11 Oct 2020, 23:22
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
This Sunday had been completely fine. Opeila had been fine, everything had been great. For the first time after weeks the little girl had been able to sleep through the night without waking up, convinced that the darkness of her room would come to kill her.@Kit Paine11th October
This morning she had a great breakfast, eggs on toast and two pancakes. Her mood had been amazingly high, even her cat had stared at her in confusion.
Same cat was it now that pulled her back to earth, reminded her that there were no chaosless days in Opeila Seilun's- Opeila Winter's life. Seilun did no longer exist.
After breakfast, Opeila decided to walk around the castle a bit and sometimes, on days like this, Loras, the little furball, decided to join her.
It had all been fine until this first year kid showed up in the same corridor as her, accompanied by a huge red cat. That cat now decided to chase Loras, who terrified to pieces ran into the nearest room around- the trophy room.
Opeila only realized where her cat went, when there was some loud clattering. "Oh no..." The young Slytherin ran after Loras, followed by the first year. "Oh no...", she repeated when she found the source of the clatter.
Loras in his panic, apparently shot into the trophy room and slid over the floor into a glass case. The case was fine, but the same couldn't be said about the inside, which was knocked over completely. But where now was Loras?
Opeila looked around, until she heard a quiet "Er... Up there." The first year found Loras up on a quite high shelf, that Opeila wasn't quite sure how he got up in the first place. "Could you take your monster out of here please? Like... now? I'm fine here." She didn't want to snap at the boy, and despite her harsh words she managed to keep her voice calm.
The longer she watched Loras, the clearer it got that he had no idea how to get back down. He turned from one side to the other, looking down and making helpless noises. There was no way that Opeila couldn't reach him up there, but she stretched her arms in his direction anyway. "Come on, boy... Jump!" No chance.
Sighing Opeila looked around. Was there no adult near? She should have asked the kid to get a professor... She couldn't leave her cat alone, right? What if he hurt himself?
12 Oct 2020, 00:36
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
As it so happened, the caretaker of the castle had been near enough for the first year - after being banished from the Trophy Room with his large red cat - to come find him. After a short explanation and an indication toward the room he'd just emerged from, the kid waited for adult to either yell at or dismiss him. With a quick smile, a word of thanks, and a small ruffle of the student's hair, the caretaker did the latter and dismissed him before heading toward the Trophy Room himself.
Mis-matched eyes went wide at the sight that greeted them behind the door. A girl stood at the the base of one of the trophy cases, imporing her feline friend to get down from his place atop it. Said feline also appeared anxious to come down but just as anxious as to how to go about doing so. The trophies, plaques, and ribbons in the case nearby seemed to have been knocked over, but after a quick scan of the place, nothing seemed to be irreparably damaged.
When the girl looked around to spot him, Kit blinked, then smiled and raised a hand in greeting before taking a couple of steps into the room. He was around 190.5cm or 6'3" tall and wore a plain black robe over his usual clothes as it was somewhat drafty in the castle. That didn't hide the bright blue collar at his neck, however, nor the blue tattoos under his eyes and silver piercings in his ears.
"Uh oh. Looks like we have a bit of an issue here, don't we?" he chuckled softly, approaching the trophy case, cat, and girl. Putting a knuckle to his chin, he thoughtfully considered their dilemma before reaching out a long arm toward the presumed pet.
"Here, kitty kitty," he called, keeping his voice gentle. He glanced back at the girl, still grinning. "He got a name?"
@Opeila Winters
When you think you're alone - that no one cares and you don't matter, please remember: You matter to me.
2 Nov 2020, 22:13
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
@Kit Paine
Opeila didn't notice the tall man entering first. She was too busy trying to get her scared cat down the case he was on. "Come on boy, I'll catch you!", she said, her arms stretched out in his direction. Opeila had no idea even if he could understand her or not.
When her arms started to hurt, she let them fall back down to her sides and sighed. There had to be something to stand on, right? A chair? Anywhere? Opeila looked around- and now finally noticed the other person in the room. The little girl froze. He raised a hand and smiled, before coming closer. Opeila's first instinct told her to draw her wand and protect herself from the stranger.
