pretty little rich girl

A little too close for comfort, August leaned back to his previous position. “No, we’re not.” He agreed. “That could be true for him, but it’s debatable. I’l be honest in saying that I usually enjoy people who talk a lot, so long as it isn’t dull. It saves me from having to saying more than necessary.” He nodded at her answer though he didn’t agree with it. “I think everyone’s interesting if given the opportunity. Though, I’ll admit there are a few people here that I won’t bother giving one.”

Hadley noticed his quick shift of position, offering him a strange glance before leaning back herself. When he went on about not being interested in giving some people the opportunity to entertain him, her own interest piqued again, the rarely tapped gossip in her bubbling up for a moment. “Is that so?” She asked. “If you prefer letting everyone else do the talking, the lot of the people around here seem like your type to converse with. Anyone specific you don’t care to give the time of day?”

lux-klausen

“Hmm.” Lux considered, looking at her with a smile that probably looked a little off on his face. The shape of it felt a little sharp, a little sly. It wasn’t particularly happy. In fact it felt a little vicious. Looking away from her he began to shuffle the cards, his annoyance evolving into something triumphant. Hadley had made a mistake, but she didn’t know it yet.

Tarot was a language, open to interpretation of course, but only those who bothered to learn the meaning and vocabulary could speak it. His fellow prefect might as well have asked him how to say something in Danish- she was relying on him not to lie about the translation. It wasn’t a particularly stupid leap to make- he was hardly known as a manipulative, scheming person. He didn’t lie well, normally. Unfortunately, it was a skill he’d been working on lately.

He blew a smoke ring simply because he could, shuffling the cards with purpose now, easy despite the joint between his fingers. Something he had learn to do with long practice and a fair number of burns to both his hands and his cards. He held the deck out to her in one outstretched hand, the other open just below it. “Cut the deck please, wherever you want. Whatever feels right. Focus on the things you want to know about yourself, the things you want me to know about you.” He said the last bit with a slight edge of mocking. Hadley wasn’t exactly the share-y type, was she?

msvenusstarr-deactivated2016070

His final comment struck a chord with her more than anything he’d said previously, and she hesitated before reaching out to cut the deck of cards he’d laid out between the two of them, eyeing him for a moment afterwards. Though she wasn’t entirely trusting of his insistence that his vision has shoddy accuracy at best, she was betting on the truthfulness of such a statement, especially considering there was a thing or two about herself that Lux Klausen didn’t need to know. To back out now, however, would be too suspicious, so she eyed him silently for a moment after retracting her hand.

Hadley couldn’t help but wonder how many of their peers around the castle he’d agreed to read before she. Only including the members of the Puri and her fellow initiates, there was enough secrecy swirling around that made someone like Luz Klausen dangerous within the mix. How much did he know about the students of Hogwarts, if he was indeed being untruthful about the accuracy of his Gift? Hadley intended to find out. Instead of speaking, she cleared her throat, lifting a brow at the young man across from her.

#c; Lux

Venus frowned, she could have sworn she heard someone asking how she was. Perhaps it was just in her head. “I’m sorry, didn’t mean to bother you. I must have been hearing things.”

Hadley’s gaze dipped back down to the book in her hands, her eyes rolling. It wasn’t that she was very invested in all in the novel she’d plucked off a shelf as she’d walked into the library, but the younger girl’s genuine apology irritated her for some reason. “Mhm.” She muttered quietly. “And I’m still hearing you for some unknown reason.”

#c; venus

fresh || hadley&august

August lowered to head so she could say the amused expression of disbelief on his face. “Really?” He asked, a smile still prominent. “You’re saying I’m safe as long as I’m a Pure-blood? Remind me again what Orlov’s blood was.” He shook his head before offering another scoff of a laugh. “Well, I’m flattered. It’s odd– I’ve been getting that a lot lately. People saying I’m a ‘good conversationalist,’ that is. I can’t imagine how, but,” August lifted his shoulders. “Forgive me for my assumptions, but I’m getting the feeling that you don’t like a lot of people. Any particular reason, Prescott?”

