busy bees | claire

[edward remus lupin]

If I could just slow down

And scribble on missing pages

September 16, 2015
Claire Evangeline Slater

Finding a lost item with the owner’s name so neatly identified was rare. However, the problem in this case was finding the individual within the halls of Hogwarts. Teddy should’ve trusted his prefects more, but at the same time, it wasn’t exactly a lost textbook or missing scarf. For the first time, Teddy was responsible for clearing the train once they’d arrived. As a Prefect, this was also his duty, but knowing others were following behind him for the final checks. On this final sweep, Teddy found a thin book. Well, it was smaller than a standard novel, and flipping carefully through the pages, Teddy saw it was all pictures.

He stuck it in his back with care. The pages felt thin and would likely be prone to tearing. But he wanted to ensure he and the Prefects arrived to watch the sorting ceremony on time. For the next fortnight, Teddy asked his prefects if they knew who “SLATER, C” was and if this student was in their house. Many shrugged, but perhaps only the Headmistress knew every student’s name. Because of his great memory of faces and names, Teddy had yet to meet every single student, although they might know him simply by reputation.

But, finally, one of his Prefects informed Teddy that a Slater was a student in Arithmancy. That Prefect’s younger sibling was in Slater’s year, apparently. So now, Teddy was determined to track down this Gryffindor Claire Slater. Making his way toward Gryffindor Tower, Teddy figured he’d ask one of his Prefects to send for her so he could finally return this book. In the meantime, Teddy couldn’t help but examine its pages. What intrigued him more than the story was the art itself. In his downtime, Teddy had practiced sketching his surroundings in the style of the book. It was crude and a work in progress, but he knew practice would help him build that skill.

Approaching the last corridor to the Tower’s entrance, Teddy stopped as he heard footsteps and voices approaching. A boy and a girl, by the sound of it. As they entered his view, he spotted a Slytherin and a Gryffindor. Years ago, such a sight seemed unfathomable, but things were different in this generation. The boy was skinny, with a mop of curly dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. He seemed to stop once he spotted Teddy. Teddy smiled politely, just as he would’ve done were he not Head Boy. The boy excused himself a little awkwardly to the Gryffindor girl. But, this was easier than finding a prefect. ”Excuse me. I was wondering if you could help me. I’m looking for a Gryffindor student. I believe I have something they lost.”

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

FOURTH YEAR WAS TERRIBLY IMPORTANT FOR Claire. Well, all of Claire's time at Hogwarts felt utterly vital suddenly. She had done perfectly well in third-year, but suddenly the workload felt heavier. She was a bit older too, and certain she was much more mature, or so her mother kept reminding her. Do well, don't get distracted, remain in Arithmancy despite it having no relevance to Auror exam requirements, but looked terribly good on her exam transcripts. Or it would, if she passed well enough, as she ranted to Rhys on multiple occasions after the Welcome Feast. Bogged down by enough books to brain a troll with, Claire had spent her first few nights in the library with her head down over a piece of parchment as she made a very detailed study schedule for herself and Rhys, should he deign to join her.

This, of course, was mostly used as a desperate distraction from what really ailed her. A fact she'd conveniently not told a single soul. She'd lost her mint condition copy of issue #213 of Morgana's Mighty Adventures. Having used every knut and sickle to her name, that comic book had cost Claire a summers worth of odd jobs and a whole three weekends babysitting the Arnold's boggie-nosed four year old, and walking their ancient old crup with two missing tails. She had saved the reading of it for Hogwarts, in part because her parents loathed her interest in comics and she did enjoy having something interesting to keep her attention while travelling on the train. She'd read it on the train alright, she'd also left it on the train!

Claire despaired, burying her nose in her textbooks and thinking of all the silly things she'd ever done ever in her life. Rhys had even noticed she was especially morose, which was rare since he couldn't see past his own new three haired 'moustache'. It was not a great time to be in Claire Slater's head or company. Hurrying back from the library with an armful of borrowed books on Defence Charms and 'Numerical Divination', Claire had lost all hope of ever retrieving her beloved comic. She'd never find out if Morgana succeeded in slaying the beast from the Netherworld and retrieving her soul once and for all.

Juggling her books, Claire didn't expect much in the way of company while heading back to her common room, beyond Rhys who insisted he walk her there just to talk about some inane social faux pas. In fact, she'd dismissed the taller boy in Puff robes entirely while trying to poke her head up and spy the portrait without tripping over her own feet and replying to Rhys about how he definitely wasn't two foot taller since last summer. Her replying goodbye to Rhys was half-hearted as he buggered off, having tuned him out some three hallways back thinking about her book. It wasn't until he spoke, a reed of a figure with the kind of croaky voice only a teenage boy could have, that Claire was forced to acknowledge him.

