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| Virtual Hogwarts > The Boys' Dormitory > Seb is back and he's got an entire dorm to himself |
| Posted by: Sariss Oct 28 2004, 04:33 PM |
| "He gave you homework to do when you returned to Hogwarts and have your final lessons here? Geez... He's playing hardball indeed!" Sariss said. Of course Seb had told her a lot about his very strict tutor in the letters that he had sent. And with a tutor like that it wasn't surprising that Seb had barely found the time to write a long letter very often. He must have been studying from dawn till dusk. The trunks landed on the floor with a dull thud when Sariss pocketed her wand. "Well... I think you'll practically have the dorm all to yourself. It seems that every other boy in our year has left without even saying goodbye." She shrugged. They probably had their reasons to prefer homeschooling or another school. This was Slytherin, after all, and only a daft person would think that all the students' parents agreed with the way that Dumbledore ran this school--though Sariss thought it was just fine the way he did it, and her foster parents were too Muggle to know more about the school than she told them or than they learnt from the Daily Prophet and other assorted wizarding papers. Sariss had told them of course to not believe a word that the Quibbler wrote unless Sariss had first-hand news that corresponded with it. You never knew what those crazy reporters were up to. Sariss turned around to Seb. "I'm glad you're back, you know?" |
| Posted by: Seb_Darwin Oct 28 2004, 09:54 PM |
| “Dorm to myself?” Seb looked around, “And here was I wondering if I’d be able to find a bed. Yeah. So cold and quiet… I’m glad I’m back too.” Seb walked to the bed and sat on the edge, “Fun.” He then muttered before leaning forward to drag the trunk towards him. It made a noise, but hey, no one else was around to complain. Opening the top he began to search around for items. “So Sariss, how have you been keeping yourself busy? I guess you’ve had a bit more personal time since I’ve been away. More time to duel, I guess!” Seb gave a small smile before finding what he had been looking for. He brought out a medium sized green box folder set, tied with ribbon; inside lived his current assignment. Placing that on his bedside table Seb then routed around for his ink and his best quill. “I hope you don’t mind me continuing this now, I can still talk. I just.. can’t slip back into my old habits.” The boy rolled his eyes as he mimicked his tutor. Dipping the end of the quill into the ink, he began to write, the base of the writing set box providing support. “May I ask, how is my … well, ‘the’ Quidditch team coming along?” Seb’s parents had thought him being Captain took too much of his time, especially when that time should’ve been allocated to homework. Not that they cared that much, however when the time came for Seb to graduate and he didn’t do well enough to get a ‘recognised’ job, they wouldn’t have like that to go against the Darwin name. Or so they lectured. “I know you mentioned in one of your letters you no longer really play for the team, is that so? Why?” He knew there must’ve been a good reason, as Sariss wasn’t what he would call a quitter. “Funny how some things work out.” Seb then added on, waiting for some ink to dry. Once more he looked around at the big deserted room. Beds neatly made by the house elves each morning, however no one occupying them. Bedside table’s dusted, but no one used them. Fire kept burning but no one to feel the heat. “And where the hell are my pets?!” |
| Posted by: Sariss Oct 29 2004, 09:46 PM |
| Sariss plopped down next to Seb. “I’ve had an absolutely dreadful amount of free time. In fact, it’s been so much that I sometimes wished I hadn’t dropped Divination and Muggle Studies. A lot of studies… some duelling…” She shrugged, slipped off her shoes and drew her legs onto the bed, folding them beneath her in some clumsy movements as she kept entangling herself in her robes. “I did go back on the Quidditch team for a game even. I didn’t really want to, you know… but it seems that barely anybody in this house wants to play at all, so… well, I ended up on a broomstick again. We played a terrible game. Kylara who had been supposed to be the captain, just left without a word… and half the rest of the team seems to have done the same… I don’t know… It seems that every bit of ambition is being drained from this house…” Sariss sighed and noticed that she was rambling, so she peeked over Seb’s shoulder when he wrote his assignment. “Yes, indeed,” she agreed when Seb said that it was funny how some things worked out. “I don’t know where they are… Maybe in that trunk? Or… did you have an extra box for them?” What rambles, what non-sense was she talking there? Had she lost the ability to speak in coherent sentences? Sariss was confused. Was it normal to feel so awkward? Was it because she hadn’t seen Seb in a year that there was this odd tension in the room, this feeling of not knowing exactly what to say or do and thus talking about everyday things that weren’t really overly important? “So… um… what’s this assignment about?” |
| Posted by: Seb_Darwin Oct 29 2004, 10:36 PM |
