[X] No
[X] Some combination of them - Amber & Natsumi go to the kitchens and get the house elves to make a picnic for them so they can eat outside together.
[X] No
[X] Some combination of them - Amber & Natsumi go to the kitchens and get the house elves to make a picnic for them so they can eat outside together.
[X] No
[X] Some combination of them - Amber & Natsumi go to the kitchens and get the house elves to make a picnic for them so they can eat outside together.
[X] No
[X] Some combination of them - Amber & Natsumi go to the kitchens and get the house elves to make a picnic for them so they can eat outside together.
Well, when you don't remember that it's only one of Quirrell's scenarios, and think you've actually been kidnapped and left for dead in some twisted dungeon, you learn to get along with the one other person trying to keep you alive.Originally Posted by Haunter
During the picnic, the trio discuss a good many things, finding that their experiences, up until the point they 'died', were similar.
"So beyond the door where I turned back, there were doubles, huh?" Amber mused as she handed Shinji a mug of hot chocolate. I guess, even if Phelan hadn't gotten himself killed back in the maze, we probably wouldn't have done so well against them."
"Probably not," Shinji remarked, shaking his head. "But then, Granger and I didn't really get a chance to fight them head on. We were tired and let down our guard when there didn't seem to be anyone in the final room. So when they attacked us..."
"So, how did you even reach the final room?" Natsumi asked, handing the boy a chocolate cookie to go with his hot chocolate. "Ernie and I tried, but he got caught in a whirlpool and was sucked into a trap. I went on for a bit after that, but after Ernie died, I was a bit upset and didn't realize there was a Pogrebin sneaking up on me. By the time I did..."
"It was too late," Amber murmured sympathetically, drawing Natsumi close and rubbing her back as they looked out over the Great Lake. "Sorry to hear that."
"I'm surprised you did so well, with your partner being Phelan," the brunette sighed as she leaned against her old friend. "Your brother...he isn't one for restraint."
"He can be surprisingly reliable in a real life or death situation," the earl's daughter remarked. "He might be brash, reckless, and a bit of glory hound, but when it comes down to it, he is my brother."
"So even he can get serious, huh?" Shinji muttered. "I never would have thought it..."
Silence fell, with the three turning to eat for a bit, before.
"So what's going on with you and Granger?" Natsumi questioned. "You haven't been glaring at each other since the exam. Did something happen?"
"N-no, nothing, really," the boy replied, shaking his head. "It just - it felt so real. That underground world we had been thrown into, with no one to help keep us alive except each other. I can't count how many times she saved me - how many times I saved here. After that, being enemies again...it seems so pointless."
"...that is the one thing about Professor Quirrell. His tests aren't just about making sure you learn the material in the books. He wants to make sure you know yourself."
"That I...that I know myself?" Shinji repeated. "What do you mean?"
"It's like that quote from the Art of War, where knowing yourself - what you can do, who you are, what is important to you - is just as important as knowing the enemy," Natsumi explained. "If you know only one, you will lose as many battles as you win. If you know neither, you're doomed."
"...too bad life isn't a shonen manga where you can just surpass your limits," the boy muttered, with Natsumi laughing at the petulance in his voice.
"Isn't it too nice a day for you sound like this?" Amber quipped, gesturing to how the sun made the ripples on the lake sparkle like jewels. "And you're on a picnic with two pretty girls, yet you're thinking about Granger this much. Is she that much prettier than I am?" she teased, her finger poking his chest.
Shinji went utterly red at the girl's touch.
"T-that's not...I--it's not like that," he said with a huff. "And well, sorry." He sighed, shaking his head. "I...actually, I have to thank you, Natsumi?"
"Hm, what for?" the Hufflepuff girl asked, brushing a stray hair from her eyes as she smiled softly.
"...to be honest, I only got as far as I did thanks to what you gave me at Christmas," he explained, with the girl looking rather surprised. He laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, I used up my liquid luck. So...it wasn't me being that skilled or brilliant that got me to the final room. And I guess my Shadow showed me that. Luck let me be the very best self I could be, but the Shadow meant to face that ideal self destroyed the usual me."
Natsumi patted his shoulder sympathetically.
"Even so, you came in first, didn't you?"
"Except for Sokaris, who tested out of the class," the boy grumbled. "What will she do with all that time?"
"Probably read or make potions," Natsumi replied. "You know how she is."
"...maybe," Shinji allowed. There were a lot of things about Sokaris that didn't entirely make sense in his mind, but he had the the good sense not to probe too deeply. More than anyone else at Hogwarts, the purple-haired girl was frighteningly magus-like in her demeanor, after all, and that made her capable of almost anything. "I hear Nigel is moving up to his proper class too, after this year is over. Something about him having proven he learned everything he missed and more." His lips twisted into a wry expression. "He works hard. I'll say that much about him." 'Even if he does seem like he likes Senpai...'
"Sokaris is good at helping people if she wants to, I think," the Japanese girl remarked. "She just doesn't...seem to like dealing with most."
"You seem to get along with her well enough," Amber pointed out.
