9 Jul 2020, 09:36
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
Beginning of September, soon after the start of the new school year
5:13 pm
5:13 pm
It was early evening. Not that looking out the window would tell you that in any certain terms; it pretty much looked the same outside as it had all day- cloudy, windy and wet. To sum it up simply, it was a downright dreary day.
It was for that reason that Marshal currently found himself inside the castle, rather than out on the grounds, where he generally preferred to be once his final class of the day was over.
But his fun was not to be dashed due to the lack of outdoor activity. He was of the opinion that one could always find a good time if they were willing to look hard enough. And while twiddling his thumbs in the common room was a superbly 'stimulating' possibility, he had elected to explore the castle instead.
Of course he had homework to do, but he felt as though he had performed his due diligence on that matter for now, meaning that he had finished the reading for Defense Against the Dark Arts and called it a day. The other subjects were entirely more exhausting.
Being new to the school, and to the magical world as a whole, the classes themselves were still exciting to him, but the homework still failed to keep his interest most of the time.
Another effect of being new here was that he had never really explored the second floor, where he was now. He figured it was time to change that.
Students were spread scarcely about the corridor, some having quiet conversations among themselves, others moving past as they headed for locations that were apparently more entertaining.
The atmosphere was muted and a bit sullen, as if trying to match the gloomy mood outside.
Marshal nodded at people as he walked by, shooting charming smiles at the more attractive girls that happened to be looking his way.
Some smiled back, others rolled their eyes and averted their gaze- usually when they happened to be a few years older than him. Marshal simply shrugged and moved on.
For a few moments, he drifted off into memories of home, particularly about the friends he had left behind.
There would have been no end to the fun if he could have brought Carson and Sasha along. They would have gawked at the merchandise on Diagon Alley, then laughed at him when he flicked his wand and said, "Hocus pocus," immediately after receiving it, much to the chagrin of the somewhat eccentric shop owner.
They would have been just as confused as he had been about the floating candles in the Great Hall.
Unfortunately, they had no idea that magic was real, and currently thought that he had been sent to some uppity private school to further his education, which he supposed wasn't entirely far from the truth.
Despite the undeniable evidence that there was more to the world than he had previously believed, Marshal still wasn't certain that he wouldn't smack his head sometime soon and wake up on his bedroom floor back home. His new reality certainly seemed like a dream, after all.
He pushed those thoughts away. Hogwarts felt very real, so he figured that this was either his life now, or it was going to be the best dang dream ever.
Now he spotted a door that he had never entered before.
Let's see what we have here, he thought, crossing to the door.
He wiggled the doorknob, but was disappointed to find it locked.
"Rude," he muttered to himself before turning around. Just as he did so, a pair of older boys passed by, probably third or fourth years.
"Hey, friends!" Marshal greeted them enthusiastically, his voice giving no indication that he had no idea who they were. "You look like you've been working out lately. Think you could combine your muscle and break down this door for me? I'd give you a reward."
The boys stopped to stare at him for a moment, then looked at each other and laughed before continued on their way without a word.
Marshal spread his arms to the side in faked exasperation. "Fine, I guess you won't be getting those high fives I was planning to give you," he called after them, which only made them laugh harder.
Letting out a dramatic sigh, he noticed a couple of girls staring at him with amused expressions.
Running a hand through his hair, he puffed out his chest and said, "Of course I could break it down myself if I really wanted to. I just wanted to make them feel good about themselves. Everyone needs a confidence booster every once in a while, you know?"
Without waiting to see their reactions, he continued down the hall in the same direction he had been heading before, striding confidently past the girls.
Of course he hadn't been serious about any of it. He would never actually try to break down a locked door simply to see what was behind it... probably.
The entire interaction had been infused with expertly crafted sarcasm.
He was out to have fun, after all, and nothing was going to thwart his plan. Now if only he could find a friend who shared his thirst for adventure.
Last edited by Marshal Mozor on 16 Mar 2021, 06:52, edited 2 times in total.
~Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself. It helps if you give yourself plenty of reasons~
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
9 Jul 2020, 10:09
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
If someone were to ask Leonard what exactly he was doing here, he would've replied with, well, what are you doing here? What are any of us doing here? According to Christian theology, God put us here. However, the science of Christianity is something rather debatable, to say the least. It completely disregards the existence of dinosaurs, along with many other completely un-debatable creatures and concepts.
To simply put it, Leonard did not have many friends.
He had acquaintances, of course he did. People he'd struck up a conversation with that one time, people he waved to in the hallways, people he'd wave to in the hallways thinking it was him they were waving to, but actually were waving to the person behind him, although the last were more one-time incidents that had happened more than one time, since social cues were far from his alley. His alley was more of analysis of data, of people. But see, it was a paradox, it was. How was he supposed to observe people if he wasn't close to any other than his parents?
He'd never met anybody who was like him. Nobody except for that boy Theramin was like him, and the chances of an encounter of that again (minus the death threats, of course) were smaller than his voice when asked to speak to a friend of his mother's.
And so, he traveled to a location that best suited his mood: the corridors. Here he had met an enemy, a friend, and one that was neither. If his luck were to repeat itself, the enemy would come first. No matter, it was one of the few places where he could observe without judgement and in silence, save for the occasional possum and Howler. And, thankfully, that was also a one-time encounter.
He saw a boy, looking just about as lost as he was. Leonard decided to approach him. The light-haired was one of the only who wasn't stuck together in a little group, whispering about who-knows-what and going who-knows-where.
"Boring day, isn't it? You'd expect more from a school that had unicorns in its curriculum."
To simply put it, Leonard did not have many friends.
He had acquaintances, of course he did. People he'd struck up a conversation with that one time, people he waved to in the hallways, people he'd wave to in the hallways thinking it was him they were waving to, but actually were waving to the person behind him, although the last were more one-time incidents that had happened more than one time, since social cues were far from his alley. His alley was more of analysis of data, of people. But see, it was a paradox, it was. How was he supposed to observe people if he wasn't close to any other than his parents?
