Library Musings (Persephone)

Blake wandered into the library, his tired feet echoing loudly as they hit the floor in the quiet room. Blake sighed in frustration to himself. He was tired, bored and slightly sick of seeing the same familiar faces in the common room. So this is where he had ended up. Anytime Blake went off on one of his rambles through the castle he always had this unconscious knack of turning up here. He found it comforting and his mood was always lifted. He often got slagged for liking books and the library, but that never managed to deter him from spending so much time within its walls surrounded by so many dusty books. And no matter how much he returned, he always managed to stumble across a book which fascinated him. That is why the library piqued his interest so much, there was always something different and new to learn.

Blake delved deep into the rows of shelves, wanting and needing to get lost amongst the large array of books. Once he did so he rested his eyes on a nearby bookshelf and began running a finger along the bindings, while reading the titles. He often did this until he came across something interesting, other times he might just return to a favourite book. He smiled contentedly to himself as his eyes scanned the different book titles.

Persephone was wondering around aimlessly when she came across one of the most amazing places she had ever seen. She walked in quietly a look of fasination on her face. Everything she cpuld possibly ever want to learn was housed within these walls and she couldn't hel but think she would be visting alot.

Persephone looked around for a bit trying to decide on a book. It was rather hard considering she just wanted to read everything she came across. Finallt she decided on a book about potions and one about creatures that looked promising. She immediately started reading the one on creatures and wasn't really paying attention to where she was going. So when she ran into a guy she immediately started apologizing. "I'm so sorry.. I wasn't paying attention and.." she trailed off looking up at him.

Blake lost his place on the shelves when he was knocked off balance as someone had bumped into him. Blake quickly caught himself and his composure. Damn, he had just come across a title that had looked intriguing to him. Blake looked back up longingly at the shelf, wondering if he would be able to find it again. He tore his eyes away from the bookshelf as soon as the person had began apologizing adamantly.

Blake turned his attention to the perpetrator and noticed it was a young girl. "It's alright, just an innocent mistake" He grinned at the girl. Was he that intimidating looking? "I've done a lot worse with a book in my hand. Anyway no harm no foul." He said, with his hands up, showing that he wasn't upset in anyway. "So what's your name, I'm Blake." He said, racking his brain trying to put a name to her face.

As soon as he had said it was okay Persephone had calmed down. She had heard from her brother just how bad the Slytherin-Gryffindor grudges could get and she had been scared of that for a moment. When he introduced himself she smiled brightly, "Persephone. Nice to meet you Blake."

Blake was the first person other than Vanessa that she had even really spoken to and Vanessa didn't count because they were friends before Hogwarts. Persephone leaned over and grabbed her creatures book from where she had dropped it in her haste to apologize.

"Persephone? As in the Greek Goddess?" He asked. He had some interest in mythology and had read a bit about it, either way it was a cool name. "And what house are you in?" He questioned, half guessing the answer. He had seen the girl palling around with Nessa on a few occasions.

Blake noticed that the girl had dropped her book and was about to bend over and pick it up for her, but she had beat him to it. Why did she drop her book? Was she really that nervous in front of him or just in general. Blake had never really seen her talking to anyone else bar Nessa so far. Maybe she was just shy he figured as he smiled kind of awkwardly at at her attempting to put her at ease.

Persephone looked up again "Yeah, the goddess of Springs bounty and later the queen of the underworld." She felt herself respecting him just a bit more cause many never realized the connection unless she brought it up herself. She played with the book in her hand for a moment before answering his other question, "I'm a slytherin, what house are you in?"

Persephone looked around suddenly nervous, it wasn't that she was ashamed of her house, because she absolutely loved it. She was, however, wary of the reaction it seemed to garner within the castle. Suddenly the cover of her book seemed to be really interesting as she used her finger to trace patterns on it.

"Oh, well I didn't realise she was queen. That's pretty cool and even cooler being named after her! I don't know if I'm named after anyone, but it'd hardly be anywhere near as cool as that!" Blake actually quite enjoyed history and he thought strong female role models were an interesting topic to read up on. Also Blake highly doubted he was named after anyone, who was called Blake? Well he definitely didn't know anyone famous by the name.