"Well, that's because I can keep up with her," Natsumi noted. "Kind of." She frowned. "Mostly. And even then, I think she's going easy on me. I don't know much about her aside from the work we do together. She doesn't talk about her past."
"A private person, huh?" Amber questioned. "I guess everyone has their circumstances."
Natsumi shook her head.
"Speaking of circumstances," she said after a while. "You remember what Aozaki-san said during the Gala, right?" she asked Matou. "About how Miyuki-senpai can bring two people with her to Mahoutokoro this summer?"
Shinji nodded.
"You've mentioned this, Nats," Amber said quietly. "She asked if you could go, right?"
"Mhm," the twin-tailed brunette confirmed. "I went and asked her if she could bring three people, since I know both of you would want to come, but it's not up to her," the Hufflepuff girl said sadly. "So...there's just one spot left. Sorry, I tried my best."
"I..." Amber began, but--
"You should go," Shinji said decisively, his voice tight. He wasn't looking at her when he said it, but out over the water. If he looked at her, if he saw her expression - he wasn't sure he could keep himself from crying. "You...you and Nats are good friends, and I know you like Japanese culture," he all but whispered. "So it should be you..."
Miyuki-senpai had already done so much for him this year - it wouldn't be right to impose on her even for the summer, as much as he wanted to, as much as he longed to bask in her presence, to see her smile, to...
"Are you alright, Matou?" Amber asked, noting with some shock that the boy looked like he was ripping himself to pieces inside. "You...you can go if you want..."
"No. I know you want to go," the boy said, looking at her. This time he was crying, with heavy tears leaving trails as they streamed down his face. "I mean, I do, I do want to go...but it wouldn't be right for me to take that from you." He took a breath. "You, Nats, Senpai - you've all known each other far longer than I have. And I...I'm from Japan in the first place. I can go back whenever I want to, take the train to Mahoutokoro," he added with false bravado. "So...so I..."
"You really can be a sweet boy sometimes," Amber murmured, surprising him with a fierce hug and a kiss on the cheek. "If you're...if you're sure..."
"Yes," he whispered hoarsely. "I want you...to be happy."
"...then I'll make some arrangements for you to enjoy your summer too," the Gryffindor girl remarked with a sigh. "You know, Selina offered for me to join her on a trip to France this summer, for a tour of Beauxbatons and to meet a good friend of hers, she said."
"A good friend?" Shinji echoed.
"Yes, her friend Lily Spencer," Amber explained, shaking her head. "Word has it that her friend's grandfather will be teaching history next year, and that she will be coming along with him, so he wanted her to hear about Hogwarts from someone other than just him."
'Lily Spencer, huh? In Fr--wait a minute.'
Could her...could Selina 'good friend' be Liliana Spencer-Moon?
"...heh..."
"You know something?"
"Uh...no," the boy said, not very convincingly. "Why would I?"
"Because you're a terrible liar," Natsumi pointed out. "You seem like you had a revelation."
"...just thinking what a small world it was, since at the Ball, I danced with a Lily..."
"Yes, with Lily de--"
"Liliana Spencer-Moon," Shinji interrupted, revealing the true name of his dancing partner. "Whose grandfather was a former Minister - Leonard Spencer-Moon."
"...such a person is going to be teaching us History?" Amber asked incredulously. "Are you sure?"
"No, but I don't think I'm wrong either," the boy replied, shaking his head.
"Was she anything like the character in Lord of Swinverrucas?"
"Somewhat," Shinji admitted. "But I guess we'll find out for sure, hm?"
"Yes," Amber noted. There was a long moment of silence, before she continued. "Matou."
"Yes?"
"You...cheating is bad, you know."
"Cheating?" Shinji echoed. "What do you mean, cheating? Is this about how I used liquid luck for my exam?" He chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't do it again - I don't have any left."
He was a bit puzzled by how Nats seemed to turn to Amber then.
"...you did remember me saying how boys were dense, right?" the brunette quipped.
"That's right...denser than a neutron star..."
Amber and Natsumi offer for Shinji to join their team for the final run-through of the exam. Does he...
[ ] Accept, he would love to
[ ] Decline, he wants to challenge the place again with Granger and one other, to see how far he can make it without Luck
[ ] Decline, he thinks perhaps he should join up with Selina and whoever she is working with, since they've worked together before
[ ] Decline, he thinks maybe he should join up with Phelan and Ernie, since they did go on an adventure. Of sorts. Once
[ ] (write-in)
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
Ocarina of Time just that awesome. Although the thought of the damned Water Temple doing so baffles me. I guess they bonded through mutual hatred, even though they cheated with luck hacks.
Since, I'm already here might as well vote. Since they're offering might as well accept.
[x] Accept, he would love to
[X] Accept, he would love to
[X] Accept, he would love to
[x] Accept
Chapter 41. Eye of the Storm
Over the next month, amid the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Binns – as well as the new one regarding the circumstances behind Professor Dumbledore's prolonged absence, several things provided a backbone of regularity for Matou Shinji. The assignments that other teachers gave out, the double sessions of history, time spent in the greenhouses with Miyuki-senpai, and of course, the Quidditch games that some of his fellows dragged him to – games which in part made up for the lack of History as his “naptime” elective, since Slytherin dominated the matches time after time.
