Pancakes & Syrup.

[Jay Rastan]

Yawning and stretching his arms over his head as he went Jay Rastan made his first public appearance of for the day looking just as impeccably well groomed as usual. His school uniform was crisply pressed and his blue house robe swished side to side as he walked between the house tables of the Great Hall to his usual seat long halfway down the table on the right hand side. One day he noticed he seemed to sit in the same position for a week for every meal so he had claimed his own, by carving his name into the table surface, small enough not to stand out too much but just large enough for it to be noticeable.

With one final back bending stretch and after hearing the satisfying popping sound that companied, Jay let out a sigh as he took his seat and traced over his carved name with a grin he could still remember researching the spell that would allow him to use his wand like an engraver and how it seemed to slide through the wood like a hot knife. He had walked around that day in first year with a grin in place that nobody could rid him of. Looking around the hall Jay realised that there was really only about five or six students in the hall but after a glance at his wrist watch he was not surprised not many students were fully awake and ready for breakfast at ten to seven in the morning, unlike himself which had seemingly become his new breakfast time.

Pouring himself a goblet of juice, but before he could do much more than survey the large range of breakfast items that were spread along the table’s expansive surface, a owl flying in his direction took his attention away from the food. After retrieving his paper from the talons of the owl, and gave it a few coins in exchange and a piece of bacon from one of the platers. Jay made to unfold the paper but a low rumbling noise from his stomach which caused him to lay the paper to the side of his place setting before tackling into the plater close by that held what looked to be dozens of pancakes.

Jay didn’t even think twice about the healthier alternatives that were for offer to the students for the first meal of the day. He was a pancake and syrup man, and probably always would be. Tucking into his food, he watched the door to the great hall out the corner of his eye to watch to see if any of his friends would be entering.

[Tye Coleman]

Tye walked through the great oak doors, which stood in the centre of the wall to allow people access to the Golden Hall. He had done this everyday since he had come to Koalingo, and everyday he would continue to do so while they offered such tasty delights on the breakfast menu. He didn’t see Jay, though anyone who had seen the both of them side by side would be able to see the two contrasted spectacularly. For one thing, Tye was a loose man. His school trousers were as loose as they could be without falling down and his robes were no where to be seen. Instead he wore his white school shirt loosely and not tucked in.

His pale sandy hair was as messy as if he had just gotten out of bed, and anyone that didn’t know better might have thought that he had had a tussle with a Hippogriff. He looked the kind of boy that might have gotten into fights, though at the core he was a kind hearted; perhaps a little wild; Saphricorn Sixth year. He grinned when he saw what awaited him at the Saphricorn table.

“A perfectly sumptuous choice, made by the wonderful elves of the kitchens,” he said in a theatrical voice as he sat down at the table across from Jay Rastan. He didn’t do this because he wanted to sit near the boy he knew was in the seventh year. But because there was a particularly large stack of pancakes near him that looked as if they might just have his name on them.

“Maple syrup?” He asked Jay as he grabbed the entire platter of remaining pancakes and set it in front of him brushing aside the empty plate that was originally laid out in front of him to eat off of. He watched as another platter appeared from where this one had been and smiled. The house elves knew him and what he liked.

He reached for the whipped butter and started spreading laborious amounts of it between each pancake level before chopping a piece off and dipping it in the cream which was set aside for people who might want cream in their morning hot chocolate.

“Nuffig bittah” he said to Jay through a mouthful of pancakes. Some cream dribbled down the side of his face and onto his shirt, “Uh Buggah” he said, spitting some more of his mouthful on the table on his side before grabbing his serviette and cleaning his shirt. He tried his very best but it left a mark that would be there all day. Not that it mattered all that much. He had care of magical creatures first thing that morning which meant he was not going to be clean by the end of it anyway.

After that he also had herbology and was seriously considering just not bothering to change all day. “Shorry,” he said again through his mouthful of pancakes, spitting some more on the table before bringing the serviette to clean off his mouth. He made a noise when he swallowed and grinned, “Maple syrup?” he smiled again.

