21 Jul 2020, 14:32
Seeking Sanctuary
Geoffrey needed some time away from all those prying eyes. He felt watched everywhere he went. After all he did often draw attention even when trying his best not to do so. It had taken longer to escape the masses of his peers then anticipated. Curiosity getting the better of some as they attempted to engage him. But he was a boy on a mission, a mission to find some peace & quiet. Unfortunately the current area didn't allow for much privacy. There were patches of trees that he might be able to find a brief escape from everyone in.
However it seemed he was not the only student to have this idea. The first patch of trees seemed to have a small grouping of students at their base. He moved past them onto the next cluster of trees. At least he seemed to be alone here, the day was warm & this spot seemed to have an adequate amount of coverage from the swarming mass of people nearby. Picking the tree he believed to be easiest to scale he tucked his book into the waist of his pants. Geoffrey scaled the tree without any great difficulty before reaching what he believed to be a sturdy branch.
It had smaller branches that stretched out allowing for natural foot rests while he sat there. What drew him to it the most was the patch of sun that fought its way through the tree top to warm the area. He took out his book 'Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them' & got as comfortable as he could in his chosen spot. Should he encounter anyone, the chances of it being a large group were slim. Which meant he'd at least be able to properly engage them without trying to monitor everyone else as well. He had no real issue with groups other then they required more effort to effectively navigate then small encounters.
Opening up his book he returned once more to the magnificient writing of Newt Scamander. Geoffrey had yet to come across another author who wrote about the creatures the way he did. After all Magical Creatures were truly fascinating to the youth, so naturally the works of Newt were something he enjoyed. Besides it was not an interest that could be used against him. He enjoyed the things that couldn't be seen as a weakness. It meant he didn't have to keep his guard up. Given how careful he had to be in his daily life, it was a great relief being able to freely express himself.
[Looking Forward to the Rp Ileen!]
However it seemed he was not the only student to have this idea. The first patch of trees seemed to have a small grouping of students at their base. He moved past them onto the next cluster of trees. At least he seemed to be alone here, the day was warm & this spot seemed to have an adequate amount of coverage from the swarming mass of people nearby. Picking the tree he believed to be easiest to scale he tucked his book into the waist of his pants. Geoffrey scaled the tree without any great difficulty before reaching what he believed to be a sturdy branch.
It had smaller branches that stretched out allowing for natural foot rests while he sat there. What drew him to it the most was the patch of sun that fought its way through the tree top to warm the area. He took out his book 'Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them' & got as comfortable as he could in his chosen spot. Should he encounter anyone, the chances of it being a large group were slim. Which meant he'd at least be able to properly engage them without trying to monitor everyone else as well. He had no real issue with groups other then they required more effort to effectively navigate then small encounters.
Opening up his book he returned once more to the magnificient writing of Newt Scamander. Geoffrey had yet to come across another author who wrote about the creatures the way he did. After all Magical Creatures were truly fascinating to the youth, so naturally the works of Newt were something he enjoyed. Besides it was not an interest that could be used against him. He enjoyed the things that couldn't be seen as a weakness. It meant he didn't have to keep his guard up. Given how careful he had to be in his daily life, it was a great relief being able to freely express himself.
[Looking Forward to the Rp Ileen!]
Last edited by Marcus Iwasaki on 22 Jul 2020, 14:15, edited 1 time in total.
Stamina-4 Evasion-5 Strength-3 Wisdom-10 Arcane Power-7 Accuracy-6 Traits; Part-Veela & Lovely Creature
23 Jul 2020, 12:22
Seeking Sanctuary
Ileen raised her camera to her eyes and pressed the shutter button. With a silent click the picture was saved. Honestly, she was amazed that their tent still existed - she would have bet four galleons that it had been burnt down or otherwise destroyed by the inhabitants by now. With a slight head shake the young Slytherin turned around. Since the first day at the camp she made sure to always bring some first-aid stuff everywhere she went. Sadly, it was indeed necessary. The idiots struck unexpectedly and shockingly often.
Walking through the camp she took some other pictures of people in front of their tents, Quidditch fan clubs and other things that dominated life in the summer camp.
She would make sure to not be approached by anyone though. Just sleeping in the tent was exhausting so she had been happy about the excuse to sneak away - and she didn’t intend to be stopped in her mission and being forced to talk to any other idiots.