For the other students, the clockwork nature of the meals, and the fact that everyone was trying so hard to pretend that everything was just fine played into their need to believe that things were ok – would be ok, as long as they went to class, did their homework, and abided by the usual rules that students ought to.
Yes – everything seemed to work towards that end – except of course, the practical examinations that Quirrell so thoughtfully arranged for his students, with students receiving summons to his office at all hours of the day and night to undergo their trials.
Some were excited to face whatever Quirrell had concocted. Some looked upon the exam with trepidation and fear, remembering the first scenario they had all gone through long ago.
Yet almost without exception, their moods were quite somber afterwards, their expressions seeming lost, as they staggered out of the Professor’s office in a daze, as if wondering if they were seeing was reality, or if what they had experienced was reality, and this but a waking dream.
After a while, some more curious individuals took to waiting in the corridor outside the Professor's office to see if anyone ever emerged with a look of triumph, only to find that there were none – at least, none they witnessed.
Even those who saw the countenance of Sialim Sokaris after she and Nigel had finished their examination could report only that her expression had been decidedly neutral, without any hint of excitement, surprise, or disappointment whatsoever. Her partner, Nigel Wroxton, had also not had a recognizable expression on his face, but in his case, that was due to being unconscious, with his body trailing in the air behind the purple-haired girl as she walked back to Ravenclaw Tower.
As more and more attempted the trial, some began to talk, comparing notes about what they had faced.
It quickly became apparent to them that while there were no Death Eaters in this one, as Quirrell had promised, the challenge was an order of magnitude more difficult than that which had been held at the start of the fall term.
The first had tested how they reacted in a dangerous situation when stripped of their magic and rendered helpless. In that scenario, they had been ‘kidnapped’ and locked into a room in a safehouse full of Death Eaters who intended to use them for some ritual sacrifice. There had been a good deal of time pressure and psychological stress from the setting, but in theory it had been more than possible to escape, if one kept a level head.
This one, however, was not nearly so simple, as the only way out was through.
Through the monsters in their way, the traps that impeded their progress, and the malevolent intelligence of the labyrinth itself.
There was no way to simply avoid the dangers before them, as some had done with the Death Eater scenario, nor were their spells powerful enough to fight head on, so some mental dexterity was required if one desired any chance at progression.
And so two by two, the students attempted the challenge, and two by two, found themselves wanting, though no two in quite the same way.
By the time the students had cycled through the exam, and the Professor was finally willing to post the results – in the form of rankings and causes of failure, a month had passed. It was already the day before Valentine’s Day, and for those lucky enough to be third years and up with signed permission slips, a Hogsmeade weekend.
Nevertheless, after dinner, the entirety of the first years of Hogwarts piled into Quirrell’s classroom, listening to what from any other teacher would have been taken as meaningless platitudes about how they needed to work harder, but from him was taken dead seriously, because not performing to his expectations meant suffering a great of public humiliation.
Or, if he was not in a merciful mood – a terrible death in one of his scenarios.
“So I encourage you to do better,” he was saying, even now. “None of you in this room, despite being students of Hogwarts, the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in all of Britain, were able to complete the trial set forth. Had you been in an actual life or death situation, well, then this room would be empty, as you would all be dead.”
The group was silent as the man finished speaking, and with a flourish, caused a long scroll with the names of every team to attempt to trial to appear.
At the top of the list, in great golden letters, next to an outsized 1, were the names of Matou Shinji and Hermione Granger, who were listed as having been "struck down by cursed knives."
In silver letters, next to a more reasonably sized 2, were Amber and Phelan, with Phelan being listed as having drowned, and Amber as "being unable to progress."
The third and fourth slots were occupied by some Slytherins, while Natsumi and Ernie were in fifth, with Ernie having apparently been "crushed by a trap", while Natsumi had been mauled to death by a Pogrebin.
Selina Moore and Yatin Bhagat, the boy who had apparently been her partner in the first exam, had ended up in eighth, with Yatin being killed by an Acromantula, and Selina having been trapped in a flooding chamber – leading to a death by drowning.
On and on the list went, looking more like a casualty report than any true ranking, though as the boy read through the names and causes of death, he found that two names – Sialim Sokaris and Nigel Wroxton – names that he had been looking for – weren’t there.
Indeed, as he glanced about, Shinji found that the owners of those names weren't even in the room with them.
And just as he was about to ask where they were—
"Professor," Granger spoke up, preempting his query. Apparently, she’d noticed the same thing – not exactly a surprise, given how much she revered Sokaris. "Where are Sokaris and Wroxton?"
"Yeah..." a few others muttered. “Where are they?
"Don't tell me they did so badly they were kicked out of the class," Shinji heard Zacharias Smith mutter, with the obnoxious Hufflepuff apparently trying to speak softly enough that the Japanese boy wouldn't hear him. “Quirrell did say that everyone in first year Defense was required to come tonight…”
Unfortunately for poor Zacharias, he failed, with the boy finding himself on the receiving end of death glares from not just Shinji, but also Hermione Granger.
