A little Gilderoy in the morning. (River)

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"It's going to be a great day Maxis." Gilderoy exclaimed to his pet cat which rest on his bed while he got dressed in his school uniform. It was alright but really did need to be livened up somehow. Every request had either been ignored or just flat out declined for the minor alternations he had in mind. Gilderoy hadn't given up yet but for now he would leave the matter alone, no need harassing the staff on the subject all the time. It would only put him in a negative light and that's where he wanted to shine. His place was to be someone that people looked forward to being around even if he wasn't there yet with everyone, that day would come.

Gilderoy patted his cat who was quickly back to sleep on the bed. The smallest of thoughts, a wish to be a little lazy, popped into his mind as he wished to go back to sleep just a little longer. No, he needed to be awake early and ready to start the day. Nothing ever got done in bed or at the very least not this early in the morning. Proceeding down the dorm stairs he was met with an almost empty common room. No one to greet him or talk to, everyone was either asleep or at breakfast. Gilderoy was about to follow suit till he noticed someone sitting at one of the many chairs that littered the common room. A student in his same year that he still hadn't had that many runs with even after all this time. If anyone needed to be greeted today it was him Gilderoy thought as he walked over. "River, how are you doing this morning? Anything I can do to make today better? Well besides just being here obviously," Gilderoy asked with a smirk and small laugh.

@river

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River was sitting in the chair by the window with two empty chairs across from him. That was where he, Liv and Andrew used to sit. He and leave weren't speaking now and Andrew... well, Andrew was dead. Killed by Elaine last year. So, now River sat here alone when he was feeling sad or missing them or... well, he just sat here often. Unless Liv was in their spot, then he didn't. He didn't know how to reconcile that relationship without going back to his old self and that meant losing Vi... his priorities had to take the front on this one.

He heard his name and looking over, slightly startled. "Oh, Roy. Hi," he said softly. "I'm fine," he wasn't. "Uh... I guess.... you could have a seat?" River suggested, gesturing to one of the empty seats beside him. "Where... where do you get all that confidence anyway? Got any to spare?" he was trying to make a joke, but in all reality he really could use some of that... in fact, he really could use some of that. Maybe Roy would be useful.

@lockhart

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While River greeted him he also said he was fine. From the soft tone of his voice he didn't think that was totally true but not everyone spoke like he did. This just might have been what fine sounded like from River some days. Still of course he wasn't fine, he was sitting here alone but as he offered Gilderoy a seat he would get better soon. Time spend with Gilderoy was good for everyone involved. "It'd be my pleasure." Gilderoy answered with a smirk as he took an empty seat nearby. Gilderoy knew who he was and how he acted, part of the reason he stopped saying it was other people's pleasure he joined them. First, people just didn't like it and secondly he did feel it came off a little rude. Besides of course it was their pleasure that was obvious already.

After he sat down River asked him where he got all his confidence from and if he could spare any. It could have been a joke but he wasn't about to turn down a conversation on one of his favorite subjects, that being himself of course. "It just comes naturally for the most part. It also helps to be sure of who you are and what you can do." Gilderoy explained with a smile, some would say he was probably over confident but those people just didn't know him. "I can't share it but that doesn't mean you can't be just a confident as me. With a little practice mind you."


@river

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Roy said it would be his pleasure to sit and River just nodded, trying not to wince as the guy sat in one of his best friends old seats. River did lean forward with interest, though, as Gilderoy started to answer his question. Saying it came naturally made Rivers shoulders slump. They slumped even more when he said it helped to be sure of who you were and what you could do. That meant River wasn't getting any of that confidence anytime soon. He had none of those things. Then, Gilderoy said that River could be as confident as him with a little practice. "But how... do you practice it?" he wondered, briefly, what Vi thought about Gilderoy Lockhart. River would have to find a happy medium between Gilderoys confidence and what Vi would approve of. He was sure she wouldn't like the cockiness to this level.

@lockhart

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Gilderoy enjoyed talking to people even if the subject wasn't about himself but also enjoyed that too. So far those two paths had crossed today. Only problem was as River asked how he practiced being more confident Gilderoy realized he wasn't totally sure there. Gilderoy had to practice many things just to stay on top of his game but confidence was rarely one of them. It was just something that came natural to him but there was a time in the first few years of Hogwarts where he wasn't who he was today.