When she reached the other side of the campsite she thoughtfully bit her lower lip. Maybe she should also take a picture of the whole area to capture the memory? Scanning the area she frowned. Maybe it would be the best to climb one of the hills nearby? Great idea! So she could kill two birds with one stone. Getting a good ankle for her picture and hide getting some peace and quiet time.
She put the camera around her neck to keep her hands free. Then she tied her hair into a ponytail. Although she was wearing a beige t-shirt with fringes on the sleeves and short jeans, it was still very warm.
That was probably also the reason why she passed some gatherings of people under trees on her way up the hill. With a silent sigh she made a generous detour to get out of the way of the groups of people. Groups. Always a bad idea. After a while, the noises of the chatter faded and there was only the sound of nature around her.
Relieved, she briefly closed her eyes to take the peace in. It was like her whole body could finally breathe again. After a few seconds she inhaled heavily to gather motivation to move again. Picture. Right. She peered back to the campsite and cocked her head. It was… okay. But it could be better. Like this the angle wasn’t that nice. It just seemed… flat. If she would go up the hill further some trees would block her view...
Looking for a better place, she turned on her own axis. Maybe she could climb a tree? Nearby was one with some low branches - so easy to climb.
The young Slytherin carefully stored her camera in the bag. The sunlight painted golden patterns on the grass and sent a calming green light through the leaves. She took a mental note to capture that in a picture as well. But first the campsite.
She began to climb the tree with experienced movements - easy. She had already done this a hundred times in her life. She easily found her footing and the branches were not far apart. Right here next to the foot was also a place where she could hold on well. Wait. Foot?
She was so stunned, she missed her grip. With a choked squeal she slipped off, but just managed to hold on to something before she crashed completely.
Her heart was beating like crazy as she dangled from the tree and looked up at the person who had apparently made himself comfortable there. "You - you are not a bird!" she observed and blinked in surprise.
@Geoffrey Ryan
OOC: Me, too! Don't leave me hanging
"Some people are in such utter darkness that they will burn you just to see a light."
14 Aug 2020, 14:57
Seeking Sanctuary
Geoffrey had been so focused on his book that he'd not noticed someone else making an attempt to scale the tree. At the words from the young girl he looked down in surprise to see her clinging to one of the branches below him. It seemed she to shared his surprise at finding someone else within the treetop. With a sigh he placed his book carefully against the branch so that it leaned against the trunk. "A bird? I should hope not, that would mean a lot of people had lied to me throughout my life." he would say as he lowered a foot down onto a nearby branch.
Extending a hand out to his peer in offer of assistance. He supported himself using a branch above him as he helped up the newcomer. Once they were safely on a branch Geoffrey would begin to say "You're lucky I was here, you should be more ca..." as his grip on the branch above slipped & he fell back. Fortunately he managed to grasp a branch as he fell, slowing his decent. Although his collision with the ground still knocked the wind from his frail frame. He lay there for a brief moment assessing the pain he felt, it seemed mostly superficial.
"...or it could've ended like that." he would say with a pained grin. Slowly pushing himself up from the ground & brushing off what he could of the dirt. A quick inspection of his wand showed it was unharmed from the fall. That was his only concern as a Wizard, after all he was not capable of Wandless Magic. Looking up at the student he would introduce himself. "Are you okay? I'm Geoffrey..." he would say asking if she was okay, despite being the one to fall. He'd left out his last name for now, an odd action for someone of his status. Names & lineage usually meant everything to them.
Extending a hand out to his peer in offer of assistance. He supported himself using a branch above him as he helped up the newcomer. Once they were safely on a branch Geoffrey would begin to say "You're lucky I was here, you should be more ca..." as his grip on the branch above slipped & he fell back. Fortunately he managed to grasp a branch as he fell, slowing his decent. Although his collision with the ground still knocked the wind from his frail frame. He lay there for a brief moment assessing the pain he felt, it seemed mostly superficial.
"...or it could've ended like that." he would say with a pained grin. Slowly pushing himself up from the ground & brushing off what he could of the dirt. A quick inspection of his wand showed it was unharmed from the fall. That was his only concern as a Wizard, after all he was not capable of Wandless Magic. Looking up at the student he would introduce himself. "Are you okay? I'm Geoffrey..." he would say asking if she was okay, despite being the one to fall. He'd left out his last name for now, an odd action for someone of his status. Names & lineage usually meant everything to them.