"Hm?" Claire turned her head dumbly, giving him a cursory, narrowed-eye glance. Funny face, she thought, with features a bit big for his head, Puff robes that hung lazily over one shoulder. And a very familiar comic book held carefully in his long fingered hand. Claire dropped her stack of books promptly on his toes. "My comic!" She cried, snatching the book from his hands and clutching it to her chest like a Niffler with an armful of gold. "Good Godric, where did you find this?!" She crowed, petting the cover reverently. 

edward remus lupin

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[edward remus lupin]

If I could just slow down

And scribble on missing pages

September 16, 2015
Claire Evangeline Slater

Teddy winced. The weight of the books on his feet made him wonder if these books were charmed to appear much smaller than they were. Instinctively, he jumped back, and for a moment, he thought the comic fell from his hands. Inspecting the floor, he saw only the student’s books covering the floor and the comic in her hand. The look in her eye changed completely. From looking aloof and bored to acting like the Triwizard Tournament trophy was in her hands. Furrowing his brow, Teddy took a moment to wiggle his toes in his shoes. It didn’t help he was still breaking these in. Those few weeks before he began his final year, his gran had gone on and on about how he was growing much too fast, and she’d had to buy him new shirts and shoes the previous summer and if he would ever stop growing.

Nearing six feet, Teddy figured he was done. From what he was told, he had already surpassed his father’s height, but his grandmother mentioned how his grandfather had been tall. ”Erm—I found on my sweep of the Train.” Standing awkwardly for a moment, Teddy stepped forward to collect the books that had fallen closest to him. ”I take it you’re Slater? Claire Slater, right? I’m Teddy.” Some might call it silly for the Head Boy to introduce himself to anyone, but Teddy never forgot his manners. And it felt fair as they had never properly met before.

”I made sure it didn’t get torn or anything, but I wanted to ask you about it. I read a few pages, I hope you don’t mind, and I was wondering where you got them.” Indeed, the comic book appeared immaculate. Early on, Teddy learned how easy it was to lose one’s carefully written Transfiguration essay because one carelessly stuffed it in their bag. His hair was a darker sapphire blue that day, which didn’t contrast as much with the yellow of his House. The comics were interesting; the story did grab his attention, but he was less interested in the story than the artwork.

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[Claire Evangeline Slater]

never enough.

TURNING THE COMIC THIS WAY AND THAT SHE searched for damages on her precious comic. Ensuring it was definitely hers as she'd noted the issue number printed on the back page, for her own cataloguing purposes, and her name written  blocky on the inside page. It was most certainly hers and the realisation made her heart double its pace as she noted a slight curl in the bottom corner. She thumbed it back, smoothing over it with a head full of remorse. How could she have been so careless?

"I thought I'd lost it forever," Claire sighed, tearing her gaze away from the novel with a lingering reluctance. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. "I am." She nodded solemnly, figuring he had to be sure before relinquishing such a prized possession. She passed the comic into one hand and took a large step forward to grab Teddy's limp hand and shake it awkwardly. "Thanks, Teddy." She told him with a wide-eyed honesty. "You didn't have to do that."

Claire knew that the kindness of others was often conditional, and she felt worried he'd want something from her in return. She wasn't about to do his homework, or anything. However, when he revealed he'd actually taken a moment to read her comic - even if only a few pages - she felt a bit sore about it. "It's sort of a muggle thing- they call them graphic novels-" Claire started but paused as the words finally sank in fully. "How many pages?" She asked him sharply. "You didn't get passed the part where Morgana breaks free from King Arthur's round table, right?" Claire was almost in his face when she asked, her cheeks a bit flushed. "I haven't even finished it myself!"

Claire pressed the comic to her chest as she relaxed back from the tip of her toes. She tried to focus on her breathing, to allow herself to remain at least a little composed, but she was afraid her face was betraying her. She pushed her hair from her face and blinked. "I mean- I'm still thankful, it's just-" She rambled, pressing her lips together as she realised she hadn't a good enough explanation other than she was terrible put out by the whole thing. Even if he had been nice about it all. 

edward remus lupin

NEVERLAND at ADOXOGRAPHY 2.0!

[edward remus lupin]

If I could just slow down

And scribble on missing pages

September 16, 2015
Claire Evangeline Slater

The relief in her voice was evident. Gray eyes locked onto the book like a goblin with gold in its hands. It was one of those candid moments one ought to capture with a picture or even a sketch due to the rarity of witnessing something so genuine. His gran always said he had an artist’s heart, with an eye for such things. Teddy opted to place the stack of textbooks on a nearby bench until she could retrieve them. The largest one on top was clearly for arithmancy. Teddy found those interested in numbers at such a level hardly had the patience for how he viewed the world.

She shook his hand, and he nodded. ”It’s no trouble at all.” Aside from his duties as Head Boy, it wasn’t exactly shocking to find a Hufflepuff going out of their way to help someone, either. ”I was surprised one of the Prefects hadn’t caught it.” If Teddy had lost one of his books or drawing notebooks, he would have also wanted it returned. Now, that would require Teddy to remember to write his name on the inside cover, of course.

Claire began to explain what sort of book this was before switching topics. ”Erm—no.” At least he didn’t think he did. His concern was maintaining the book's condition, so he hadn’t wanted to move the fragile pages so much. It wasn’t like the books in the library or at home. ”Just the first page or two.” Teddy hoped this would settle the girl—her face was well on its way to matching the Gryffindor red of her uniform. ”I didn’t want to risk tearing a page—you know how the books from the library usually are.” Teddy explained honestly, and the ancient books of the Hogwarts library were about a half-century away from disintegrating in their fingers one of these days.

”That’s all right.” While growing up alongside the extended Weasley clan had its advantages, their personalities varied in certain ways. For example, the girl in front of her wasn’t like anyone he knew so far. Then again, they had just met. ”So, graphic novels, you were saying?” Teddy was still curious about the artwork in the book. Perhaps with more information, he could learn more and read the story himself.

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