[Jay Rastan]

Jay had watched the other boy from the moment he had entered the hall, and after swallowing a mouthful of pancake, he bit of a chuckle as he watched the figure of Tye walk into the hall. If people didn’t know better they would think the boy may have just rolled out of bed gotten dressed in the dark all while still deep in slumber, fortunately Jay knew better after years of interactions with the boy.

Jay did still have to wonder if he did get dressed in the dark though.

Watching on as the boy took the remaining half of the platter that he had left behind when he fixed his own breakfast. It was with a small amount of fascination as he looked on as the other boy pulled together all he was after and went about before he decided to try to speak around a mouthful of food. Jay was brought up with the strictest of manners that he took to heart even when he was in only his own company, and watching this boy speak with a mouthful of half chewed food was more than slightly disturbing and he couldn’t help but grimace as he watched the boy slop about before tidying himself up slightly after swallowing and requesting the bottle of maple syrup Jay had sitting next to his plate.

“You know, it’s a good thing we growing men have fast metabolisms, with the way we eat. I shudder to think of how things could be without them!” Jay said with another chuckle as he reached for some chopped strawberries and sprinkled them on top of his pancakes before picking up his knife and fork again. Jay couldn’t recall ever eating anything in his life without cutlery, except half a hotdog when he was ten, which was enough of an experience in eating with his hands.

Jay couldn’t help but look at the stain on the boy’s shirt as he wiped at it, and was feeling glad he had been out of spraying distance of the food that had flown from the boy’s full mouth.

“You know that will only smudge it more into your shirt. A quick Scourgify charm should fix that right up and not leave a stain. Don’t want the ladies thinking you a slob or something, right man?” Jay said, before digging back into his pancakes, looking up once or twice as another handful of students started to trickle into the hall for the meal.

Drinking from his goblet of juice, he looked at the boy across the table from him.

“Got a busy day ahead of you today, Tye?”

[Tye Coleman]

Tye made all the right noises while he was eating. He might have been a little more aware of the fact that his company might have appreciated a greeting if he had not been so hungry. After that first bite though and glugging down a half a glass of orange juice Tye sat back and burped. He sighed and moved his mouth in eating motions as he allowed the remaining flavour to wash over his senses. It was terrific.

“Well Good morning,” he smiled at the Jay when he came to decide he was capable of thinking of things beyond his stomach.

Tye was lucky to have a family that never stood on principal. While they were polite, they also returned the manners of understanding a growing boy should not have to think of anything strenuous before that first taste of the day. He smiled and sat back. He had only taken one bite of his breakfast but now he looked as if he was quite finished.

“Savouring the flavour,” he told Jay just in case he was wondering what Tye was doing. If there was one thing he never did, it was waste food, and so now he would start on the rest of it. Just as soon as Jay passed the Maple Syrup. “You know I always say, a fed boy is a happy boy,” he smiled again as he breathed in the fresh aroma of the morning feast. The Golden Hall always smelled this way at breakfast and he enjoyed it so much.

Tye was polite enough to understand that summoning the maple syrup from Jay was not the polite thing to do, and he was sure that once Jay was well and truly finished decorating his breakfast like a girl; he would proceed to pass the maple syrup. In the mean time Tye made a start on some cereal.

He reached for th ebox of muesli and scooped some into a bowl he had sitting by his pancaked. He added the milk with one hand while he was placing two pieces of freshly sliced bread into a magical toaster with the other. Once the milk was poured he left the muesli to soak it up while his hand was busy picking the honey and butter from another section of the table.

His toast popped and he began spreading it before stopping to breath in the aroma of warming honey. He loved honey. Once that was done, he moved to his muesli and scooped some into his mouth, munching it up and counting off the pieces of fruite with his tongue in the back of his mouth, “Apple…” he said while chewing, “Sultana… pear maybe?” he kept chewing while he listened to Jay talking about cleaning his shirt off.