There was no way he had missed the chaos in the glass case, so Opeila tried to explain, while the man observed her little issue. She never got detention, she wouldn't now because of some stupid boy with his stupid cat. "I-Sir, there was this boy and his cat. He scared my cat, who ran away and into that glass case. He didn't mean to, Sir, it was an accident... I'm sorry." Careful she looked up, waiting for a scolding look from his side.
He concentrated on Loras first, reached out for him. Opeila watched her cat suspiciously stare at the hand in front of them, before he carefully rubbed his head against it. At least it seemed, her cat got more friendly towards people. "That is Loras.", she answered the man's question about his name.
Opeila didn't notice the tall man entering first. She was too busy trying to get her scared cat down the case he was on. "Come on boy, I'll catch you!", she said, her arms stretched out in his direction. Opeila had no idea even if he could understand her or not.
When her arms started to hurt, she let them fall back down to her sides and sighed. There had to be something to stand on, right? A chair? Anywhere? Opeila looked around- and now finally noticed the other person in the room. The little girl froze. He raised a hand and smiled, before coming closer. Opeila's first instinct told her to draw her wand and protect herself from the stranger.
There was no way he had missed the chaos in the glass case, so Opeila tried to explain, while the man observed her little issue. She never got detention, she wouldn't now because of some stupid boy with his stupid cat. "I-Sir, there was this boy and his cat. He scared my cat, who ran away and into that glass case. He didn't mean to, Sir, it was an accident... I'm sorry." Careful she looked up, waiting for a scolding look from his side.
He concentrated on Loras first, reached out for him. Opeila watched her cat suspiciously stare at the hand in front of them, before he carefully rubbed his head against it. At least it seemed, her cat got more friendly towards people. "That is Loras.", she answered the man's question about his name.
3 Nov 2020, 05:00
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
The girl's first words regarding a boy and his cat scaring her cat caused Kit's brows to briefly rise. He was quiet for a time after asking the cat's name, continuing to smile serenely while Loras eventually came to rub his head against his hand.
"Loooras," he repeated softly, drawing out the sound of the name as if to taste it on his tongue; as if to relish it. "C'mere, sweetheart. Your mistress is worried for you." He clicked his tongue a few times to try to draw the feline even closer, attempting to give him a good rub behind the ears and around his neck and face before trying, gingerly, to lift him from the top of the case by the scruff of his neck so he could properly resettle him into his arms.
Whether successful or not, it was then he turned back to the Slytherin girl, still beaming softly.
"What was it you were saying you were sorry for, again?" he asked, his tone as casual and calm as someone who was asking for an explanation to be repeated because they hadn't heard right the first time.
If he had the cat, Kit would have leaned down slightly to pass it on to its owner with great care. "And, if you don't mind me asking...why the name 'Loras'?"
@Opeila Winters
When you think you're alone - that no one cares and you don't matter, please remember: You matter to me.
20 Nov 2020, 21:57
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
@Kit Paine
It seemed Loras was not quite willing to stay on the case any longer. He wouldn't have gone up there on his own in the first place. When the man picked him up and lifted him off the case, he only made a small noise.
The man asked what Opeila was sorry for. A little unsure she looked at him. "Well... I am responsible for my cat, am I not? And he made a chaos, so... I didn't take enough care, despite others having done their part for it.", she explained. "Should I put all that back up?", she asked, gesturing towards the awards that fell down in their case.
Carefully she took the cat back from the man and calmingly rubbed his neck. "Thank you, Mr... er... Professor? I'm sorry, I don't think I've seen you before. I am Opeila Winters." Again she looked at the chaos of awards. Hopefully nothing was broken...
His next question surprised Opeila. Why she chose the name Loras? She wasn't even sure really. "Erm... my Dad is a muggle and he likes to watch muggle series on a programm called Amazon prime..." She looked at the man, hoping she wasn't confusing him. She should really stop mentioning muggle technology to wizards. "He never let me watch the series the name came from, but he mentioned the name once and I just like the sound of it. So... Yeah. That is pretty much the reason..."