He'd never met anybody who was like him. Nobody except for that boy Theramin was like him, and the chances of an encounter of that again (minus the death threats, of course) were smaller than his voice when asked to speak to a friend of his mother's.
And so, he traveled to a location that best suited his mood: the corridors. Here he had met an enemy, a friend, and one that was neither. If his luck were to repeat itself, the enemy would come first. No matter, it was one of the few places where he could observe without judgement and in silence, save for the occasional possum and Howler. And, thankfully, that was also a one-time encounter.
He saw a boy, looking just about as lost as he was. Leonard decided to approach him. The light-haired was one of the only who wasn't stuck together in a little group, whispering about who-knows-what and going who-knows-where.
"Boring day, isn't it? You'd expect more from a school that had unicorns in its curriculum."
@Marshal Mozor
Last edited by Leonard Oaksworth on 29 Dec 2020, 09:11, edited 1 time in total.
much to the detriment of leonard oaksworth’s mental health...
9 Jul 2020, 23:33
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
Marshal continued on his merry way down the corridor, not at all sure of where he was going, but entirely certain that it was going to be at least slightly more exciting than the torch lit hallways.
Seeing another door that he didn't recognize, he was just about to try the handle when he heard a voice.
"Boring day, isn't it? You'd expect more from a school that had unicorns in its curriculum."
Spinning around to find the owner of the voice, he saw a boy with brown hair, about his same age.
How he hadn't noticed the boy approach him, he didn't know. His mother always told him that he was hopelessly oblivious, but Marshal had no idea what she was talking about. His observation skills were as sharp as a tack; or at least a paper clip.
The stranger wore a robe edged in green, rather than red, like Marshal's own.
As far as he could recall, the color green signified the house called Slytherin here at Hogwarts. Not that the different houses meant much of anything to him at this point. He was still utterly naive as to the ways of this school.
All he knew was that a random kid had approached and spoken to him.
A large grin made its way onto his face. People who were willing to create a completely random conversation were exactly the kind of people that he most enjoyed being around. After all, he was a master of random interaction.
"That's exactly right!" he replied, as if continuing a conversation that had already been underway. "What's the fun of studying magical creatures if they all live in a forest that we're not allowed to go into?"
Through his short time at Hogwarts, that had already been one of the things that annoyed him. He didn't want to read about dragons and unicorns in books- he could do that at home if he really wanted to. There were plenty of fantasy novels with magical creatures in them. What he wanted was to see them up close, to touch them and ride them.
"Wait," he suddenly said, basically interrupting himself. He slowly raised a finger, pointing it at the newcomer. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he continued, "Have you seen a unicorn in real life?" He then glanced around and leaned closer to the boy conspiratorially. "When do I get to see a dragon? Cause I'm bringing hot dogs and a thirty foot roasting stick."
One thing that people tended to learn very quickly about Marshal was the fact that his mouth had the ability to run faster than his own brain could think. He simply had too much fun with sarcastic comments and jokes.
Of course, he was also a good listener. He always paid attention to what others had to say, and never meant to monopolize an interaction. He merely loved to provide himself and those around him with reasons to laugh.
Realizing that neither of them even knew each other's names, he took a literal and figurative step backward.
"I'm sorry. You probably have no clue who you're talking to." He extended a hand in an offer to shake. "I'm Marshal. I'm new around here, and still have no idea what's going on most of the time." His gaze traveled over the other boy's robes once again. "Green means you're a Slytherin, right?"
Seeing another door that he didn't recognize, he was just about to try the handle when he heard a voice.
"Boring day, isn't it? You'd expect more from a school that had unicorns in its curriculum."
Spinning around to find the owner of the voice, he saw a boy with brown hair, about his same age.
How he hadn't noticed the boy approach him, he didn't know. His mother always told him that he was hopelessly oblivious, but Marshal had no idea what she was talking about. His observation skills were as sharp as a tack; or at least a paper clip.
The stranger wore a robe edged in green, rather than red, like Marshal's own.
As far as he could recall, the color green signified the house called Slytherin here at Hogwarts. Not that the different houses meant much of anything to him at this point. He was still utterly naive as to the ways of this school.
All he knew was that a random kid had approached and spoken to him.
A large grin made its way onto his face. People who were willing to create a completely random conversation were exactly the kind of people that he most enjoyed being around. After all, he was a master of random interaction.
"That's exactly right!" he replied, as if continuing a conversation that had already been underway. "What's the fun of studying magical creatures if they all live in a forest that we're not allowed to go into?"
Through his short time at Hogwarts, that had already been one of the things that annoyed him. He didn't want to read about dragons and unicorns in books- he could do that at home if he really wanted to. There were plenty of fantasy novels with magical creatures in them. What he wanted was to see them up close, to touch them and ride them.
"Wait," he suddenly said, basically interrupting himself. He slowly raised a finger, pointing it at the newcomer. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he continued, "Have you seen a unicorn in real life?" He then glanced around and leaned closer to the boy conspiratorially. "When do I get to see a dragon? Cause I'm bringing hot dogs and a thirty foot roasting stick."
One thing that people tended to learn very quickly about Marshal was the fact that his mouth had the ability to run faster than his own brain could think. He simply had too much fun with sarcastic comments and jokes.
Of course, he was also a good listener. He always paid attention to what others had to say, and never meant to monopolize an interaction. He merely loved to provide himself and those around him with reasons to laugh.
Realizing that neither of them even knew each other's names, he took a literal and figurative step backward.
"I'm sorry. You probably have no clue who you're talking to." He extended a hand in an offer to shake. "I'm Marshal. I'm new around here, and still have no idea what's going on most of the time." His gaze traveled over the other boy's robes once again. "Green means you're a Slytherin, right?"
Last edited by Marshal Mozor on 10 Jul 2020, 06:05, edited 1 time in total.
~Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself. It helps if you give yourself plenty of reasons~
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
10 Jul 2020, 04:14
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
He looked at the boy with amusement. He hadn’t the best experience with Gryffindors, especially in his later times at Hogwarts, but there had been one he clicked with the last year. They were quite different, however. His or friend had been a stammering, nervous type with a hint of rebellion in him. The newest victim of his conversation was cheery, in a weirdly genuine way, not the I’ll-eventually-stab-you-in-the-back-but-for-now-I-can-tolerate-your-presence way. If Leonard had any inkling of what the boy was like now, he would’ve guessed the other would be wearing a yellow-and-black tie, rather than the scarlet robes he was sporting now. Hufflepuffs were the friendliest, after all. No matter. If he were to have an opportunity to make someone not hate him, it was a good opportunity that wasn’t to go to waste. After all, they only came once in a purple moon.
“Aye, you must be new here. Either that or a muggleborn, because if you’ve a wizard or witch parent, you’d know that unicorns can’t even be studied until fourth year. Annoying, isn’t it? I’m only in my second, so I need to wait until I’m fourteen to even take a gander at one. They don’t like boys, as well, so they aren’t going to fancy us at all. And, dragons?” He didn’t bother to keep his voice down. It was a strange idea, one that was welcome, but strange nonetheless. Humour was the best tool of the interesting, after all. “You’ve got to be kidding me. While I’d love to see how many marshmallows one could roast, we don’t get to see those ever, not even in the seventh year. Unless you’re going to become a dragon tamer, and believe me, it’s not all roasting on the campfire. More, roasting of your clothes.”
He took the boy’s hand, shaking it firmly. Hopefully the lion had washed his hands.
“Name’s Leonard. And, as I said before, I’m a second year, and I’ve still no idea what’s going on around here sometimes,” he laughed. “I’m Slytherin, yeah. Home to the most likely to take over the world, that’s us right there. Believe me, it’s not always this boring,” he said, gesturing around the castle. “Last year, there was this secret ball thing. That’s right, we’re fancy. And there were also these Howlers, flying around the castle singing ‘Baby Shark’. It was brilliant. Howlers are like phones, by the way, but in letters. They’re also really, really loud. Don’t tell your parents about them, because when you get in trouble, you’ll never hear the end of it. As in, literally never hear the end of it. I heard this one girl became deaf because of how loud hers was.”
That was a lie, of course. Nothing but a rumour. But if the boy truly was new, he definitely wanted to mess around with him a little bit. It was just human nature. Or rather, a snake’s nature.
“Aye, you must be new here. Either that or a muggleborn, because if you’ve a wizard or witch parent, you’d know that unicorns can’t even be studied until fourth year. Annoying, isn’t it? I’m only in my second, so I need to wait until I’m fourteen to even take a gander at one. They don’t like boys, as well, so they aren’t going to fancy us at all. And, dragons?” He didn’t bother to keep his voice down. It was a strange idea, one that was welcome, but strange nonetheless. Humour was the best tool of the interesting, after all. “You’ve got to be kidding me. While I’d love to see how many marshmallows one could roast, we don’t get to see those ever, not even in the seventh year. Unless you’re going to become a dragon tamer, and believe me, it’s not all roasting on the campfire. More, roasting of your clothes.”
He took the boy’s hand, shaking it firmly. Hopefully the lion had washed his hands.
“Name’s Leonard. And, as I said before, I’m a second year, and I’ve still no idea what’s going on around here sometimes,” he laughed. “I’m Slytherin, yeah. Home to the most likely to take over the world, that’s us right there. Believe me, it’s not always this boring,” he said, gesturing around the castle. “Last year, there was this secret ball thing. That’s right, we’re fancy. And there were also these Howlers, flying around the castle singing ‘Baby Shark’. It was brilliant. Howlers are like phones, by the way, but in letters. They’re also really, really loud. Don’t tell your parents about them, because when you get in trouble, you’ll never hear the end of it. As in, literally never hear the end of it. I heard this one girl became deaf because of how loud hers was.”
That was a lie, of course. Nothing but a rumour. But if the boy truly was new, he definitely wanted to mess around with him a little bit. It was just human nature. Or rather, a snake’s nature.
@Marshal Mozor
much to the detriment of leonard oaksworth’s mental health...
11 Jul 2020, 09:55
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
As he listened to the other boy speak, the grin slowly disappeared from Marshal's face, replaced by a dramatically offended expression, as if someone had insulted his mother.
No unicorns until fourth year? Who's idea of a joke was it to make kids wait three anticipation-filled years before they could even catch a glimpse of the creatures they had heard and read so much about?
The part about unicorns not liking boys seemed far less important at that moment. Besides, he was convinced that he was going to make a best friend out of all magical creatures he met, and would continue to believe so until he was either eaten or kicked in the knee.
Continuing on, the boy seemed to be slightly amused by Marshal's mention of dragons. Apparently the idea was more than a little ridiculous.
However, upon hearing the part about becoming a dragon tamer, Marshal's grin returned in full force.
"Dragon tamer?" he exclaimed excitedly. "That's a real thing?"
Until this point, he had read nothing that suggested dragon tamers existed.
Since learning of Hogwarts and magic, Marshal had slowly grown to like the idea of returning to work at the school in the future as a teacher or something of the sort. Now that goal was completely blown out of the water.
Whether this new dream would last or not remained to be seen, but if one thing could keep his attention, it was dragons.
His eyes grew slightly cloudy as he experienced a small daydream about riding dragons and having epic barbecues at his house. But he was snapped out of it when the other student grasped his proffered hand and shook it, introducing himself as Leonard, a second year Slytherin.
“I’m Slytherin, yeah. Home to the most likely to take over the world, that’s us right there," Leonard said, a bit more casually than the comment seemed to warrant.
What was that supposed to mean?
What a strange thing to say, Marshal thought, not sure whether to take it as humor or not.
Choosing to ignore the peculiar wording for now, he listened as Leonard went on, his interest quickly recaptured as the Skytherin described some crazy event that had taken place the year before.
Apparently, Marshal had arrived a year too late. The whole thing sounded hilarious.