“Nah its right mate, wouldn’t want to get rid of it so soon, no point having a messy shirt if it is not going to be really messy, you know how brown that spot is going to be after Care of Magical Creatures this morning? Spectacular!” he grinned as he lifted his piece of toast and bit into it slowly, allowing the aroma to fill the back of his nose before he chewed it gratefully before swallowing it.

“Class,” he shrugged not elaborating as he had just mentioned Care of Magical Creatures, “Is there an alternative?”

[Jay Rastan]

Jay was trying his hardest not to grimace anymore that he had already, or even worse wince at his companion’s obvious lack of manners and as Jay thought for a moment he realised he hasn’t passed on the maple syrup to the other boy yet, so giving one last dose of it on his current small hill of pancakes before pressing the cap down and passing the bottle over to him. Jay figured while he was eating he might not feel the urge to talk, or belch or anything else that went against common dinner table decorum. He didn’t even excuse himself after he belched.

Jay decided it best not to bring up the issue, it would just cause in people calling his uptight.

“I only have one class for today, and it’s in the middle block of the schedule.” Jay said with a shrug after swallowing, running his tongue over his teeth clearing any dregs of pancake in his mouth, he had almost finished his share of pancakes with only two left, figuring it didn’t matter because the house elves could prepare more anyway, he tipped the remaining strawberries out of the bowl and onto his place to soak some syrup. “Was thinking of getting in some quidditch practice in this afternoon. Maybe just let the bludgers lose and work on my aim. Should probably use the morning study period for study, or maybe I’ll go lazy about somewhere nobody will find me”

Jay leant out of his seat and craned his neck looking for some of the other berries that were just a way down the table on the other side, just far enough out of his reach but should have been within Tye’s grasp. “Man, can you pass the white bowl with all the mixed berries in?” Jay pointed at the one he was requesting.

Jay pointed with one hand while grabbing a bowl of vanilla and honey yoghurt that were on a revolving circle tray in the middle of the table, under an ever cool charm to keep it fresh. Grabbing a sthingy, and a about half a cup of muesli and turning it in, he started on it while waiting for the other berries to be passed.

Somewhere in the back of his brain he knew if anyone saw how much these two boys seemed to be pumping into their bodies they would be almost worried, but they seemed to put it away with no questions of gaining weight or anything. Jay had always been quite lithe and had a slim figure but broad shoulders, and a bit of muscle on him. He wasn’t someone who looked like a gym junkie but field out enough to gain a bit of attention from the opposite gender and he was the perfect build for a beater in quidditch.

At this point Jay’s eyes fell on the mark on other other boy’s shirt again, and his fingers itched at his sthingy as he lifted it to his mouth but he knew if it didn’t bother the boy he shouldn’t bother him. Jay just took a lot of pride in his appearance, and sometimes he couldn’t understand how others didn’t take as much as he did.

’Each to their own I guess’ Jay thought, restraining himself from shrugging as he stirred his yoghurt again to thoroughly mix it in while he chew thoughtfully.

[Tye Coleman]

“Thanks man,” Tye smiled as he took the maple syrup and drenched his pancakes in it forgetting everything else he prepared to focus on the pancakes in front of him. He smiled and breathed in their sweet smells as he cut another large chunk out of it and piled it all into his mouth munching away noisily.

’A noisy breakfast was one well enjoyed,’ he remembered his mother saying to him one morning after his uncle had commented on how noisily he ate. She had mentioned that she would be upset if he did not make noises while he ate because it meant he really was not enjoying it and really… what was the point of eating if you were not going to enjoy it. Taste was one of the best senses on the human body.

“Wow, only one class? Your cluck,” he scoffed as he pulled his own schedule out of his pocket. Strangely enough it was in immaculate condition and betrayed the cleanliness he appeared to keep about the rest of his person. He tapped the top of his schedule with his wand and it amplified in size so that he could prop it against a basket of fruit and read over it while he was eating.