“Curious about them, are you, Mister Smith? All I can say is that their scores are none of your concern, as they are no longer in this class," Quirrell replied, with Shinji freezing at the man's words.
‘What?’
Had Sokaris really done so badly as to—
"So they really did…" Zacharias murmured, the corners of his mouth tugging into a smile, or beginning to as—
"Ah, I believe have the wrong idea, Mister Smith, but then, I am not surprised. You are, after all, a Hufflepuff who was crushed to death by Devil's Snare," the man said with some amusement, with Zacharias going red with indignation, as others around him laughed. He wanted to argue, to protest, to shout that if the test had been fair, then— "Ten points from Hufflepuff."
"...wh…at?" the boy looked stricken, his expression almost as if someone had kneed him between the legs. No, not almost. Shinji was quite sure of that, having seen what Smith's face looked like in the wake of that particular injury.
“You were about to say something rather foolish, which would have resulted in me taking away house points,” Quirrell explained, his expression almost kind, if one didn’t look at his eyes. “So I took the liberty of saving you the effort.”
"What happened to them, Professor?" Granger asked, more respectfully. “Why aren’t they here tonight?” She paused, glancing at where Zacharias Smith looked like he was about to faint. No – hadn’t fainted, just thrown up out of humiliation, with people backing away from him. “If you can tell us, that is.”
Quirrell muttered something under his breath and snapped his fingers, with a House Elf appearing to vanish the mess, before disappearing once more.
“Ah, where was I? Oh yes – they are no longer part of this class, as I believe I explained to Mister Smith,” the Defense Professor noted, not unkindly. “As to the why, well, their performance speaks for itself, really.”
“Then…”
“Isn’t it obvious, Miss Granger? They are not on this list because they – and they alone out of all in my first-year classes – successfully completed the challenge posed to them, thus proving that they have mastered everything the first curriculum has to offer them,” Quirrell remarked. "And where some of you only performed as well as you did through the help of certain…shall we say, magical supplements, they needed none to surpass those who did.”
Zacharias Smith's face could have been carved out of marble with how stiff it was, and how pale.
"But…that’s not—"
"Ten more points from Hufflepuff, Mister Smith. Do go on, I'm sure your housemates would appreciate you devaluing all of their hard work. You have already rendered the efforts of Mister Matou, Miss Suzuki, and Mister Macmillan meaningless in terms of contributions towards winning the House Cup. I dare say it would be a fascinating study to see just how much damage one student can do to a House's standing, hm?"
Wisely, Smith chose not to reply – or rather, he couldn’t reply, due to having collapsed from the shock.
Despite how he had singlehanded cratered their standings in the race for the Cup, his classmates looked upon the boy with some concern.
“Um...Professor,” Susan Bones spoke up uneasily. “Shouldn’t we…do something?”
“Ah, the famous compassion of your House. Five points to Hufflepuff for being brave enough to ask, Miss Bones,” Quirrell said. “Still, I believe the only thing injured is his fragile pride, and as I have only a bit more to cover, let us go on and I will see to him afterwards.”
“As you say, Professor.”
“Well then, you were all curious as to how you did, compared to the rest. Now you know. And now that you have seen how everyone else did, you may wish to think about who will be on your team for the final exam. Do keep in mind, however, that if you wish to work with Miss Sokaris or Mister Wroxton, the challenge you will be attempting will be an order of magnitude more difficult than the one you faced – and failed – to complete. I am a teacher, after all, and there would no meaning in having them go through the motions of a test they have already passed. Dismissed."
In the wake of Quirrell’s…debriefing, including the man’s warning about the consequences of adding Sokaris or Wroxton to a team to let them pass without extra effort, Shinji found that quite a few people were sending him notes, asking if he wanted to be part of their team, or alternatively, offering to “compare notes” on how they had done – which Shinji took to mean, they wanted to know what dangers came after those that had killed them.
A few girls even wanted to meet with him over dinner tomorrow, something he was a bit leery of, given that it would be Valentine’s Day.
He didn’t exactly want chocolate from people who just felt like they were obliged to give him something as a classmate – or did people in the West do that?
‘Valentine’s Day came from the West, so they must, right?’
Or maybe not.
Either way, it would probably be better just to spend the day with friends. People who he knew well. People who wouldn’t be seeking to toy with his feelings for no good reason.
‘Amber did say something about a picnic by the lake, and Natsumi mentioned wanting to try something new in the kitchens, so maybe I’ll have the house-elves make us something for a noon-time picnic. It would be a nice change.’
It wasn’t as if he could just spend the day in Miyuki-senpai’s greenhouse, as she apparently had some business to attend to, though what it might be he didn’t know – and frankly, didn’t want to know.
Getting everything arranged had been easier said than done, sadly, and when Shinji said he was skipping lunch to go on a picnic with Amber and Natsumi, he found that more than a few of his housemates threw him strange looks – something which confused him a great deal. It was just a picnic with friends – friends he had kissed by accident, admittedly, but still – friends.
He had to admit, the elves did a good job with the karaage he’d ordered, and the potato salad was sublime, though the fried tomatoes were a bit strange. Not to mention the so-called fried butterbeer, which was apparently a ravioli-like pastry shell filled with the stuff, and then submerged in oil for all of 20 seconds.