His trusting nature winning out as usual, he didn't even question the story about a girl going deaf by way of a 'howler.'
"Please tell me someone got this on video," he said, putting his hands together in a pleading action. "I need to see all of it. And I need something more interesting to do than read books until fourth year." Without hesitating, he suddenly reached out to place an arm around Leonard's shoulders in a brotherly sort of way.
Marshal had never quite understood the need for things like 'personal space.' The way he saw it, physical contact only served to bring people closer together, if done in a friendly and respectful way.
He certainly wasn't afraid of giving out hugs.
Not even noticing the stairs from onlookers, he threw his free hand in front of him, as if showing Leonard his vision as he spoke, "I just came up with a brilliant plan. Since you seem to know so much more about this place than I do, you can show me where to find some adventure. We'll do all of the things there are to do, and prepare for our inevitable future, where we both become dragon tamers. Then we can roast all the hot dogs and marshmallows we could ever want, and everyone else will wish they could cook their food like we do." He paused, then added, "Oh yeah, and we'll buy plenty of extra clothes, just in case our pants catch on fire." He now stepped away from Leonard, raising his hands to the sides as if to say, 'praise me now.'
"It's fool proof."
All of this was said in complete disregard for the fact that the two of them had only just met, and knew next to nothing about each other. Details like that generally seemed unimportant in Marshal's overly friendly mind.
@Leonard Oaksworth
No unicorns until fourth year? Who's idea of a joke was it to make kids wait three anticipation-filled years before they could even catch a glimpse of the creatures they had heard and read so much about?
The part about unicorns not liking boys seemed far less important at that moment. Besides, he was convinced that he was going to make a best friend out of all magical creatures he met, and would continue to believe so until he was either eaten or kicked in the knee.
Continuing on, the boy seemed to be slightly amused by Marshal's mention of dragons. Apparently the idea was more than a little ridiculous.
However, upon hearing the part about becoming a dragon tamer, Marshal's grin returned in full force.
"Dragon tamer?" he exclaimed excitedly. "That's a real thing?"
Until this point, he had read nothing that suggested dragon tamers existed.
Since learning of Hogwarts and magic, Marshal had slowly grown to like the idea of returning to work at the school in the future as a teacher or something of the sort. Now that goal was completely blown out of the water.
Whether this new dream would last or not remained to be seen, but if one thing could keep his attention, it was dragons.
His eyes grew slightly cloudy as he experienced a small daydream about riding dragons and having epic barbecues at his house. But he was snapped out of it when the other student grasped his proffered hand and shook it, introducing himself as Leonard, a second year Slytherin.
“I’m Slytherin, yeah. Home to the most likely to take over the world, that’s us right there," Leonard said, a bit more casually than the comment seemed to warrant.
What was that supposed to mean?
What a strange thing to say, Marshal thought, not sure whether to take it as humor or not.
Choosing to ignore the peculiar wording for now, he listened as Leonard went on, his interest quickly recaptured as the Skytherin described some crazy event that had taken place the year before.
Apparently, Marshal had arrived a year too late. The whole thing sounded hilarious.
His trusting nature winning out as usual, he didn't even question the story about a girl going deaf by way of a 'howler.'
"Please tell me someone got this on video," he said, putting his hands together in a pleading action. "I need to see all of it. And I need something more interesting to do than read books until fourth year." Without hesitating, he suddenly reached out to place an arm around Leonard's shoulders in a brotherly sort of way.
Marshal had never quite understood the need for things like 'personal space.' The way he saw it, physical contact only served to bring people closer together, if done in a friendly and respectful way.
He certainly wasn't afraid of giving out hugs.
Not even noticing the stairs from onlookers, he threw his free hand in front of him, as if showing Leonard his vision as he spoke, "I just came up with a brilliant plan. Since you seem to know so much more about this place than I do, you can show me where to find some adventure. We'll do all of the things there are to do, and prepare for our inevitable future, where we both become dragon tamers. Then we can roast all the hot dogs and marshmallows we could ever want, and everyone else will wish they could cook their food like we do." He paused, then added, "Oh yeah, and we'll buy plenty of extra clothes, just in case our pants catch on fire." He now stepped away from Leonard, raising his hands to the sides as if to say, 'praise me now.'
"It's fool proof."
All of this was said in complete disregard for the fact that the two of them had only just met, and knew next to nothing about each other. Details like that generally seemed unimportant in Marshal's overly friendly mind.
@Leonard Oaksworth
~Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself. It helps if you give yourself plenty of reasons~
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
13 Jul 2020, 09:06
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
There were positives and negatives to everything, Leonard believed. In quick calculations, there were three obvious positives. One, he was interacting with a previously unknown boy, and therefore somebody who had only a five per cent chance of hating him. Two, he was making positive interactions so far, and therefore lessening the chance of hatred by an estimated point two per cent. Three, he hadn't passed out yet, which meant he wasn't likely to do so in later interactions, therefore making him better than quite a few first years Leonard had tried talking to previously. However, there was a single glaring negative that had the weight of twenty-nine thousand elephants, tipping the golden scale in its favour, and then breaking the scale.
He was interacting with an extrovert.
Leonard liked to put things into scientific terms, grouping people in classifications and observing them as if they were wild animals. Extroverts were the most frightening of creatures, and snatched the title of kings (or queens, he wasn’t discriminative as to who he was terrified of) of the jungle from the tigers, who all cowered at the sight of their exuberant antics. They somehow knew the English language selectively, ignoring any and all synonyms of 'personal' and 'alone'. Their behaviour was even more erratic than a normal human's
"Yes, dragon tamers are a real thing," he said, noticeably more stilted with the physical contact. It would be rude to push him off, and so he tried to not do so. He wasn't rude. At least, not as rude as before. Maybe. "I don't really fancy becoming one, though. I'd be burned to a crisp. But, well, you're a Gryffindor. The bravest house, if the hat’s to be believed. You’ll have to get really good grades in Care of Magical Creatures, as well.”
