Text Cut: Daniel
Quote:
Originally Posted by
debpetrisor
How nice was professor Marchand to want to help take care of his owl? His eyes soon scanned the surroundings when he'd mentioned someone called Phantom, and right on cue, a gorgeous cat graced them with her presence. "So beautiful!" he said, his hands automatically reaching out to welcome the cat in his embrace. It's been so long since he'd snuggled his own kittens back home, and he missed having a ball of fluff curl up on his lap and purr his worries away.
Phantom, however, cared more about the mice than the love he would have offered. But it was fair enough, because if cats taught him anything, it was that cats owned humans, not the other way around.
Focusing back on professor Marchand, he thought he'd seen the man's thoughts drift someplace else for a second, but he wasn't sure if he was supposed to say anything or not - would it have made the professor uncomfortable? Daehyun's social skills seriously lacked to make such a decision.
But the spells. Right.
He had to purse his lips to keep himself from giggling at Phantom's antics - and professor Marchand's, too - before picking out a blue mouse, and watching the demonstration closely. Piertotem locomotor, piertotem locomotor. Right. He needed to repeat the incantation a couple of times in his head to remember it and, mouse in the palm of his hand, he concentrated on getting the mouse to come to life, he pointed his wand at it and said, "Piertotem locomotor!"
The mouse twitched a bit and let out a squeak, and he couldn't help the excited "Oh!" he'd let out, before the mouse fell silent and unmoving again, to which he visibly deflated. Sigh.
It was only when Daniel spoke that Gaston was jerked out of his worries for his daughter long enough to notice that Phantom had appeared. The cat drew herself up proudly and meowed, almost as if she knew she was being complimented, and Gaston smiled.
"She's saying 'thank you'," he said. The smile turned into a laugh as Phantom darted across the room after the mouse he tossed her and began batting it around.
While the cat was sufficiently distracted, he turned his attention back to his student. He watched intently as Daniel attempted the spell, not entirely expecting it to work the first time... not that he didn't have faith in the boy, of course. It was just a difficult spell to master. The sudden exclamation startled him, and he looked, just in time to see the mouse twitch and squeak - and apparently Phantom noticed too. The black and white persian grew bored of the inanimate mouse she'd been swatting around and approached with an inquisitive meow.
Just as quickly as it came to life, the mouse fell still and silent again. Gaston immediately noticed the boy's disappointment and gave him an encouraging smile.
"That was an excellent first attempt, Daniel!" he said.
"It's a complicated spell to learn, and the fact that you made progress on your first try is amazing." He thought for a minute, tryign to determine what exactly went wrong. He had the incantation and wand work down, so it must've been the concentration.
"Just keep practicing - and don't forget to concentrate." Text Cut: Skylar
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PhoenixRising
Skylar could never be completely upset about Gaston's appearance. Not unless he was lying to her, but then again, she was doing the same to him, so .... Really, she had little reason to be peeved with him. And yet, there was something in his expression, the way he said, with his family life, that had the sixth year concerned. Did he forget that her brother had a baby like two years ago? Actually, he probably didn't know. Hirsch knew, no doubts there, because Hirsch was Noah's head of house, but it wasn't like it was terribly known except by those it was necessary. Concern though took over the sixth year as she inched forward in her seat. "Is... Ro... Prof... Mrs Marchand, she's okay, right? You two... you're both okay?" Wait, they were still together, right? She had no idea why Rosalyn Marchand left her post.
But then the topic shifted back to her own troubles, because that was why she was hear and she listened to his answer and honestly, there wasn't a better answer for the Slytherin Captain to hear. "I think, for a long time, I've had the impression that I need to win to be successful." Skylar admitted, biting her lip. "But well, then I lost. And well, it wasn't my first time losing a Quidditch Match, but it was my first time losing where I was captain, and honestly, I felt like I failed as a captain. And sure, the term is barely half over and there's still more games, but somehow my spirits got crushed. And I just ... needed to re-think about success. And if losing really meant failure in my role, but I think that sometimes in order to be successful, we have to lose. And that maybe, it's ... more than just winning. It's more than just that gleaming trophy. It's the battle. It's the mountain to climb. It's the struggles." Okay, his sappiness rubbed off, maybe? Or it was just the time since her loss that had her thinking reflectively.
Gaston's mind was so foggy from lack of sleep that it took him a moment to notice Skylar's concern. He was simultaneously touched to know she cared that much about him and guilt-ridden to have worried her. Nice job, professor, he silently berated himself. You're supposed to be concerned for her, not the other way around!
He took a sip of coffee to give him a moment to calm his conflicting emotions before speaking.
"Yes, of course. We're both fine," he replied. He smiled reassuringly, though his smile didn't extend to his eyes. Sure, Rose was fine physically, but he worried about the emotional toll his absence was taking on her.
"I just haven't been sleeping much since..." His voice trailed off as he debated the best way to tell her the news. He picked up a framed photo of a dark-haired blue-eyed baby girl and handed it to her.
"...since my daughter was born."
That was enough of his home life problems! He was here to listen to Skylar's troubles, not the other way around. He wasn't sure what effect (if any) his opinions about success would have on her; all he could do was hope it helped her in some way. He listened carefully as she spoke, nodding in places. Somehow he had an idea that was what happened, but hearing her explain made it make more sense.
"I understand," he said, looking at her sympathetically.
"Well, not necessarily about a quidditch match - I can't play to save my life - but I do know what it's like to feel like a failure." He felt that practically every day of his life... His eyes darkened slightly, but he smiled at what she said next.
"I couldn't have said it better myself! It's not avoiding failure that means success; the important thing is what you do with that failure."