"Oh Slytherin, really?" Blake raised his hands and pretended to take a step back from Persephone as if she was infected once he knew that piece of information. Once Blake registered Persephone's tentative reaction to announcing that she was in Slytherin he quickly dropped the charade. "Kidding, kidding! I kind of already guessed you were in Slytherin." He admitted with a small grin, although the girl seemed too nice and nervous to be in Slytherin he thought to himself. "You know Nessa?" He asked knowingly.

Relief quickly flooded over Persephone when it looked like Blake was just messing around with her. "Yeah my mum was a bit obsessed, she said many times that she had to make sure I was named after someone powerful, because any other name would just be to common." She rambled on for a minute before she realized what she was doing and abruptly cut herself off.

"Nessa's my best friend." Was all she said about the other girl. They had been friends for years, and only Nessa had seen the side of her that had gotten her placed into Slytherin.

"Well I like the name." He confirmed. "And it could've been a lot worse." He said, thinking of his own name and scrunching up his nose. Blake, it sounded like a pet name or something he'd call his dog. He really didn't know what his parents were thinking, and since he never got the oppurtunity to ask them he never would.. Blake tried not to think of his parents, he hated appearing upset, especially in front of strangers. "Yes, and your name is strong." He willed himself to continue on the conversation. "And I like that about my name too. Blake sounds very manly." He said joking. "Unless Nessa turns it into Blakey!" He said, laughing some more. "Which you are not allowed to do." He turned serious for a moment to clarify that point.

"Well that's good! Why was Nessa complaining about being lonely then?" Blake wondered out loud before he actually knew what he was saying. "Have you known her long?" He asked the dark haired girl who stood a few inches shorter than himself.

Pesephone smirked when he said she was not allowed to call him Blakey, she would definitely being doing that ever chance she got. "Yeah I like your name." She told him wiping the smirk of her face.

"Because Nessa like's drama." Persephone told him as if that explained everything. "We have known each other all of our lives, our older siblings are friends." She said thinking about Parker again which made her a little bit sad. She missed him. "So what were you here to get?" She asked curious about his taste in reading material.

Blake recognised that smirk when the girl smiled up all knowingly at him. She wouldn’t dare call him Blakey, would she? Oh god, maybe he was just after creating more trouble for himself. He presumed that she would’ve heard the nickname at some point, especially if she was friends with Nessa. It was Nessa that had come up with it after all. Blake decided that dropping the subject would be a better tact to take; maybe she’d just forget it all together then.

“Yes she does.” Blake laughed, remembering the times Nessa had been around and the drama that had enfolded had been too much to handle. She wasn’t as bad as that Ryan chap in his own house, which was just comical. Trouble followed him wherever he went. “Oh yeah, I remember her saying something about her older siblings. She seems to have quite a few from what I remember. What about your sibling?” He asked, curious as to what adult witches and wizards did in the wizarding world if they didn’t work at Hogwarts.

“Uhm,” I don’t know yet, Blake said returning his gaze back to the shelf. “I was kind of just browsing and when I found a good looking book you came along.” He said laughing, making it clear that he didn’t mind. “I enjoy most things though like history books and stuff about quidditch.” He said, shrugging. He loved learning about the wizarding world. “Except girly stuff!” He added laughing, he was just a guy after all. “What about yourself,” He said nodding at the books, in the girl’s hand.

"My older brother Parker works in the ministry." Persephone told him after thinking about it. She couldn't ever remember Parker saying what it was he actually did there, but she was sure if he hadn't told her then she wasn't supposed to know. Shaking her head to clear it from her mind she turned her attention back to the person in front of her.

"Sorry 'bout that," she told him though it seemed he'd already forgiven  her. Persephone looked down at her book and grinned, " I have potions and magical creatures at the moment, but I will read pretty much anything." 

When he mentioned quidditch Persephone made a face, that sport was wreckless, and dangerous, and it involved flying of all things. If there was one thing she would never understand it was other people's fasination with getting on a broom and leaving the ground.

"Parker and Persephone, your parents thought hard about that one!" Blake said. "As what?" He continued on. He was probably coming across as nosy, but what did people do at the ministry? He was pretty ignorant when it came to the ministry in the wizarding world. "Is he an Unspeakable?" That was the only job Blake had heard of so far, well that and the actual Minister for Magic but Blake thought he was hardly talking to the Minister for Magic's sister. He had also heard that Unspeakable's weren't allowed talk about what they did and no one actually knew what they did. Well that was convenient, he thought dryly to himself.

