Closed Potions Lesson 5 Aftermath

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif Styx the Second could hardly believe that he was cutting class a little short, just to check on someone that he felt would annoy him. But the constant harassment got on his nerves, which he was not too sure why he would waste his time getting to the bottom of it. It was better to extinguish the fire, which case was Luxen, but he did not want to get his allies in trouble just because Kalif became annoyed. He managed to catch up to her, down in the dungeons. He whistled loudly, to get her attention. It was exceptionally loud in the emptiness. ​

 

[Mary Lou Layton]

Mary Lou had rushed (slowly) out of potions and she hadn't really noticed anyone had seen her do it. Luxen was so mean to her all the time, she didn't know what she'd done wrong. What was so bad about giving food to people? She'd left some for Professor Kalif too and though she wasn't sure how he'd reacted to them, as she'd had no reaction from him in the class itself, she liked to think he'd appreciated them. Maybe he hadn't, maybe that was why Luxen was so cruel, maybe he'd seen Professor Kalif laughing about it... though he didn't seem like the type of person who laughed, Mary Lou didn't know anything about him. She turned when she heard someone whistle, it was that boy from the cliffs, the one that had the same name as Professor Kalif. She didn't know if they were related though, she had no idea how common his name was, and she only knew his name from hearing it in class, so it might have been a completely different name as she'd never seen it written down. Perhaps his accent made it sound similiar? She didn't want to ask. Why had he followed her. She quickly tried to hide the tears that had slowly started to roll down her face and nodded her head to him. "If you're here to ask me to go back in the class... I'm afraid you are going to be disappointed in me."​

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif narrowed his eyes slightly as she wiped her face. Was she crying? Kalif shook his head at her suggestion. Of course he would not ask her to go back to class. "Anyone with a brain can learn to read and follow the instructions. I will not ask or force you to return," Kalif stated coolly. It was natural for his voice to carry that cold tone of his. It was always the way he spoke. The Slytherin took out his wand and used Lumos to light up the area a bit. He looked over the Hufflepuff, still curious as to why he was bothering. It still, it annoyed him to hear and see what was happening. Perhaps, Kalif just either didn't like Luxen, or bullies in general. "My grandfather and I share some similarities. We cannot stand bullies." It was ironic since his family was notorious for being involved in the Dark Arts. They didn't exactly 'bully' as they conquered. "Professor Styx is my grandfather, if you haven't made the connection. I want to know why you are running from words from a Slytherin that got knocked out by a bloody bottle of ink." ​

 

[Mary Lou Layton]

Mary Lou didn't know anything about Kalif, so it was hard to know exactly what he was doing when he'd followed her out. She could only hope he was not friends with Luxen since she had no way of knowing what they might talk about when they were in their dorms and she couldn't be expected to know or believe what was being told to her. She knew she was gullible but she couldn't turn it off. "I know that," she said, referring to his talk of reading books to learn, "but I don't know anything about magic, the lessons were helping me learn," she said, not having any basis in any of this was difficult. She bit her lip a little when he mentioned his grandfather and bullies. She was being bullied and it turned out she'd been right in thinking that Kalif was related to Professor Kalif. It did make sense. She rubbed her eyes again to try and stifle the tears. "Because one day they may not just be words." She told him, trying her hardest not to let her voice break. "Sometimes it turns from words to something else... one day he might decide that words are not enough and who is going to believe me if that happens, no one ever did before." She said, shaking her head. She'd never been beaten up or anything like that, but no one ever believed her that the girls would call her a freak or a curse, she'd always believed them but never thought they were right. Then she'd come to this school and she thought it would be better because they were all freaks, only it was happening all over again.​

 

[Kalif Styx II]

So, this was her first experience with magic. Kalif came from a background where magic was all he knew. Anything beyond that was unknown to him. Kalif nodded though, unable to empathasize where she came from. He sighed, "Not having a magical background isn't uncommon. Silverback was raised by muggles no less." Kalif had no idea how or if that would help, but Mari did tell Kalif about their encounter. Kalif didn't know why since he didn't care one way or another. Mary feared that one day, they would turn into something more than just words. And the mention of how no one believed her before, that indicated that she went through this prior to coming to Hogwarts. "If it does resort to that, bring Professor Styx into it. He has the ability to tell who is lying and who isn't. But," Kalif folded his arms across his chest, "you are going to need to accompany yourself with people that will outnumber any that do you wrong." Until she was strong enough to handle one bully, anyway. From what he had seen, her magic skills were clumsy at best. ​

 

[Mary Lou Layton]

Mary Lou didn't know why Kalif was saying these things to her, or for that matter why he'd cared enough to join her outside. She could only assume he'd left of his own accord and it had nothing to do with her. She didn't know who he was friends with as she'd only really spoken to him that one time on the Cliffs earlier in the year and from that she'd not had such a good vibe, but this was a bit different and for some reason he seemed really into trying to help her, if that's what this was. She didn't quite get it. The comment about Professor Kalif was a bit strange though. She wasn't sure what he meant about him knowing when people were lying... wasn't that just a trick most adults knew when they were around children alot? "I don't know how to do that," she said, shaking her head and looking back at the class. It would be wrapping up soon and she didn't want to be there when it did.​

