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Post by Elisabetta Domenici on Jun 19, 2011 13:44:25 GMT -5
Betta sighed. "It always looked like this whenever my dad had to go on...er...away trips. He couldn't tell us where he went, but he'd be gone for days at a time. And you know something else?" She looked at Jacob. "It wouldn't be two days after he was gone when the Daily Prophet would have stories about more Muggle murders. Of course, it could all just be coincidence and that I'm reading way too much into it, but still...how and why it affects the weather, I have no idea. Maybe it's the mere fact that death is near to someone."
She shook her head. "Sorry about the dramatics. I do tend to get excited over the smallest things."
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Jacob Clark
Gryffindor
Fourth Year
Our Hogwarts' Host Club President
Posts: 1,095
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Post by Jacob Clark on Jun 19, 2011 14:53:26 GMT -5
Jacob's expression changed to one of sincere interest as her demeanor changed to a more serious tone, and he listened intently to her description. He wasn't sorry that he'd met the obviously distracted girl. In fact it was quite the opposite, he just hoped that he'd not pried into her personal feelings without much regard. "I didn't mean to stir-up an unpleasant feelings or memories." He looked for a way to provide her a way to escape the problematic questions that must be plaguing her subconscious mind. His own eyes began to mist at the prospect of having a mysterious family member.
The frozen waters of the lake were creaking and groaning ominously beside them. The surface was punctuated by spots that were clear of ice. While still looking at her, he reached inside the basket and extracted two cookies. He tried to deliver a way to talk about something else, but he left the subject up to her. "However, if you should need someone to talk to about any thing, I'll be there for you." He offered her the two cookies.
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Post by Elisabetta Domenici on Jun 19, 2011 17:04:21 GMT -5
"Eh, it's okay. It's like he's fond of saying sometimes--there is no good or evil; there's only power and those too weak to seek it."
<< She's not related to Voldie; I'm just letting you know that her dad is a big fan of the Dark Lord.>>
"I've never really known why he's said that over the years. I mean, come on...what sort of power is he talking about? The Ministry of Magic deals in that sort of power, right?"
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Jacob Clark
Gryffindor
Fourth Year
Our Hogwarts' Host Club President
Posts: 1,095
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Post by Jacob Clark on Jun 20, 2011 19:19:08 GMT -5
Jacob maintained the somber tone and said, "Maybe it's the choices that we make that determine if we do good or evil. Power is also in the eye of the beholder. Some may feel powerful, or are more powerful when compared against perceptions. Who's to say what true power is? I think learning from experience is the greatest source of power that I've found. Hopefully, my choices will help me do good with what power I acquire." He extracted another cookie and tossed it onto the ice near one of the openings, as to leave access to a dry cookie to George.
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Post by Elisabetta Domenici on Jun 21, 2011 0:12:39 GMT -5
"Very true." Betta replied, also tossing a cookie near the hole in the ice. "Anyway, so what do you like to do in your free time? Reading's one of my big hobbies; I'll spend a whole day in the library on the weekends just perusing anything I can get my hands on. It's a shame I can't yet study advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, though. The Restricted section looks like it might be very interesting to go through; I've heard that there's a book that screams when you open it. Not that I've seen it for myself," she added, "I've only heard about it, like I said."
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Jacob Clark
Gryffindor
Fourth Year
Our Hogwarts' Host Club President
Posts: 1,095
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Post by Jacob Clark on Jun 21, 2011 14:13:03 GMT -5
He was glad she liked to read. She seemed so full of mysterious background that he was interested to find out more about her. "Experience - The lords of life, the lords of life,— I saw them pass, In their own guise, Like and unlike, Portly and grim, Use and Surprise, Surface and Dream, Succession swift, and spectral Wrong, Temperament without a tongue, And the inventor of the game Omnipresent without name; — Some to see, some to he guessed, They marched from east to west: Little man, least of all, Among the legs of his guardians tall, Walked about with puzzled look; — I'm by the hand dear Nature took; Dearest Nature, strong and kind, Whispered, Darling, never mind! To-morrow they will wear another face, The founder thou! these are thy race!" "Reading is a passion for me too. I like to read poetry mostly. I think it reflects what someone feels and perceives more than just standard writing. There are some great poets in the library. And you know what? I've been sorely tempted to get into the restricted section myself. I think there are some very dark magic sections in there though...who knows?"
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Post by Elisabetta Domenici on Jun 21, 2011 19:54:58 GMT -5
"I wish I had one of those Invisibility cloaks," Betta commented. "I'd be in that restricted section in no--er...um..." she broke off as a couple of seventh-year Hufflepuff students walked by. "You know what I was trying to say, right?"