"Start small, that would probably be best. If it doesn't come naturally act confident till it does feel natural." Gilderoy decided on what to suggest finally. "Also don't worry about what others might say or think about you too much if that's the problem. Great people will always have people around them that get jealous and think awful things because of it." Gilderoy finished speaking feeling he a decent job of explaining what he meant, he could have probably done better in some places but that was life when you were speaking on the spot and he learned to live with it.

@river

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River nodded, sitting up a little straighter again. That was starting small, right? Not worrying about what other people said was hard... River was sure jealousy wouldn't be an issue on his part. "Okay... how else do you start small? I mean, I'm assuming posture," he guessed. He had been to fancy pureblood parties. He knew about all of that stuff. He knew that it was best to dress nice and keep your body in an upright position, maybe adding a little confident swagger like Gilderoy had.

He remembered one time he went up to Vi and casually draped his arm around her shoulders in front of all her crazy friends... that was scary, but it looked confident, right? "And with girls... I mean, mine," mine? Yeah, right, "likes confidence but also likes her space. How the hell am I supposed to balance that?" he asked with a sigh, his shoulder deflating again.

@lockhart

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Gilderoy smirked slightly as River asked more about how to start small at being confident. "Yes, posture would be one way, slouching never looks that impressive. Another thing would be making sure you sound confident." He explained as he looked for an example and found it in something River said before. "Take for example when I first showed up and asked how you were. You said you were fine, fine works all well and good. Still doesn't sound as confident as it could." Gilderoy paused momentarily before he continued. "I'm doing amazing of course, how are you? Something like that." he explained trying to get an example of what he would have said.

River went on to ask about how to be more confident around girls especially one he called as his and Gilderoy just laughed slightly. Not in a mean way more in the joke that followed, "You already have a girl so I don't think you need my help at all it seems." Gilderoy wasn't aware of this but he did have a harder time keeping up with other people's personal life when it didn't involve him in anyway. "If she wants her space then I'd say let her have it. Don't go out of your way to ignore her or anything but let her come to you and be confident about if she asks where you've been." Gilderoy spoke more from experience here as he found not being around all the time actually made some woman wonder more about someone when they were gone. Or at least that's what he thought but who wouldn't wonder about where Gilderoy was if he wasn't with them.

@river

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Roy spoke of posture, never slouching. Right. Sounding confident... that was harder. Rivers brow furrowed as he focused intently on what the guy said, giving nods here and there. Roy used River as an example, how he said he was just 'fine'. Then Roy gave an example of what he could have said instead... and River nodded slowly. "Okay... maybe we can try that again?" he suggested. Practicing different greetings. That could be fun.

And terrible.

Roy made a comment about how River already had a girl so maybe he didn't need his help. River shook his head. Roy went on to answer his question, though, saying to give her space but don't ignore her. Let her come to him. But if River did that he'd literally never speak with bi. He sighed, "well, we're betrothed. So... I guess I didn't land her on my own or anything. If anything, I need help more than anymore else," he countered, "because I have to make someone love me who already has reasons not to."

@lockhart

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After Gilderoy brought up how River greeted him he wanted to try it again in a more confident way, just like how Gilderoy recommended and he was all for practicing something. He didn't let the world know openly but he had to practice many a spell or study a subject multiple times just so he wouldn't look like he didn't know what he was doing later on in class. "Practice makes perfect." Gilderoy replied with a smirk and small laugh as he jokingly cleared his throat almost tempted to say perfect like him but he kept that part to himself. "Hey there River, how are you doing today?"

Betrothed, that was something Gilderoy never really thought of. If anything it seemed a little weird to him in this day and time but who knew? Maybe it happened more than he thought and Gilderoy just didn't know or it happened quietly and people didn't speak of it. Still he wouldn't ask about it, never wanting to appear like he didn't know about something. No, instead he would have to look this up more in private just to see how often it still happened. "Yeah it sounds like you could use all the help you can get. Luckily for you, all the help you could ever need is sitting right here." Gilderoy reassured him, he wasn't about to let someone in need sit here alone and struggle, a hero wouldn't do such a thing. Especially when it involve making himself look good. "Well we'll have to change it up a bit. Run into her sometimes and don't act like it's planned. You were just doing your own thing without her and there she was. Just don't make it seem like you were looking for her."

