way to handle the situation. I wanted to win, I wanted to beat her, but maligning her would not help me accomplish that. I had to seem better than her. However, defending her didn’t mean that I didn’t believe that she might be using abilities to manipulate Marcus’ feelings. I really did worry that she was using some sort of powers to manipulate him, and I realized that if I didn’t do something, and fast, I might lose him to whatever powers she was using. I wondered vaguely when I had begun to think that he was mine to lose.
Thinking on it, I realized that she must be using love magic of some sort. I had heard of Veela and was familiar with their abilities. It stood to reason that, as a half veela, she might have some of the same abilities. However, veela weren’t the only ones who could manipulate love. I was well acquainted with love potions, and could make them rather readily. However, I had no desire to force Marcus to love me. No, the more I watched Katrina use underhanded methods to woo him, the more convinced I became that my chances of victory in the competition lay in complete honesty. I had to make him see through her, without damaging my own reputation in his eyes. Thinking on the nature of the potion I had made, I became convinced that I could concoct a mixture that would counteract her abilities. I knew I could do it, I hoped I could do it in time for the ball; the only remaining problem was that I had no one to test it on. Somehow, I managed to get even less sleep each night, and by the morning of the ball I had a single vial of a potion that I hoped against hope would inoculate Marcus against Katrina’s charms.
As I was writing this, I realized I left out a lot of the things that happened in the first date (ie, the stuff I wrote yesterday)...I managed to find ways to include it in this section, but it's the sort of thing that ultimately will require a rewrite to not be stupid. :)
Ah well. Watched more ER today, hung out, did more sudoku...mom's going to make me a knit handbag, spent some time picking out the yarn for that. Got more menus. Made some basic plans to meet
ultimabaka on Thursday - now I have to call claireon and see if she'd like to join us, hopefully she will - hopefully one of the phone numbers I got from baka will work! :) Anyway, off to bed.Marcus had given me a gift, had insisted on it, in exchange for the hedgehog toy. The Headmaster had, in an effort to support the war and reduce costs, been most insistent that even as winter arrived each student was to have but a single blanket. This had already made for many cold nights, and was likely to make for many more. Wrapped in neatly folded paper, Marcus had presented me with a kingly gift: a beautiful blanket, a second one, to keep me warm. I have treasured it all my days, but immediately following the date it was especially nice, and I took to studying in the common room wrapped in my blanket. I received more than a few dirty looks from my cold fellow students. Yet all I could do was repeat to myself that I WOULD be his girlfriend.
A few days after our meal, I was surprised to receive a note from Marcus. We had agreed that, for various reasons, we should keep relatively quiet about things. He was, after all, going to the ball with someone else, and it was important that he keep up appearances in that regard, and so I was surprised. The note he sent said only that he’d like to talk to me, though, and named some times that he was available. Looking them over, I selected one of them – which was but a few hours hence – and wrote him back.
I arrived at the meeting time a few moments late, for Professor Lestrange had held us a little bit late in class. Marcus was there, waiting. He looked anxious.
“I’m sorry I’m late!” I apologized.
“No, it’s no problem. I can’t talk long, I just wanted to tell you – to warn you – about something.” He sounded worried and hurried. I nodded, and he continued. “I know that you are close the headmaster, but, well, as head boy I hear a lot about the things that people do around the school and such. And, well…” He paused, and I wondered what it was that had him so upset. “Well, I’ve heard rumors and seen some evidence that suggests that the Headmaster might have been responsible for the creation of those things that attacked the students, those horrible monsters. I’ve seen – it looks like they were trapped in the dungeon under the north tower, and had broken free when the tower collapsed during the zeppelin attack.”
Shocked, I tried to figure out what to make of this information. “I don’t believe it – the Headmaster would never do such a thing. He cares too much about the school – to much about the students.” Thoughts of necromancy in the dungeon, of the other rumors I had heard, permeated, and a small part of me wondered if it might actually be possible. I quashed the thoughts ruthlessly.
“Please, just, be careful.” He took a deep breath. “I have to go. Promise me.”
“I’ll be careful,” I replied, “but I truly don’t think that he would do such a thing.”
Nodding, Marcus left in a hurry, and I stood there, thinking on what he’d just said. How could the Headmaster have done such a thing? Why would he be playing with necromancy? I firmly believed that Headmaster Nigellus would never do anything purposefully to endanger the student body, nor did I think that he had evil intentions or any such. Was it possible, I thought, that he had somehow created those monsters unintentionally? Was there any good reason to be doing necromancy? No, I tried to reassure myself, it must be a false hood, it must all be untrue. But what if it wasn’t? I must have stood there for half an hour, arguing with myself, before I realized the simple truth of the situation. I believed in Headmaster Nigellus. Even if he had been conducting necromantic experiments, I knew that he must have had a good reason for doing so, and would never have purposefully endangered the student body. Thus, it didn’t matter to me that might have done this awful thing.
Vaguely reassured by this realization, I moved on to more pleasant topics. Only when I was done being concerned about my mentors roll in the creation of necromantic monsters did I realize how truly concerned Marcus had sounded. Blushing very red, I left our meeting place and went on with my day, wondering what was happening to me. Whenever I saw Marcus, he seemed to either be on WAP duty or with Katrina. I knew he was going to ball with her; I also knew that he wanted to be going to the ball with me. One of the more interesting things that had come up in my conversations with Marcus during the date was the matter of Katrina. He had informed that he strongly suspected that she had used some sort of mind altering power on him, for at the time she had asked him out he had been about to say no when suddenly his emotions had shifted and she seemed to the most lovely and perfect of beings, and he’d found himself saying yes. Apparently, he had found that happened often when he was around her, and it was most distressing. I tried to defend her – I have no idea why, in retrospect – pointing out that as a half-breed she might have abilities she couldn’t control, pointing out all sorts of possible explanations that her actions might not be her fault. Marcus certainly concurred, but I could tell that he remained unconvinced. I felt distinctly silly, standing and defending my rival, yet somehow I knew it was the right way to handle the situation. I wanted to win, I wanted to beat her, but maligning her would not help me accomplish that. I had to seem better than her. However, defending her didn’t mean that I didn’t believe that she might be using abilities to manipulate Marcus’ feelings. I really did worry that she was using some sort of powers to manipulate him, and I realized that if I didn’t do something, and fast, I might lose him to whatever powers she was using. I wondered vaguely when I had begun to think that he was mine to lose.
Thinking on it, I realized that she must be using love magic of some sort. I had heard of Veela and was familiar with their abilities. It stood to reason that, as a half veela, she might have some of the same abilities. However, veela weren’t the only ones who could manipulate love. I was well acquainted with love potions, and could make them rather readily. However, I had no desire to force Marcus to love me. No, the more I watched Katrina use underhanded methods to woo him, the more convinced I became that my chances of victory in the competition lay in complete honesty. I had to make him see through her, without damaging my own reputation in his eyes. Thinking on the nature of the potion I had made, I became convinced that I could concoct a mixture that would counteract her abilities. I knew I could do it, I hoped I could do it in time for the ball; the only remaining problem was that I had no one to test it on. Somehow, I managed to get even less sleep each night, and by the morning of the ball I had a single vial of a potion that I hoped against hope would inoculate Marcus against Katrina’s charms.