“As far as I’d heard, Orlov’s...untimely...death had nothing to do with the political business going on. I suppose you’re right, though. No one’s really ever entirely safe, are they?” Hadley mirrored August’s expression of amusement, propping her elbow on the bleacher above her so that she could lean in. “My grandfather always said that the best conversationalists don’t have to say much.” She offered him a faint smile. “No particular reason, I just don’t find a lot of people around here that are worth tolerating.”

msvenusstarr-deactivated2016070

“I’m fine thanks. Why are you asking?”

Hadley lifted her head from the book she’d had it lowered to, her eyes rolling as she focused on the girl next to her. “I wasn’t,” She muttered, lifting a manicured finger to point at the retreating figure of who she could only assume was one of the other’s acquaintances. “You see,” She started, lowering her hand from the gesture to flip the page of her book. “I know it’s inconsiderate to start a conversation in the middle of the library.”

#c; venus

fresh || hadley&august

August out an amused breath of air, the corners of his lips edging upwards. “You’re fine. Quit apologizing for a conversation. I might assume you don’t like me either at this rate if you’re so sorry about it.” He leaned back slightly. “But really, I don’t think anything about me is all that intriguing. I’m just trying to get through this year without dying or seeing anyone else die.”

Hadley mirrored his change of expression as soon as he quipped about her assurances that he shouldn’t take her nosiness as something out of hand. Her lips remained quirked upwards after his final comment, though some may have found it a tad unsettling. Hadley felt she needn’t worry about her own death being untimely, and frankly, she didn’t care much about anyone else. “I’d say you really don’t have to worry so long as you’re of pure blood,” She offered back curtly, her tone somewhat factual. “Anyhow, whether you see yourself as intriguing or not, I can think of numerous people I’d put behind you on the list of my peers worth talking to.”

fresh || hadley&august

Before August could answer with a sole ‘Yes,’ Hadley spoke again and he shut his mouth. That wasn’t a question posed often and he had to think about the answer for a moment. He could not remember ever being a talkative child. “When I was younger, I learned from my mother that words gave people power, but I learned from my father that they could also be used against you. I try to be careful with what noise I do make.” He dropped his glance to her. “Have you always been the inquisitive type? Or, is it just me?”

Hadley listened intently as he spoke, somewhat pleased that she was granted more of an answer than she’d expected. He was an observer, she noted. Perfectly content with sitting on the sidelines, listening, rather than commenting when unnecessary. She could relate. “I’m only inquisitive when intrigued,” She offered back with a tone of nonchalance, lifting her shoulder in something of a shrug. “If I’m prying, I apologize. I can’t stand talking to most of our peers for more than fifteen minutes, so my curiosity should be taken as flattering, I promise.”

“I think I can let your indiscretions slide this time around,” She offered back, a hint of humor lacing her tone. Randall Chen was one she’d have to keep her eye on, if not ally herself to him. “See you around, Chen.” She nodded, returning his barely noticeable grin before she spun on her heel.

randall-chen-blog

Randall watched the girl as she turned to depart. Yet another female whose intentions he wasn’t entirely clear about. He’d only have to see her again to further dissect her motives. “Farewell,” he said packing away his things and setting off in the opposite direction.

FIN

#c; randall

fresh || hadley&august

August wanted to argue that after seven years, he didn’t really have the crutch of familiarity anymore, but as he gazed at the sky, knew that he was wrong in that aspect. Despite the difference in it, August still found himself trying to keep close to it– Taking Astronomy and even joining the club to hold onto some part of his old home he couldn’t give up. So he didn’t comment on it, focusing on her other words instead. “Quiet is nice all the time,” August murmured.

Hadley leaned back, stretching her arms out above her head before she brought them back, her elbows propped against the bench behind her and her chin tilted upwards so that she could glance at August as her gaze rolled up. “Have you always been the quiet type, then?” She asked curiously, though it wasn’t very much of a question. “Or rather, why?”

thehoopertrooper-stevie

“What are the odds they run into Goode and Witherspoon, though?” Stevie smirked, looking at them. Nodding to her opinion, he sat down again and looked left and right. “I bet they’re gonna try smooth talking around them.”

“Knowing Goode and Witherspoon, a little sweet talking is all it will talk for the little gremlins to get out of whatever punishment they’re threatened with. I’m still unsure of how those two managed the Head Boy and Head Girl gigs. They’re too...malleable. Too nice. No backbone.”

