Fourth Floor Common Room [evening]

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis was curled up on the couch, a dog at her feet and a bag of popcorn beside her.

No, of course it wasn't burned. That might imply that she had followed the directions as best she could, and still failed. Which was certainly not the case.

She flipped through the channels on the television, no real aim in mind aside from steering away from anything with that obnoxious false-sounding laughter. Her mind was elsewhere, and possibly pondering how she could possibly mock that awful woman more. It had suddenly become vastly more appealing, now that she was not allowed.

[oooooooooopen like a thing]

Comments

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude hadn't paid any attention to the usurper. He had other things on his mind. Roaming the halls like a ghost with his cellphone in his hand he slouched into the common room, his eyes red and scratchy and looking completely . . . defeated.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis glanced up. "...are you ill?"

Greetings were overrated.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude shook his head slightly. She wasn't here. He turned to go, checking his phone again as if by looking he could make it ring.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Jude? What's wrong?" Aravis asked, looking more concerned.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude looked up at her. "Has she called you?" he asked softly, voice as scratchy as his eyes.

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

Evie wandered in, having finished the latest Barry Plodder book and feeling vague and stupid with book glut. She waved hello to Aravis, and curled up on the couch. "Are we watching anything in particular?"

[imcalledandros.livejournal.com]

Andros was bored and had decided that he was going to attempt to be social. He found a common room that had people in it and entered, "hello,"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"No, not really," Aravis answered. "Good evening."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Hello," Aravis replied with a little nod.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"...who? Rikku?" Aravis blinked. "Should she have? Is she all right? What's happened?"

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"I don't know if she's alright. She l-left. Yesterday. I don't know where she is." Desperation tinged his voice. "You don't know where she is?"

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

"Good evening! How was your day? And were you in the park this afternoon?" Evie shivered a little. "There were pythons."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"No," Aravis said, suddenly worried. "She left? Of her own accord? Why?"

[imcalledandros.livejournal.com]

"I'm called Andros," he introduced himself.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"...my day was fine," Aravis said slowly. "I'm afraid I did not venture into the park today. There were snakes? Why?"

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

Evie blinked at Jude when she came in, and then said, "Would you like some tea? I was just about to make some for myself." Because he really looked like he could use some.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I'm called Aravis," she replied with a small smile.

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure I have no idea. But they were everywhere." Evie frowned a little. "And for some reason, I felt compelled to chase ducks for a time. Most odd. Can you think of what a duck has in common with a witch at all?"

Because it had made sense at the time.

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

"Caitlin . . . and she thinks I . . . I-I-I think she's gonna dump me, bra."

[dude-its-jude.livejournal.com]

Jude looked over at her, his gaze dull. "Tea?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Is Caitlin a person?" Aravis asked, trying to parse together the information. "And what do you mean, she'll dump you?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"...no, I am afraid I cannot," Aravis said, even more slowly. "Unless ducks have started casting spells or witches are hunted for feathers and meat, which I do not think is the case."

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

"It's very British of me, but when people are ill, or distressed, we make tea." Evie tried to refrain from twisting her hands together. "To help buck you up?" She was already moving toward the kitchen, giving him a hopeful glance. "Maybe with sugar in it?"

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

"I believe I might have caught a bit of Fandom madness for a short time. Because somehow I was convinced I could prove someone was a witch, if they weighed the same as a duck." Evie shook her head in perplexity. "But by the time I left the Park I was quite aware of how ridiculous that was."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I would hope so," Aravis replied. "Why should you need to prove someone a witch, anyway? I've never met one who's hidden it."