@river

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Gilderoy said practice made perfect and River took a deep breath as Gilderoy greeted him again. River sputtered out an answer, "so amazing, man, you have no idea it's like cloud nine here," wow. He wasn't even sure if that sounded like real words, and his pitch was so incredibly high it was embarrassing. He knew he had bombed this attempt. But, hey, practice made perfect, right?

Gilderoy agreed that River could use all the help he could get considering his situation. River knew Roy was full of himself, but it was actually kind of nice at this point to have the guys confidence. "Accidental... run ins?" he questioned, his eyebrow raising. That actually wasn't a bad idea... just pretend he wasn't actually looking for her and suddenly by there, all charming. "I guess that... could work. What do I say to her, then?" he questioned, hungry for more advice.

@lockhart

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Gilderoy avoided laughing at River's first attempt to sound more confident with his greeting. It wasn't terrible, the words were there if maybe a little to much. What was mostly off was his voice, it was higher than normal and obvious he was still a little nervous. "Good first try, you'll get better over time. Try to keep how great you're doing a little bit more low key." Gilderoy started to explain with a small laugh as he also found it a little funny he said that. "I'm doing amazing, obviously. How are you? Something like that. I've found if amazing people like us tell others a little to much at one time they get a bit jealous. For good reason I suppose."

"Yeah," Gilderoy replied as River asked him about accidental run ins with his betrothed. "Girls don't like someone who's desperate and while you might not be. If your always looking for her or trying to run into here on purpose it might come of that way." He continued to give a little more detail as River than asked about what he should say when he ran into her. "You can ask what she's up to, just don't make it look like your desperate to know. Get what I'm saying? Let's say you run into her at the library." Gilderoy paused as he allowed River to imagine it.

"Hey there future wife." He paused as he laughed a little, "obviously don't say that. Still something like, I'm just getting some studying done for class, how've you been?" Doing a mock conversation with himself was a little weird even if he was no stranger to talking to himself in a mirror. "If she wants to talk feel free to keep talking, if not than just leave it at that and go about your business like it doesn't bother you. It's all about confidence and not looking like you're desperate."

@river

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Gilderoy said it was a good first try and that he'd get better, though River doubted that part. He said to keep it more low key, and responded in a way that was simple but very effective. He slumped his shoulders. There was no way he could do that! Okay, okay maybe with practice. That was the hope. Practice, practice, practice. "Okay... okay, I think I need to think about it more before I try again. Try to find the lines," he admitted.

Then they went on about Vi, Roy saying that girls didn't like desperate people. River was desperate in a way. Ask her what she's up to but don't seem desperate to know... okay, okay. That made sense. Roy started to give an example and River tried to picture it. 'Hey, Vi,' he thought, repeating Roy's words. 'I'm just getting some studying in, how have you been?' That seemed simple enough. And then just move on if she doesn't want to talk. He could do that. "I'm sure you never look desperate," he suggested to his housemate.

@lockhart

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River explained how he'd need to practice more, to think about it and find the right lines. That was always best for being confident, finding what worked best for you. "That's the spirit, just keep trying till you find what works best for you." There wasn't much more to it. Possibly Gilderoy was just blessed with how most things worked with him, in his mind anything could work with the right amount of Gilderoy magic. If anything it might work a little to well with him involved. "Maybe a simple compliment might work best if you don't want to tell people how great you're doing. Say you run into a girl. Hey beautiful, where are you headed?" It was a suggestion but with enough practice and confidence he was sure River could find his groove.

"I don't need to." Gilderoy explained as River said he was sure he never looked desperate. "If someone doesn't want to be around me who am I too worry about their poor taste in company." It was as simple as that to Gilderoy, in his mind he was the best company one could hope to get but there was no accounting for the poor taste of the people around him. "You have a different situation going on where you want this one girl to like you. Me if she doesn't want to be with me well that's just he loss." Which did give him an idea on Rivers problem. "If anything maybe you should give that a try. I'm not saying break things off with the girl if you can but you're not married yet. See if you being around other girls might make her jealous? Just a thought."

As much as Gilderoy wanted to stick around and help River his stomach started rumble for breakfast. "You just keep trying and if you ever need help you know who to come to." Gilderoy offered his services anytime as he did with most people who had good taste in his company as he stood up from his chair. "And if that doesn't work we can always go out and find you another girl during the summer." Gilderoy had merely been joking as he figured River was serious about this girl but still the offer was there. "See you around." And with a small wave Gilderoy was off to find himself some food.

@river
((Gilderoy out, can also be the end if you want or reply away.))