#c; stevie

fresh || hadley&august

“You’re the only one complaining,” August pointed out to her. It seemed like she was finding her own faults because he truly didn’t care. “It’s not that bad,” He muttered, leaning forward as he rested her elbows on his knees and rubbed his callous hands against each other. “I’m pretty sure it’s not hard to tell that I am not the most social. It wasn’t like I left any friends behind.“ If anything, he was leaving behind enemies. And the people here, that he knew, were harmless.

Hadley lifted her shoulder in a casual shrug, a nod accompanying it. “You’re right,” She offered, as soon as he commented on her attempt to be polite. “Social or no, it’s no easy feat to readjust to a life you aren’t accustomed to. Familiarity is a crutch that all of us are guilty of leaning on.” She paused. “There’s nothing wrong with being anti-social,” She murmured quietly. Hadley, herself wouldn’t ever describe herself as anti-social, but when there was no one at Hogwarts that shared her love of luxury to the extent she did, she preferred quiet over trying to be civil with people that couldn’t keep her entertained. “Quiet is nice, sometimes.”

randall-chen-blog

Randall reverted back to his own likeliness, all without blinking or moving a muscle. “It’s enough to frighten most people away, yes. Though I am nothing to fear…for the most part.” He ever so slightly smiled at the girl. “So are you deducting house points, Prescott? Although you should grant me points since I so graciously granted you yoga tips.”

#c; randall

fresh || hadley&august

It was a question August had been asked before. In fact, it was one of the standard questions people asked him. It usually came with introduction, so it didn’t bother him in the slightest when he already had an answer prepared. “My father was offered a job at the Ministry and he felt he could do better work here than in the Scandinavian Ministry. It was more of a transfer than anything and my mother and I just came along for the ride.” His smoke was coming to an end and as it died, he dropped it onto the ground, stepping it out. August pulled his wand out and silently vanished the remains.

Earlier, he’d decided to leave once his smoke was finished, but now that they were amidst conversation, it seemed rude to do. So, instead, he took a few steps down to where she was, stopping only one bleacher row above her before sitting down. “I don’t mind the questions.” He stated in his naturally low, quiet voice. Questions were easy in conversations. Questions were direct in what they wanted from him. So long as those questions didn’t brooch too personally.

“You may not mind the questions, but that doesn’t make them any less annoying.” She uttered softly, turning where she sat again to look up at him. If they were going to continue their conversation, she’d grant him the appropriate and deserved amount of eye contact. Being a Prescott meant having good etiquette, and even if she’d purposely shed some of the expected Prescott charm after she’d escaped her parents overwhelming reputation, some of the manners she’d had imprinted on her were purely habitual and hard to shake. She was interested enough in their conversation, however, that she didn’t mind granting him her full attention.

“I’m sorry you were dragged to the United Kingdom against your will.” She mused casually, one of her brows raising gingerly. “There’s not much here that I can say is appealing, but it’s home. I imagine leaving home is very frustrating.”

fresh || hadley&august

The name jogged up another to him– Xanthe, his housemate. He was suddenly sure they were related somehow. Sisters, cousin, whatever. It didn’t really matter to him, but he did compare the two briefly. Hadley appeared to be more his cup of tea– she spoke less, but her conversation was still better. Xanthe just made him tired and uncomfortable.

“August Erichson.” He answered before taking another drag and blowing the smoke out from the corner of her mouth. “There’s nothing in Scandinavia, but childhood memories. My family is located in the United Kingdom now. But I’m not opposed to visiting again. In fact, I plan to.”

Eric, Erichson. Close enough, she thought to herself before beginning to process his answers. His mention of childhood memories had her flickering back to a few of her own as she recalled her family holidays with a somewhat somber attitude. The Prescott’s sparkling reputation in the Wizarding World required she be kept under watchful eye when she wasn’t away from home, but her parents still loved she and her older brother to no end--so why did she look upon the past with slight disdain?

“If you don’t mind me asking, August,” she started, shifting where she sat on the bleacher so she faced where he stood, rhythmically pressing the pads of her fingers against her hosiery clad knees as she spoke. “Why did you leave Scandinavia?”

fresh || hadley&august

It seemed like a rhetorical question given that he might not have remembered her name, but was familiar enough to know she was a Prefect. If she was planning on getting him in trouble for something, she would have tried it by now. August shrugged his shoulders and replied with a frank, “No.”