It tasted good, that he couldn’t deny – though on the other hand, the pastries looked somewhat discoloured.
And then there was what Natsumi had dubbed the “fried picnic”, skewers of chicken, potatoes, and pickles, all breaded and deep fried.
That too had been…unusual, but tasty all the same, reminding him of Christmas in Japan, though he’d never had something quite this eclectic.
‘I’m beginning to think you can fry almost anything, really…’
All washed down with hot chocolate of all things.
Shinji had thought it odd, but Amber had insisted, and the boy knew better than to argue with her when it came to something like this.
Something about how she always had hot cocoa during picnics, from a family recipe – quite the good one, with a hint of spice and cinnamon.
“So beyond the door where I turned back, that’s where you fought the doubles, huh?" Amber mused as she refilled Shinji’s mug with rich, aromatic liquid. “I guess even if Phelan hadn't gotten himself killed back in the maze, we probably wouldn't have done so well against them."
"Probably not," the boy agreed, shaking his head. "But then, Granger and I didn't get a chance to fight them, really. We were tired and let down our guard when there didn't seem to be anyone in the final room. So, when they attacked us..."
He winced, shaking his head.
If only he’d been prepared, things might have been different.
Then again, they might not have been.
"So, how did you even reach the final room?" Natsumi asked, pressing a chocolate chip cookie into his free hand, for which the boy mumbled his thanks, as the treat would go well with the hot cocoa. "Ernie and I tried our best, but well…” The twin-tailed girl chuckled a bit as she looked out over the lake, whose surface gleamed like jewels. “…we fell short.” She paused then, shaking her head. “Poor Ernie was lured into a side room, with the door closing behind him. I didn’t see what happened after that.” She sighed. “I went on for a bit after that, but without Ernie around to check on things – he was the one using Mopsus – I didn't realize there was a Pogrebin sneaking up on me. By the time I did..."
"It was too late," Amber murmured sympathetically, leaning over and drawing Natsumi close, as she rubbed the other girl’s back. "Sorry to hear that."
“Eh, don’t be,” Nats replied with a lopsided smile. “It’s nice to have a challenge – something I can’t beat with only Mopsus.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t use the gift Quirrell gave you,” the copper-haired girl quipped dryly. “Wouldn’t that have cut through Devil’s Snare just fine.”
The Japanese girl blinked.
“…huh, you’re right,” Natsumi realized. “Hah, if you’re with me in the final exam, maybe I’ll support with Mopsus and blade, and you can do spells?”
“That could work,” Amber mused. “You can help take care of things which need someone handling them up close, and I can watch your back.”
“You’re good at that.”
“I’ve had practice, Nats.”
“As if I haven’t watched yours more than enough,” the Japanese girl shot back, a trace of amusement in her voice as she leaned her head on her old friend’s shoulder. “Anyway, I'm surprised you did so well, with your partner being Phelan. Your brother...he isn't one for restraint."
Amber chuckled softly and shook her head.
“He isn’t. He’s brash, reckless, and more than a bit of glory hound,” the copper-haired girl admitted. “Still, he can be surprisingly reliable in a real life or death situation. He is my brother, after all."
“Hoooh? So even he can get serious, huh?" Shinji muttered. "I never would have thought it..."
“Let’s hope you never have to,” Amber remarked. “If you do, it means things are…bad.” She tilted her head, as if thinking of something, before patting the ground next to her. “Come. Sit by me. Let’s enjoy the view.”
He did, noting that while the lake was certainly beautiful on a day like this, though the way the sun lit up Amber’s features, and made her copper-colored hair seem to glow, was even more so.
"So…” Natsumi’s voice was quiet – a murmur nearly lost in the breeze. “What's going on with you and Granger? You haven't been glaring at each other since the exam. Did something happen?"
“N-no, nothing, really," the boy replied, shaking his head, though Amber just arched an eyebrow at his words. “Well, it’s just…it’s hard to keep hating her, to be her enemy when…when we spent so much time in that world saving each other. Fighting to protect one another. Working with her. In that world, we were alone. There was no one else. No one to save us, or keep us alive – except each other. So…we’re not friends, but…it seems almost pointless to be enemies.” He paused, shaking his head. “She’s not a bad person. She’s just…complicated.”
“Everyone is complicated,” Amber remarked. “That’s just how humans are. Not just other people, though. Each of us is like that too.” She smiled, her expression an odd one as she looked into the distance. “That’s…that’s really what Professor Quirrell’s are meant for, you know. Most professors just make you learn the material in the books. But he wants to make sure you know yourself – who you are, what you can do, and what you can’t. What you’re willing to sacrifice in the name of victory. What you won’t."
"That I...that I know myself?" the boy repeated. "But…why?”
"It's like that quote from the Art of War, where knowing yourself is just as important as knowing the enemy," Natsumi explained. "If you know only the enemy, but not yourself, you will lose as many battles as you win. Here, the last enemy is yourself.”
