Terrence Atkinson

Victor was scrolling through the artists to see if he recognized anyone. Bach and the classical stuff he did, but others were unfamiliar. He held up one earphone to listen and as much as the random thing he clicked wasn’t his taste, hearing music that wasn’t done by amateurs was refreshing. Victor glanced back up when Terrence reached to shake his hand and offered his own before returning his things. “That’s pretty cool, thanks. I do have one, but no,” Victor shook his head, lazily pointing to himself. “I’m a Pureblood. My parents just don’t care about what I do so I took it on myself to get like a laptop and this sort of shit to work at my place. They have no idea how it works so they think I just shut myself in my room and I don’t know, stare at a wall?” 

Terrence was sure that his surprise at the other’s blood status was clear on his face. He’d never heard of a Pureblood using No-Maj technology like that other than the things the rest of the wizarding world accepted of course like radios, cars, and the Hogwarts Express. “Did you learn about it through school? I’ve just never heard anyone that was Pureblooded that actually embraced muggle technology like that. Most wizards still think it’s stupid even when they do learn about it. I mean some think it’s cool, but still don’t use it for themselves.”

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.”

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.

The boy was clearly at an impasse and Victor was surprised by how well it worked. His somber expression quickly evaporated into a laugh before he slid into the seat across the other boy. Victor waved him back down. “Nah, mate, I was just fucking with you.” He tugged at his own robes. “I don’t even have a badge. Anyways, no one said this shit worked here– I would’ve brought mine if it did. Mind if I check out your music?” Victor asked, looking up at the other boy expectantly. “By the way, I’m Victor. And that’s my real name, I’m giving you.”

Terrence lightened up, but he didn’t really appreciate the prank. He was studying after all and the guy had clearly used the fact that he was new against him. Though, the Ravenclaw did feel a little stupid for not noticing that he wasn’t wearing a badge. He supposed he was just taken aback by the confrontation to really think it through. He smiled and shrugged returning to his seat. There was no use in being upset over it. “Uhh sure…” he said hesitantly pausing his music before handing over the device. It was rather an eclectic mix, everything from Bach, to Queen, to Kanye. The track that had just been stopped was some liquid drum and bass mix his brother had sent him. He liked listening to stuff without a lot of words to sing along to when he studied so he didn’t get distracted by them. “I’m Terrence,” he responded with a grin holding out his other to the boy in greeting. “It’s just music. The internet stuff doesn’t really work,” he explained. “You have one? So are you half-blood, or a No-Maj, sorry, Muggleborn?”

“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.

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.

Alex had been making his way towards the library for what seemed like ages. One responsibility after another had popped into his way to the point that he was almost certain that he’d never make it there. When he finally arrived, he realized that he had forgotten his quill back in his dorm. Spotting another student nearby, he walked over to see if they had a quill he could borrow. He was about to speak when he noticed the muggle device hanging from Terrence’s ears, and spied the iPod lying on top of the parchment. Eyes bugging out of his head, he found himself tapping the distracted student on the shoulder. He schooled his expression before the other guy turned around, and nodded his chin to indicate the electronic. “What generation do you have?” Alex had completely forgotten about the quill, having never seen an iPod up close before.

The fact that the question was about the iPod didn’t surprise him. That specific question did, particularly since he didn’t know the answer. “Oh… um… I’m not sure. I got a new one right before I got here, so I guess whatever the latest generation is. You lose track with Apple stuff,” Terrence admitted with a chuckle and a shrug of his shoulders. “I’m sorry. I feel like the only ones they do good with are the iPhones, which I don’t have here for obvious reasons.” Having an iPod for music, and an iPad for his studies was one thing, but he knew having an actual phone could cause a lot more problems with security. “You’re Alex right?” he asked recognizing the Slytherin Chaser. “I’m Terrence,” he held out his hand with a smile, “it’s nice to actually meet you.” Of course they were literally each other’s competition, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be cordial with one another.  

Browsing through the library, trying to find a leisure book for once, to read in actual public, Victor’s fingers bushed spine after spine. Nothing was really catching his eye and after about ten minutes of this, at this point, he was mostly interested in how much dust could collect on his index and middle finger. As he walked along the aisle, his bag caught on a misplaced book protruding from the shelf and knocked to the ground. In a slightly morally ambiguous place, his debate to pick it up depended on if anyone had seen it– No one had, but there was a guy just a table away. The boy wasn’t looking and Victor could see headphones now. That was interesting. Leaving the book, he walked over to the guy and tapped his shoulder. “Hey, I’m a Prefect.” He made a sympathetic face. He wasn’t sure if the other boy was a Hogwarts native, but Victor was betting not. “Listen, I’m gonna have to confiscate that– Headmaster Balthazar’s orders.”

The look of confusion must have been clear on his face and the stranger’s words required more attention than a simple turn around with one ear bud out. He paused the music and took off the headphones completely before turning around all the way in his chair to face the unknown male demanding his No-Maj property. “Umm… I’m sorry, but I didn’t read anything in the rules against having non-magical objects. I’m not trying to argue with a Prefect or anything… but no one has said anything to me before… and I’ve had this since I’ve been here,” he paused wondering how to continue. He didn’t want to deny the guy outright, but he just didn’t like the idea of not being able to have something just because it was used by No-Majs, it didn’t seem right. Terrence sighed heavily and stood up. “If I really have to turn it in let me get me things and I’ll come with you.”

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.

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.

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.