At her next question, August nodded. “I was.” The words were filled with a sort of bitterness. The first ten years of his life was spent there. As rough as it was there, politically, it was who he was– Norwegian had been his first language. It was his home, his childhood. August tapped his cigarette, letting the ashes fall as she spoke. “I cannot imagine how anyone could.” He paused before asking, “What’s your name?”

Hadley offered him a strange glance before she went to answer the question he’d prompted, though she couldn’t give him any grief at all, considering the most she could say she knew about him was that he was a year ahead of her. Or so she thought, at least. “Hadley Prescott.” She offered back simply, waiting for a moment before she mimicked his question, not bothering to guess his name. Albert? Eric?

“And you?” She asked, followed by a beat of silence before she flipped back to the topic of Norway. The hint of resentment behind his previous words had piqued her interest and she drew her legs up, hugging her knees to her chest. “Do you think you’ll stick around Scotland after years end or will you take leave back to Scandinavia?”

fresh || hadley&august

After her response, there was no indication she wanted to continue a conversation, so August stood quietly, taking drags from his cigarette as he watched her sit down. Her presence was already too encompassing that he couldn’t focus on anything else besides the fact that she was there. He would finish his smoke and then leave, he decided.

However, she spoke again, and August lifted his shoulders into a shrug. “I take Astronomy and am also in the Astronomy Club.” He answered. “Therefore, I’m out more often than most. And besides,” August jerked his chin up. “The stars might not be as nice as they are in Norway, but they’re nice enough.”

“Not afraid of getting your ass handed to you by any of the prefects?” She asked, though in retrospect, it was a stupid question--or it was to her, at least. If she hadn’t been a prefect, she still wouldn’t respect the Hogwarts Hierarchy the way some seemed to. It was just badges and power complexes, in her opinion. You’d get nothing more than a slap on the wrist or a few points shaved form your House tally if you were caught out after dark, anyways. For all extensive purposes, however, the fact that some younger students feared her because of a shiny piece of metal would make for a good time if she was ever in the mood to dick around.

“Norway,” she repeated slowly, glancing up at him. “Is that where you’re from?” She paused, allowing him appropriate time to react before she continued, the story she started into tasting somewhat bitter on her tongue. Sharing personal information wasn’t her forte, but his calm and quiet attitude almost made her feel as if she was talking to no one. “My family took holiday in Scandinavia a couple years ago. The view at Geirangerfjord is one I don’t think I’ll be able to forget in this lifetime.”

fresh || hadley&august

Lately it seemed that August had been talking to people a lot more than usual. It seemed like awhile ago since he last got a moment to himself. He pondered briefly about what Xanthe had said to him– How he was easy to talk to. That didn’t really make much sense to him given that he often had a hard time finding anything worth saying to anyone. But maybe he was getting better? He wasn’t sure he wanted to though. Not when it meant giving up his solitude and not when he didn’t know who to trust anyhow.

He was relishing in the moment of quiet though. Practice had ended and everyone had left. They invited him along, but he’d rejected the offer to stay outside longer. The air was crisp and the only thing that would make it better was a smoke, so he pulled one out and calmly began to soothe his always present tenseness.

Until he heard someone call out to him to which he turned to face them. He didn’t recognize the girl entirely. He let out a breath of smoke, that was half a sigh at his lost solitude, before answering. “Smoking.” August answered plainly.

“Clearly,” was her only response at first. Hadley climbed a couple rows up from where August stood, sitting and placing her shoes on the bench next to her. She sat there in silence for a moment, letting her eyes slowly close. She did her best to clear her mind, breathing in the crisp night air. There was something about being out alone after dark that soothed Hadley, but the lingering smell of smoke reminded her she wasn’t alone at all.

“Do you make it a habit of being out after dark?” She asked coolly, glancing over at him when her eyes opened. She wasn’t asking as a prefect, though she supposed the question may have come off a little baiting.

Hadley brought her feet up to rest on the bench below her, casting her gaze downwards as she wiggled her toes. Despite her not really being alone, she thought it safe to assume the young man wasn’t going to be a problem.