“There’s always Charms, if you’re looking for action. Sometimes we read books, but then there’re the lessons where you get to do more fun stuff. It’s even more fun if someone messes up. Setting things on fire is way better than getting good grades. At least, that’s what he said in the hospital wing.”
Messing with the boy was much more fun than it should’ve been, he noted. As Marshal detailed his plans for their (a weird word that extroverts tended to use after meeting someone. As in, within the span of a few seconds of talking to a complete stranger) future, Leonard knew he was much too deep into that hole to get out. Might as well have fun before he eventually got overwhelmed by the boy and passed out himself.
“Well, there are tons of unexplored places. Though, there’s a new caretaker named Marcus Iwasaki. He’s pretty good at his job, from what I know, so we’ll have to be careful of him while adventuring,” there was no use in deterring Marshal from the idea, he knew. “I don’t know of any places where we could get some dragons as of now, but there is a summer camp. Might get up to some trouble over there, yeah? There are also the other greenhouses, but the professor said something about not wanting us to meet an untimely end, and I’m still not sure about whether or not he was joking.”
“Now you say it, I’m not sure of what I want to be once I graduate. I mean, I never expected to be a dragon tamer. I thought something more like a wizard zoologist-type thing, or something in Herbology or Potions. Maybe I could just watch from the side while you handle them, and call for backup when your trousers flame up. Foolproof plan.”
He was interacting with an extrovert.
Leonard liked to put things into scientific terms, grouping people in classifications and observing them as if they were wild animals. Extroverts were the most frightening of creatures, and snatched the title of kings (or queens, he wasn’t discriminative as to who he was terrified of) of the jungle from the tigers, who all cowered at the sight of their exuberant antics. They somehow knew the English language selectively, ignoring any and all synonyms of 'personal' and 'alone'. Their behaviour was even more erratic than a normal human's
"Yes, dragon tamers are a real thing," he said, noticeably more stilted with the physical contact. It would be rude to push him off, and so he tried to not do so. He wasn't rude. At least, not as rude as before. Maybe. "I don't really fancy becoming one, though. I'd be burned to a crisp. But, well, you're a Gryffindor. The bravest house, if the hat’s to be believed. You’ll have to get really good grades in Care of Magical Creatures, as well.”
“There’s always Charms, if you’re looking for action. Sometimes we read books, but then there’re the lessons where you get to do more fun stuff. It’s even more fun if someone messes up. Setting things on fire is way better than getting good grades. At least, that’s what he said in the hospital wing.”
Messing with the boy was much more fun than it should’ve been, he noted. As Marshal detailed his plans for their (a weird word that extroverts tended to use after meeting someone. As in, within the span of a few seconds of talking to a complete stranger) future, Leonard knew he was much too deep into that hole to get out. Might as well have fun before he eventually got overwhelmed by the boy and passed out himself.
“Well, there are tons of unexplored places. Though, there’s a new caretaker named Marcus Iwasaki. He’s pretty good at his job, from what I know, so we’ll have to be careful of him while adventuring,” there was no use in deterring Marshal from the idea, he knew. “I don’t know of any places where we could get some dragons as of now, but there is a summer camp. Might get up to some trouble over there, yeah? There are also the other greenhouses, but the professor said something about not wanting us to meet an untimely end, and I’m still not sure about whether or not he was joking.”
“Now you say it, I’m not sure of what I want to be once I graduate. I mean, I never expected to be a dragon tamer. I thought something more like a wizard zoologist-type thing, or something in Herbology or Potions. Maybe I could just watch from the side while you handle them, and call for backup when your trousers flame up. Foolproof plan.”
@Marshal Mozor
much to the detriment of leonard oaksworth’s mental health...
17 Jul 2020, 10:14
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
Eager to hear more of what Leonard had to say about the magical world, Marshal listened intently to his response. The second-year mentioned something about Gryffindor being the bravest house, yet another reference to knowledge that Marshal didn't have access to at this point.
He had studied some things about the wizarding world since learning of it, but if he was being honest, he would have to admit that most of his self education had been about quidditch, the game's history, so on and so forth. If you were to quiz him on that subject, he would feel quite confident. Anything else, however, you might as well just laugh and tell him to get out of your face before he embarrassed himself.
He was unashamed, of course. He liked what he liked, and nobody could take that away from him.
That sentiment generally described his academic efforts as a whole. He tended to get focused on one subject that he enjoyed, and altogether forget that he had other projects to accomplish. In the end, he usually managed to pass all his classes, but only by the skin of the teeth that could be seen in any number of cheesy grins on his face.
Where were we going with this again? Marshal seemed to have drifted off into thought again- a habit that often got him labeled as 'oblivious.' He would object to that characterization, if he knew that people called him that...
Focusing back on Leonard, he caught him saying that the new Gryffindor would have to get good grades in a class called "Care of Magical Creatures" if he wanted to become a dragon tamer.
The 'good grades' part of that statement may have made him a bit uncomfortable, but he was filled with determination. He would pass that class with flying colors if it killed him. Which, of course, brought another thought to his mind. Was it possible that it could actually kill him?
If Leonard's words were to be believed - deafening letters, fires within classrooms, students being sent to the hospital wing - then this new world that Marshal found himself a part of must be a lot more dangerous than he had previously realized.
Now he was more excited than ever.
Despite the fact that Leonard had been the one to initiate the conversation, as well as the fact that he was actually doing a lot of the talking to this point, he still seemed like the kind of person that wasn't entirely used to interacting with others. There were certain signs that could often tell you if a person leaned towards being an introvert, or an extrovert, and Leonard didn't particularly show signs of the latter.
But Marshal didn't care one bit about things like that. A shy or inwardly focused individual had just as many thoughts and feelings as anyone else.
As Leonard kept talking, Marshal found himself liking the kid. He hoped that the Slytherin was serious about joining him for some adventure during their time at school. If he was lucky, he might even get Leo to do something particularly stupid in the future.
New goal- add it to the list.