It seemed Loras was not quite willing to stay on the case any longer. He wouldn't have gone up there on his own in the first place. When the man picked him up and lifted him off the case, he only made a small noise.
The man asked what Opeila was sorry for. A little unsure she looked at him. "Well... I am responsible for my cat, am I not? And he made a chaos, so... I didn't take enough care, despite others having done their part for it.", she explained. "Should I put all that back up?", she asked, gesturing towards the awards that fell down in their case.
Carefully she took the cat back from the man and calmingly rubbed his neck. "Thank you, Mr... er... Professor? I'm sorry, I don't think I've seen you before. I am Opeila Winters." Again she looked at the chaos of awards. Hopefully nothing was broken...
His next question surprised Opeila. Why she chose the name Loras? She wasn't even sure really. "Erm... my Dad is a muggle and he likes to watch muggle series on a programm called Amazon prime..." She looked at the man, hoping she wasn't confusing him. She should really stop mentioning muggle technology to wizards. "He never let me watch the series the name came from, but he mentioned the name once and I just like the sound of it. So... Yeah. That is pretty much the reason..."
21 Nov 2020, 09:36
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
The caretaker hummed thoughtfully at the response the girl gave him to his previous question. Then, smiling softly again, he shook his head at the question posed to him in turn.
"Don't worry about it; it sounds like it was an accident on the part of everyone involved. I'll take care of it." he replied, nodding toward the disrupted trophies, awards, and medals.
When the girl thanked him and introduced herself, he dipped his head in response. "Kit. Kit Paine, though just 'Kit' will do. I'm not a professor; just the castle caretaker. But it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Winters."
Moving to examine and straighten up all that had been displaced in Loras' panic, Kit continued to listen as Opeila explained the origins of her cat's name.
"Ahh...I see," the man answered, his lips still curved in the gentle smile he'd seemed to have worn all the while. "Well, Miss Winters, I'd hate to keep you and Loras from wherever you might have been headed before this whole mess. I can take things from here."
He cocked his head at her. "Unless...there was something more I could do for either of you...? Perhaps sign a tardy slip explaining what had happened so you don't get into trouble with a teacher or anything like that?"
@Opeila Winters
When you think you're alone - that no one cares and you don't matter, please remember: You matter to me.
1 Dec 2020, 20:58
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
@Kit Paine
The caretaker told her that it was okay, as this seemed like an accident where every part was involved. It indeed was. Loras was no cat to cause chaos somewhere, he knew quite well where the borders were. Although- yeah, the owlery was probably a difference, he wouldn't learn to leave owls alone, no matter how often they pecked him. The physical wounds always healed and it seemed it was the same with his memory.
But never he would make a mess in the trophy room, where it would result in scary loud metal and glass noises. This only happened because he got scared.
"The pleasure is mine... Really? Just Kit?" Opeila asked, unsure. She couldn't quite bring herself to call an adult in Hogwarts by only his first name. This felt strange, of course there were a few professors, who had offered their students to call them by their first name, but always with a Professor before it. Okay, maybe Professor Lian didn't really care about that either, but she was like... very different from every other teacher, right?
"Then call me Opeila, please. Everything else feels weird...", she mumbled.
Kit told her that he would take care of the mess and she and Loras could go where they were heading to before the incident. Unless she wanted him to sign a tardy slip. "Oh- I don't know really. I've never made a mess anywhere in Hogwarts. Is that how it works?", she asked Kit.
The caretaker told her that it was okay, as this seemed like an accident where every part was involved. It indeed was. Loras was no cat to cause chaos somewhere, he knew quite well where the borders were. Although- yeah, the owlery was probably a difference, he wouldn't learn to leave owls alone, no matter how often they pecked him. The physical wounds always healed and it seemed it was the same with his memory.
But never he would make a mess in the trophy room, where it would result in scary loud metal and glass noises. This only happened because he got scared.
"The pleasure is mine... Really? Just Kit?" Opeila asked, unsure. She couldn't quite bring herself to call an adult in Hogwarts by only his first name. This felt strange, of course there were a few professors, who had offered their students to call them by their first name, but always with a Professor before it. Okay, maybe Professor Lian didn't really care about that either, but she was like... very different from every other teacher, right?