Stamina-4 Evasion-5 Strength-3 Wisdom-10 Arcane Power-7 Accuracy-6 Traits; Part-Veela & Lovely Creature
15 Aug 2020, 14:26
Seeking Sanctuary
Ileen blinked in confusion, still hanging at the branch. Now that she could see the rest of the person who belonged to the foot, she wondered how she had even missed him. Probably simply because she hadn't expected that there were others who made themselves comfortable in a tree with a book to read. At least he looked equally surprise – even though he was still sitting in the tree and not hanging around like her. “But you would make a very rare and exotic bird,” she pointed out and groped with her feet for resistance to pull herself up again.
But he was faster. With a quick move he reached out to rescue her from her… uncomfortable situation. With clenched teeth she let him pull her onto the branch. The blood shot up her cheeks. How embarrassing.
She quickly checked if her camera was unharmed, then she looked at the boy. She vaguely recognized him as one of her classmates from her own House.
“Ehm. Thank you.” She would return the gaze of those piercing blue eyes with her own brown ones. A mixture of defiance and curiosity was reflected on her face. She didn't want to be the poor girl he had helped out of a mess. She was thoroughly reluctant to play that role. Okay. At least, this time she had been helped. That's a plus for House Slytherin! She hadn't expected that.
And then something else happened which she also hadn’t expected. “Wh-“ With eyes wide open, she saw the boy slip backwards. She would try to reach out for him, but she was too slow. Her face was drawn in sympathy as he crashed through the leaves and onto the ground.
“Ouch. Are you okay?” Hastily, she grabbed the book he had (involuntarily) left on the tree and quickly climbed down.
But when she had reached the ground herself, he was talking again and kind of finished his sentence from before. Okay, he could still make jokes, so it couldn’t be that bad.
A relieved sigh escaped her, but she was still a little worried. Her gaze glided over him and automatically scanned him for injuries. She offered him a hand to help him up. “Thank you, I will keep it in mind. Thank you for demonstrating though.” She couldn’t completely hide the smirk on her face. “And, yes, I’m okay. Nice to meet you, Geoffrey.” The young Slytherin was delighted that this boy finally introduced himself without his last name, titles and family background. She had thought this habit was ridiculous the whole last year and at some point, it had really started to annoy her. She introduced herself basically only with her first name for several reasons. “I’m Ileen. I think, I saw you in the Common Room once or twice.” She frowned anxiously. “More important…. Are you okay? That looked… adventurous.” She titled her head and a smile curled her lips. “Is that your normal way to introduce yourself? Pointing something out and proof why it is important right away?”
She couldn’t help but notice that he was… different. His facial features were somehow more finely curved. All in all, he seemed to be much more filigree than the average boy. Ileen had no idea she was dealing with a Half-Veela. Even though both of her parents were wizards her social contact to the magical world had been limited to a minimum at home.
When she noticed that she had stared at him for a few seconds, she slightly shook her head and frowned before offering him a rare smile. “So, whom are you hiding from?” She reached out to return the book, quickly peering at the title. “Magical Creatures, huh? Did you find some up there in the tree?” With a humorous sparkle in her eyes she looked up to the leaves.
"Some people are in such utter darkness that they will burn you just to see a light."
29 Aug 2020, 19:24
Seeking Sanctuary
Geoffrey smiled at the girls comment as he moved to provide assistance. If only she knew just how right she was, Part-Veela were not common in this day & age. After all in many texts the description given to his kin, particularly when enraged was often referred to as 'bird-like' in features. The newcomer blushed as she was pulled onto the branch. She quickly checked her camera ensuring it hadn't been damaged in the close call. She thanked him for his help with the matter & he made no comment on it. After all it was not like the youth to pass on an opportunity to better get to know someone. Nothing helped cement new bonds like adrenaline causing close calls.