"I'm sure he was joking about the greenhouses. Gardeners always have a great sense of humor," he said, though the second-year had said nothing about a gardener. Marshal had also never met a gardener.
"Besides, if any plants try to attack us, I have a pointy stick." Reaching under his robes, he produced his wand and inspected it critically. "And apparently it does other things too, besides stab evil vegetables."
Like tomatoes.
"Can I call you Leo?" he asked, then continued without pausing. "I give you full permission to study my dragons from afar. And you can still take part in the barbecues. But on one condition: you have to take a picture of my mom's face when she first sees me riding one of those things. That's gonna be framed and put over the fireplace." In a flash of inspiration, he added in a voice that suggested Leo would never again hear anything quite as amazing as this, "Which I can have my dragon light. I'll never use matches again."
Many might say that he was having way too much fun with the idea of being a dragon tamer, but he would say that the amount of fun he was having was just the right amount.
Glancing at the wand in his hand again, he voiced a question that had nothing to do with the current subject.
"Know any spells?"
@Leonard Oaksworth
He had studied some things about the wizarding world since learning of it, but if he was being honest, he would have to admit that most of his self education had been about quidditch, the game's history, so on and so forth. If you were to quiz him on that subject, he would feel quite confident. Anything else, however, you might as well just laugh and tell him to get out of your face before he embarrassed himself.
He was unashamed, of course. He liked what he liked, and nobody could take that away from him.
That sentiment generally described his academic efforts as a whole. He tended to get focused on one subject that he enjoyed, and altogether forget that he had other projects to accomplish. In the end, he usually managed to pass all his classes, but only by the skin of the teeth that could be seen in any number of cheesy grins on his face.
Where were we going with this again? Marshal seemed to have drifted off into thought again- a habit that often got him labeled as 'oblivious.' He would object to that characterization, if he knew that people called him that...
Focusing back on Leonard, he caught him saying that the new Gryffindor would have to get good grades in a class called "Care of Magical Creatures" if he wanted to become a dragon tamer.
The 'good grades' part of that statement may have made him a bit uncomfortable, but he was filled with determination. He would pass that class with flying colors if it killed him. Which, of course, brought another thought to his mind. Was it possible that it could actually kill him?
If Leonard's words were to be believed - deafening letters, fires within classrooms, students being sent to the hospital wing - then this new world that Marshal found himself a part of must be a lot more dangerous than he had previously realized.
Now he was more excited than ever.
Despite the fact that Leonard had been the one to initiate the conversation, as well as the fact that he was actually doing a lot of the talking to this point, he still seemed like the kind of person that wasn't entirely used to interacting with others. There were certain signs that could often tell you if a person leaned towards being an introvert, or an extrovert, and Leonard didn't particularly show signs of the latter.
But Marshal didn't care one bit about things like that. A shy or inwardly focused individual had just as many thoughts and feelings as anyone else.
As Leonard kept talking, Marshal found himself liking the kid. He hoped that the Slytherin was serious about joining him for some adventure during their time at school. If he was lucky, he might even get Leo to do something particularly stupid in the future.
New goal- add it to the list.
"I'm sure he was joking about the greenhouses. Gardeners always have a great sense of humor," he said, though the second-year had said nothing about a gardener. Marshal had also never met a gardener.
"Besides, if any plants try to attack us, I have a pointy stick." Reaching under his robes, he produced his wand and inspected it critically. "And apparently it does other things too, besides stab evil vegetables."
Like tomatoes.
"Can I call you Leo?" he asked, then continued without pausing. "I give you full permission to study my dragons from afar. And you can still take part in the barbecues. But on one condition: you have to take a picture of my mom's face when she first sees me riding one of those things. That's gonna be framed and put over the fireplace." In a flash of inspiration, he added in a voice that suggested Leo would never again hear anything quite as amazing as this, "Which I can have my dragon light. I'll never use matches again."
Many might say that he was having way too much fun with the idea of being a dragon tamer, but he would say that the amount of fun he was having was just the right amount.
Glancing at the wand in his hand again, he voiced a question that had nothing to do with the current subject.
"Know any spells?"
@Leonard Oaksworth
~Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself. It helps if you give yourself plenty of reasons~
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
6 Aug 2020, 13:15
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
Leonard decided he liked Marshal. While he was a bit overwhelming, he was nice. Adventurous, even if it were only of adventuring ideas from another solar system. There was something that seemed pleasing about that. He’d never gotten to entertain those sorts of ideas, whether from not being able to create them or because his brain would've rather shut down than anything else.
If he were to guess what house the boy was in, it wouldn't have been a lion Marshal would be pegged for. More, a Hufflepuff. There was nobody quite as friendly as them, and he'd definitely met a few who were completely comfortable with people and making life plans right on the spot with unfortunate strangers. Then again, Hogwarts had been a subversion of expectations if anything. His desire to meet a deadly dragon was definitely something of a Gryffindor, as well. It was the perfect mix of bravery, wonder and sheer stupidity. The quintessential scarlet tie-wearing student at Hogwarts, in other words.
He mocked fear as Marshal mentioned the humour of greenskeepers, saying it as though they were the mere muggle type, with broken hearing aids and rusted watering cans.
“Now, now, don’t go around saying that. Professor MacTavish have one of their flowers chomp your head off if you go around saying that. He takes his shrubs very seriously, he does,” he said. Definitely brave and a little bit loose with the screws. “Sorry to say this, but your pointy stick may not do much damage. It works on humans just fine if you want to burn them, but put it against a carrot and it fails to do anything but make it dance and fly. Go figure.”
He didn't bother correcting Marshal when he decided to call Leonard his nickname. There was no point in trying to change an extrovert's, or a Gryffindor's, mind. Besides, it was better than the other names students had taken to calling him.
"Yeah," he smiled as the blonde detailed his plans further, with something about barbecues and snapping a shot of his mother when she finds out about their business. "As long as you take a picture of my Mum and Dad's face when they see us with our dragons. It oughta be hanged up there with your mother's, with how surprised the two of them'll be. Or just take a photo of my dad's body when he faints. That might happen, now I think of it."