"Are you here to study?" He asked after she had informed him of what was in her hands. A frown creased over his forehead as he looked down at her. She didn't look like a brainbox. "You're only in first year, you know!" He laughed, but he supposed he liked reading a lot about history, not that what he read would ever actually help him out in class. Not that he even cared if she was studying, maybe she could even help him on his own work then! Blake had been slipping up a lot this term already. Not that they got mountains of work it was just that Blake had breezed by in first year by doing no work and now he had to do some.

"What's that face for?" He exclaimed, picking up on her facial expression once he had mentioned quidditch. He had just found his passion for sports before he had arrived to Hogwarts and then to find out about quidditch left him ecstatic to learn more about the game. Blake grinned to himself as he recalled spending countless of hours in the library researching the rules and game play in his first few weeks at Hogwarts.

Persephone thought for a minute before deciding to be completely honest with him, "Well I assume he is an unspeakable, since he can't speak about it. But since he can't speak about it he has never actually confirmed or denied." By the end of that Persephone had actually managed to confuse herself for a second, but instead of trying to clarify any farther she just let it go.

Persephone looked down at the books in her hands and smirked faintly, she hadn't actually thought of it as studying but she figured it could be counted as that. "Well not really, but the subjects that caught my interest just so happened to be things that would boast my grades in classes." But studying might be a good idea, she thought looking around the library, after all there was no harm in getting ahead.

"Because I personally believe that getting on a broom is just asking for trouble... But to each there own I suppose" Persephone said the last part because she could just look at the boy in front of her and tell he was an avid flyer, but just because she hated something didn't mean she couldn't be friends with someone who loved it. Plus she hadn't actually flown in a couple years, maybe it wasn't as bad as she had made it up to be.

"I'm sure your allowed to at least know what he does!" Blake exclaimed, slightly shocked. He thought it would be very hard on her brother not being able to tell anyone what he did, never mind not being able to talk about it! "Do you know what? I'm seriously considering becoming an Unspeakable just to know what they do." Blake said, actually half serious. He wondered if even the Minister for Magic even knew, surely someone would have to keep tabs on them!

"Do you like potions?" Blake asked, turning up his nose. It's not that he didn't like it, he just sucked so bad at it! Maybe he could get a few tips off Persephone and possibly pick up a book to study for once. "Care of Magical Creatures would be a great subject to do though." Blake's excitement was evident in his voice. He loved animals of all shapes and sizes and would love the opportunity to study them. "It's a shame there's no professor for the subject." She had actually only just left and they obviously hadn't gotten around to replacing her yet.

Blake didn't even attempt to try to hide his laughter when Persephone announced her opinion of flying. She appeared to be holding back though and holding him in high regards to flying. That was true now, he had become more of an accomplished flyer but that took a lot of time and effort to overcome his fear of flights. Blake guessed that playing quidditch was a while off yet, unfortunately. "So you think people that fly are reckless?" He asked, trying to be more serious now. "Well good luck in flying class!" He added, grinning at her.

Persephone had to laugh at the fact that he would consider becoming an unspeakable just to find out what they did. She had thought the same thing for a bit, but that would be drawing away from what she really wanted to do.

"I love potions!" Persephone exclaimed to the boy in front of her. They amazed her, they could fix pretty much anything and when they couldn't fix it they could at least make it better. Plus making them was just so calming. "Yeah I know, but at least we can read about them all we want... I want to read as much of this library that I can while I am here."

"Don't even mention that class. I haven't even gone to it yet..." Persephone shook her head and smiled. "But really I think that leaving the perfectly nice ground to get on a cleaning tool is a bit crazy... But like I said to each their own."

“Yeah, well I’m sure it’s not too bad when you can actually make potions.” Blake was referring to his atrocious potion skills. He really wouldn’t have minded the class had he had some skill in the subject and being able to make potions wold have been pretty awesome. He had read of a few he wouldn’t mind trying out, but that was going to have to wait a while. Or wait on a miracle, no way he’d be improving overnight or anytime soon for that matter. He really had to do something about potion’s he thought disheartened to himself.  “You’d understand if you’d seen me in potions.” Blake said bitterly, in way of an explanation. He wasn’t too sure if Persephone took the class, he was usually too preoccupied to notice his surroundings.