She shuffled her feet on the ground and was about to say something else when her owl came flying toward her, a letter tied to her leg. "Ah, this is from my mum. Hang on...let me read it..."
"Dear Elisabetta, I was most pleased to hear that you made it back to Hogwarts in good shape. Your father has been working a lot as usual...he's been going to his meetings..."
"What meetings?" Betta frowned, then continued to read out loud.
"...and so far everyone's liked what they see in him..."
"Who's liked what they see?" interrupted Betta once again, looking at Jacob.
"...so he's going on a special business trip with his boss to work some things out. Darling, if this does work out, we won't have anything to worry about any more. We'll all be safe! Isn't this lovely?..."
"Okay, now why is my mum speaking in riddles?" Betta asked, glaring at the letter. "I thought we already didn't have anything to worry about already. What is going on?"
She continued, groaning almost instantly.
"...and we do hope to have the Kuranovs over for dinner over the holiday break. You remember Dmitri, don't you? He's a fine young gentleman from a fine family, and I'm sure he'll look forward to catching up on things when he's over--"
"Oh good grief! She's still trying to set me up with this guy!" Betta exclaimed. "He's a jerk, believe me...he's all about the pureblood status, thinks that anyone who's less than pureblood isn't fit to walk the earth. I can't stand him. Nor can I stand to read any more of this letter. I'm going to go throw it away. Ugh...first my dad's going off on meetings with his boss, now this. Can my day get any worse?"
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Jacob Clark
Gryffindor
Fourth Year
Our Hogwarts' Host Club President
Posts: 1,095
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Post by Jacob Clark on Jun 21, 2011 20:13:18 GMT -5
It sounds like her Dad's in the mob, he thought to himself. "Well, I'm not sure how to help you with your Dad, but I hope I can help with how your day is going." He wasn't sure if she was eluding to the fact that she didn't like what they were doing, but he was willing to make it as fun as possible. "You know the break is coming up, and I'll be spending it here, doing some fun but rather lonely things. I'd think I know a way that I can help you with your problem, but first I'll need to know something...would you like to spend the Holiday here with me?" He gave her a wink.
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Post by Elisabetta Domenici on Jun 21, 2011 21:30:25 GMT -5
"I'll be happy to spend the holiday here with you. And don't worry about my mom...she's been after me to at least say 'hi' to Dmitri for years, and it still doesn't work." She grinned. "So...hey, look! George took both of those cookies at once!" she exclaimed, chuckling. "Hungry much?" Betta called out toward the hole in the ice. "It's so funny during the summer...sometimes he'll stick a few tentacles up in the air and rotate them around and get people wet if they sit too close to the water. That happened to me last year...am I babbling?" she interrupted herself, frowning slightly.
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Jacob Clark
Gryffindor
Fourth Year
Our Hogwarts' Host Club President
Posts: 1,095
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Post by Jacob Clark on Jun 21, 2011 21:56:05 GMT -5
"No you're not. Don't worry about it. Just enjoy the moment. He must be pretty hungry, most of the winter he's hibernating." He set the basket down between them, and took out another cookie. He cocked back his arm and threw the confection as far out on the ice as he could. He cookie soared high in the air and just before striking the frozen surface, George extended a prehensile tentacle and caught it. "Would you look a that. He's quite the athlete."
He looked over at her again, " You know arranged marriages aren't too unusual in pureblood families. My own parents tried to make a similar arrangement for me when I was younger, but thankfully they came to their senses. I bet George doesn't believe in arranged marriages either."
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Post by Elisabetta Domenici on Jun 22, 2011 23:10:30 GMT -5
"Just out of morbid curiosity, who did they try to set you up with?" Betta queried, munching on a cookie. "I might know her--well, my parents might know her, anyway. They've both got connections like you wouldn't believe."
She broke another cookie in half and threw it at the hole in the ice. A long tentacle slithered out of the water and took it almost immediately. "I wonder what would happen if you tickled George? Want me to try?" Betta asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
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Jacob Clark
Gryffindor
Fourth Year
Our Hogwarts' Host Club President
Posts: 1,095
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Post by Jacob Clark on Jun 23, 2011 7:15:27 GMT -5
With a pleasant chuckle he said, "You should try, since you don't have to worry about him drowning. I bet he'd jump out of the water."
"Well, her name was Padma Bhatnagar. Her father is a powerful trader and producer of magic goods in India." He stared off to the lake's frozen surface and continued, "it would have been an ideal match, my parents kept saying. My father's empire of trade goods would have expanded even more, and I would have been the Vice President for Oriental Trading." He turned back to Betta and said, "but neither of us wanted to get forced into it. So we made a secret deal to fight it as much as possible. Eventually they gave up. Who knows? Maybe just pushing against the pricks will help you out of your problems too."
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