(Untitled)

[rileymcgranahan]

Date/Time: Saturday, May 13th, about 3 PM
Location: The Lake
Open To: Professor Delame
Currently Involving: Riley
Warnings: None.

Comments

[rileymcgranahan]

She shrugged and looked out across the lake. "I've nothing to be nervous about really. I mean, one or two things yeah, but nothing out of the ordinary for a student at Hogwarts." Which...wasn't necessarily a lie, as she was sure there were several other students who were in worse shape than she was, but it wasn't the whole truth either. What was she going to tell him, that she was planning on leaving home and disappearing in the middle of these incredibly dangerous times?

The truth was that, in her father's eyes, there were only two things a woman could do with her life; fight for the Dark Lord or marry someone who does. Riley wanted neither. She couldn't possibly fight for a cause she didn't believe in. So she was avoiding it completely. True, she didn't have to disappear. She was always welcome with her aunt and uncle and her cousin Sam. But to live there would be putting them in danger. And Riley couldn't bear to do that.

"I think I've heard of that, actually. Never read it though. Isn't it the one where the bloke dies as a result of a mugging and then haunts people and steals their coats?" she asked before taking another drag. If it was so obvious that she was doing this out of nerves, she should stop. But, truth be told, she didn't want to.

[corps_et_ame]

"In that case, you've got a really odd way of smoking." He wasn't blind, he could see she had something on her mind that was troubling her a lot. He did too, but his was much more entertaining and flighty to think about than anything she had on her mind, he reckoned.

Either way, Michel figured she'd talk about it if she wanted. It wasn't his buisness to press her about.

"It's...pretty much like that. Except there's not much stealing of coats. He sort of haunts their coats. The whole thing centers around how the main character was treated like nothing until he had this coat, he died without the coat...and all those who then own the coat suffers from it." He shrugged, taking a drag off his cigarette and waving his hand vaguely, "It's all about materialism and society. Heavy reading for a Saturday morning, I know."

[rileymcgranahan]

Riley couldn't help but laugh at that. "Well, I'm sorry I don't smoke the right way." Yes, it would be nice to talk to him about this. Or anyone for that matter. But what was she supposed to say? 'I'm running away from home, I basically have no idea where I'm going to live and I'll probably end up in some sort of hostel. It seems stupid, but I'd rather die on the streets than live a lie that goes against everything I believe in. Fancy coming with?'

No, she'd keep it to herself. She had to, didn't she?

"Sounds interesting, at least," she said with a small smile. "But is anyone really like that? I mean, I have my own materialistic tendencies, but I'm not going to shun you because you're not wearing Prada." She cocked her head to the side and took another drag. "Though I wouldn't say it's all that heavy for a Saturday at all. You could be reading The Jungle or something like that."

[corps_et_ame]

Michel laughed too, after all, it was a rather silly thing to say, now he thought about it. "I'd hate to see how you smoked when you were nervous." He took a quick drag off his cigarette and leant against that tree, wondering what was really on her mind.

He laughed, "Actually, I do have some Prada shoes. But sssh. I'm a man." He shook his head at her question though, "Actually, in 19th century Russia, an overcoat, and a good quality one at that was a real status symbol in some professions. This guy was a civil servant, and he hadn't got a cat in hell's chance of a promotion or even being respected by his peers unless he had this overcoat." Ah, history. Didn't he love it? "In a society where pretty much your role in society was demonstrated by the clothes you had or the clothes you could afford, there was a lot to be said for owning a good overcoat." He shrugged at that one and took another drag off his, "Or Crime and Punishment. You have to be in a certain mood for Dostoyevesky, though."

[rileymcgranahan]

"It would be funny to watch, I'm sure." She paused for a moment. It couldn't hurt to talk about other things, just so long as she avoided the main thing that was bothering her. "Though if I'm not a nervous wreck after this past month and with NEWTs looming around the corner, I don't think I'm in danger of getting nervous anytime soon. I think you're safe." She chuckled a little, brushing it off with a shrug.

"Scandalous! Don't worry, I can keep your feminine tendencies a secret," she said with a smirk. "That just seems so odd to me. I mean, I buy my clothes at Saks, my bags from Louis Vuitton and my shoes from Gucci, but I don't expect to get ahead in the world because of that. It's just what I prefer. God I sound like a spoiled brat, saying that." She shook her head, taking another drag. She wasn't quite spoiled. She could afford these things, yes, but that didn't mean she commanded them. And if all of a sudden she had no money to spend, she could live without them. "A different time period I guess," she continued. "I've actually never read that. I'll keep picking it up and knowing I should read it, but I get distracted by something else."