“Me too,” Blake grinned at the girl as they seemed to have the same aspirations. “I’ve never come across a library as magnificent as this. I used to get lost when I came here!” He joked. “Although reading the entire collection of books will be difficult, as it’ll be hard to get around the restricted section.” Blake wondered what books were contained in there, but he had never even gotten close enough to read the titles. The librarian usually shooed him off before he had the opportunity.

Blake laughed as he was winding Persephone up about flying. “It’s not that bad once you get started. I actually had the same misconceptions as you. I bet you’ll be on the Slytherin team in no time!” It was unusual to come across someone who didn’t enjoy quidditch.

Persephone nodded to him and smiled, "Well if you would like some help in potions I have no problem helping." She wasn't sure if a second year was going to even want help from a first year but it did not hurt to offer anyways. Plus if he said yes it would give her more time to play with potions which always made her happy.

She looked around the library and silently agreed about the getting lost part but it wouldn't be that bad to be lost among books. "I am sure we will be able to get passes to the restricted section when we are in higher grades... plus there is always sneaking in if not." She was serious about sneaking in if she had to. Nothing would stand in the way of her pursuit of knowledge... not even a  label of restricted.  If the books weren't meant to be read then they shouldn't have been put in a school with underaged witches and wizards.

No. She would never enjoy flying. Not after that terrible flight with her brother. Plus as she had said before brooms were made for cleaning. "I'm not so sure about that..." But if Luca was teaching flying lessons they might not be that horrible.

"Really?" Blake asked, slightly bemused that she was offering to help him. He wondered for a moment if she wanted anything in return, but then maybe Persephone wasn't like that. All throughout his life people only did things for their own gain so it was hard for him to see why people were willing to help for no benefit of themselves. "Thanks though," He said gratefully, smiling at the dark haired girl. Who would have though he'd be accepting help off a Slytherin, and a first year at that!

"I like how you think." Blakes said, chuckling and impressed with the first year. "Sneaking in will probably be the best bet. Then we can read whatever we like." That was probably still some way down the line, Blake didn't feel like getting chucked out of Hogwarts over a book. Plus there was plenty of other books to keep him happy for the moment.

"You'll come around." He said confidently "You should have seen me when I first started flying. It was the whole height thing, but I've learned to conquer my fears." What sort of Gryffindor would he be if he didn't. This was one of the reasons he was so determined to overcome his fears. He had read up on the Gryffindor traits once he had been sorted into the house and being brave and fearless really appealed to him.

Persephone nodded enthusiastically, "No problem." She was actually a little surprised when he hadn't told her no immediately. But then maybe all Gryffindors weren't completely irrational. Actually all the Gryffindors she had meet had been really nice, except for that really loud, annoying, brazen one. Which once again caught her as a bit strange... after all her brother had told about the Slytherin-Gryffindor relations she was sure they would be instant hate.

Her enthusiasm did not fade when he actually agreed with her about sneaking into the restricted section. She would probably not be even attempting that any time soon. But it wasn't like there wasn't already a million books she wouldn't get in trouble if caught with. "Yes! I'm glad you agree, Nessa would probably think it was stupid to waste sneaking on books!"

Persephone just smiled at Blake when he said she would come around, there was no point in saying she wouldn't she hadn't actually been to the lessons yet  and if she hated it she just wouldn't do it again. "Are you a muggle born?" She asked quietly. If he was she had no problems with that, it was just the way he spike about flying wasn't the way a boy who grew up in the world did.

This was weird, like really weird. Did he actually accept help off a Slytherin and she offered it like it was no big thing! He paused for a moment, eyeing up the girl and sizing up the situation. He hadn't known her long, but she hadn't given him any reason to distrust her so for the time being he was was accepting her help. Although, traditionally Slytherins and Gryffindors didn't mix and get along well. Maybe that would become more apparent as they got older.

Really? Blake thought to himself as he recalled seeing her on the odd occasion scampering around the library. “How come I’ve seen her around in the library a bit then if she doesn’t like books all that much?” He questioned. But not all people that came to the library enjoyed reading he reminded himself as he presumed there were plenty that came to just complete school work and leave again at the quickest convienece. One of these people being Hunter, he had always refused to enter the library and Hunter usually ended up going his separate way when he announced he was going to the library. Blake rolled his eyes at his friend’s stubbornness. Thinking back to Nessa he also recalled how she jumped from one topic to another in conversations (that also applied to boys by the looks of things), so maybe she didn't have the patience to read.