“You know, I think that librarian’s a bit of a weird character, don’t you agree?” he muttered as he saw that his third class was a study period conducted by the librarian and he would have to stay in the library throughout the whole class.

“I was in there the other day, you know? In the middle of the day, minding my own business as it were. And I didn’t have the foggiest idea where she might be, and I don’t mind telling you I didn’t really care,” he added as he looked at Jay over the top of his stack. He dribbled more maple syrup over it as if the pool now welling in the groove of the large plate was not enough already, “And I saw one of the book shelves open, you know? Like a secret entrance, well I seen these sort of things all over the cast so t’weren’t no nevermind to me, but you’d think I caught her looking at something indecent the way she reacted,” he muttered as he grabbed an apple and bit into it noisily.

“Chased me clear out of the library telling me if I ever mentioned it to someone she’d send something after me in the night,” he started laughing haughtily as if he thought this was the funnies thing he had ever heard, “She’s a squib they say, I reckon its probably true, but the way she had it, you’d reckon she coulda cursed me on the spot,” he laughed a little more as he past Jay the bowl of berry’s he asked for as if only as an after thought of their conversation.

“Wonder if I see any other teacher’s popping out of bookshelves or something,” he grinned as he thought about it. He didn’t know quite how to take the librarian; she was a little odd to say the least. All the same though… strange woman. He tapped his class schedule with his wand and when it was back to normal size he propped it back into his pocket and made for another glass of orange juice as he had thoroughly conquered his first one.

“Quidditch, aye? I hear you’ve been having trouble there, any luck yet?”

[Jay Rastan]

Jay couldn’t help but laugh at the other boy’s comments about the librarian. He himself had run into once or twice and each time she seemed to stare at him as he left, and although he couldn’t have been certain he was ure her attention was above his lower back. Jay shuddered slightly at the thought and the memory of the one time he had been stupid enough to ask her for assistance in looking for a book of old Quidditch plays, he had found some of them surprisingly effective.

“You never know what she might have going on in that back room, man. Maybe she has her own little red light district thing happening in the back stacks. Mirrors, smoke billowing, music and some poles, can just imagine what they get up to when all us students are out of their hair. Maybe it’s like someone sort of secret professors lounge of some sort” Jay said, a wicked grin coming into play on his face before he remembered exactly who the professors were, to which he gave a even more violent shudder. “That’s just off. Really wrongon so many levels, I reckon”

Jay would say or think no more on the topic of professors, perverted librarians or red light districts. Well not in the same train of thought anyway, he was sure such things would lead to mental and many, many therapy sessions.

Taking the pro-offered bowl of berries and poured them into his yoghurt and stirred it absent minded fashion, watching as more people entered, a few girls his own age to which he nodded in a way of greeting along with a grin as they passed. Bring his musings back to quidditch, Jay lifted a spoon of his yoghurt mixture to his mouth before swallowing it and licking him lips and using his napkin to wipe the edges of his mouth.

“Well we have the usual line up so far, but with the few seventh years that left last we were have 2 or 3 positions we need to fill. And that’s going to be a challenge getting the team in sync with each other.” Jay said, sighing as he ran his free hand through his hair, “You know how the team was for the last two years, a well oiled machine, we knew were we had to be for each play and where each pass or bludger was. It takes time for that depth of connection. Time isn’t exactly something we have a lot of in our robe pockets”

Jay was passionate about quidditch. Not just for when his team was winning or what not, but the technical side of it, he liked going through past plays and making them better, leaving lesson room for error, and a high success rate. That was probably why he was made captain, because he had the direction, determination and the state of mind to lead his team to victory, if they got the chance. While he understood that sometimes circumstances played against you, Jay liked to figure out how to make all circumstances play to their strengths. So far they had done a good job and hopefully this year would be the same and if not better.

“You go any ideas for plays or input for the team this year. I’m open for any suggestions.” Jay asked the other boy as he reached for his goblet looking into its depths first as if the answer to all his quidditch problems could be found in its shallows. “You better have kept in shape of the break as well man, or I’ll have you doing exercise everyday with me to get you back in it.”

