Fake Frenchies

[Jamie Derouin]

Arriving back at Beauxbatons with a smile on his face. The first person he intended to see was Mel! They had spent time during the last semester sitting around learning french together, helping each other out and Jamie knew he’d seen an improvement in his grades from it. It hadn’t been overly different, but there had been a change and he knew it was because of her. The boy had a few bits and pieces he wanted to go over that day, and had sent a little note to his friend to meet him in one of the beauxbatons common rooms, where they could sit and work on their french and other work together. Of course, the teen didn’t have much work since it was the beginning of the semester. He had his books under his arm and was heading there. He had a skip in his step and was just very excited about what it would bring. What this year would bring, and he was definitely happy to have made a real friend in Mel! He arrived at the room and took a seat inside the common room and waited for her to arrive. He knew that they would have fun, he knew that they would spend time together during this year, but Jamie just hoped that she felt the same way.
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[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Meloetta was excited for her semester back at school, away from her father's work stress. He'd had businessmen over nearly every week, and Mel while always the proper woman, was not as keen to have to be a fetcher for things they wanted. The teen felt less stressed knowing she needed to learn another language than she did when grabbing snacks for the men and women in suits in her house. Dressing comfortably the blonde made her way from her room into a common area. It wasn't hard to spot Jamie, he was bouncy and excited, his energy exuded almost like a visible aura around him. Mel wondered briefly what color her aura would be, but she knew it was slate - it fit her in a way no other color seemed to. "Bounjour." The Russian girl spoke in an even tone. "Sorry I was running late, girl in my dorm thought I stole her top." She shrugged. "Did you bring some study material, Jamie?" She inquired, round eyes looking at him, her own book clutched in her hand firmly. Meloetta was often ready for any challenge posed to her when it came to learning, that and her level headed temper was most likely why she'd been sorted into Ravenclaw in her years at Hogwarts.

 

[Jamie Derouin]

Jamie looked up excited when he heard the familiar voice of his friend. Spending time with mel had been good, it was a real friend, she was a lovely person, despite how much she seemed to try to not be. She was smarter than he could ever hope to be, he just enjoyed spending time with her. Jamie shook his head at her, "It's alright Mel! Did you steal her top?" he joked with a little smile, assuming that she hadn't but it didn't hurt to ask. it was nice to keep the conversation light and airy between them, and his excitable tone, indicated he wouldn't mind either way. "Of course I did!" he replied as he took out the books that had been sitting in his bag, he opened them and then realised as he searched through his bag, that he had forgotten a quill, "SO," he started loudly, a light blush appearing on his cheeks at the fact he had forgotten an important aspect of what he needed to study, "I appear to have forgotten a quill, can I borrow one of yours Mel?" he asked, plastering an innocent and overly expressive smile as he asked, hoping that she wouldn't mind his usual antics before they got down to the hard work of studying.
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[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Meloetta couldn't help the gentle upturn of her lips when Jaime became excited to see her. No one was ever that excited to see her. The Russian teen took a seat near him, and rolled her eyes in the most playful way she could manage. "Of course not! She doesn't have nearly the taste I do." She said, pretending to be haughty as she flipped blonde locks off her shoulder. The span of a semester with a friend had loosened the tenseness in Mel's resting face considerably, but it was obvious she was still becoming accustomed to being relaxed. As she set out her organized stack of books, brightly colored photos and note parchment, she watched Jaimie rummage through his bag. "I'm going to start charging you." She teased, giving him a fluffy, peach colored quill. If he was going to forget his he'd use her personal favorite. "Need anything else like parchment?" She inquired, showing the pink papers she had tucked away.

 

[Jamie Derouin]

