Closed Worth a Shot

[Lucas Fletcher]

Ever since Lucas had heard about the moving photos and moving (and talking!) portraits, he had been on the lookout for other normal things that were actually alive in the magical world. He was sure there had to be more things that were different than they seemed, even if things like the flowers in the gardens were disappointingly mundane. As Lucas walked through the corridor back to his common room, he noticed something from the corner of his eye. As he passed a suit of armor, he could have sworn he saw something inside the helmet for a moment. Lucas stopped in his place and frowned at it. Had it just been a trick of the light? Or... or maybe the suits of armor were alive too? He had to know. Lucas glanced around quickly, then peered more closely. "H..hello?" He muttered, feeling a little embarrassed.

 

[Otto Basher]

Otto enjoyed wandering around the castle. Inside his bag, he had a little notebook hidden away, full of the exciting things he had done that day. Most of which, he hoped to fill with situations in which he was superior. Hoping to find something to write, he made his way up the stairs into a random corridor. He didn't find anything exciting to look at, except for standing by a suit of armor. He watched the boy, who seemed to be about his age, glance around quickly and talk to the armor. Pleased to not have been seen, he made his way over, tapped the boy on the shoulder, and said,"Don't think it's going to reply. Did you hope it was?"

 

[Lucas Fletcher]

Lucas nearly jumped out of his skin when someone tapped him on his shoulder, at first convinced that it had been the suit of armor he had been talking to. But unfortunately, it was a Slytherin boy instead, and Lucas felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Oh." He said, taking a quick step back. "No. Of course not!" He said quickly. "It's just... a joke. An inside joke you wouldn't get." He stammered, shaking his head. He knew it was a bad excuse, as there was no one else around who he could be joking with.

 

[Otto Basher]

Otto chuckled. An inside joke? There wasn't anyone else around. Did the boy have a joke with himself?"Oh of course, don't worry about it. I'm sure you're not the only one who jokes with themselves." He gave a quite snort, half scoffing at the boy. The people at school these days. He wondered how they managed to pass their subjects."Besides, the armor doesn't really like talking to people." He wasn't actually sure himself if the armor could talk. Magic did amazing things, but his parents had never mentioned it being possible before.

 

[Lucas Fletcher]

Lucas flushed at the boy's comment, shuffling back a bit and frowning at him. "I never said it was with myself!" He said, though he knew he was just digging himself into a deeper hole. But at his next words, Lucas glanced at the suit of armor curiously again. "Uh... what do you mean?" He asked cautiously. He hadn't missed the boy's mocking tone earlier, but still wondered if perhaps he was telling the truth now. Had Lucas been right in his hunch after all?

 

[Otto Basher]

Otto laughed."Surely not with the armor though?" He shrugged."They don't often talk to strangers. I guess you could get to know them, but I don't have time for that." He was enjoying this. How fun, convincing someone that armor could actually talk! He wondered if the boy was believing him, since it sounded crazy to him.

 

[Lucas Fletcher]

Lucas shook his head. "You wouldn't get it." He said quickly, hoping that was enough to get this boy to stop looking at him like he was an idiot. At his next words, Lucas frowned. "But... how do you get to know them if they don't talk to strangers?" He asked, then shook his head. "I bet they don't talk at all." He said quickly, but he still cast a hopeful glance at the armor. What if it was true?

 

[Otto Basher]

Otto shrugged."I'm sure someone's done it, or there's something written about it. I don't really try to make friends with them." He couldn't imagine what his parents would say if they found out he did that. He tried to make sure everything he did was to their standard. Even though he didn't really know what that was."Maybe not, but you could try again. Could work." He shrugged again.

 

[Lucas Fletcher]

Lucas wasn't entirely sure what the boy was talking about, but he did notice how the suit of armor hadn't reacted to anything they had said right in front of him, which made him slowly think that maybe... they really couldn't talk. It seemed like the Slytherin didn't really know either, as he suggested Lucas try again. "Well, I think the portraits would have talked by now if we were discussing them like this." He said after a moment. "So... I guess he can't talk." He was disappointed, and it showed. "I wonder why paintings can talk. Do you know?" He asked, looking at the boy curiously. "Did you grow up with magic?"

 

[Otto Basher]

Otto patted the boy on the shoulder."Don't look too sad, there's plenty of stuff that can actually talk in the castle." He wasn't sure why the paintings could talk. He'd never felt the need to ask them."Magic, I guess. That'd be the most obvious thing." When the boy asked if he had grown up with magic, he grinned."Sure did, though not as some people would've. I guess you didn't. Makes sense."