June 12th - N, R - Packing - R: G

[menarcissa]

Who: Narcissa, and Rabastan
When: June 12, 1977
Where: Slytherin Girls Dorm
What: Narcissa begins her packing early, and discusses her amount of things and Muggles with Rabeta.
Rating: G

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[merabastan]

Rabastan, carrying his trusty Cleansweep, peered around the common room and up the shallow stairway. With no one in sight, he kicked off and hugged the corner until he arrived at the seventh-year room. The door was open and piles upon piles of robes and dresses of various colors lay spread out, with a scowling Narcissa in the middle of it all.

"You don't honestly use all this, do you? No, you do. This is... not packing. This is bloody reconstruction."

"And," he added before she could reply, "There's nothing wrong with taking things seriously."

[menarcissa]

Narcissa looked over her shoulder, to redirect her nasty look from the clothes to Rabastan. Her expression relaxed shortly after, and she waved him more into the room before turning away from him and back to the pile of her things.

"Oh, stop trying to be funny and help me instead." Narcissa balled up a pink dress somewhat carelessly, and tossed it over her shoulder at Rabastan's general direction. It missed, and instead fluttered to the ground a distance away from him. "Start folding."

"And," She said, in a tone designed to mock his own serious one and his delivery; "There is something wrong with being unreasonably paranoid. It's simply not attractive."

[merabastan]

Rabastan pulled out his wand and began enchanting the clothes to fold themselves neatly into her trunk.

"That better? And I'm not unreasonably paranoid. If I were, I would think people were poisoning me every time they offered me drinks. And I'm not talking about creating a hidden underground world to hide from them. I'm talking about being mildly prepared."

The dress he had been folding fell, and he gave an exasperated sigh and tried again.

"I'm not the one so fixated on packing to not go outside. You know, we should round up the snakes soon, have an end of the year... revelry. Summer's so long. You have any plans?"

[menarcissa]

"Oh, just do it properly." Narcissa snapped, cutting in to yank the suspended dress from where it was folding itself in mid-air. "You're not miscasting and ruining my things."

She was being short with him, Narcissa realised - packing always made her a bit testy. So she took a deep breath before turning back to face him, still folding a dress and resting the end product on the bed neatly. "Being midlly prepared is staying away from them and," She gave a wary glance around the room, as if expecting someone to peek up from underneath a silk gown. "Their type. What you're talking about is preparing them and studying them, as if they were an actual threat."

She rolled her eyes, but picked up another robe and folded it over instead of commenting. "Summer is not long enough, but yes, I've got plans for it. I'm thinking of spending some time abroad, maybe visit some people, throw a little get together. The usual. And yo-Oh, wait, are you referring to doing something for the end of the week? No."

[merabastan]

"Sorry I misfolded one dress. If you weren't so blase about all this I wouldn't have lost my focus." He made sure the next robe was folded as perfectly as he could muster. "See? Don't complain when people are helping you, Narcissa. It's simply not attractive."

He unconciously mimicked her wary glance. "Keep your friends close, Cissy, and your enemies closer. I'm not expecting an attack. Just preparing myself in case I find myself in a bad situation. What if I mis-Apparated into Muggle London? What do I do? Disapparate? Hex them? I just went over this with Rodolphus. Studying it just makes sense." He gently dropped the robe into the trunk. "And it makes me look like less... unfriendly. Without playing up to their type, which, I might remind you, you do more than I." He cleared his throat and turned to face another daunting pile of robes. "Merlin's beard, Narcissa, enough clothes? This is exhausting

[menarcissa]

Narcissa's lips tightened in a scowl that seemed to signify that she wasn't pleased in the situation - which she wasn't. However, she kept mum on the conversation, and instead grabbed one of the robes in the quickly dwindling pile and folded it somewhat violently.

"And how exactly is learning about - about - ikeltreek going to help you in that situation? Hm? Study something more applicable, and not that rubbish. That's a waste of time." Annoyance flickered across her face at his mentioning of her friendships with the less-worthy members of her year, and she flashed back to one of her usual low toned 'conversations' regarding the subject with her father. "They come in handy more then you know, and more then your textbooks on Maggie Muggle ever will in your lifetime." Narcissa dropped the folded outfit near the pile of the others, and glanced back at him. "When you offered to help, you didn't mention anything about your constant whining, Rabastan. Yes, I have a lot of clothes - I do like to look nice, thank you. Mentioning it every

[merabastan]

"Well, it's like..." He set the blue dress robe into the trunk and adjusted his stance, taking on a disposition and voice how he imagined as less intelligent and more like a Muggle. "Der, Gov'nuh, whatcha make of the World Cup?" He readjusted himself to normal, "I can't say... 'Oh, smashing, I was hoping for England of course but Japan's seeker was amazing, missing that bludger and catching the snitch in one fell swoop!' He'll want an answer about fools kicking balls on the ground, and I'd get locked up. Granted, I could just Apparate out, but..." he picked his wand back up and kept packing. "The litte things do help. I'm sure your dubious contacts may as well. But it's an alternative

[menarcissa]

Narcissa looked faintly shell-shocked at Rabastan's little performance, and she still held her dress half-folded as she gawked at the other while trying to digest his words. Her expression relaxed into a more repulsed one; "For Merlin's sake, Rabeta, never speak like that again. It's disgusting. At least what I do assures that I never have to fake being a raving idiot."Yes, yes, those subjects clearly make sense. I never said anything about them, did I? It's only this new one I think is a waste of time." She handed him antoher dress; "But if your father says it's good, then it must be decent enough. I suppose. My parents wouldn't approve

[merabastan]

"I'm glad you appreciated the impression. I wouldn't have to act like a raving idiot... I should hope. Not that I would expect to find myself surrounded by Muggles. It's a just in case, you know

[menarcissa]

"Wouldn't it be a far better use of your time to perfect your magic so that you didn't find yourself amongst a hoarde of," She wrinkled her nose some and amde it's normal crinks seem more pronounced, "Them?"

Narcissa shook her head some, looking less pleased by the second. Clearly Rabastan hadn't spent the hours that she had over the dinner table with some of the more busy-body ladies of their class - not like her mother and her family - no job, heirs already produced, it was no wonder they turned to idle gossip. Breeding wasn't everything when it came to making good habits and proper conversation. "I know it doesn't make a great deal of sense, Rabastan, unfortunately - that is the way things are. I'll ask my mother how to handle the situation, and we'll see then. Is that quite alright with you, your highness?"

"Sociability and compliments? I thought we were practically siblings. I haven't got to be nice to you, Brother-dear. What good would come of that? I can't marry you, and you have to come to my aid even if you hate me - being

[merabastan]

"Well, I am trying to perfect my magic for those purposes. It's a safety net, I guess. Can't be too prepared-- well, maybe you can be, but I just... don't want to be caught in such a situation. I think that's reasonable