| “This assignment,” Seb began as he once more began to write, “Is about the importance of a good education, and how laziness is a dreadful thing for a boy of my age and something to do with a waste of a brain.. blah blah... It was Sir’s way of saying goodbye I guess, and making sure I’ve learnt my lesson. And I also guess he isn’t willing to send me my pets until he has received this assignment.” Seb let out a frustrated sigh. The boy also knew if this wasn’t good enough he would need to write it again before the pets would be returned. He thought back over what Sariss had said about free time. “Free time is a luxury that we really shouldn’t take for granted, you know? I’m shocked actually, that the great Sariss Ravon would even consider dropping classes.” He looked up from his parchment to give a small teasing smile to her. “I did some this morning,” Seb indicated to the parchment, “So I’m a good way into it. I would say another ten minutes and it’d be ready to send. I hope the school owls are up to scratch!” As he continued to write he brought up Quidditch, shocked at the revelations Sariss had brought. “Kylara left? Half of the team? Bloody hell, I don’t believe it. She was so dedicated to the job. I’m telling you Sari, I think we’re all cursed. This house, the team... I thought, before I left, that the team was fine as it was. Players were alright, we played good games! Heck we even won a few times,” I think… Seb then thought silently. It was quite a shock to him to find that the team, his team back then, had left the team and no longer played for their house. Then who was playing? “So, what? Does the team purely consist of first years? They’re so inexperienced! And let me tell you, playing the game in their back garden with their cousins does not mean they’re ready for this level of competition. I really didn’t expect this when I returned. I thought we were getting better, I really did!” His illusions were shattered. Seb leaned over to Sariss and nudged her with his elbow. “After I’ve finished this and unpacked a few things, how about we grab something to eat? I have to show the school I’m back sooner or later too, and I don’t want to put it off. It’ll be strange though. People saw me walk about this school for a few years. You leave for 12 months and return, and it’s like you’re the new person again.” Seb had eyes on him since he arrived at the great doors of the school. How often did people see some stranger with a face they just couldn’t place, walk in with a trunk and not think anything of it? “I bet even the first years will think they’ve somehow above me!” Seb kind of laughed at the idea of some snotty little first year giving him a look, a look which Seb was more than capable of wiping off their face. |
| Posted by: Sariss Oct 30 2004, 10:33 PM |
| Sariss nodded. Well, this was certainly all very educational, but it sounded more like an essay that Professor Giordano would assign for detention than as homework. “It’s mean to hold back your pets till he finds this to be satisfactory,” she said softly. Sariss found that this was downright blackmail, not a good teaching technique, albeit effective. She knew how unmotivated Seb could be when it came to homework that didn’t interest him. “Haha, very funny. But honestly… taking all electives was a bit… much. I had to drop some. I mean, I barely had time to eat or sleep with all the homework that was dumped on me. And especially when I found it to be rather silly, it took me such a long time to write it all, and I always fell asleep while doing the homework in the final weeks of last year,” Sariss explained. “And you know how I tried to spend as much time with you as possible, and there was Quidditch. Last year was very stressful, and I should never have signed up for so many subjects and activities.” She nodded solemnly when Seb went into a rant of disappointment about the Slytherin team. They had done so well when Seb left. They had all been so in tune with each other that every team member knew exactly how the other one would react to this and that situation. And then many had left, and even some of the new ones that had originally been trained had left before the one game that was played this year had taken place. But what had hit hardest had probably been the loss of Kylara. “A great deal of first-years.” Sariss nodded again. “And we were not only getting better. We were a brilliant team when you were captain, Sebbie.” She hugged him briefly so as to not disturb him from finishing his essay. She nodded again. Sariss seemed to do that a lot that day. Going to the kitchens was a good idea. Maybe grab a piece of chocolate cake—or rather cheese cake. Yes… Cheese cake. “The castle is swarming with first-years. And to be honest… There’s so much coming and going in the higher years too that I can’t help but wonder if Hogwarts is still a boarding school at all. People come and go as it pleases them. They don’t even finish their year like you did. No, they just up and go in the middle of the year. I don’t understand that. This entire house is a real mess. We’ve lost in Quidditch and we’re last in the house cup rankings too. And no matter what any of the professor say or do, everyone is totally unconcerned at what a laughing stock this house currently is…” She sighed heavily. “Sometimes I wish I was in a different house, you know? A house where they’re more determined and ambitious than in Slytherin. Because this is not the Slytherin that I wanted to be in.” |
| Posted by: Jaxon Williams Nov 7 2004, 09:17 AM |
| God damnit....OWLS....just wat we all need...seesh......and Sarris....I was gone...for a long...long time |
| Posted by: Seb_Darwin Nov 9 2004, 09:46 PM |