Nobody couldn’t say that Jay didn’t do what he asked of his team, after all, a team is only as strong as it’s weakest link. Jay wouldn’t stand for any weak links in his team.

[Tye Coleman]

Outwardly Tye laughed about the jokes regarding the librarian. Inwardly though he knew there was something about her that just didn’t sit right with him. Though mulling it over while Jay seemed to think he needed to demonstrate his manhood by greeting some passing girls; Tye pushed the thoughts from his mind. Jay was right, there was a possibility she was just weird, and in that, Tye realised; people had the right to be individual, didn’t they?

Sometimes.

“A lot of people interested,” Tye said as he listened to Jay, knowing he was the team captain. He also knew that last year Jay wasn’t the captain. The previous captain had graduated last year and he was only too happy to see the post go to Jay. Tye was on the team, and hoped that perhaps the following year when Jay graduated. He might get the captaincy.

At least he hoped.

“Anyone you reckon might be a good bet for this years team?” he asked as he stirred the cereal a little more. By now it resembled something likened to mud, but with a bit more texture and a lot more lumps. He would still eat it though, maybe pour more milk in it and drink it. It was amazing how weetbix milk tasted similar to chocolate milk, though he thought this might have a bit to do with the sugar in it.

“I don’t really have any ideas, not yet anyway,” he said as he dug into his mud and spooned it into his mouth, it didn’t taste bad. It was quite nice actually. He put down his spoon to focus on his pancakes again before they got cold. “I’ve been running everyday!” he lifted both of his arms as if to flex the muscles that could not be seen through his baggy school shirt. He was in top shape for the Quidditch season, why else would he be eating so much? He had a figure to maintain.

[Jay Rastan]

“I don’t know about anyone this year yet. I think the new recuits just need a little natural talent, there rest I can train them” Jay said with more that the slightest trace of arrogance.

Jay believed there wasn’t a person in the world that he couldn’t give more than average quidditch skills to. If it didn’t come naturally, then it would come with practice, whether it be the crack of dawn or the dusk settling in. If Jay Rastan wanted you to know something then it would be drilled into your brain regardless if they like it or not.

Jay Rastan could sometimes be described in one word. Stubborn.

“You know I’ve been looking over old footage of previous years games over the holidays while we were in France for one of Mother’s fashion shows. I have a notebook back in my room with all these plays broken down, improved, and then I have stats on continuing players form previous years on other teams, like their signature move and everything” Jay said taking in deep breath after blurting all that out. “I know it seems weird, but between having to smile for pictures for fashion magazines, hanging out with mother’s models, and the bit of sight seeing and partying, I had some spare time.”

Jay also happened to be dedicated. When the mood struck him to be.

Looking at the boy with grin after he laugh at the other male showing him the fruits of his labour although not that Jay could see anything due to Tye’s baggy shirt, unlike Jay’s more slimmer fitting shirt which showed off his tone and definition nicely, not that Jay really noticed to much, he just didn’t like to feel like he was swimming in folds of material when he moved. Finishing the last of his breakfast and placing the bowl onto of his plate which now only held a slight amount syrup residue , he pushed it aside out of his way now feeling completely satisfied until lunch time.

“We’ll see just how well you kept in form when we get you on the field for practice drills” Jay said with an almost evil glint in his eye. “ If I’m not impressed you should expect to be worked until I’m satisfied with your form up there, man? But don’t worry, I have that whole all for once policy happening. If you have to do it, we all have to.”

While it had been a good idea when Jay thought about the ‘all for one policy’ thinking everyone would pick up the slack together, this way it would force everyone to lift their game and not to let down the team, or as Jay surmised, by the end of two weeks of practice his team would mutineer against him.

