Audrik nodded his head at Devon and almost smiled at him.
"Thanks," he offered while heading through the doorway.
"Don't feel too bad for the girl," he started. He had studied Legilimency for so long that he couldn't help but read people's minds without even realizing it.
He glanced back over his shoulder to where the girl had been, and frowned. Had she realized she'd been duped yet?
"So the sin continues, then," he muttered, eyes meeting Audrick's for only a second before he looked down the hall in front of them, "Did you know her?"
It was an honest inquiry. Devon had been attending Painswick for nearly four months now and still hadn't managed to meet many people. He had no idea how loose or tight the community of students was.
There was a small pause where all Devon could do was stare at Audrik while his mind worked to process the hidden meaning of his words.
Gifted, Devon noted. He was gifted in an art many wizards would never master as long as they lived. Legilimency had always fascinated Devon more than the other forms of magic; it left no secrets behind if used properly.
"So I suppose you find it easy to root around through peoples thoughts," it sounded more severe than he'd meant it, but Devon made no effort to apologize.
Audrik stared ahead for a moment as it sunk in that Devon knew exactly what he was capable of. He took extra effort to not focus in on his thoughts. Most people took what he had to say as either a joke or an educated guess.
"I apologize," he offered, finally, with a glance over in his direction. "I don't even realize I do it, sometimes."
And that was true. He had trained himself from the moment he had mastered Legilimency to use it as a constant guard. After his father was sent to Azkaban, he lived with a fear that he would send someone after him. Even though his memories were too damaged to hold up in the trial, his testimony broke a lot of hearts as they watched him struggle to piece together even simple details of the day his father killed the Prewetts.
"Perhaps," his voice was strong and even, eyes void of all emotion when he looked back at the older student.
It was silly of them to linger in the doorway, blocking the path as student went around them down the hall. He inclined his head toward a bench pushed up against the wall.
"Don't apologize for what you are," he told him, crossing the corridor to sit down on the wooden bench.
He couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the depth of Devon's statement.
"Yeah, well..." he trailed off, deciding to join him on the bench. He was done with his classes and had opted to wander around campus until dinner.
"My name is Audrik," he began, with the slightest apprehension before following it up with, "Dolohov."
His Russian accent always stuck out most when he was introducing himself. He typically neglected to include his last name until he made certain they did not know his father, but he had already made the effort to not pry into Devon's mind.
And if he'd known, Devon would've appreciated his mental privacy.
"Devon," he said, but didn't offer Audrik Dolohov his hand. Touch would strengthen his already powerful ability. The last thing he wanted was open up himself to an unintentional intruder. He leaned back against the wall behind them, eyes watching the other students as they passed, "Devon Harris. I take it you're not from around here, Audrik Dolohov?"
"Kent," was all he said in reference to his childhood home. It had been a lonely time, growing up with his family. Home school didn't allow him to meet many children his own age, and his lessons often didn't leave much time to find any. His parents meant well, but sometime he'd wished they would have eased up.
"We traveled after I finished schooling, as it was it was necessary to my parents work."
Audrik felt awkward. He rarely has actual conversations with people, and he could have easily found out anything about Devon's entire life without asking. He thought for a moment about how normal people get to know others.
Devon shifted in his seat, and cleared his through, "Missionaries."
He hadn't ever discussed his family life with anyone at Painswick, not that he talked to many people at all. It made him uneasy, but he was practiced at playing it off. He slowly sucked in a deep breath, and let his muscles relax before elaborating, "They're very serious about their religion. You know, letting the Lord's light shine down upon the world--"
His eyes darted to Audrik's, "Not that Lord, I mean. We never had anything to do with him."
"You're a muggle, then?" he asked. It was common of him to assume that those who believed in Christianity couldn't have come from a magical background. He couldn't understand anyone being impressed by a man turning water into wine or walking on water. He is convinced that Christianity was just a cover-up for muggles witnessing magic.
At that, Devon cracked a small smile-- the first since he'd started the day. He'd had this conversation time and time again with wizards all around the world, yet, somehow it never got old.
"I never said I was a muggle," Devon told Audrik, mindful this well may have been the first time he'd had a talk like this, "Just because a witch or wizard harbors magical ability doesn't mean they can't also harbor faith."
He glanced over at the Russian man, eyes meeting his with a sort of calm that came from years of learning from his father, "Do wizards not celebrate Christmas? Take holiday for Easter?"
A small part of Audrik wanted to express how he simply cannot comprehend a world with a god that would let a man like his father do what he had, a god that would leave his mother with no better alternative than to kill herself, or a god that would allow his memories to remain mangled or destroyed.
A larger part of him wanted to point out all of the flaws and contradictions he found the only time he read the Bible and all of the "miracles" that were really just simple magic tricks.
Instead, he shrugged, "I see faith as more of a crutch, really."