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif listened to her. He looked over his shoulder, assuming that class would be over very soon. She may not want to be here when it did release the crowd. "You will be around me from now on when you are around Slytherins. Or rather, any of my allies. I always have at least two others with me." But her hiding behind his crowd would not do her much good. He motioned for her to follow him toward the exit of the dungeons. Away from the potions class. "You need help with magic. Assistance is something I can provide. I came from a prominent magical background. I can help you own your power," Kalif offered. "I want nothing in return. This will be a learning experience for me as well." He needed to be a good leader. Maybe this would be a good start. ​

 

[Mary Lou Layton]

Mary Lou was not accustomed to having people offer her help when they did not even know her. She was... suss, if she could use that term. She didn't know what to make of Kalif, he seemed like he was the sort of person who didn't have friends and yet he spoke like half the school was his staff. She was... unsettled, but loathe to mention how unsure she was. He seemed like he wanted to help her and wasn't that enough? He talked about allies like it was some battlefield. Maybe for him it was. "Why do you want to help me at all?" She asked. If she was not satisfied with her answer, she would be on her way. She had one bully, she didn't need a second.​

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Right, that was a question. Kalif knew that his explanation would boggle her. It would anyone, magical world or no. To explain it so that she would understand... Kalif remained silent for a moment. After all, formulating words mattered much. Especially the right ones. "I doubt you will understand, since most don't, regardless of their background. I'll try to explain it that you will understand," Kalif started. He lowered his wand as he unfolded his arms from across his chest. "It has to do with my family. I have a very large one. Imagine them as a country. My grandfather is their king. I am next in line to become the king. But, to lead the people, I need to learn to be a better leader, a strong teacher, and a fierce ruler. Helping you will fulfill my duty to be a teacher." Kalif hoped that he explained it well, and that she got the metaphor. His family were not royalty as far as the public eye could see. Kalif decided to add in another part, with a small smirk on his face, "Plus, I would love to see a victim of Silverback rise against him." ​

 

[Mary Lou Layton]

Mary Lou didn't know what to say about any of this. She was trying to understand what he was telling her, but there was so much information that it was hard to really get it. His family was big, that part she understood just fine, but, helping her would help him become a better person? She wondered if it were anything like the tasks the alter-boys would be given by her father when he was teaching them. Help someone learn a passage from the bible, offer their services to the elderly in the congregation, etc. She'd not had much with that herself, mostly because this was not the type of thing she involved herself with, but, nor was Kalif. She thought he would be like the Slytherin boy, all she had to go on was his behaviour and she did no know all that many from his house. Only him, now Kalif and potentially that other Slytherin she'd occasionally seen both of them with, he had a twin in her house. All of it was very confusing. "So... to be a better King... you need to understand the people?" Was that what he was saying? It certainly seemed like it. She thought she could understand that a little bit. No one seemed to be able to understand her, so, if he could, that would be great.​

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif didn't know how to explain it any further, but it was closer. He didn't really need to understand people necessarily. Maybe it was the way that she would understand though. Kalif gave a small nod. "More or less, yes." Kalif smirked a bit, though it was still relevant. He wanted this to happen, to see if he could strengthen someone weak into someone that was much stronger, then he could reflect that to his family. "What do you say, Mary Lou Prindeou?"

 

[Mary Lou Layton]

This was completely opposite of what Mary Lou expected. Was this kind of thing normal in this world? She was used to people helping other people but the vibe she got from Kalif was different, though she couldn't say why. She wasn't scared of him so much as suss about what his actual motives for helping her were but... as much as she wanted to walk away from him, he was offering to help her with Luxen... maybe she should take him up on that? If he was related to Professor Kalif... maybe he wasn't so bad? Professor Kalif surely wouldn't let his relative be a bad person, right? And they wouldn't allow bad people into the school, would they? She remembered on the news how a teacher did a bad thing once and got arrested and thrown in prison, surely it was the same here? She tilted her head slightly, though she wasn't quite sure what she was trying to see. "O...okay, if you will help me," she said, trying to sound much more confident than she was. "I can bake you things!" She offered, because she didn't have anything else to offer him, so she wasn't quite sure just helping her was payment enough. "Do you like cakes or muffins or anything?"​

 

[Kalif Styx II]

Kalif fought another smirk as she tried to sound confident, since it was clearly forced. Then, she said that she could bake him things in return. Though, he just said that he didn't want anything in return. But, whatever. He sighed, "If that makes you feel better. Good luck making cakes and muffins without sugar, Prindeou." He shrugged his shoulders, before pointing her toward the exit of the dungeons. "You should be fine now. I'll see you around sometime to start your lessons," Kalif turned his back and started to head in the direction of the Slytherin House. After all, he was done here, and from what he could count, he had one more pawn to add to his collection.​

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