“I know a few, might want to keep that thing in your pockets, though," Leonard pointed at the wand. “Or at the very least, keep it hidden. We’re not allowed to cast spells in the corridors for reasons that should be fairly obvious. I mean, we’re a bunch of kids who learned how to make people tango and turn legs into jelly for the curriculum. It’s probably for the best.”
If he were to guess what house the boy was in, it wouldn't have been a lion Marshal would be pegged for. More, a Hufflepuff. There was nobody quite as friendly as them, and he'd definitely met a few who were completely comfortable with people and making life plans right on the spot with unfortunate strangers. Then again, Hogwarts had been a subversion of expectations if anything. His desire to meet a deadly dragon was definitely something of a Gryffindor, as well. It was the perfect mix of bravery, wonder and sheer stupidity. The quintessential scarlet tie-wearing student at Hogwarts, in other words.
He mocked fear as Marshal mentioned the humour of greenskeepers, saying it as though they were the mere muggle type, with broken hearing aids and rusted watering cans.
“Now, now, don’t go around saying that. Professor MacTavish have one of their flowers chomp your head off if you go around saying that. He takes his shrubs very seriously, he does,” he said. Definitely brave and a little bit loose with the screws. “Sorry to say this, but your pointy stick may not do much damage. It works on humans just fine if you want to burn them, but put it against a carrot and it fails to do anything but make it dance and fly. Go figure.”
He didn't bother correcting Marshal when he decided to call Leonard his nickname. There was no point in trying to change an extrovert's, or a Gryffindor's, mind. Besides, it was better than the other names students had taken to calling him.
"Yeah," he smiled as the blonde detailed his plans further, with something about barbecues and snapping a shot of his mother when she finds out about their business. "As long as you take a picture of my Mum and Dad's face when they see us with our dragons. It oughta be hanged up there with your mother's, with how surprised the two of them'll be. Or just take a photo of my dad's body when he faints. That might happen, now I think of it."
“I know a few, might want to keep that thing in your pockets, though," Leonard pointed at the wand. “Or at the very least, keep it hidden. We’re not allowed to cast spells in the corridors for reasons that should be fairly obvious. I mean, we’re a bunch of kids who learned how to make people tango and turn legs into jelly for the curriculum. It’s probably for the best.”
@Marshal Mozor
much to the detriment of leonard oaksworth’s mental health...
11 Aug 2020, 12:06
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
[quote]
Leonard seemed perturbed at Marshal's assurance that gardeners were harmless. Like so many times already in this conversation, he questioned what he previously thought he knew. He supposed that magical gardeners would likely be much different from the regular kind. Maybe they were even evil by nature. Obviously that made no sense whatsoever, but then, what part of his new life did make any sense? Nothing magical was to be taken lightly.
“Now, now, don’t go around saying that. Professor MacTavish have one of their flowers chomp your head off if you go around saying that. He takes his shrubs very seriously, he does,” Leonard replied, not relieving any of Marshal's newfound suspicion for gardeners everywhere. However, he did want to see this head-eating flower now.
Despite the high probability that most things around here were highly dangerous, he was undeterred. If anything, he was encouraged by it. His mother had always taught him to use sense before leaping into things, but he had never been afraid of risky activities - had never really been afraid of anything, actually. That lack of fear often clouded his better judgement; after all, it's much easier to face a demon when you're blind to its horrifying nature.
Fear is truly a strange thing. It can be a poison, and is generally thought of as such. When allowed, it can cramp one's muscles and numb their mind, debilitating them in a situation that they would normally thrive in, if only they could rid themselves of that powerful feeling, freezing them from inside. And yet, on the other hand, fear can become a necessary element of good judgement, warning a person of potential danger and stopping them in their tracks before they wander into disastrous folly.
True to that rather contradictory fact, Marshal's lack of fear carried both positive and negative effects. He never froze under pressure, nor hesitated to stand up for anyone or anything that warranted such action. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to learn the negative aspects of his gift in overly difficult ways.
“Sorry to say this," Leonard went on, "but your pointy stick may not do much damage. It works on humans just fine if you want to burn them, but put it against a carrot and it fails to do anything but make it dance and fly. Go figure.”
Yet another ridiculous grin spread across Marshal's face. Leo might be starting to wonder if his facial features had any other setting. Admittedly, that setting was his default.
"I seriously need to find a carrot and try this," he replied eagerly. "Maybe I could make an eggplant sing. We could start a band and become famous. Leo, you're a genius." This really was shaping up to be the best dream ever, one that he would sorely miss if and when he awoke from the craziness. One thing was for sure- he was going to make the very best of the insanity.
Speaking of insanity, it dawned on him that it was also quite possible that he had simply gone insane, and was imagining everything.
Is it this entertaining to be a whacko? He wondered, though thought it best not to voice the question.
He was pleased to see a smile form on Leonard's face when he mentioned taking a picture of his mother's inevitable shock. The Slytherin countered with the stipulation that pictures would have to be taken of his own parents as well, especially if his father fainted.
"Believe me, I wouldn't miss an opportunity to take a picture of that," he assured his fellow student.
“I know a few, might want to keep that thing in your pockets, though... We’re not allowed to cast spells in the corridors for reasons that should be fairly obvious."
Now Marshal rolled his eyes slightly. Of course there would be rules against actually using any of the magic they learned. It seemed that the overall rule at Hogwarts was simply, "No fun allowed!"
He had actually learned of the rule restricting magic use previously, but had conveniently forgotten about it until Leo brought it up.
"No unicorns, no dragons, no exploring the exciting places, and now no magic at a magic school. It seems to me like the people in charge here just want to tempt us with all the fun things we could be doing, then tell us we can't." He glanced back at his wand, refusing to stow it back within his robes just yet. He grinned mischievously. "What if I gave you permission to 'teach me how to tango?' Surely that wouldn't ruin their lives too much."
Marshal did love fun and adventure, but he wasn't one to break the rules too often. He just hoped that there might be some loophole if he gave another student permission to use a harmless charm on him. It was worth a shot.