[Tye Coleman]

Tye laughed, he knew Jay would be one of those[/o] captains. He would work them to the bone if he needed to do it to ensure they would win. And fair enough too, he thought, if Jay was only going to get one chance at being the Quidditch Captain, then he would not mind being up their as one of the winning teams in the Saphricorn house. He grinned as he listened to him going on about his training standards. It sounded like this following Quidditch Year was going to be a lot of fun.

“Anyway man, I gotta take off,” he said shovelling the last of his pancakes into his mouth and drinking down his sloppy weet bix as if it was only liquid.

“Professor Saphricorn wants me to help her set up for first class,” he said wth a smile on his face. He pocketed a couple of apples and started on a banana as he stood up tossing the banana peel on his plate and leaving half the banana hanging out of his mouth as he spoke.

“Quidditch Practice tonight?” he asked, he knew nothing had been planned, but as it was the middle of the week and most houses did not even have teams yet, he didn’t think it was a lot to ask for, even if they were doing it just to get a taste of his new training regime.

“Whatever you reckon dude,” He smiled and turned, “See you tonight,” and with that he jogged out of the Golden Hall looking as if he filled into his uniform a little more then he did when he arrived.

[Jay Rastan]

Jay watched as the other male started to depart sparing him a “See you later man” as he had reached for him bag and started to dig around looking for something which appeared to be at the bottom of his bag with the way he was digging and pushing the contents around not that there seemed to be much in there, few class books, some parchment, and writing materials, and his very precious new top of the range beater’s bat. After all no self respecting beater used a generic brand bat, you just couldn’t get the desired results. His parents had bought it for him because he had made captain, with the somewhat snide comment of “Not the Ruberagon Quidditch captain, but a captain is still a big deal”.

After a few minutes of his silent scrounging he had come up with his watch, he had been wondering where it was that morning, after his search came up empty for whatever he had been trying to find. Jay wasn’t sure whether or not to leave the Golden Hall yet or not, only one other Saphricorn has arrived while Jay and Tye had been in conversation and he was a little first year sitting away from them at the end closest to the door, looking twitchy and in need of a quick get away, snapping the lock on his watch Jay couldn’t help but wonder if the first year was up to something.

Deciding to linger in the hall a little while longer to see if anyone else came that he knew or anyone approached him because he really didn’t have anywhere to be, let alone hurry off to. He wasn’t looking forward to a study period where he would do little more than scrawl his name over paper and draw stick figures doing a variety of things ranging from sword play, spell fire, dive bombing each other on brooms and things of the such.

Looking at all the mess that he and the other boy had made with all the plates left on the table with crumbs, or liquid in them, Jay was thankful nobody had been watching them even if they could still pass of the growing excuse, but he was even more thankful that he wasn’t a house elf that had to clean up after them, even thought he knew it to be as simple as a finger click worth of work to them.

"It's going ot be one of those days" Jay mumbled ot himself looking at his watch for the first of what would be hundreds of times during that day, after all and said was done, it had only been little over half an hour since he entered the hall.

[Mariana Torrenne]

Mariana didn’t usually have breakfast in the Golden Hall, which was what made the whole occasion that much more interesting.

She moved through the hall looking for someone in particular and when she laid her eyes on him she stopped dead in her tracks and wondered how she might approach the conversation.

You see this was the morning after an incident whereby Mariana had found Jay Rastan to be almost catatonic in the Hospital wing. She knew the doctor said he was fine and had discharged him, all the same she had promised Professor Saphricorn she would keep an eye on him.

She fixed a smile on her face as she moved towards him and could see that some messy person had previously been sitting on the other side of the table; directly opposite Jay. She sat there anyway and piled up the plates waiting for them to vanish.

When they did she smiled solemnly and looked at Jay, “So… um… How’s it going?”

[Jay Rastan]

This was a new level of awkwardness Jay hadn’t even thought to prepare himself for or even experienced in his life.

Jay Rastan just didn’t do awkward. But now it seemed he was about to.