| “You’re right,” Seb replied, “It is cruel of him to hold my pets in ransom, but it happens. I’m almost done now anyway so I’ll be getting them back. Anyway, I would’ve finished this for him even if I already had my pets. I’m not going to start slacking again for them to take me away again.” A few minutes silence followed as he wrote another sentence. Seb then placed his quill down to rub his hands together. “I think I got too used to the warmth of home, this cold dorm is very, I don’t know, unsettling. It’s weird.” The boy went quiet as he let Sariss have her turn to speak, not even replying when she mentioned how the team was brilliant when he had captaincy. He knew Sariss was trying to make him feel better, he guessed when she hugged him a little. The team wasn’t good because of him, it was good because of everyone. Though it was a shame to hear about most of the members not participating no more. With a small sigh, he continued to write, ink making puddles where he began his sentence. That could easily be rectified with a wave of his wand before the parchments were sent. “There’s so much coming and going in the higher years too that I can’t help but wonder if Hogwarts is still a boarding school at all. People come and go as it pleases them.” Sariss had said, “Well it didn’t please me.” Was his muttered reply, and it was true. One day near the end of the schooling year he was happily lounging on his bed, eating snacks while reading a comic, and bam! An owl arrived for him notifying him to pack his things. The next day he was gone. He was dragged out of his memory by Sari’s voice. “And no matter what any of the professor say or do, everyone is totally unconcerned at what a laughing stock this house currently is…” A sigh, heavy with disappointment passed Sari’s lips, “Sometimes I wish I was in a different house, you know? A house where they’re more determined and ambitious than in Slytherin. Because this is not the Slytherin that I wanted to be in.” Seb rubbed his right eye with the back of his hand, making Sariss look slightly bleary for a short moment. “I may have only been here for a short while, but I can see what you mean. Nothing looks how I left it. The only way you can see any difference really, is not to be here. I feel like a stranger! From what you say, losing the house and Quidditch cup, that’s bloody terrible, that is. I mean… before that would’ve caused uproar! We would all be getting together to see how we could change that around, or who we could scam to get house points! It looks to me like the whole house has got lazy. Seriously,” The teenager placed the lid on the inkwell and his parchment along side it to dry before turning to Sariss. “It’s like I’ve returned to an alternate Hogwarts. If Professor Snape were to stride into the Common Room now after seeing how Slytherin is standing, why, he would go compleeeeeeeetly off his nut.” Seb tapped his brown hair with his finger to prove his point. “He would sort out the students, no problem. I mean I’m sure our Head of House is doing ok all the same, but Snape is legend. About Quidditch? I think we need to stick a bomb somewhere. Or up somewhere anyway.” He had brought back his four brooms with him, though he hadn’t really thought about rejoining the team. Standing up, Seb straightened his robes, pushed his hair out of his eyes and looked back to Sariss who was still sat on his bed. “If there is anything else I need to know, tell me while I eat – I’m famished. Look at me! I’ve lost weight!” Seb nodded his head towards the door. |
| Posted by: Sariss Nov 10 2004, 06:26 PM |
| “They’re not listening to Giordano nor any other professor, nor do they pay any attention to the attempts of their peers trying to give them advice. They’d not listen to Snape either. It’s like so very many of our lot lost the ability to listen at all.” Sariss sighed heavily. “You know… They’ve heard it all so often that they just ignore any remarks about our poor performance. I swear that more than half the house points that we have were earnt by less than a dozen people in this house.” Slytherin was so… so empty of emotions. There were only a few people in the entire house who seemed concerned and affected by anything at all. Too many blank faces that seemed to just sit in the common room, read something that had no relevance to classes, blank faces that just left the common room to go and eat something or to go into their dorms to sleep. Blank empty unconcerned faces whose only possible change in expression might be the one or the other automated glare or sneer. “I mean… Look at all of this! Being on the Quidditch team used to be a privilege. And everyone wanted to be on it! Now it’s like they all change their minds as soon as they hear that they have to go to classes if they want to be on the team. It’s like they all change their minds as soon as they see that practising every evening during the few weeks before a match is mandatory if we want to play well. It’s a catastrophe. No team spirit anymore. And we were so good before you left! Remember that year? Even after Darrington dropped us like a hot potato we were excellent. I was honestly thinking about… maybe… if our teachers could actually pay the team members. I mean, maybe money would buy them some ambition… Though, aren’t free broomsticks enough already?” Sariss was clearly rambling. Quidditch, house cup, Slytherin’s overall poor performance (if it wasn’t for a select few people who literally worked their behinds off like the best of the Hufflepuffs!)… all those were subjects of conversation that could set Sariss off into a tirade about how pathetic Slytherin was soon going to be if that descent was not stopped. “If there is anything else I need to know, tell me while I eat – I’m famished. Look at me! I’ve lost weight!” Seb nodded his head towards the door. Sariss slid off Seb’s bed, slipped her shoes back on—for once she wasn’t wearing her cute fluffy badger slippers—and got up to join Seb. She took his hand and looked up at him with a wistful smile gracing her lips all of a sudden. “Not only that… You’ve become so tall! Remember back in first year? I was actually a little taller than you.” The girl led Seb to the door… and through the common room… out of the common room… to the kitchens. Mmmm… Food… |