He'd been in the process of telling the girl she should be more careful when he was given the old practice what you preach lesson. In the briefest of moments there would be a look of surprise as he looked up at the tree from the ground. His fellow snake made a swift descent to the ground with his book in hand. "...of course, but thank you. Although it's not an adventure I'm eager to repeat again anytime soon." he would say lifting a hand to rub his head more from embarrassment then pain. He followed with his small attempt to make light of what had just happened. "Naturally nothing allows a lesson to sink in more then practical demonstration." he'd say with another smile as he helped himself up. "I'm glad to hear & quite possibly. I did spend a bit of time away from school due to some family matters." when Ileen asked him whether this was his usual method of introduction along with making a joke he smiled. It seemed his new companion did not like to divulge the name of her family initially either...good. Perhaps another snake who was not obsessed with something as foolish as blood status.
"It's more a decision made in the heat of the moment." he would say with a smile to the girl. "The swarming masses. What about you?" he would ask in regard to her question about who he was hiding from. Geoffrey had found it far to difficult to get decent time to himself for reading since his arrival to the camp. Ileen commented on his book for asking if he'd found any Magical Creatures up in the tree. The young boy had not been so fortunate, Ileen however had been. Not that he could tell her or even joke about it. "No but just cause I didn't find one doesn't mean there isn't one somewhere..." he would say with a smile looking from Ileen to the tree canopy above them. There was so much Magic in their daily lives it was common to overlook it.
He'd been in the process of telling the girl she should be more careful when he was given the old practice what you preach lesson. In the briefest of moments there would be a look of surprise as he looked up at the tree from the ground. His fellow snake made a swift descent to the ground with his book in hand. "...of course, but thank you. Although it's not an adventure I'm eager to repeat again anytime soon." he would say lifting a hand to rub his head more from embarrassment then pain. He followed with his small attempt to make light of what had just happened. "Naturally nothing allows a lesson to sink in more then practical demonstration." he'd say with another smile as he helped himself up. "I'm glad to hear & quite possibly. I did spend a bit of time away from school due to some family matters." when Ileen asked him whether this was his usual method of introduction along with making a joke he smiled. It seemed his new companion did not like to divulge the name of her family initially either...good. Perhaps another snake who was not obsessed with something as foolish as blood status.
"It's more a decision made in the heat of the moment." he would say with a smile to the girl. "The swarming masses. What about you?" he would ask in regard to her question about who he was hiding from. Geoffrey had found it far to difficult to get decent time to himself for reading since his arrival to the camp. Ileen commented on his book for asking if he'd found any Magical Creatures up in the tree. The young boy had not been so fortunate, Ileen however had been. Not that he could tell her or even joke about it. "No but just cause I didn't find one doesn't mean there isn't one somewhere..." he would say with a smile looking from Ileen to the tree canopy above them. There was so much Magic in their daily lives it was common to overlook it.
Stamina-4 Evasion-5 Strength-3 Wisdom-10 Arcane Power-7 Accuracy-6 Traits; Part-Veela & Lovely Creature
12 Sep 2020, 11:49
Seeking Sanctuary
A soft chuckle escaped her as the Slytherin boy joked about his accident and followed up on her sarcastic comment. “Well, thank you then - that you sacrificed yourself to save me from further disaster. After this dramatic performance I will certainly not forget it any time soon. So be sure it’s appreciated.” Her dark brown eyes sparkled in amusement as she watched him making his way back to his feet. She liked his humor and relaxed automatically when it became obvious that he had probably not hurt himself, even though it could have ended badly. Even though she had been running away from company to have some quiet time to read, this one didn’t seem too bad – so far, he had only surprised her in a positive way.
“Family matters, huh?” And this sudden her mood changed. A shadow glided over her face and she frowned slightly, but then decided not to dig deeper. This was not an issue that she wanted to go into and besides, it was none of her business, since she had only just met him and did not know him at all. She herself wouldn’t share her family matters either, not even with a positive acquaintance. With a slight shake of the head she tried to get rid of the thoughts and took up his question with relief to change the subject.
With a grin she stroked a strand of her long brown hair from her eyes and a smile plucked at the corners of her mouth. Hiding from swarming masses? She could relate to that. “Hm, I guess I get that. I am basically doing the same, to be honest.” She hesitated and then shrugged. She had decided to be more honest, so why not start now? “Actually, I am hiding from the idiots in my tent and all the other people who are worshipping chaos and constantly working on escalating every single moment in this summer camp.” She gestured to the campsite and rolled her eyes. “It's almost impossible to have a second to yourself without someone attacking, insulting or messing with someone else. They are also the reason why I bring my first aid kid everywhere.”