“…huh,” Shinji grunted. “I…I never thought about it that way. I just thought Quirrell was just making things difficult for us.” He shook his head. "...too bad life isn't a shonen manga where you can just surpass your limits," the boy muttered, with Natsumi laughing at the petulance in his voice.
"Isn't it too nice a day for you sound like this?" Amber quipped, gesturing to how the sun made the ripples on the lake shimmer and shine. "You’re looking at such a beautiful sight with two pretty girls beside you, yet you're thinking about Granger this much? Is she that much prettier than I am?" she teased, leaning over to whisper in his ear.
Shinji went utterly red, his mouth falling open in a gasp as her hot breath sent shivers own his spine.
"T-that's not...I--it's not like that," he stammered, turning to look at Amber, who had once again turned to look out at the lake. "It’s…I…oh, you’re right. I shouldn’t be distracted when what I’m looking at is so beautiful." Amber, noting where he was looking out of the corner of her eyes, found herself blushing, just a bit. “I…thank you.”
“Any time,” the copper-haired girl murmured.
“Actually, I really do need to thank Natsumi,” the boy added.
"Hm, what for?" the Hufflepuff girl asked, brushing a stray hair from her eyes as she smiled softly at her friend.
"...to be honest, I only got as far as I did thanks to what you gave me at Christmas," he admitted, with the girl looking rather surprised.
“Oh, is that what Quirrell meant by magical supplements?” the brunette questioned.
“Yes,” Shinji confirmed. “I thought…I thought it really was a life or death situation. That we’d been kidnapped and left for dead.” He sighed heavily. “Me getting that far, it wasn’t because I was more skilled than any of you. Or more brilliant. It was because, with that potion – I was lucky. It guided me, made sure I couldn’t lose. And then it was gone, and I…lost.”
“Ahhhhh.”
“Yeah. I guess my Shadow was a reflection of myself at very best, when the me that faced it was anything but. Of course I would lose – I can’t beat a copy of myself guided by liquid luck.”
Amber squeezed his shoulder sympathetically.
"Even so, you came in first, didn't you?"
"Well, except for Sokaris and Nigel, who tested out of the class," the boy grumbled. "What will she do with the extra time, in the months until school ends?"
"Probably read or make potions," Natsumi replied. "You know how she is."
"...maybe," Shinji allowed. There were a lot of things about Sokaris that didn't entirely make sense in his mind, but he had the good sense not to probe too deeply. More than anyone else at Hogwarts, the purple-haired girl was frighteningly magus-like in her demeanor, after all, and to his mind, that made her capable of almost anything. "I’m not sure about Nigel though. Maybe he’ll read? He seems to like that.”
“I hear he will be going back to his proper class too, meaning he’ll be a third year next year, not someone caught in between,” Amber piped up.
“Good for him,” Shinji said quietly. "He works hard. I'll say that much about him." 'Even if he does seem like he likes Senpai...' “Though I have a feeling Sokaris helped him.”
"Sokaris is good at helping if – when – she wants to, I think," the Japanese girl remarked. "She just doesn't...seem to like dealing with people all that much."
"You seem to get along with her well enough," Amber pointed out.
"Well, that's because I can keep up with her," Natsumi noted. "Kind of." She frowned. "Mostly. And even then, I think she's going easy on me. To be honest, we don’t talk about the things friends would. I don’t know much about her aside from the fact she’s brilliant at potions, and mind stuff, and that she doesn’t laugh, unlike other witches, when I say I want to go to space. Most others ask why I would bother. That there’s nothing there and that I’m wasting my time, when I could be studying something useful, like cleaning charms."
“Huh, they laugh at you for that?” the copper-haired girl asked with some concern as she turned to her old friend. “What idiots. I ought to hex them into tomorrow. Or maybe into yesterday.”
“Amber…”
“Or, maybe I could show them the point of my blade. Teach them not to laugh at a sword just because it isn’t magical.”
“Amber.”
“It’s not right, them treating you like that because you like something they don’t.”
“Amber, you don’t really see why I like space all that much either,” Natsumi said reproachfully. “You told me that yourself, years ago.”
“I still don’t,” the copper-haired girl admitted. “But we’ve known each other for years. And I’ll be damned if someone else is going to judge you because of what you like when its none of their bloody business. Tell me who they are – I’ll make them stop.”
“I don’t think you can. Not just by threatening them.”
“You’re too nice, Nats,” Amber muttered. “But fine, what did you have in mind, then?”
“Crushing them,” the brunette replied, with the earl’s daughter blinking.
“…I take that back,” the copper-haired girl murmured appreciatively. “You’re even more ruthless than I am.”
“Shouldn’t you know this by now?”
“Yes, but Matou doesn’t, so I’m making sure he realizes,” Amber quipped. “Just in case, well…”
“Makes sense,” Natsumi agreed, with the two sharing a look for about half a minute before nodding. “So, feel like joining me for the final? I think, if I’m with you, we can win.”
“Not that just winning would be enough,” Amber pointed out. “You have to beat them by so much that realize what idiots they were.”
“I’ll help too,” Shinji said impulsively, with the two girls looking at him oddly. “T-that is, if you’ll have me. No one makes fun of people I care about and gets away with it.”