"Yes," Blake replied instantly. He never feigned knowledge on the magical world and that was probably clear in their conversation and she guessed it he presumed. But he wasn't about to deny his lineage, even though his family sucked. He was proud to be a muggle born, he was still good enough for the school and so too was Hunter. Maybe this was were the girl's Slytherin traits would surface? Blake knew that being a Slytherin she was far from a muggle born.

Persephone smiled at the though of Nessa and books, "Well it isn't like she doesn't like books it's more to the point of she would rather be doing some prank or something if we actually took the time to sneak around." Nessa smirked a little at the though of pranks, the things she and Nessa had done before school had started just to pass the time had been the best. Like buying a potion that would turn hair different colors and then using it on Parker. It didn't come out for a week, and Parker hadn't really minded until he had to go to work.

"Oh that's awesome! I haven't really talked to any muggle born's before!" She exclaimed excitedly. She was sure he thought she was going to be a typical Slytherin about it and shun him or even worse hate him. But Persephone had always been curious about the muggle world and had no one to ask about it. She wondered for a second if he would mind answering somethings she had always wondered, but shook it off because she didn't want to really bother him on that account.

“Pranks huh?” Blake questioned, his interest immediately piqued. He had enjoyed the odd prank himself, but even loved hearing more about them, especially the ones that were pulled off successfully. “Do share.” He said, smirking as he thought of what the pair of Slytherins could be liable to get up to.

Blake paused for a moment, really taken aback by the girl’s reaction. “It’s really not that cool.” He replied, coolly. Her enthusiasm seemed too forced and false. Who actually thought being a muggle born was cool, especially Slytherins? “I’m sure having wizard blood is a lot cooler.” He said, raising his eyebrows, in a questioning manner as he inquired about her lineage. He always thought it was odd, the wizarding world’s obsession with a family’s history. Nothing like that was ever of any great importance in the muggle world and he preferred it that way. Any kind of subject that got dangerously close to family often made Blake uncomfortable. Blake never even knew his blood relatives to begin with, never mind if they had wizarding blood! He had made sure to look into it at the first opportunity he had as it became clear that it was an important factor and he got used to answering the question pretty soon after.

Persephone grinned, "Well we have turned Parker's hair green, yellow, and pink, all at different times of course. Um we have dung bombed Nessa's home, got in trouble for that one though. Then one time we got everyone at dinner with some of the candies that make your tongue grow." There were more of course, but not any that came to mind at the moment. Plus some of them had been stupid enough to not warrant mention.

Persephone frowned when he said it wasn't that cool, but nodded it off. It was probably like she didn't think the wizarding world was as cool as the muggle one, because she had gone up here. "I'm only a second generation pure blood, my dad's grandmother was a muggle born... So that's nothing special. We don't really place much into blood at my family doesn't really care about it much." She knew some of it had to be weird for him.. Like the obvious importance with blood and the customs, and briefly wondered if he had gotten the hang of it yet.

Blake burst into laughter as Persephone listed some of the pranks she had pulled off. He quickly turned his laughter into a quiet chuckle when he realised that they were still in the library. He had been so invested into the conversation that he forgot their surrounding for a moment. “I better make sure to keep on your good side so! I like the way my hair is and would prefer it to stay that way.” He half joked, but was serious at the same time as he ran a his hand through his hair subconsciously. He wouldn’t fancy going around with pink hair. Blake had actually spotted the tongue growing ones when he was buying Hunter’s birthday present. He had an overwhelming feeling of not being able to breathe and choking just looking at the effects of the box and couldn't wait to try them out. After he gave them to Hunter as his birthday present of course. “Dungbombs are a personal favourite of mine.” The old classic, and still perfectly reliable.

“Well it’s still classified as being wizard blood.” Blake said, bitterness edging his voice. “Would you go around blatantly admitting that?” Blake questioned, referring to her muggle born grandmother. “I thought all Slytherins put a lot of store by their magical blood.” He commented in a questioning tone, with his eyebrows raised.  He really did think all Slytherin’s were overly proud of their blood, he heard some even went to extreme lengths and lied about their lineage. Blake had only found out recently that muggleborns weren’t accepted into the house as they had no wizard blood. Seemed a bit mugglist to Blake if he thought about it, not that he cared, having a common room in the dungeons didn’t appeal to him too much.