After Jay had awoken with more than half his magical reserves sometime in the late afternoon of the previous day, and to his happiness the room had been empty aside from Lady Saphricorn, were she had explained to him briefly that he had been under a control curse by his parents. Which explained his recently behaviour lately but it still left Jay unsettled but he couldn’t willing believe his parents would do such a thing to their only son.

And as much as he wanted to say they only had his best intentions at heart and it was their way of showing him they care about his well being, after using the same excuse a thousand times over in the last ten hours, it was starting to lose its meaning. And the occasional twinge on the of the physical pain he had suffered during their ‘educating’ him didn’t reinforce any positive feelings about the issue as a whole.

That worried him, for if he couldn’t believe in the best of his parents, who could he believe in? He desperately wanted to believe he deserved it, the punishment and the pain just so he didn’t have to even think of perhaps his parents weren’t thinking about his wellbeing.

“Mariana” Jay said with a nod, the light and carefree tone of voice he had used through his banter with Tye was gone, now replaced with that of a tightly control neutral tone. He could tell she was either nervous or equally aware of the tension from her broken speech but really, Jay didn’t know what to say to make her feel better about it. He hadn’t figured out how to feel better.

He had been told he might feel weak compulsions that would be left of residue from the curse his parents had used due to the strength and malicious nature of it, they would fade, then cease completely in time Jay had been told, so as he felt a sudden urge to be anywhere but sitting across the table from this girl….Jay wasn’t sure if it was from his wanting to escape awkwardness or the residual effect.

“Everything is going…its going and that’s all I can ask for. How about you, how are things for you?”

Jay took a drink from his goblet glad for an excuse to look away from Mariana, and which his mouth occupied he wouldn’t risk rambling. Awaiting her responses he just get drinking.

[Mariana Torrenne]

Mariana could tell things would be a little awkward for a moment. She didn’t really want them to be, but it seemed unescapable.

She also understood that Jay’s type was often uncomfortable when it came to reminding them of moments of weakness and so knew that by broaching the subject, he might be even more awkward then he felt, at the same time though, she didn’t know anyway to get around it.

She didn’t understand a lot of what happened to him. Professor Saphricorn had made vague suggestions over what had happened, but overall Mariana thought that perhaps she didn’t tell her the full story to save face for Jay. Perhaps it wasn’t something either of them thought was appropriate for the rest of the school to know about, and Mariana knew that telling random students secured information was a great way to let the whole school start gossiping.

She did know, however, that it had something to do with his parents. And she wondered if perhaps he had misbehaved, which would not surprise her, and due to that misbehaviour, they had sent him a howler, or some other sort of dangerous letter, that ultimately caused him harm. They were his parents though, so she didn’t think it could be anything serious. And if it was, well perhaps they were not the kind of parents she would have hoped for.

All in all though, for the moment, Mariana knew that Parents, though harsh some times, always felt they were doing the best for their children. She remembered how her mother would spank her for misbehaving when she was younger, and then later on come into her room, where she would still be angry with her mum and putting on fake tears. Just to apologise to her and tell her she only punished her for her own good.

When he said her name, she paid him even more attention then she had been. If this was possible. She hadn’t made a move towards any food, and she had chosen to sit across from him even though it was only of the only dirty places at the table. She couldn’t be more genuine about wanting to be a friend right now, and so only listened even more carefully then she was prepared to do moment earlier.

She had be warned by Professor Saphricorn that he might continue to act a little odd now and then, though to Mariana this meant nothing. She didn’t really know him to be any other way, and if for any other reason, she thought that perhaps Jay might start to act differently once he was thoroughly over whatever ailment he currently had. She listened carefully though in case he might have something important to say.

She was a little taken aback by his response. Not offended, she knew after the week she had just had with him, she didn’t deserve a whole lot more. But she was kind of hoping he might share a few things with her.

“Oh ok, well, yeah, I’m alright I suppose,” when he hid his face behind his goblet, she decided he must not want to talk. And so sat back in her chair thinking about leaving.

