Closed An Inky Mess

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory did not like writing with a quill. It felt awkward and unnatural in his hand. Certainly making matters worse was the ink. This was certainly a deadly combination for a boy had frequently been removed from art classes for knocking over paints. But he wasn't supposed to use a pen or pencil here in this place, so he couldn't exactly be using those - though Gregory had brought a few. His father had suggest that Gregory buy lots of ink, which was smart, since he'd already spilled two. but he was trying. Gregory was in the student lounge, an area just across from his common room and dorm, it had more tables with more space and Gregory was practicing. His hands were covered in ink, the parchment had blotches and smears of ink, unhelped by the fact Gregory was left handed. He'd spilled the ink a little on the corner of the parchment, but he was still trying. Repeating the sentence 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog' over and over again. He liked to think there was marginal improvement but the parchment was so ink stained it was difficult to tell. ​

 

[Leah Thorne]

It was nearly impossible for Leah to pick a favorite part of the castle. Partly because there were so many cool spots and partly because she knew she had only scratched the surface of what secrets the school had to offer. But the student lounge was pretty high on her list of favorites so far and she liked to spend time there trying to get to know people. Today it was fairly empty but she did spot a fellow first year and she made her way over to introduce herself. She folded her hands behind her back as she peaked over his shoulder to see what he was writing. It seemed to be the same sentence over and over again with splotches of ink all over. "Are you making an art project?" she asked playfully before moving to stand next to him instead.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory was startled at the sudden voice over his shoulder, which only caused him to create another blotch of ink on the s of jumps. He glanced at the girl, who was over his shoulder and then back at his page. His brain taking a moment to catch up. He pushed his glasses back up his nose with his wrist to avoid getting ink on his face and then shook his head. "Oh no...though maybe when it's done I could do that...," he said. "I'm trying to figure out how to write with a quill....," he said, holding the quill up slightly. "I've never had to before....," he felt that last part of what he said was rather obvious, given the mess he was making was even beyond his usual messiness. ​

 

[Leah Thorne]

"Sorry to scare you!" Leah said quickly realizing that she had startled him. She smiled when he said it wasn't art but it could be. "My mom knows a lot about art and I've seen lots of paintings worse than this." she giggled, thinking of the large canvases hanging in galleries that had maybe a line or two painted on them. She had been so confused watching her mom talk to other adults about them like they were something special. They didn't even move.

Leah gave the boy a curious look when he admitted he had was learning to write with a quill. "But you can write?" she asked warily. Surely there were some requirements for coming to school like reading and writing but she couldn't be too certain. "Well maybe I can help?" she offered and held out her hand for the quill. "What's your name?"

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory beamed brightly at the compliment, even if it wasn't entirely meant to be one. He was of course going to just take it. He nodded a little as she asked if he could write. He felt almost a little offended, the question reminding him that he was less than for being from a muggle family. This girl was probably from a magical family and the question was probably just justified if she thought he was lesser. Lower in the magical heirarchy. "I can write with a pen, and a pencil," he said, not mentioning that his handwriting was by all accounts awful, it just wasn't this bad. Gregory did realise that in saying he knew how to write with a pen and pencil that he was showing his muggle roots, but he already thought she figured it, so there was no taking it back now. He handed her over the quill, "I'm Gregory," he said. "What's your name?"​

 

[Leah Thorne]

Leah smiled relieved she wouldn't have to teach him that much at all. She remembered trying to teach her cousins how to write their names with a quill. It was a few years ago at this point and was much messier than this. "It's not too different from using those." she said encouragingly and gratefully took the quill in her hand. "You really just need to be careful about how much ink you use and how hard you press down on the paper." she explained seriously before dipping the quill delicately in the ink. She gave him a nod once he told her his name and neatly wrote it out, or as neatly as her messy handwriting could produce. She turned to him and smiled. "Just like that." she said. "My name is Leah, why don't you try." she suggested and motioned towards the paper.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory frowned at her when she said it wasn't too different from pens and pencils. He didn't think that would be the case. He didn't think he would make as much of a mess with a pen and pencil. The Hufflepuff couldn't spill ink everywhere if he had a pen. ”It's pretty different,” He said quietly. But he listened to what she said about how to do it. Not press too hard when he put the ink to parchment, he needed to be careful. He took the quill as she introduced herself. He nodded slightly, he dipped the quill into the ink lightly and moved to the parchment. Gregory softly pressed the quill to it and write out his name. He managed to smudge it as he wrote, and it looked like chicken scratches but, he hadn't gotten ink everywhere. He just knew he wouldn't be able to write that slowly in classes. ”Did you get taught how to write with a quill?” he asked Leah.

 

[Leah Thorne]

Leah shrugged when Gregory insisted that quills and pens were different. She had never had trouble but she had learned how to write with a quill first. But she wasn't planning to argue with him and make him feel bad for struggling with something most people mastered as children. She watched closely and nearly held her breath as she watched him write her name. It came out mostly legible which she would gladly take credit for. "That looks better." she said encouragingly. She gave him a nod when he asked if she was taught with a with a quill. "Yeah my tutor had me use it when I first started writing. But it was enchanted to keep the ink steady until I got the hang of it." she explained. "Maybe you need a better one?" she suggested, not really sure what other advice she could give besides to practice more.

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory looked back at his writing and then back at Leah, thinking she was being exceedingly kind about it. Because he didn't think it was that much of an improvement. He had still smudged things but no ink stains didn't seem like a high bar for him to clear. A charm to study his ink would be pretty useful. "I just got the basic one…wasn't aware there were more," admittedly he hadn't asked, but he wouldn't have thought to. His mind completely skipped the information that this had had a tutor. Too focused on the fact there had been more options for quills. "Are enchanted quills difficult to get? Can shops even deliver?" Gregory wasn't sure he'd seen deliveries, just owls with stuff. Did shops have owls that delivered things?​

 

[Leah Thorne]

Leah grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yeah there's all kinds. My dad took me to a quill shop in London that was filled with all kinds. But I only have the basic ones too. My mom said I didn't need anything special for school." she explained. She guessed her mom was right but her assignments would really stand out if she had been able to bring her color changing ink. "I'm not sure." she said thoughtfully when he asked about delivery. She had seen her parents get a few things delivered by owl but she had no idea if shops would send things to school. Surely they would but she knew an easier way. "But I could probably get my dad to send one if I asked. I wouldn't be surprised if he still has a few of my old ones and it's not like it'd be hard for him to get a new one if I asked. Would you like that?"

 

[Gregory Friend]

Gregory wondered if there was a shop like it in New Zealand, in Bright..stone or whatever. Gregory didn't think the argument of them not being necessary for school was entirely that right, he definitely could be. ”Do you know if there's a quill shop like it in New Zealand?” he wasn't sure how he'd persuade his dad to go to London to get a quill. Especially since there didn't seem to be an easy delivery system to get things. He was surprised that she was just offering quills to him, things to help him write. They were perhaps for children, but Gregory didn't mind at all. ”Yeah! That would be so cool,” he replied. He really had met a whole mixture of people at hogwarts so far, some very nice like this girl and some not. ”Thanks!” ​