SPOILER!!: Saaabel
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tazenhani 
It was strange, to be able to see the wheels of thought turning so brightly behind the young boy's eyes, but to be given such a simple response. Either the kid truly couldn't connect the dots, or he didn't want anyone knowing what connections he was making. Either way was unsettling in it's own regard.
"Do you think the present is infinite, Fuller-Thompson? That you will always be the way you are?" A serious question there. One the boy needed to answer for himself sooner, rather than later. "You may not be able to control it now, just like you may not be able to cast a patronus now." Sensitive subject? Maybe. But Sabel had little reservations about breaching such topics anymore. "With time, dedication, practice and commitment though...well, you can achieve what you want."
Not anything. Because that was a lie. And lies did children no favors. But if Toby wanted something, Sabel had no doubt the kid couldn't obtain it. He just had to want it more than he feared it. And that meant he had to want to not fear. Perhaps a tricker skill to master than a patronus.
He watched the boy start away for a moment before shrugging his shoulders, tucking his hands in his pockets and following after him. "Don't have to use words to say anything." It was a comment made more for himself, but loud enough for the kid to hear.
"I hope not."
Not for the first time that day, Toby's mouth had gone ahead and spoken without any prior permission from his brain. He honestly could have kicked himself, and even though it wasn't even that bad (he'd said worse things in the past without thinking), it was just such a negative and self-deprecating thing to say
out loud that Toby was kind of nervous about how easily it had slipped out. But there was a chance that Dakest would interpret it as purely magic related, as that
was what they were actually talking about.
"I mean... I guess not, no. Maybe? I don't know." By this point Toby had reached the Hippogriff stable, and he stepped up onto the door as he had earlier at the abraxans.
"I don't think so."
He made a
face at the mention of patronuses. Sensitive subject, yes.
"Some people can't produce a patronus. No matter how much they want it," Toby pointed out, with just a touch of frustration in his voice. He immediately regretted his tone, though, however slight it had been, and bit down hard on his lip.
"... Sorry." It didn't escape his notice that, as someone who'd still not attempted a patronus and therefore didn't know if he was one of those people, he had no right to get upset. He wanted to be able to produce one, though, wanted it so bad. He was just... afraid. For reasons.
Toby stayed quiet for a long moment, keeping his eyes on the Hippogriffs, before all at once his expression changed to a hopeful one and he seemed to suddenly brighten again. The change of mood was almost whiplash-inducing.
"Could you help me? With the wandless magic stuff, I mean." Not with a patronus. At least... not yet.
"Maybe? 'Cause I dunno how I'm gonna learn to control it. I've never been very good at the whole self-control thing on my own." At least, not in the conventional ways. In some ways, he was far too good at it for his own good.
Toby looked across at Dakest now, and the man's last comment finally registered. He considered it for a moment, really properly thought about it perhaps more than he was actually meant to, but eventually looked back at the Hippogriffs without saying anything in return.