While she let her feelings run free, her cheeks blushed in excitement and she was visibly strained by the time she had already spend here. All the better that she now almost had the official permission to jinx idiots, a privilege she intended to make ample use of. This thought cheered her up and looking back at the tree she smirked. “True that. I would love to take a picture of a bowtruckle, but unfortunately I didn’t find one yet.”
Glancing at the boy and the book, she tilted her head with a curious sparkle in her eyes. It was the first time she met a student who shared her interest in animals – she herself would almost always choose the company of an animal over the company of a human being. Of course, Ileen had no idea that Geoffrey was part Veela and therefore a very rare half human being. “Any interesting experiences or encounters with magical creatures yet?”
She felt a little self-conscious about the young man's company, a little nervous, but couldn't say why. He was friendly and fun, so she had actually felt comfortable in the beginning, but maybe it was this break with her habits that made the situation a little strange for her.
"Some people are in such utter darkness that they will burn you just to see a light."
23 Sep 2020, 15:02
Seeking Sanctuary
Geoffrey would smile at Ileen's words "Well then it was an trip that was well worth it." in response to her comment about the 'lesson'. Once he was up & had dusted himself off he noticed she did not probe him for more information on what family matters had kept him from school. That was something the Part-Veela certainly appreciated, but not something he expected. Especially from a fellow Slytherin, then again he knew better then to judge people from how they presented themselves.
All joking aside it seemed their motivation for seeking sanctuary in the trees had been the same. To escape the swarming masses. A justifiable reason given how most of their peers behaved. He listened to the description given by those who had embraced Chaos to use his fellow snakes wording. It made him chuckle, it certainly was an accurate way of describing a majority of their actions. "That's entirely fair everyone seems to be lacking discipline. You'd think everyone would be more focused with the importance of what is going on around us." Geoffrey naturally meant their schooling & the bonds they would make while there that would guide their futures.
But then again he did suppose it was a Pureblood habit of thinking in such long term self-serving ways. He doubted very much that Ileen was the type of Witch who possessed such ideals. Raising an eyebrow at the first aid kit comment he would take note of the obvious desire to help people. Making a mental note of this for the future he would have to keep tabs on how proficient she became in the healing arts. "Well you are a good person to have around then with how reckless everyone is." he'd say with a friendly smile. Ileen mentioned how she wanted to see a Bowtruckle & would love to take a picture of one. When she asked him if he'd encountered any Magical Creatures yet.
"They are wonderful creatures, unfortunately I haven't. At least not any pleasant ones yet...I've always wanted to see a Dragon. They are truly magnificent creatures, I can't think of any of creature I'd want to see more." he would say telling his fellow snake his favorite Magical Creature. Although that was not entirely true he'd always wanted to see his mother, but that was yet another secret he would not divulge. His true heritage was his greatest secret.
Choosing not to mention that he'd only really seen House Elves & Dementors. That knowledge did not usually make a good impression on those outside of the Pureblood circles. Many people nowadays considered the servitude of House Elves a relic of the past & even unethical. Then when you considered that Dementors were only found in specific circumstances, it only further raised questions about him & his family. At the moment he didn't wish to share that his father specialized in the study of the Dark Creatures. Nor his recklessness & disregard for their well-being all for the sake of what Geoffrey believed was a personal study. How would Ileen feel knowing their was a Half-Veela just in front of her? A missed Magical Creature photo op.
All joking aside it seemed their motivation for seeking sanctuary in the trees had been the same. To escape the swarming masses. A justifiable reason given how most of their peers behaved. He listened to the description given by those who had embraced Chaos to use his fellow snakes wording. It made him chuckle, it certainly was an accurate way of describing a majority of their actions. "That's entirely fair everyone seems to be lacking discipline. You'd think everyone would be more focused with the importance of what is going on around us." Geoffrey naturally meant their schooling & the bonds they would make while there that would guide their futures.