“I see,” the brunette murmured, nodding as if in acceptance. “We’ll be glad to have you, right Amber?”
“Right.”
“Though…I suppose if you’re going to be working with us, there’s something we should talk about.”
Shinji swallowed.
“Yes…?” he all but squeaked.
"You remember what Aozaki-san said during the Gala, right?" Natsumi asked. "About how Miyuki-senpai can bring two people with her to Mahoutokoro this summer?"
Shinji nodded. Senpai hadn’t brought it up, for some reason – perhaps because she waiting on something?
"You've mentioned this, Nats," Amber said quietly. "But why…?"
"I asked her if she could bring three people, since I know both of you would want to come," the twin-tailed brunette explained. “But it's not up to her. So, since I’ll be going with her...there's just one spot left.” She trailed off, looking away. “Sorry, I…I didn’t know what to tell you.”
"I..." Amber began, but—
"Amber, you should go," Shinji said decisively, his voice tight. He wasn't looking at her when he said it, though, but out over the water. If he looked at her, if he saw her expression – he wasn't sure he could keep himself from crying. "You...you and Nats are good friends – have been good friends for such a long time, and I know you like Japanese culture," he all but whispered. "So, it should be you..."
Miyuki-senpai, Natsumi and Amber had already done so much for him this year – it wouldn't be right to impose on them for the summer, not when…not when…
"Are you alright, Matou?" Amber asked, noting with some shock that the boy looked like he was ripping himself to pieces inside. "You...you can go if you want. I don’t…"
“No. I know you want to go," the boy said, looking at her, forcing back the traitorous part of him which told him to take her up on her offer, so he could spend the summer with senpai, bask in senpai’s presence, see her smile. “Don’t say no because of me.”
“Matou…I…”
And then he was crying, with heavy tears leaving trails as they streamed down his face. "I mean, I do, I do want to go...but it wouldn't be right for me to take that from you." He took a breath. "You, Nats, Senpai – you've all known each other far longer than I have. And I...I'm from Japan in the first place. I can go back whenever I want to, take the train to Mahoutokoro," he added with false bravado. "It’s where I got my wand, after all. So...so I..."
"You really can be a sweet boy sometimes," Amber murmured, surprising him with a fierce embrace that felt warmer than anything he’d felt before. And then…she kissed him, on the cheek. "If you're...are you sure..."
"Yes," he whispered hoarsely, his eyes shining as they met hers. "I want you...to be happy."
For a moment they looked at each other, something important passing between them unspoken.
"...then I'll make arrangements, so you can enjoy your summer too," the Gryffindor girl offered with a sigh. "I…you should know that Selina offered for me to join her on a trip to France this summer. Something about a tour of Beauxbatons and a chance to meet a good friend of hers, she said."
"A good friend?" Shinji echoed, thankful for the distraction.
"Yes, her friend Lily Spencer," Amber explained, shaking her head, belatedly letting go of the boy. "Apparently, her friend's grandfather will be teaching history here next year, and since she will be coming along with him, he wanted her to hear about Hogwarts from someone other than just him."
'Lily Spencer, huh? That doesn’t sound very Fr—wait a minute.'
If this Lily Spencer was who he thought it was…
"...heh..."
"Do you know something?" the copper-haired girl wondered aloud.
"Uh...no," the boy said, not very convincingly. "Why would I?"
"Because you're a terrible liar," Natsumi pointed out. "You looked like you realized something just now."
Shinji grimaced.
"Fine...I was just thinking what a small world it was, since at the Ball, I danced with a Lily..." he smiled. “A Lily from France…well, living in France. She was originally from Britain.”
"You mean Lily de Lune?" Amber questioned.
“Better known as Liliana Spencer-Moon," Shinji interrupted, revealing the true name of his dancing partner. "Yes – the same name as the girl from the story Selina wove us. And just like that Liliana, her grandfather is also Leonard Spencer-Moon."
"...exactly the same name? What a coincidence!”
“Somehow, I doubt its a coincidence,” Natsumi pointed out.
“I was being facetious.” Amber grumbled. “Still, such a person is going to be teaching us History?" Amber asked incredulously. "Are you sure?"
"No, I’m not sure, but…I don't think I'm wrong either," the boy replied, shaking his head.
"Was she anything like the character in Lord of Swinverrucas?"
"Somewhat," Shinji admitted. "We didn’t exactly talk about anything too deep. I’ll make sure to get to know her."
There was a beat and then…
"Matou," Amber spoke, looking into the distance.
"Yes?"
"You...cheating is bad, you know."
"Cheating?" Shinji echoed. “What do you—oh, you mean the Liquid luck thing?” he questioned. “Don't worry, I won't do it again - I don't have any left."
He was a bit puzzled by how Nats seemed to turn to Amber then.
"...you did remember what I said about boys being dense, right?" the brunette quipped.
"That's right...” Amber reminded herself. “Denser than a neutron star..."
So, for the final Exam, how will Shinji support the team? Natsumi, of course, will take Mopsus to alert them of possible danger, while wielding the gift Quirrell got for her - something not unlike a lightsaber. Amber will be supporting with her sword and her wand, as needed.