@Leonard Oaksworth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
Pay attention to the details of life - every sunrise, every sunset, and everything in between - or it will be gone before you even realize what you had |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
  |
Leonard seemed perturbed at Marshal's assurance that gardeners were harmless. Like so many times already in this conversation, he questioned what he previously thought he knew. He supposed that magical gardeners would likely be much different from the regular kind. Maybe they were even evil by nature. Obviously that made no sense whatsoever, but then, what part of his new life did make any sense? Nothing magical was to be taken lightly.
“Now, now, don’t go around saying that. Professor MacTavish have one of their flowers chomp your head off if you go around saying that. He takes his shrubs very seriously, he does,” Leonard replied, not relieving any of Marshal's newfound suspicion for gardeners everywhere. However, he did want to see this head-eating flower now.
Despite the high probability that most things around here were highly dangerous, he was undeterred. If anything, he was encouraged by it. His mother had always taught him to use sense before leaping into things, but he had never been afraid of risky activities - had never really been afraid of anything, actually. That lack of fear often clouded his better judgement; after all, it's much easier to face a demon when you're blind to its horrifying nature.
Fear is truly a strange thing. It can be a poison, and is generally thought of as such. When allowed, it can cramp one's muscles and numb their mind, debilitating them in a situation that they would normally thrive in, if only they could rid themselves of that powerful feeling, freezing them from inside. And yet, on the other hand, fear can become a necessary element of good judgement, warning a person of potential danger and stopping them in their tracks before they wander into disastrous folly.
True to that rather contradictory fact, Marshal's lack of fear carried both positive and negative effects. He never froze under pressure, nor hesitated to stand up for anyone or anything that warranted such action. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to learn the negative aspects of his gift in overly difficult ways.
“Sorry to say this," Leonard went on, "but your pointy stick may not do much damage. It works on humans just fine if you want to burn them, but put it against a carrot and it fails to do anything but make it dance and fly. Go figure.”
Yet another ridiculous grin spread across Marshal's face. Leo might be starting to wonder if his facial features had any other setting. Admittedly, that setting was his default.
"I seriously need to find a carrot and try this," he replied eagerly. "Maybe I could make an eggplant sing. We could start a band and become famous. Leo, you're a genius." This really was shaping up to be the best dream ever, one that he would sorely miss if and when he awoke from the craziness. One thing was for sure- he was going to make the very best of the insanity.
Speaking of insanity, it dawned on him that it was also quite possible that he had simply gone insane, and was imagining everything.
Is it this entertaining to be a whacko? He wondered, though thought it best not to voice the question.
He was pleased to see a smile form on Leonard's face when he mentioned taking a picture of his mother's inevitable shock. The Slytherin countered with the stipulation that pictures would have to be taken of his own parents as well, especially if his father fainted.
"Believe me, I wouldn't miss an opportunity to take a picture of that," he assured his fellow student.
“I know a few, might want to keep that thing in your pockets, though... We’re not allowed to cast spells in the corridors for reasons that should be fairly obvious."
Now Marshal rolled his eyes slightly. Of course there would be rules against actually using any of the magic they learned. It seemed that the overall rule at Hogwarts was simply, "No fun allowed!"
He had actually learned of the rule restricting magic use previously, but had conveniently forgotten about it until Leo brought it up.
"No unicorns, no dragons, no exploring the exciting places, and now no magic at a magic school. It seems to me like the people in charge here just want to tempt us with all the fun things we could be doing, then tell us we can't." He glanced back at his wand, refusing to stow it back within his robes just yet. He grinned mischievously. "What if I gave you permission to 'teach me how to tango?' Surely that wouldn't ruin their lives too much."
Marshal did love fun and adventure, but he wasn't one to break the rules too often. He just hoped that there might be some loophole if he gave another student permission to use a harmless charm on him. It was worth a shot.
@Leonard Oaksworth
~Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself. It helps if you give yourself plenty of reasons~
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
STA ✩ 10 | EVA ✩ 10 | STR ✩ 14 | WIS ✩ 7 | ARC ✩ 6 | ACC ✩ 15
10 Sep 2020, 07:16
Can a Guy get Directions to Adventure?
@Marshal Mozor
The Slytherin smiled, half in amusement and half in slightly judgmental wonder as Marshal voiced his response about dancing vegetables and his annoyance at all the rules they needed to follow. The other was great company, he was sure of that. Quick with a joke and a smile, and a few loose screws in the head where sense and logic would be, but that was fine. He'd never met someone with quite as much charisma and amazement for the wizarding world as the Gryffindor. It was refreshing, in a sense, after meeting one after the other who probably knew more about wizards than he ever would.
He decided to play along. He hadn't played pretend since he was able to walk, but there was something about the blonde that made it seem less embarrassing. Likely because to a muggleborn, this would all seem like something conjured by a bunch of bored five-year-olds during naptime. "Well, being dragon tamers and managing a band full of what you'd find at a grocery shop seems like a right load of work. Sure you're up to it? I mean, while we know how to make them dance, I haven't any idea how we'll make them sing, though. From what I've read, there's no mouth summoning spell, and no vocal cord charm either. Eh, we'll figure it out," he shrugged, grinning even wider. It really was fun. "After all, if we can become world famous dragon riders, surely we can figure a way out to make a band out of a farm."
"Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather not have dragons right next to my dormitory. I mean, I have mermaids in the ceiling, but I'm pretty sure a dragon would destroy the room before anybody got there. And, sorry, but I won't be able to teach you how to tango with my wand until we get out of this school. Even if you wanted to, one of the prefects or professors'll still get us into trouble anyways."
"But we do get to use magic sometimes. There's a dueling club going on in the school, haven't checked it out though. Dueling just isn't my thing. I prefer to battle with wits and words, rather than getting knocked on my bum and getting my cloak burned. That might be your thing, though. I'll be sure to be there to cheer you on."
much to the detriment of leonard oaksworth’s mental health...