Noblesse Oblige

[oxenstierna_b]

WHO: Berwald and Tino
WHEN: Monday, October 18th, late evening
WHERE: Some forgotten room in the dungeons
WARNINGS: Blood. Ahem. Like Berwald needed to add cutting to his emo status...I'D But, it's only for practical purposes! *hexed* Also Merlin's beard it got long. o_o;
WHAT: Berwald is practicing his family's creepy ancient and secret galder

Comments

[find_a_fin]

"......."

Tino was standing in the doorway, eyes wide open, staring at the half-naked Hufflepuff, completely unmoving, his brain still trying to process this sight and recover from the fear he had felt coming here, following the omnious voice. His hand was up, holding his wand so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

It had all started when he heard this not long ago while leaving the dungeons. Back then he had been scared shitless and he had ran away, but this time he had decided to find out what it was, even though walking through the dark corridors had been frightening as hell, especially knowing what kind of things had been found out to be lurking in this castle before.

But Tino was quite sure he was the first one to run into.... this.

[oxenstierna_b]

Oh, it was Tino. Admnittedly not the best possibly time or situation to meet him, but it was always good to see...wait. Berwald realized there was something very wrong with his feelings. They were far too...happy.
His mother's words while she'd been supervising another practice floated into his memory, like a particularly irritated owl.

Look, getting the spell to work at all is one thing, but you're a strong enough wizard it's nothing to get too cocky over. With a spell like this...especially one targeted at yourself, you need control over the strenght of it. Too much can be as bad as too little, if not worse--

So, maybe he'd sort of overdone it. Oh well. In his current state, Berwald couldn't actually feel very bad about it, beyond a niggling feeling he was going to, once the effect of the galder wore off

[find_a_fin]

Blinking dumbfoundedly at the sight before him, Tino turned to stare into the boy's eyes after staring at all that... paint, blood..?

"...Berwald Oxenstierna," he repeated, not realising to lower his wand, the situation still too absurd for him to feel comfortable in, "...Yes, I remember you just fine."

Moving his eyes to his little arrangements again before looking at the Hufflepuff again, Tino tried to find the right words. Somehow the calm behaviour of the other made this all that stranger. It would've been an easier situation to comprehend if the other boy had acted like he was caught doing something forbidden - because it certainly looked like it. Though then again, it seemed far too loud for something forbidden...

Shaking his head to get rid of his speculations, Tino just raised his wand higher, pointing at him and looking nervous. What if he was bluffing and it really was forbidden?

"...What're you doing..?"

Questions first anyhow.

[oxenstierna_b]

Well, that question was a tricky one. A spell that's a family secret and possibly a bit darkish, wasn't exactly something he could say. On the other hand, Berwald had trouble with getting the truth out, let alone fabricating some elaborate lies.

"Um...'s kinda. Can't say. 's a secret, only 'llowed t' tell m' wife 'r...s'mething" Berwald mumbled, scuffing his feet self conciously.

Great, so much for not saying it outloud. He'd been practically babbling there. Well, at least this was doing wonders to expel the sense of euphoria he'd been feeling. In fact, he was feeling more awkward by the moment.

"Look...can ya not tell 'nyone?" Berwald asked. Somehow it didn't quite occur to him that was not something most people would tell to a Slytherin. It had less to do with his lack of prejudice and more with certain crush on the younger boy Berwald had not quite admitted even to himself yet. Surely sweet Tino would never think to blackmail him or anything like that? No way.

[find_a_fin]

That explanation hadn't really cleared anything up, but at least it made Tino finally lower his wand slightly.

He was still suspcious though. Why couldn't he tell anyone, and what secret? "...I won't tell anyone if you tell me." Tino actually didn't have blackmailing in mind, and he didn't even feel pressured to do it because both of them were pureblood and their families were friends with each other.

Besides, he hadn't ever told anyone but the sorting hat had wondered for a long while wether he should be in Hufflepuff or Slytherin, and had even told him how it was such a strange dilemma to have, but luckily finally he had sorted the anxious boy into Slytherin. But since then Tino hadn't really felt the need to pick on Hufflepuffs, not that he ever picked on anyone, but Hufflepuffs had been a special case in this, because almost every time he looked at them, he thought, "That could be me."

Then suddenly one thing the older boy had said hit him and he blinked at him, eyes widening a bit. "...You have a wife??"

[oxenstierna_b]

Berwald blushed scarlet, his expression growing rather intimidating in his embarrassment.

"No!" he said a bit too loudly, and then coughed. "mean, 'f I ever...n't that I...uh."

He stared at the dusty flagstones under his feet, absently scratching at the painted mark on his chest. It had dried and was starting to flake off a bit already.

Berwald looked up to Tino with an earnest frown.

"Point 's, I'm not 'llowed t' tell unless...'s someone close."

Now he thought about it, it had been his mother's words he'd unthinkingly been repeating. That one could only reveal the secret galders to a spouse, in his case Berwald's future wife. Even at the time, something about that had made Berwald feel a bit uncomfortable. Not the thought of sharing the spell, just...

He banished that thought from his head. It had nothing to do with the current situation. Instead, Berwald stared at Tino, trying to think of something to say.

"So...how 've ya been?"