small but mighty

Rowan typically enjoyed Hogsmeade weekends. There was more to look at, more to do, and the barriers between houses really seemed intangible when everyone was wearing jeans and sweaters, anyway. She and Lia usually met up, at this point no planning was necessary on either of their parts. Since Rowan did wake up a little earlier, she set out for the town with the first wave of students, mostly younger ones. It only slightly irritated the sixth year to be surrounded by a group of fourth year boys that towered over her on their way to the carriages. Hogsmeade was as inviting as ever, even with so few people, and Rowan contented herself with doing her ‘business’ trips first. She needed a more recent edition of her Law book-- apparently Calla’s old one was about two years out of date, and Professor Laurent made it clear that wasn’t going to fly. Emerging from Tomes and Scrolls, her attention was caught by motion against the corner of the Hog’s Head. Rowan felt a familiar, overpowering rush of dislike as Derek O’Connell was sidling up to a new girl who Rowan herself didn’t recognize, meaning she was from another school and younger than both herself and O’Connell. The girl looked uncomfortable and O’Connell looked stereotypically predatory, so Rowan’s feet were moving on her own accord towards the pair. “Hey! Fancy meeting you here!” her words were directed at the girl, completely glossing over O’Connell for her own sanity. “I thought you said we were meeting at the Three Broomsticks.” “You didn’t tell me you had plans.” The boy’s oily voice made Rowan’s skin crawl. Her jaw set stubbornly. “Well, we do,” Rowan stated, attention still on the girl, who looked grateful. Her arm went out, attempting to extricate her from O’Connell’s grasp. Instead, the perv’s hand landed on her shoulder, and it took all of Rowan’s focus not to knock him on his ass right then. “Maybe we can all go,” he suggested. “Yeah, and maybe you can--” Rowan’s potentially inflammatory response was cut off by the arrival of a familiar face.

@grace--raleigh

He felt bad laughing at her, but could he really be blamed? She sounded ridiculous. He should have known that he was going to have to explain things more literally. She probably didn’t even know what a scanner, or an app, or anything was. After his light laughter he sighed realizing this was going to be a long conversation and he really had been right in the middle of his work. “It’s all muggle technology. I can take pictures of my notes and then I put those into my iPad. They then convert to text I can read on there through an app, short for application. I mostly do it with notes for classes that I know will be important for tests and NEWTs and stuff,” he explained hoping that she would at least understand some of what he just said. That wasn’t exactly how it worked, but it was what he thought would make the most sense to her.

If he had sounded more mean-spirited, Rowan would have gotten offended. Instead she stared unblinkingly at the Ravenclaw as he launched into his explanation. “It would have made much more sense if you had started off saying you took pictures,” she pointed out, her nose wrinkling delicately. “I know what pictures are. That’s really cool, though. Nice and organized. Does it work well here?” Her hand lifted to encompass the library, the castle, Hogwarts’ grounds in general. She had heard rumors of muggle devices acting up, especially in such close quarters to magic for long periods of time. With a device that slim and portable, who knew how much magic that thing was soaking up. Seemed just as likely to grow legs and walk away as not, to her.

Rowan had a point. Honestly, it someone were to have put a dangerous cube in the castle, surely they wouldn’t be daft enough to put it in a classroom where a teacher could find it so easily. At the next comment she stuck her tongue out. It was uncharacteristic of her, but ever since her encounter with Victor, Ruth had been making a small effort-very small- to be less formal and pleasant. And she might as well start here, with a classmate she at least recognized. Besides, she’d been saving up for a new set of dress robes… “Maybe… but if I end up dying or covered in paint or something, I want two.”

Rowan smirked at Ruth’s nonverbal response. That was certainly some spine, wasn’t it? Pausing to dig into her bag to make sure she had the silver, Rowan plunked down one sickle and began fishing out handfuls of knuts. “One sickle and the equivalent twenty-nine knuts are right here for you,” she informed the Hufflepuff. “Go for it.”

Her attitude was a little off-putting considering she was one the one who disturbed him to ask about it. I mean why ask a question if you didn’t want to know the answer? Perhaps it was just an excuse to talk to him. Terrence wasn’t trying to be rude by laughing at her ignorance, but her inquiry was a little ridiculous. “I scan them into the iPad,” he chuckled. “I take images of my written notes and upload them into my iPad. I have a little like database of them. It’s a lot easier than looking through all of the rolls of parchment, though I do still do that,” he explained with a slight giggle. It was hard going back and forth between technology, but he’d been used to that from the beginning when it came to his schooling. In fact, if it were up to his father he would go to college after he finished Wizarding school, but he had missed so many years of No-Maj education it would be impossible for him to catch up.