[corps_et_ame]

He smirked and shook his head, "Which was exactly why I guessed you were nervous in the first place." He took a drag off his cigarette and knocked some of the ash off the end as he exhaled. "But I'll take it that your nerves are seemingly unshakable." Not that he believed that one bit, but if it was what she wanted him to believe, he'd let her think he did. If she actually did want to talk about it, she'd challenge that assertion at least.

"In my defence. The last woman I went out with had amazing taste in shoes. Thus I have Prada." Michel laughed at how ridiculous he was, "And do what you like, that's what I say. As long as you don't act like a spoiled brat, then it hardly matters what you wear." He always did have a polite nature, Michel, and tried to understand where everyone was coming from. "Never judge history by modern standards. First mistake of most people."

[rileymcgranahan]

She shrugged. "I'll live. At least it's over?" For now at least. Riley wasn't naive enough to believe this couldn't and wouldn't happen again. "Besides, I'm better off than Ed or Sam right now, at least." And that was certainly true. She pulled her knees to her chest before finishing that cigarette and putting it out. She debated on getting another, but wasn't sure if she should. "I guess I just can't believe this all actually happened. I can't believe Trick's gone. I can't believe that Darin and Bastian were kidnapped. This is all so surreal."

Her nerves won out and she lit another cigarette. "Well I suggest you find another fashionable woman, sir. Your kind of out of style right now," she said, laughing and standing up. She was only teasing, of course. "I certainly hope I don't act like a spoiled brat. Though I'm sure, if I do, that I'm nothing in comparison to the rest of my house." Riley never understood history. Yes, she knew that to have a brighter future you have to remember the mistakes of the past, but she wasn't going to be the next minister of magic, or anything. She wouldn't be making decisions for a whole country, so really all that mattered was her own personal history. And she, of course, could handle remember that. She'd lived it, after all. "That there is why I could never have your job. I'm too caught up with the here and now."

[corps_et_ame]

He finished his cigarette off and put it out against the tree. Oh, how enviromentally friendly. He had just got something out of her. Something, to be quite honest, he did expect and was surprised she wasn't more upset by this, now she'd mentioned it. "The world is fucked up, it's the way it comes. Nobody anywhere can believe it when it happens to them." Damn, now he wanted another cigarette. "To be honest, I think it'd be a sorry state for the world if people did just believe it and accept it." Michel was a lot more detatched from this than most people. He'd spent a lot of time in France, he hadn't seen the brunt of this, but he had been here for the last year, and although it hadn't really effected him, he couldn't help but be disturbed by it all.

He paused for a minute or two after she lit her next cigarette and decided to light one himself, resisting wanting to tell her that he was right about her being nervous. "Why, thank you, I'll have you know my taste is fine." He laughed, definately knowing more than she did there. "Well, the rest of your house is mad. That's true. Never compare yourself to madmen, it doesn't work too well." Michel laughed with a shrug, not expecting everyone to love or get the importance of history, "The here and now is pretty alright too, if I'm honest. But there is something to be said for living in the past without the syphillis."

[rileymcgranahan]

It wasn't so much that Riley wasn't upset. She was practically devestated at the loss of Trick. And of course she'd been worried sick about Darin, Bastian, and even more so, her cousins Sam and Ed. She loved her family more than anything and wanted desperately for them to be happy. So when anything happened to make one of them upset, she became a veritable mess as well. She just covered it better. She had to be strong. She had to be the shoulder to lean on. She couldn't just break down. They needed her. "Well, just because it happens to everyone else doesn't make it any easier," she said with a ill concealed grimace.

She took a rather long drag before laughing. "Oh please. That tie? With those shoes? Sweetheart, you need a makeover," she said, shaking her head at him. "My house. Hah. Well, at least I won't have to deal with them for much longer, right?" Riley did understand the importance of it as a whole, but she didn't understand it's importance to her. Like Potions. She laughed again at his comment. "See we have yet another difference of opinion. The here and now is horrid. I just prefer it to learning about the Plague."

[corps_et_ame]

Michel shook his head, annoyed at himself that he'd come across like he was saying that. He did catch that grimace too, and was surprised to get some kind of expression out of her. She had, from his experience, seemed like one of those people that would rather die than be honest about their emotions to you. "I never said it should make it easier. I was saying it was natural for it to be difficult."