The boy knew that she hadn't taken the t-shirt, of course not. Mel wasn't that kind of person. He was however glad that being around him and their friendship had helped Mel be less, wound up. To Jamie she seemed more relaxed than ever. She seemed like she was relaxing more, joking about with him when he did so with her. It was nice, it was good. He grinned at her as she handed over a quill, "Thanks Mel!" he replied. he was often forgetful of quills and he didn't mind whatever quill she handed him when he needed to borrow one, "I'll pay you back some time, with, I dunno, friendship hugs," he knew that he'd just help her out at some other point and repay her in that way, but he was mostly just happy that she didn't mind letting him borrow hers. He didn't mind that at all. He shook his head at her, as he did pull out the parchment that he had brought, "Nope, now I have everything!" he held up the quill and grinned. He was ready to get started. "What do you want to start with?" they were in different years, but certainly some of the language issues they faced together. And it was good to talk with someone else about issues and it was good to have someone to practice the magic with.
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[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Meloetta grinned at Jamie. "The pink really brings out your eyes." She said jokingly. Though for a moment the blonde made eye contact and thought pink went well with brown. It was a nice combinations. She adjusted her shirt collar, subconsciously remembering that she was wearing that combination. Though the khaki of her pants was much lighter than her eyes. "Friendship hugs?" She asked with a laugh, pointed nose wrinkling at what he said. She was not much for contact and still had to get used to Celebi hugging her tightly every time they met. The student supposed it was because her father wasn't one for hugs either, but it wasn't as if she felt unloved. With him asking about studying material, Mel snapped out of her own Pyschoanalysing of herself, and focused on the task at hand. "Oh, how is Charms going for you? Is casting charms easy enough so far?" She asked. Charms was her best class after all.

 

[Jamie Derouin]

Jamie held up the quill to his face, "You think so?" he joked with her. He put down the quill and just looked at his work. He looked at his charms work and gave a small shrug. He hadn't been very good at school, he could work relatively well and get some okay grades, but the boy had to admit that perhaps he could use a little extra help with charms. He had been improving with the help of Mel. It was nice to have someone who was willing to help him out, and the fact they were at in different years meant that he could help her in other aspects and she was helping just be better at the spells that he wasn't getting, "I was having some trouble with the bubble head charm, I could get it a little but it never lasts," he turned to his charms notes and opened the bit that he was struggling with. He showed it to Mel, and waited to see what she had to say about it. He was thankful to have a friend like her, someone who he could help him out without laughing about him or not helping. Plus, they were able to do it in english, and though Jamie was much better in French than he had been, it was more natural and far easier to work.
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[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Seeing the quill next to the deep pools of umber that belonged to her friend, Meloetta couldn't help but think brown and pink did genuinely go together in many shades and combinations. The blonde glanced from that thought to her own charms book. Though she was a tad older than Jamie, she still felt that helping him was the same as helping herself. She was not social, so where else would she get human interaction. And with someone that put up with her resting face, and typically pessimistic attitude. Meloetta looked at the charm page and nodded for a moment, before looking back up at her friend. "Well... first I need to see how you're casting it, maybe your technique is off?" She said, though the tone of her voice meant she was unsure. After all she rarely saw Jamie cast spells - he could have better technique than her for all she knew. Though with her O level grades in nearly all her classes she doubted that. "You do concentrate when you cast right? Breaking concentration at any point in casting a charm leads to a much weaker effect. The longer you can hold your focus, the better the charm. At least that's always been my experience." The statement of course was meant without offense, but Mel knew that her friend had a habit of bouncing energetically from one topic to another.

 

[Jamie Derouin]

Jamie could admit it was probably his form that was letting him down a little. He thought about showing her but as she continued on he chuckled lightly, "You know me Mel, I'm concentrating, I'm concentrating, and then in the corner of my eye, I sense movement and I just gotta look," he joked with her, "I'm a dog going after a squirrel," he was kidding around with her and joking, but that likely was it, as hard as he tried he could not get himself to focus, at all! He just concentrated as hard as he could and sometimes he got it, and other times he had to work more to get it. Maybe his form wasn't great but it wasn't likely the only issue at play or the main issue at play. "I can concentrate when it's quidditch because there's so much else going on, I just have to, but it's difficult when casting magic," he admitted, he wasn't sure how much she would be able to help but she might have tips about it, or be able to help coach him a little into concentrating. They usually just studied together as much as they could, but he was always happy to help her or get help from her.
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[Meloetta Kovalenko]

Meloetta, if this was a year or more ago, would have been frustrated with Jaime's explanation. However now she gave him a soft smile and nodded at his words. "Ever try closing your eyes?" She asked, half joking and half serious." Well, think about it this way." She started. "Every job needs a certain grade standard right? And that includes Quidditch wouldn't it? So concentrate because if you want to pursue your future you have to" She offered, hoping he wouldn't be put off by the idea. "Let's try. Uhm..." she stood up, motioning for him to do the same and placed a book standing up across the room. "Okay, so, stand up, close your eyes, and concentrate on knocking the book off." She said, though her directions were slightly unclear. She hoped he knocked the book off and didn't hit anyone.