Kill 'Em With Kindness ** (GAIUS)

[Deleted]

@gaius
Ride by Twenty One Pilots
<3

A trip to the library was no easy feat for Callie Abrams. Every time she went, she managed to be their for quite a while. For example, take today, she had been searching for one book for about an hour now. Granted, she could just use magic or the librarian to find it, but Callie liked being independent. She liked the fact that she could do things on her own. However, it seemed as if this search wasn't going in her favor. It was a Sunday morning, so naturally, most students were sleeping and there were only what looked to be three other peers in the library. With a risen eyebrow, she delved into the shelves.

With a scrunched up face, slightly aggravated, Callie glanced around. Good! No one was in sight. She quietly put her knees up on the table in front of her, looking at the shelves too high for her to reach. Oh! She could see it. But, it was still a bit too high. Silently growling to herself, she thought for a moment. And, well, the final option was obvious. Callie managed to stand up on the table, attempting to reach for the book. She had her arm stretched, her fingers touching it but not being able to grasp it. The table underneath her began cracking and shaking, and her eyes widened. She glanced down and gasped.

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The library was a place of sanctuary for Gaius. People were quiet and tended to stick to themselves and their groups, and left others alone mostly. The library was for reading, studying, and working, and anyone now doing those things were quickly removed. Here, he could sit and soak the histories of his world up, without having to deal with lies. All the information, lined up chronologically, with a basis in facts. What happened here, why this action was taken, how the political climate affected decisions made.

Gaius stood up to go put back the book he’d had, having gleaned all he needed from it for the present. A cross-reference with a few other books to check facts…he needed to stay on this time period for now. He could come back for this book later to read on the next time period. Not that anyone else would bother looking for it, it wasn’t required reading, but on the off chance someone did, Gaius would not deprive them of access to the knowledge. That would be rude, and apparently he was rude enough alre—

Crack!

The Ravenclaw’s head swiveled around in confusion at the sound. Then he saw a student, standing on a nearby table. She was frozen in position, reaching for a book on a high shelf, but her eyes were locked on the table shaking beneath her. Gaius blinked in surprise before he recovered his wits.

He pulled his wand from his robe and aimed it at the table. “Reparo!” The cracking noises stopped as the wood stitched itself back together, but the table was still shaky. “Engorgio!” The table’s legs began to widen, becoming much larger and heavier, able to stabilize the girl’s weight on the small table, and the shaking stopped. He walked over to the table, looking up at the brown-haired girl, and raised his hand up. The wand, now dangling limply between his fingers, swung back and forth as he waggled it at her. “Are you a witch or not?” he asked.

@jill5

[Deleted]

@gaius
The Cave by Mumford & Sons
<3

As Callie continued to stare at the table underneath her, she silently cursed herself for not taking the easy route of getting the book above her. Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her, and the table moved. Callie gasped softly and held onto the bookshelf as the crack was repaired and the legs of the table became larger. Her eyes widened, still glancing ahead. Oh goodness, this was so embarrassing. When the person who helped her walked up next to her, his reaction didn't help her.

It was a boy, she didn't know him, but as he held the wand up in front of her, shaking it side to side, her face blushed a beat red. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed. Even though she was slightly offended, she couldn't be too rude. He did help her. "I am a witch. However, I didn't want to be lazy. I wanted to physically get it on my own." She still had a muggle mindset, and had she been at a muggle library, she would've done the same exact thing. Although Callie would've fallen flat on her face. Giving him a small smile, she shrugged. "But, thank you for helping me...that wouldn't have been a pretty sight had you not been there."

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Gaius raised an eyebrow at her sharp retort of not wanting to be lazy. He hadn’t meant getting the book when he asked that—grabbing a book by hand was fine. But he didn’t get why she didn’t go for the wand when she realized that gravity was about to get her. Magic, after all, defied gravity. Still, she was honest about it, rather than trying to save face with some weak lie, which already put her one up over most of the students. And she even thanked him. Gaius wasn’t used to that.

The Ravenclaw shrugged off the thanks, instead pointing his wand at the table again. The legs began to lengthen, bringing the girl up several inches higher so she could reach whatever book she’d been going for. He was curious what she was looking up, though he’d been raised better than to ask. Normally, he wouldn’t be curious about other people or their business, but it was rare enough he came across an honest person around here, or one that didn’t immediately try to avoid him. His last name made him an outcast from a large portion of the students, and those who didn’t ostracize him naturally tended to do so because Raven didn’t like to share social circles.

So someone being honest, straightforward, and not malicious towards him was a rarity. Particularly a Gryffindor, as this girl’s uniform marked her to be. “I’m Gaius Goyle.”

@jill5

[Deleted]

@gaius
<3

He seemed to shrug off her thank you, which Callie wasn't used to. Usually students at Hogwarts would either give her sass back, or just say thank you. This boy seemed shy...maybe not so much shy as just quiet. Either way, Callie was thankful for what he did. She probably would've had to go to the Hospital Wing had he not been there. And then the table moved again as he made the legs stretch. She grinned at him and grabbed the book she had needed. The book was on music, of course, and it was mostly a fun read for her.

Callie grabbed her own wand and made the table shrink again. She put the wand in her robe pocket and sat down, then jumped off the table. He had introduced himself as Gaius Goyle; the name was familiar. Callie knew very little about him. Mostly that he just had a sister, but she had never conversed with either of them before. Of course she had heard stories of the Goyle's, but Callie wasn't one to judge right away. She had her own story that not many people knew about, but judged at first glance. "Well, it's nice to meet you Gaius. I'm Callie Abrams." Giving him a gentle smile, she held her hand out for a shake.

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Observation was Gaius’ strongest tool. He noticed immediately that the book the girl had gone for was a music book. That, coupled with a few signs on the tips of her fingers, led him to conclude that she played a string instrument of some sort. Gaius could remember a time where he thought the piano looked interesting. But…well, Mother and Father…their piano was enchanted to play itself, and they said it was beneath him to provide entertainment for others. So he’d never learned the piano, or any other instrument. It was hard sometimes to remember his station in life, and the things he ought not to do because of his station.

Funny, how an otherwise perfect memory could forget duty and station so easily.

She reverted the table back to normal herself before climbing off of it, introducing herself and holding out her hand to him. She seemed to be honest when she said it was nice to meet him, but…well, Gaius had never known a Gryffindor to even be willing to interact with him, outside of the prefects. Perhaps it was just gratitude speaking, since she had seemed to be going to fall without even trying to use magic to stop herself before he showed up.

Whatever the reason, Gaius chose to take her hand and shake it. “Likewise. So what do you play?” he asked, his own natural curiosity getting the better of him.

Darn. Probably should have shut up while he was still on friendly terms. The more people talked, the more likely they would lie.

@jill5

[Deleted]

@gaius
<3

Callie wasn't positive why he seemed so unsure of her. She hadn't done anything to make him be cautious of her...other than almost falling off of a table.

He took her hand anyways, and she shook it gently, smiling. Hmm? What did she play? Oh! Her book. "I play guitar. I've always wanted to play piano, as well, but I could never get the hang of it; I sing as well." Callie had Brandon try to teach her the keys and such over and over again but she was just not able to do it. Obviously the piano wasn't for her, and the guitar was.

"Do you play anything?" Her smile was gentle. Gaius seemed, on the outside at least, not a very open person and like he kept to himself often. She obviously wasn't sure if this was true, but testing the waters wasn't a bad idea.