He was relieved for the change of subject and took a drag off his newly lit cigarette, "Hey, I got dressed quite quickly this morning, so let it go." He had, too, once he realised how long he really had stayed in bed. "No, that's true. You've made it this far, I'm sure you'll make a few more weeks." He shook his head as he didn't really disagree as such, "No part of history is completely fluffy and nice. Just like life. It's good for putting the here and now in perspective, perhaps."

[rileymcgranahan]

Riley was the type of person who would rather die than admit how she felt. But sometimes...well, she was human, wasn't she? She couldn't hold it all in all the time. Of course she hated knowing that. Hated that rare occasion where she couldn't control her emotions. But enough of that. Their other conversation was...well, it was a distraction. And that was precisely what she needed.

"That is not an excuse to look like a slob, Professor," she said, sticking her nose in the air. But it was rather hard to look down on someone who was about a foot and a half taller than her. "Especially as none of them are talking to me much. That's always a plus. And those that do, well I'm well practiced at ignoring stupid comments." She shrugged and smoked a bit more. "Don't mind me. I'm just pathetic at History. Always have been. Which is strange because I'm aces at Arithmancy and one would think that History and numbers would go together.

[corps_et_ame]

He found it very curious that she left that topic of conversation so very quickly. Michel resolved that he'd be able to take the conversation back there if he thought he needed to. For now, he was enjoying the other subject of conversation.

"I do not look like a slob. Anyway, I'm excused for crawling out of bed at an unhealthy hour today." He shrugged, smiling to himself at the reasons why, "It's perfectly alright, not talking to most of your house. Sensible move, I think." He stuck his cigarette between his lips for a couple more seconds, then nearly spat it out at her next comment. "Never. Ever. Say. That. History and numbers do not go together. It's perfectly natural that you get Arithmancy and not History. If, for that matter, getting Arithmancy is ever natural."

[rileymcgranahan]

"And why is that? A gippy tummy? Not a good enough excuse, I'm afraid." Though really, Riley was perfectly happy not knowing what his excuse was. "The other houses are better anyway. I really got the short end of the stick here." She took a long drag of her cigarette and practically jumped when he spoke again. "If you say so. I always thought the two were distant cousin-in-laws at least. And hey. There is no reason to knock Arithmancy. It's perfectly natural to enjoy that class."

[corps_et_ame]

He laughed, partially because he knew the real reason, partially because there had been points in this last week when he had felt seriously nauseous and she was just a bit too close on the head there. "Nah, just the usual Saturday lie-in." Michel shook his head, "I don't think they're specifically worse. Every house has it's horrible people, don't think it isn't true. The problem with Slytherins is that they're expected to be horrible people, so it's a self fulfilling prophecy." He took a drag and vehemently denied what she'd just said, "Absolutely not. History has absolutely nothing to do with numbers. And fine, you enjoy your strange formulas or whatever you do. I still think it's weird."

[rileymcgranahan]

She shrugged and let that go. It wasn't as if it was any of her business anyway. "Oh I know they were raised to be what they are, but if I was raised to be that way and I turned out fine. Rather quirky, but fine. What's their excuse? You can always fight to be the exception to a rule. Saying a Slytherin has to be horrible is like saying a gay bloke has to flail around shrieking fabulous." She shrugged. That was one of the many issues she tended to care far too much about. "Then why was I memorizing dates for five years? I happen to like my formulas very much. You're the weird one." She stuck her tongue out at him in a moment of sheer immaturity, then laughed at herself.

[corps_et_ame]

He shook his head, realising he never really expressed himself clearly now, "I wasn't really saying that. I was saying that there's a general assumption by most people that Slytherins will be horrible people. Surely you know about that? There's exceptions to every rule, sure, but even if they're not horrible people, its easy for a reasonably okay person to feel victimised and thus, they're driven back to the old, stupid ideology because not many people give them a chance to be people." He shrugged, as he was actually quite an optimist when it came down to it. He liked to see the good in people, which only served to make him feel worse about himself sometimes, but he felt guilty for not trying to see where other people, including those he couldn't stand came from. He laughed there, "I don't know, as history's about everything but the dates. Dates are nothing but a silly irrelevance. You can have your formulas, I like my letters in words, thank you very much." He blinked when she stuck her tongue out, but ended up rolling his eyes with a smile.