Rowan leaned forward, curious despite herself. She had seen an iPod that was far blockier than this one in Muggle Studies, and honestly his answer confused her far more than it helped. She was very much thrown by the culture clash, and if she had plans to touch her Charms work, they were banished to the back of her mind. “I don’t know what you mean,” she confided, nibbling the inside of her cheek as she stared at it. “By scanning things, and uploading them. All I’ve got at home is parchment, and books. Some have teeth, or literal spines, and my dad has one that you can only read by moonlight. Nothing that we scan, though.”

The Ravenclaw smiled back at her, withholding a small chuckle at her simple mistake. “It’s actually an iPod,” he clarified. “The iPads are a lot bigger, like tablets…ummm I mean like small books ya know?” He made a rough rectangular shape with his hands trying to demonstrate the size. “I have one of those too, but I don’t bring it out much. It brings up a lot more attention,” Terrence explained. “They’re actually really handy. I have copies of all my notes, and it’s a much easier way to keep in contact with my family and the No-Maj world, sorry ‘muggle’ world,” he teased. The American was still getting used to the differences in language along with everything else new about being at Hogwarts.

“I suppose.” Rowan didn’t know why you would name them so similarly if they were so different, but she wasn’t a muggle. She lifted her shoulders, the picture of nonchalance, and moved to sit in the seat across from Atkinson. If he minded, he was welcome to say something about it. “You can call them whatever you want,” she pointed out. “I think I could figure out the word ‘No-Maj’ using context clues and all that. I have been reading for almost eleven years, now.” She tapped her temple, and purposely ignored her book as she rested one elbow on it. “How do you get your notes in it, though? That sounds tricky.” The bright, glassy rectangle that reflected upwards didn’t seem big enough for his hand to fit through.

Terrence & Rowan

When Terrence truly needed to study he headed to the library. He found himself much too distracted in the Ravenclaw common room even though generally there was a lot of people studying there as well. The library was just quieter and books didn’t talk, neither did anyone else unless they wanted to hear from the librarian. He work space was both perfectly placed and a complete mess to anyone but Terrence. There were various books opened to different pages scattered around his parchment, which was placed in the center. His ink was off to the side to avoid any accidental spills and an iPod held down his work. He occasionally got shit for the muggle device, but when he could have music through his headphones and ignore those people he didn’t really care. In the hour he spent working a few people came and went at the table, but he didn’t really notice until someone tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped slightly, but was just glad that he hadn’t ruined his work. He put his quill, down, took out one earphone, and turned to see who it was.

If there was one place that Rowan hated at Hogwarts, it was the library. But she did like to play quidditch. The fact that she was also technically a student here at Hogwarts seemed to factor in disgustingly often, especially now she was a NEWT student. Scraping by in Charms with an Acceptable last year and a promise to give her all, Rowan knew she had lots of work to do. That didn’t mean, however, that she wasn’t bored out of her mind. So she people-watched until she could find it deep down within herself to finish her revision. She settled on Terrence Atkinson-- the Ravenclaw Chaser who really infuriated her with his disturbingly good looks. He had what she had recently learned were ‘headphones’ in, and she felt her curiosity pique. Getting to her feet and sloughing her copy of Quintessence: A Quest along, too, she approached and did her best to get his attention. “Is that an iPad?” she asked, voice overbright.

“So it was just here when you entered?” Ruth asked, her brow furrowing at her classmates indifference.   “Maybe it’s for class?” She stared at the Gryffindor incredulously before shaking her head. “Absolutely not. Looks dangerous.”

Rowan’s head rolled on her shoulders to look back at her classmate again. “I wouldn’t know, but I could see the ole Jarvey to get us all worked up over nothing,” she mused, using their professor’s familiar nickname since Ruth would have gone to school here long enough to see the comparison was apt. Her nose wrinkled at Ruth’s protests. She sounded like Grace, which was to say, like no fun at all. “Don’t be such a baby, it’s probably harmless,” Rowan goaded, though she really had no idea if that was true. “Would you touch it for a sickle?”

“Oh, um ow. That’s certainly… something.” Ruth remarked, looking curiously at… well she wasn’t sure what it was actually, only that it was strange. Hogwarts never ran out of surprises it seemed. She turned to the person next to her. “What’s it for?”