Devon simply shrugged up his shoulders, "To each his own."
He sighed, pulling out a gold pocket watch from his jacket. It was beautiful; intricate swirls were engraved into the front while the inside had a four brilliant gems to mark every three hours. Three, Six, and Nine were diamonds. Twelve was a shimmering red ruby.
Half past four.
"It's an awfully nice crutch though," he snapped the watch shut, and dropped it back into his jacket pocket, "Treat others the way you'd like to be treated, don't steal, don't kill, peace toward men."
"Thanks," he offered while heading through the doorway.
"Don't feel too bad for the girl," he started. He had studied Legilimency for so long that he couldn't help but read people's minds without even realizing it.
"She wasn't exactly a saint earning it..."
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"So the sin continues, then," he muttered, eyes meeting Audrick's for only a second before he looked down the hall in front of them, "Did you know her?"
It was an honest inquiry. Devon had been attending Painswick for nearly four months now and still hadn't managed to meet many people. He had no idea how loose or tight the community of students was.
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There was a small pause.
"She's been stealing her roommate's jewelry, making copies, and selling the originals. She's rather good at it. Transfiguration major."
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Gifted, Devon noted. He was gifted in an art many wizards would never master as long as they lived. Legilimency had always fascinated Devon more than the other forms of magic; it left no secrets behind if used properly.
"So I suppose you find it easy to root around through peoples thoughts," it sounded more severe than he'd meant it, but Devon made no effort to apologize.
Reply
"I apologize," he offered, finally, with a glance over in his direction. "I don't even realize I do it, sometimes."
And that was true. He had trained himself from the moment he had mastered Legilimency to use it as a constant guard. After his father was sent to Azkaban, he lived with a fear that he would send someone after him. Even though his memories were too damaged to hold up in the trial, his testimony broke a lot of hearts as they watched him struggle to piece together even simple details of the day his father killed the Prewetts.
"Perhaps I've been studying a bit too hard."
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It was silly of them to linger in the doorway, blocking the path as student went around them down the hall. He inclined his head toward a bench pushed up against the wall.
"Don't apologize for what you are," he told him, crossing the corridor to sit down on the wooden bench.
Reply
"Yeah, well..." he trailed off, deciding to join him on the bench. He was done with his classes and had opted to wander around campus until dinner.
"My name is Audrik," he began, with the slightest apprehension before following it up with, "Dolohov."
His Russian accent always stuck out most when he was introducing himself. He typically neglected to include his last name until he made certain they did not know his father, but he had already made the effort to not pry into Devon's mind.
Reply
"Devon," he said, but didn't offer Audrik Dolohov his hand. Touch would strengthen his already powerful ability. The last thing he wanted was open up himself to an unintentional intruder. He leaned back against the wall behind them, eyes watching the other students as they passed, "Devon Harris. I take it you're not from around here, Audrik Dolohov?"
Reply
Audrik looked over at Devon for a moment, almost feeling his apprehension to touch him. He couldn't blame him.
"And yourself?"
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"We traveled after I finished schooling, as it was it was necessary to my parents work."
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Audrik felt awkward. He rarely has actual conversations with people, and he could have easily found out anything about Devon's entire life without asking. He thought for a moment about how normal people get to know others.
"What do your parents do?"
Reply
Devon shifted in his seat, and cleared his through, "Missionaries."
He hadn't ever discussed his family life with anyone at Painswick, not that he talked to many people at all. It made him uneasy, but he was practiced at playing it off. He slowly sucked in a deep breath, and let his muscles relax before elaborating, "They're very serious about their religion. You know, letting the Lord's light shine down upon the world--"
His eyes darted to Audrik's, "Not that Lord, I mean. We never had anything to do with him."
Reply
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"I never said I was a muggle," Devon told Audrik, mindful this well may have been the first time he'd had a talk like this, "Just because a witch or wizard harbors magical ability doesn't mean they can't also harbor faith."
He glanced over at the Russian man, eyes meeting his with a sort of calm that came from years of learning from his father, "Do wizards not celebrate Christmas? Take holiday for Easter?"
Reply
A larger part of him wanted to point out all of the flaws and contradictions he found the only time he read the Bible and all of the "miracles" that were really just simple magic tricks.
Instead, he shrugged, "I see faith as more of a crutch, really."
Reply
He sighed, pulling out a gold pocket watch from his jacket. It was beautiful; intricate swirls were engraved into the front while the inside had a four brilliant gems to mark every three hours. Three, Six, and Nine were diamonds. Twelve was a shimmering red ruby.
Half past four.
"It's an awfully nice crutch though," he snapped the watch shut, and dropped it back into his jacket pocket, "Treat others the way you'd like to be treated, don't steal, don't kill, peace toward men."
He gave the man a sidewards glance.
"Sounds pretty good to me."
Reply
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