But then again he did suppose it was a Pureblood habit of thinking in such long term self-serving ways. He doubted very much that Ileen was the type of Witch who possessed such ideals. Raising an eyebrow at the first aid kit comment he would take note of the obvious desire to help people. Making a mental note of this for the future he would have to keep tabs on how proficient she became in the healing arts. "Well you are a good person to have around then with how reckless everyone is." he'd say with a friendly smile. Ileen mentioned how she wanted to see a Bowtruckle & would love to take a picture of one. When she asked him if he'd encountered any Magical Creatures yet.
"They are wonderful creatures, unfortunately I haven't. At least not any pleasant ones yet...I've always wanted to see a Dragon. They are truly magnificent creatures, I can't think of any of creature I'd want to see more." he would say telling his fellow snake his favorite Magical Creature. Although that was not entirely true he'd always wanted to see his mother, but that was yet another secret he would not divulge. His true heritage was his greatest secret.
Choosing not to mention that he'd only really seen House Elves & Dementors. That knowledge did not usually make a good impression on those outside of the Pureblood circles. Many people nowadays considered the servitude of House Elves a relic of the past & even unethical. Then when you considered that Dementors were only found in specific circumstances, it only further raised questions about him & his family. At the moment he didn't wish to share that his father specialized in the study of the Dark Creatures. Nor his recklessness & disregard for their well-being all for the sake of what Geoffrey believed was a personal study. How would Ileen feel knowing their was a Half-Veela just in front of her? A missed Magical Creature photo op.
Stamina-4 Evasion-5 Strength-3 Wisdom-10 Arcane Power-7 Accuracy-6 Traits; Part-Veela & Lovely Creature
4 Oct 2020, 15:25
Seeking Sanctuary
Ileen didn't know yet that in a few weeks she would be wondering if Geoffrey had referred to the creepy and dark events that she had only slightly scraped so far. In that moment she totally related his comment to schoolwork and couldn’t agree more.
So, she rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement, a dry smile on his lips. “I know, right? I think I can count the number of reasonable people I've met on one hand. Especially in Slytherin.” The last sentence escaped her before she could stop it. She was very aware that she was facing a Slytherin and would have liked to bite her tongue first, but then she shook the feeling off. That was her honest opinion and she would stand by it. “Sorry, please don’t take it personal. My experiences with our fellow housemates had been…. not that delightful on average. I actually was surprised, that you helped me up there and then even sacrificed yourself to teach me a lesson.”
The young Slytherin tried her trusted strategy to hide the seriousness of her thoughts behind some sarcastic humor. An attentive observer, however, would notice that she bit her lower lip half guiltily, half defiantly, and that her brown eyes sparkled darkly.
This expression changed as the Slytherin boy called her a ‘good person’ in a friendly and completely honest tone. Put off her stride she blinked at him with surprise. He couldn’t know that she had feared all her life to become the bad person everyone had assumed that she had to become. So, she had tried to do everything to become good, to do the right thing and to break out of the doomed circle her family was caught in. All in all, it was a rather selfish motivation – to the good for its own sake was a thing she still needed to grow into.
But still, no one ever had told her that she was good before, at least not in these exact words. The blood raised to her cheeks and she cleared her throat, still searching for the right answer to that. “I… I like to think that I am good, but I’m doing it for me and not them.” She did not even know why she revealed her feelings so openly. Maybe she didn't want to accept a compliment that in her opinion she had not yet earned? Also, the gaze of the piercing blue eyes made her kind of nervous.
When he told her about dragons, Ileen’s mood brightened and a smile painted dimples in her cheeks. with this more innocuous topic she felt visibly more comfortable and dragons were animals, which she herself also found fascinating, even though she had never seen one before. “Oh, I get that! Back in New Zealand I once tried to find a Antipodean Opaleye with my dad in the mountains.” As always, when she could finally talk about magical animals, her mouth galloped away with her. And she had again revealed a personal information, which was that she had not spent her childhood in England. But that didn't bother her much right now. “It’s the dragon that’s native to New Zealand with pearly scales. They are known as the most beautiful dragons in the world. But unfortunately, we didn’t find one… Maybe you should go there one day.” She stopped and thoughtfully glanced at the tree, a slight frown wrinkling her forehead. “When I am back at Hogwarts, I want to go looking for a unicorn.”
"Some people are in such utter darkness that they will burn you just to see a light."