But what will Shinji do? (choose up to two)
[ ] Use his wands to attack, Amber can provide light
[ ] Use potions - someone has to take the role of healer
[ ] Use his knives - they proved effective last time
[ ] Support with his wand, leaving his free hand open for knives
[ ] (write-in)
And in the two months until the final exams begin, what will Shinji prioritize? (choose two)
[ ] Studying and making potions - with help from Sokaris, as needed
[ ] Practicing his dueling, with the help of the Dueling Club
[ ] Work on his knife throwing, since his aim is otherwise pathetic
[ ] Working out how to effectively use two wands
[ ] Adding more curses to his repertoire
[ ] Team-building exercises, to practice working together
[ ] (write-in)
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
.For now;
[x] Use potions - someone has to take the role of healer.
[x] Support with his wand, leaving his free hand open for knives.
A dexterity tank / dps + extra dps with close to mid-range efficiency. Shinji doesn't need to go the extra mile to inflict raw damage here. Curses work nicely for debuffing. Potions could be effective too I assume (they made a very good cure for boils after all) but that probably requires Sokaris help for other potent potions (next set of choice) to be truly reliable.
[x] Team-building exercises, to practice working together
[x] Studying and making potions - with help from Sokaris, as needed.
He should expand his repertoire anyway and we can exploit various statuses in order to make things easier on Amber & Natsumi. Also, Shinji needs something to stop his alter ego's knives.
Last edited by Daiki; September 8th, 2018 at 07:50 PM.
[X] Use potions - someone has to take the role of healer
[X] Support with his wand, leaving his free hand open for knives
IE the support Role, while still allowing for a way to attack with his knifes/wand.
[X] Studying and making potions - with help from Sokaris, as needed
[X] Work on his knife throwing, since his aim is otherwise pathetic
Potions is a requirement if you vote potions in on the question above. More curses is not needed at this moment, he has enough tools for now in that field. I could go with Knife training or team work for the second pick but I went knife over the other for the purpose of leveling up knifes so that while it would not be his main role in this run, he can still use them so that he has them as a useful reserve option.
I don't mind swapping around for potions, yeah. It's just another way to deal with damage (prevent vs healing) really. Plus, getting better at potions isn't going to hurt us. The shield charm is only possible if Alf gives allow it (we don't know when students are supposed to learn that so I thought it fair to bring it up).
Not quite sure I'm really sold on voting knives over curses though, since it's basic training to become about average / decent when the other option has applications outside combat too. I know you like your knife-throwing man but, maybe it doesn't edge over curses in this instance. On the other hand, it could serve as to either NOT STAB our allies or maybe deflect Shadow Shinji's own knives by deflecting them mid-air. (That one probably requires advanced training tho)
I'll edit my vote for now.
Last edited by Daiki; September 7th, 2018 at 08:44 AM.
This vote I will leave open over the weekend. It's important, after all!
I'll also be here (and on IRC) to discuss options!
Also...
Shinji is not a ninja, and deflecting a knife with a knife is a high level skill.
Unless you're adjusting your aim while under the influence of mopsus or Felix Felicis and such anyway.
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; September 7th, 2018 at 10:54 AM.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
Potions, just because they're useful but mostly cause I want more interaction with Sion/Type Moon characters. Teamwork is essential for this, so practicing would be good so they don't accidentally get in the way of their partners.
Interesting thoughts so far.
I suppose I should add an additional item, such as who Shinji should spend time with besides whoever he is training his skills with.
[ ] Miyuki
[ ] Ernie
[ ] Phelan
[ ] Selina
[ ] (write-in)
With that said, I'm once again online, and this time, drafting notes about the summer experience in France, featuring Councilor Moon!
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; September 7th, 2018 at 10:28 PM.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
[X] Use potions - someone has to take the role of healer
[X] Support with his wand, leaving his free hand open for knives
[X] Work on his knife throwing, since his aim is otherwise pathetic
[X] Practicing his dueling, with the help of the Dueling Club
[X] Miyuki
.[x] Miyuki.
[X] Myuki
And I guess we are tied with training with knives and teamwork as the second training option. Since splitting training in 3 things is not going to be altogether an great idea, I have to change my vote hopefully for the good of this exercise. Thought this really pains me to not train up knives, as with no training in throwing means that they are useless to Shinji at the moment. Oh well as least Natsumi can still get some use with them due to her Sith powers.
Change my vote for Work on Knife throwing to [X] Team-building exercises, to practice working together
But what will Shinji do? [x] Use potions - someone has to take the role of healer; [x] Support with his wand, leaving his free hand open for knives
In the two months until the final exams begin, what will Shinji prioritize? [x] Studying and making potions - with help from Sokaris, as needed; [x] Team-building exercises, to practice working together
Spend time with: [X] Miyuki
Does Shinji pull effort away from other classes to focus on his training?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
If so, choose the classes...(as many as desired)
[ ] Potions
[ ] Transfiguration
[ ] Charms
[ ] Astronomy
[ ] Herbology
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
.[x] Yes
[x] Astronomy.
Since it's going to be the class I vote as a throw away for the second year, might as well ditch it now.
[x] Yes
[x] Astronomy.
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