elijah westernberg

“I knew you’d appreciate it,” Elijah said warmly, his voice softening as his gaze swept over the greenery. “I love coming here this time of year. It always gives me ideas… but more than that, it’s just calming. Beautiful.” As he walked, his fingers brushed lightly against the taller plants, a kind of reverence in the small gesture that mirrored the way he always seemed to treat anything living.

He glanced back with a little smile. “Now, where would you like me to start? You’re really asking the wrong person. Summarising isn’t exactly my strong suit. Unless you’re very specific, you might get the long version whether you wanted it or not.” The admission was good-natured, softened with a quiet laugh that lingered in the air and settled between them, unforced and easy.

burntogcther

"To be honest, I hadn't even noticed but now that you've said not to, I won't comment regardless," James replied, chuckling, "I hope they're not being too cruel and it's just comments. Kids can't be that bad right?"

"I am not sure if that is comforting or not." Elijah admitted but he supposed it was better than the alternative. "No, they aren't being too cruel. I think they find it to be just a joke. They can be infinitely worse but I think I get off pretty lightly."

#c:jamesp

erin-mccormack

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but now that you mention it..." Erin joked. "Try to take it as a compliment? Maybe grey hairs make you look more professor-y and wise?" She suggested. "You gotta let me know when you got your first, though, I need to know how long I have to prepare."

"I am not sure I need to look more 'Professor-y' but thank you for attempting to alleviate some of my concerns." Elijah laughed softly, tentatively brushing a hand through his hair, clearly at least a little self conscious about it despite his joking. "Woah well... now it feels a little less concerned for my wellbeing and more your own." He barked in amusement.

#c:erin

thecdcredubancwski

"Do you know a lot of people who can notice a single grey hair just by looking at you?" Theo asked, "I can't even see it," he added after a moment.

"Granted, it's not usually the first thing people notice about me but I would like to keep it that way. I might have to think about dyeing my hair at this rate." And the thought alone made Elijah pout a little because it really was just evidence that he was getting older. "But thank you for trying to soothe that sensitive spot of mine."

#c:theodore

"I'm sorry, I was entirely too distracted there. I would say I would be lucky if I even caught twenty five percent of what you said to me." Elijah admitted with his usual honesty and a good dose of sheepishness to go with it where he stood leaning by the animal pen at Hogwarts. "Would you mind terribly if you started over? You have my full attention this time, you give you my word."

@dakotawilkes

#sdhqclosed #c:dakota

"If you're about to be another person who gets great joy out of pointing out that I have earned another grey hair and therefore I am getting old, I may just cry." Elijah stated seeming in good humour despite his words. "I genuinely can't tell if the children are teasing me now or if it's a genuine comment. I might just choose to pretend its the former of the two options to save my vanity."

#sdhqstarter

"There's certainly some things I wouldn't want to live through first hand, that's for sure," she agreed with a laugh. "We'll just have to choose an environment that's still fun but perhaps a little less life-threatening," Elena then said in good humor.

"Where do you think you would like to visit?" Elijah asked after a moment, giving Elena a look of curiosity. "A jungle? Given your interest in Jumanji I can only assume." He said with a laugh.

trinitytrelawney

"Which is a damn shame. I'm sure I wouldn't be alone in saying that the Hogwarts halls would be far more joyful if you were spinning and gliding through them," Trinity laughed in reply. "Is that so? How mysterious. Although I suppose we're all multifaceted after all," she then shrugged. "And thank you. I'm no pro but I do love a good dance floor."

"Is that so? Well I am flattered that you think I could have that much of an impact on the school, especially in such a positive way." Elijah was genuinely touched by it. He wanted to be thought of as joyful, it was certainly a positive trait to be associated with. "Perhaps we'll have to take more time to dance, Trinity."

#c:trinity

"Ridiculous," she shook her head at him, tossing the remainder of the napkins at him. "And what a sacrifice it was. One to behold," Elena teased at his response. "If this is how it's already going, I feel like I should keep an eye out for you the rest of the night," she added playfully.

Elijah cleaned himself up with the napkins she'd practically thrown at him, still looking as jovial as before, handing the bottle over to Elena. "Why? What exactly are you worried about me doing my darling Elena? I'm an angel don't you know." He teased, an easy smile playing across his lips.

chlcebcnacccrd

"I'm sure my fiancé would have plenty to say about that. Don't let him know I entertain you like this," Chloé teased playfully in return. It was a bit Elijah didn't seem to want to let die but it wasn't like she was necessarily complaining about it either. "But yeah you know you can reach out to me for anything. Even if it's just to nick my personal library."

"Well I suppose that would entirely depend on how far I pushed it and whether you looked amenable to my charms. I suppose if he thought it once though, it'd be a possibility again." Elijah gave with a shrug of his shoulders, knowing that Chloe had told him last time that her fiance had thought they had a thing going too. "I know though. And I adore you for it... in a completely platonic way, naturally."

#c:chloe

cyrusclearwater

"I guess I wasn't sure it would be on most people's radar is all," Cyrus shrugged with a laugh. "It seems that you were," he nodded, smiling. He felt himself go pink at Elijah's kind words. "You're much too sweet, Eli," he insisted with a shake of his head. "I'm just so glad things turned out the way they did. It's been really nice."

"I make a point of looking out for my friends... this is just one more way." And if it happened to be a little bit curious and gossipy too... well that was just another side effect. "Has it? Well I'm glad to hear that. Everyone deserves that kind of thing in their lives and I'm happy it's in yours." Cyrus seemed to almost glow with it and Elijah felt warm in the presence of him.

#c:cyrus

"Dancing, hmm? That does sound beautiful," a soft laugh leaving her at that being Elijah's first thought. She appreciated him more than ever in that moment, feeling him shed some light at a time that was feeling uncomfortably somber for her. "That sounds exhilarating. Kind of like Jumanji or something I take it?"

"Not quite jumanji but I get what you mean. I imagine that version would be a little more terrifying, don't you?" Because as much as he loved the film, some of the things that came from it were frankly creepy as hell.

trinitytrelawney

Trinity let out a bright giggle when she was whisked into a dance by Elijah, quick to follow his lead as they twirled upon the floor. It was so freeing to let loose in that way, the two of them getting lost in the music. "Come here often?" she joked in reply after having squeezed him back. "I don't know if I've ever seen you quite this energized. You've got some incredible dancing feet, Eli!"

"More if I knew this was the reception I'd get." Elijah laughed in return, giving her another twirl as they separated. "I'm in work most of the time. I have a persona to keep up. I can't go dancing down the corridors. I think it would look a tad strange." He gave in answer. "But there's a lot you don't know about me. The quiet, sweet gentleman is only part of my personality." Elijah wiggled his eyebrows mysteriously in her direction. "But thank you, yours are pretty light on the dancefloor too."

#c:trinity

"Elijah!" she'd shouted in late reaction when she'd realize what he was about to do to try and salvage the champagne. Given she'd been drinking too, she didn't have as sharp of a reaction time as she typically would. "It's going to come out your nose– be careful," Elena insisted, although she was laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. "Look what you've done to yourself," she chuckled, shaking her head as she reached for some napkins to dry off his chin. "Tonto," Elena muttered to herself affecionately.

It ended about as she had expected with the liquid spurting out of both nostrils as well as his mouth but he didn't seemed to give a damn with the way he was in between laughing and coughing at the whole situation. When he'd calmed, Elena came to fuss over him. "Personally I think I prefer the lone ranger..." He gave in reply, though he was fully aware of what she was actually saying to him as he grinned at her with that usual mock innocence. "Besides, one of us had to do it. I decided to take one for the team."