Old School Week Windy Afternoon

[Aine Thompson]

For once, Aine was outside. Maybe because it was windy and cool, and overcast, Aine thought she might walk more slowly back to the school, looking at the garden before cooping back up in her room. She went to adjust her bag, letting go of her hat, and it flew straight off her head. "Ah, f-" she started, flailing to grab her hat but not succeeding. It flew up in to a tree, stuck a little way up. "Crap."

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor was getting some fresh air to try and calm down when he saw a girl's hat get stuck in a tree. He couldn't win the Quidditch cup or be the best Head Boy Hogwarts had ever had, but he could help here. "Accio hat!" He said, and gave the girl her hat once it had flown back into his hand.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Despite being at a magic school, displays of magic were still somewhat unbelievable. "Wait, you can just...do that? No desperate suffering climbing a tree?"

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor thought the girl must be a first year, smiling at her slightly. "Yeah, summoning stuff is really handy. You never have to go looking for missing socks." He said with some of his old cheer, glad he could help someone for once.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine scratched her head, seemingly mildly stumped. "You would think after a whole month these things would start to be normal." She thought about all the time she'd misplaced items of clothing in piles that had amassed outside her chest of drawers at home, though. "Maybe it's not so bad."

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor gave the girl a reassuring smile, wondering if she was a muggleborn. It seemed likely, from how she was talking. "Magic's definitely not all bad." He said gently, trying to think what else he could show her. "Orchideous!" He said with a wave of his wand, conjuring a cheerful crown of calendulas on her head.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine almost jumped straight up when she felt something appear on her head. She reached up, pawing desperately to find out what it was. "What the-" She pulled it off, getting it caught on her hair as she did. "Ow."

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor was a bit embarrassed when the flowers snagged the girl's hair, wishing he had picked something easier for her to see. "They're flowers." He explained, quickly conjuring one more in his hand to show her.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine realized she was being rude again, especially when she vaguely recognized that this was the Head Boy. "Sorry. I mean, thank you." She blinked a couple of times, wary. "What do they do, though?"

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor couldn't help a small laugh at her question. "They're just flowers!" He said with a cheerful smile. "I could make them dance around or light up if you'd like, though."

 

[Aine Thompson]

"Hmm," Aine hemmed, looking for all the world like a little old lady rather than a 12 year old girl. "I suppose that's useful for decorating. Mum wouldn't let me put up fairy lights at home 'cause she said they were way too tacky and I had to leave my room mim-minimi-minimalist." She struggled with the word.

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor smiled when she did see the value of his spell, though the next thing she said made his heart hurt. "Well, you're at Hogwarts now. If you like I can conjure some fairy lights and flowers for you to hang in your room." He offered, thinking it would be nice to make someone happier for once.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine's eyes lit up, despite herself. "Really?" Then she remembered what Victoria had said, and cleared her throat, embarrassed. "I mean...that would be pretty cool. But I don't wanna be a bother or something. Um...thank you."

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor smiled brightly, pleased the girl seemed happy. "No bother!" He waved his wand, and with a few quick spells he was holding an armful of flowers and strung lights. "Do you know the spell Lumos yet? You can use that to turn the lights on, and Nox to turn them back off."

 

[Aine Thompson]

"Uh...hahaha." Aine laughed, nervously. She played with the brim of her hat, shifting on the spot. In truth, she had barely even touched her wand. "I don't want to, y'know, cause any disasters or anything with spellcasting."

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor gave the girl a comforting smile. "It's alright. You'd have to work pretty hard to mess anything up with Lumos or Nox." He said gently. "I could practice with you, if you like?"

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine shook her head, embarrassed. "No, no, it's okay!" She waved her hands in front of her face. The head boy seeing her fail? Too humiliating for words! "You'd be surprised how easily I could mess it up."

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor gave the younger girl a reassuring smile. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but I promise I'm happy to help. You're not used to people doing magic around you, are you?" He asked, making a deduction about her family situation from her feelings.