"Then call me Opeila, please. Everything else feels weird...", she mumbled.
Kit told her that he would take care of the mess and she and Loras could go where they were heading to before the incident. Unless she wanted him to sign a tardy slip. "Oh- I don't know really. I've never made a mess anywhere in Hogwarts. Is that how it works?", she asked Kit.
2 Jan 2021, 06:51
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
"Just Kit," Kit confirmed, laughter in his eyes. "I'm not really one for formalities. Aside from being no-maj-born - er, I guess here, you guys call it 'muggle-born', don't you? - I'm from the United States, so we're a lot more familiar and comfortable by calling each other by first names there. Even adults."
He shrugged. "That's how it is for me, at least. Some adults will go on and on for hours about needing to be shown respect, but I'm just a caretaker, after all."
His brows rose when she asked him to call her by her first name as well. "Are you sure? You don't have to let me call you by your first name just because I let you call me by mine. Like I said, that's just what I'm most familiar with where I'm from, so it's what I'm most used to."
Then she told him she'd never made a mess anywhere in Hogwarts. That got his attention.
"'Never made a mess'?" the young man repeated, his voice drenched with incredulity as he regarded her with a dubious, crooked smile. "My dear little witch...are you telling me you've never caused trouble anywhere at any time at this school except for this one occasion?"
Mismatched eyes locked onto hers, questioning and amused.
@Opeila Winters
When you think you're alone - that no one cares and you don't matter, please remember: You matter to me.
28 Jan 2021, 11:19
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
@Kit Paine
This new caretaker seemed to be a rather talkative one. Opeila couldn't say that she was surprised as she didn't really have any expectations to begin with, but she had not met many talkative adults at this school yet. The only one, who she could see had some sort of humor even, was again Professor Lian.
Kit told her that he was a muggleborn- a no-maj-born, which was a term Opeila had never heard before- and that he was from the United States. Opeila nodded. "I am a half-blood but my parents sent me to muggle elementary school when I was small. The teachers there also always insisted on formalities."
"Please, yes, just Opeila. You calling me by my last name and me calling you by your first would be against everything that I am used to.", she said and nodded. "The United States sound quite different. Is it like that in their wizarding school as well? Ilvermorny? I know there were some students visiting us but I didn't get the opportunity to talk to any of them. Only with an even more formal Durmstrang student."
Kit repeated her statement that she never made a mess in Hogwarts, in a tone that made clear that he didn't believe her, and then asked her if she was saying that she never caused trouble in Hogwarts. Opeila looked at him for a moment before tilting her head a little, her gaze moving to the ground. "... No...", she started and couldn't hold back a slightly amused smile.
Somehow she had the feeling that Kit wouldn't get her in trouble for it- besides... She already had been in trouble for most of it.
"I said I never made a mess. Not trouble. I differentiate between those two." Opeila didn't need to tell him that Professor Jensen was thinking about expelling her, but who in this school was no troublemaker? Alone for not stopping the blossom ball from happening last year?
10 Feb 2021, 02:40
Excuse me, Mr. Caretaker...?
Upon hearing that Opeila was a half-blood, Kit nodded in acknowledgement, considering the girl. He knew well enough what she was talking about. But, as he had mentioned twice now and it made him smile even broader to think about, he wasn't a teacher. Did all students just automatically associate adults around here with teachers? He supposed when they got used to calling them by titles such as 'professor', it made sense.
He nodded again when she confirmed that she wished to be called by her first name and carefully spaced out the trophies on the shelf he was working on fixing back up.
"Yes, a lot of things about the United States are different. But no, adults there generally get titles for respect and are called by their last names same as here. I guess I just prefer a little less formality myself as a personal preference."
Kit shrugged. "As for tardy slips, they help sometimes. It really depends on the teacher and the reason someone's late."
When Opeila cast him a smile of her own and offered an intriguing reply, he chuckled softly.
"I see. And just how do you differentiate them - making a mess and making trouble?" the tan-skinned caretaker asked, making sure all the names on the trophies and medals were visible.
@Opeila Winters
When you think you're alone - that no one cares and you don't matter, please remember: You matter to me.