“Beats me,” Rowan answered, giving the mysterious metallic rectangle a decidedly-suspicious look. Professor Jarvis was nowhere to be found, and the Charms classroom’s door was locked. She looked to the newcomer-- Ruth, or Rose, or something-- and went back to inspecting her nails. “Dare you to touch it.”

theodore hadn’t the slightest clue what a bobblehead was but he guessed it was something that had the big head rowan was claiming he had. he held his glass beneath his chin and smiled at rowan, ❛ thanks for your concern about my safety, didn’t know you cared that much. you wanna play doctor to make sure i won’t hurt myself flying? ❜ he noticed a few students hanging back and openly staring at them, probably trying to figure out which of them was going to come out victorious. if he felt so inclined, he could tell them right then that rowan was going to be the sore loser, but he wanted them to see her fall. besides, making her angry was fun. 

he took another sip of his water and set it down behind him. turning back, he quirked a brow at her, ❛ and bobblehead? i applaud you for paying attention during muggle studies, i bet your parents will be proud. ❜ he shrugged then, ❛ or maybe they’ll be too busy neglecting you, i’m not sure. just know that i’m proud of you. ❜ once again smiling at her, he exuded a caring sentiment that anyone within five feet of them could tell was decidedly false. 

“I wouldn’t care if you fell headfirst to your death on the pitch,” Rowan asserted immediately, already mentally preparing to knock Shah right off his broom come the first match in November. It was definitely still far enough away that she could relish the thought for quite a while no matter how this turned out. A dream she could savor. The desire to set his water ablaze like his homework reared its ugly head, but she quashed it-- hate to seem like a one-trick hippogriff after today, anyway. Really, the surging anger wouldn’t do before she had even had her first class of the day-- which Rowan knew full well she was dawdling about getting to. All for Theo Shah. Smug bastard. Slamming her palms on the Gryffindor table, she heaved to her feet and grabbed her school bag. “I don’t care for your pride, or your pity, or your deformed fucking head. Die in a ditch, Shah. I couldn’t care less.”

fucking — he quickly casted an extinguishing spell, though a good part of the parchment sat on the table in ashes and charcoal scorch marks marred what was left. rage burst from beneath his ribs and spiderwebbed out into the tips of his fingers. an incessant itch spread through his palms, one he’d become very familiar with over the years. his hands wanted to hurt and rowan was just out of their reach. all he needed was to move, to get closer. 

he put down the assignment he wouldn’t be able to hand in and counted backwards from ten. the numbers ticked down and his anger receded with each that passed. three, the burning grip on his body relented. two, the itch dissipated. one, the rage closed its cage shut and waited. he’d let it loose once he was away from prying eyes and indiscreet mouths. 

his expression remained unaffected, as if though he was bored of rowan’s antics. he looked straight at her, ❛ i’m sorry, i didn’t realize your parents’ shunned you as a child. i’ll try to avoid triggering that trauma. ❜ reaching back for his water, he continued, ❛ anyways, you have my attention now. what do you want? ❜

Rowan watched, feeling that edge of childish triumph as Shah seemed to visibly retrain himself. That part was familiar right up until he was insulting her again. She felt her eyes narrow down to slits as her own bad temper truly threatened to bubble over. If there hadn’t been so many people-- especially the ones who had looked over curiously when his parchment ignited-- Rowan would have huffed and stalked off. But with her pride at stake, her mouth really was working on its own accord. “You never answered my questions about your inflated cranium,” she shot back through gritted teeth. “I’m just really worried about how you can possibly be any good at flying when you look like a bobblehead.” The word was a recent addition to her repertoire, thanks to Muggle Studies class. The chances he knew what an actual bobblehead was could be slim, but Shah had to have some imagination.

in spite of her row of insults, theodore’s smile morphed into something genuine, genuinely smug. he delighted in pushing others to the edge and had learned long ago that the most infuriating response was apathy. he turned to face her completely and crossed his arms over his chest in his usual blasé nature, ❛ did i hit a nerve? ❜ looking up briefly, he feigned an expression that suggested he was in deep thought before back pedaling on his first guess, ❛ no, that doesn’t sound right. maybe you’re having a bad day. or maybe you aspire to be annoying to everyone around you. ❜ 

he returned to his assignment and commented, ❛ you should start taking walks, i heard they help reign in impulsive stupidity. ❜ 

Being called annoying didn’t bother Rowan. She was annoying and that was just fine with her. It worked for her. “Maybe I do, and--” the hot reply died in her throat as Shah seemed to lose all interest in her. Her jaw locked and Rowan fought every instinct she had to hurl the cereal bowl at her elbow with all her strength into the back of his head. Theodore was a real dickhead but he was also a prefect, which really pushed her buttons. Wand out, Rowan decided to go for destructive stupidity instead of impulsive stupidity, and lit the parchment on fire with a quick Incendio. “Get fucked, Shah.”