[Jay Rastan]

Jay wasn’t a mind reader, not did he have any empathic magic but even he could tell that the girl sitting across the table form him wanted something. The way she was looking at his was a dead give away, and as much as he loved guessing games, he wasn’t I the mood today. Even though he knew she was probably just trying to be friend, or perhaps Lady Saphricorn had roped her into being some sort of babysitter or something.

The last thought made him bristle. Did the women of Saphricorn think he couldn’t take care of himself? That he was a weakling because his parents had tried to control his mind and effective him as a whole person. Jay felt his anger rising at everyone, but mostly at himself. Why couldn’t he just be normal like everyone else?

For some strange reason Jay had this niggling feeling to say something hurtful to the girl opposite him, to make her feel her so then she would get angry and say something just as hurtful back. Then he could feel blame her for his hurt. Blame some other than himself. But then the stronger side took over him trying to tell him to enjoy the company Mariana could supply. And the inner war of emotions carried on, while he remained calm and collected on the outside.

“Do you know its a lot of pressure to put on a seventeen year old man to tell him to pick his future?” Jay said suddenly, looking at her with a sudden intensity in his icy blue eyes that would put off many. “I mean, if someone sat you down today an said you had to pick your future career, residence, and the person you are to spend your life with, could you?”

After a night were sleep eluded his gasp, and his usual morning run Jay had been thinking about the choices his parents gave him over the last few years of his life. When he was sorted into Saphricorn not Ruberagon, they offered to send him to another school, or to be tutored with the finest tutors from all over the world. Jay stayed at Koalingo because even at that younger age, he needed the independence it offered him. He never wanted though, never needed anything, and so he should be happy and thankful. So why wasn’t he?

Every girl he had dated or had a summer fling with had been of the strictest pureblood families, while they were all more that just your average beauty, it always felt more of a business transaction rather than anything substantial and based on feelings, guided by his father or mother’s comments of ‘how wonderful a couple they would be’. It was better to be on their side than not, and some of the girls really hadn’t been that bad. Every holiday was decided by them without his input. Looking on it his life seemed so superficial and not that of his own. He signed away his life when he was ten, if he didn’t find himself in love and engaged by the time he turned nineteen, he was to marry a family friend’s daughter. He shuddered to think of her reappearance in his life, even thought it left him with many questions.

Jay had depth, even if he chose to hide behind a façade most of the time.

“You couldn’t. I don’t know anyone our age who could know that type of thing now. School couples don’t last usually so how are you meant to know that thing. How are you meant to know you don’t get eaten by a dragon tomorrow? You don’t know anything” Jay had been giving Mariana that intense look again only to life his eyes to the rafters as another owl flew in his direction, he recognised the owl immediately as his father’s.

As the owl deposited it’s burden in front of him, Jay could pretty much already distinguish what it was. A letter form his parents, the weekly magazines his parents subscribed to; The Bubbling Cauldron, which was a potions journal of new discoveries and techniques that his father had often been published in for his work, and The Wizarding Walkway a fashion magazine his mother was often raved about in. It was obvious that his parents wanted him to follow in one of their footsteps, although he loved to look his best and have all the latest fashion he really wasn’t interested in following in his mother’s footsteps.

More than once he had pondered the career choice of professional playboy, and had jokingly suggested it, to which his parents said if it would make him happy, and he could model. Jay had never joked about his future again while his parents were around. That was one of the reasons why some people though Jay was stuck up or to serious, he was just a literal person. If he said he would do something then he would and nothing short of perfect.

Removing the publications, and giving the owl some bacon so it would stop giving a baleful glare at his company and take leave, Jay pulled out his wand “incendio” he muttered and watched as the letter blackened to eventually turn to ash and disappeared from the table surface. Lady Saphricorn had warned him that any letter from his parents should be destroyed, by fire if possible. Jay didn’t ask for an explanation, she explained it would help rid his system of what was effecting him so he went with it.

“Sorry to be so serious this early in the morning” Jay said, giving her a shy grin before picking up the fashion magazine and flicking through it.