Tissue anyone? [open]

[Lachlan McCormick]

Lachlan sat outstretched on one of the old chairs in the library. He was quite uncomfortable sitting there, he was in an awkward position, but out of fear of losing all his books that were balanced on his lap he dared not to move. He possibly could have made room on his already crowded table but for the boy to do that he would have to move, causing himself to lose all his books anyway.

It was not uncommon to find Lachlan in the library, he enjoyed the quiet and the fact that the only students in there were usually too busy with homework to make a commotion. He could always be found either relaxing in a big, cushioned chair with an old dusty book or hunched over a table completing his work. Lachlan liked the library for the simple fact that he could do his own thing most of the time without being disturbed. It was this trait that meant that Lachlan was a sort of loner. Not that he didn't enjoy other peoples company, once a conversation was struck up Lachlan became rather friendly, it was just he was a little bit awkward around new people. He found it hard to make new friends because he never knew exactly what to say, afraid he might blurt the wrong thing out. His father called him shy, his mother called him reserved but many just said he was unsure of himself. Lachlan thought he just needed someone to make the first move.

Leaning over his pile of books, Lach pulled a piece of parchment closer to him, and out stretching his free hand he dipped his quill into the ink and began to finish his essay. He had completely forgotten that he had to write it and he left it to the last minute to remember it was due tomorrow. This was the particular reason you could find Lachlan hunched over, desperately scribbling with his quill. He was hoping to get it finished soon, his hand was starting to cramp up.

Rushing quickly to move on to the next topic he had to discuss, Lachlan was startled by a sudden crash of books falling from a shelf. Whipping around to see where the noise had come from, Lach lost half the books on his lap and knocked his ink pot over. "Crap" Lach said a little to loudly, the ink had spilled all over his essay and it was ruined. His hours of work had gone out the window. Not to mention his clothes were all covered in ink. "Tissue anyone"Lach grumbled hopelessly to himself.

[open to anyone and everyone]

[Dariusz Greenbaum]

Dariusz had been curled up with a book titled, Potions: 101 Mistakes That Can Turn a Beginner's Face Red, Green, or Invisible, when he heard a crash from a nearby bookcase. Jumping, he set down the book and got out his wand before hearing a voice: "Crap. ... tissue, anyone?"

Poking his head out from the alcove like a prairie dog with a curly black wig, Dariusz tsked his tongue as he saw a boy sitting at a table, looking down at his ink-stained clothes in disgust. It was a position he'd been in many times himself when he knocked over the lubricant in his father's workshop.

Standing up, he walked over to the boy - older, blonde, a Hufflepuff, Dariusz noted without any particular emotion - and offered him a handkerchief from his sleeve. "I hate it when that happens," he said. "There's a spell I use for, ahm, grease," he found the english word, "that might work for ink, if you haven't got a better one," he offered.

Looking at the table, he noticed the pool of ink that had slashed across a paper which sat in front of the boy. "Ay, gutt," he murmered to himself, inhaling through his teeth. "I hope that wasn't important..."

[Lachlan McCormick]

Lachlan began to wipe the spilt ink of his clothes but instead of making it better he made it worse, smearing the black liquid across one of his favorite t-shirts. In dispare, Lach gave up his attempts to manually clean up the mess and racked his brains for spell that would do the job for him. Lach thought of a couple of spells but none seemed quite adequate. Then suddenly, Lach was given a life line, when a rather small boy appeared from across the library and offered him his handkerchief. "Thanks" Lach gave a small grin, showing his appreciation.

Lach gave a weak laugh when the boy commented "I hate it when that happens,", it was after all, a rather embarrassing situation. "Well I hope it doesn't happen to you too often" Lach looked up, well more like at, the boy who stood before him. He was short, with dark curly hair that fell at his shoulders and he spoke with an accent that Lach couldn't quite recognise.

Lach turned a bit red when the younger boy offered him a spell, Lach felt a bit stupid for not knowing one himself. He really should have paid more attention in his classes in his earlier ears. Though pride wasn't going to stop Lach from taking the boy up on his offer."Um, yeah, if you don't mind, give it a go it might work" Lach replied to the boy. The Hufflepuff looked down at his ink stained clothes and at that moment made up his mind that he was willing to try almost anything.

Lach's eyes shifted to his ruined essay, which was still laying in its spot where it had been seconds ago, when Lach was still writing on it. He had no chance of getting an extension now, he'd left it to late. "I don't suppose you'd have a spell for that too?" Lach asked drawing his attention back to the boy. And remembering his manners Lach extended his hand before noticing it had ink on it also. Wiping the liquid on his already stained t-shirt, Lach out stretched it again, this time cleaner.

"Lachlan McCormick, ink sponge" the boy said introducing himself with a small grin.

[Dariusz Greenbaum]

"It happens to me as much as it happens to me," Dariusz said, cold-faced. "Some day, some clever witch or wizard will make unspillable ink. And that man will be a rich man!" he decreed sternly at Lachlan, shaking his finger at the older boy as if he was a sour-faced teacher giving him a lecture.

The expression fell away like a yellow leaf from a tree as Dariusz shrugged. "But until then, if you don't spill ink on yourself once in a while, it is an indication that you are not working hard enough," he declaired, brandishing a stubby little wand from his sleeve. "Purgimmacula vestis," he incanted, sweeping white across the older boy's shirt. A few more swooshes, and the stain was gone, although the cloth itself looked older and more worn, as if it had been scrubbed against a rock too many times. Dariusz made a sound of discontentment, looking at the cloth of Lachlan's shirt with dismay; now he knew why his own workclothes always looked like that. However, it was wearable, and Dariusz couldn't think of any other way to get it so without sending it to an expensive tailor, so he supposed it would have to do.

Smiling softly, Dariusz shook Lachlan's hand with a firm grip. "Dariusz Greenbaum. It is a pleasure to meet you," he said. "As for the essay..." he popped his lip into his mouth, stroking his chin with his thumb. "I fear it may just have to be re-written," he said sadly. "If only there were some way of removing wet ink without removing dry," he sighed. "Do you remember most of it, at least?" he asked Lachlan, his expression a mix of sympathetic and hopeful.

[Lachlan McCormick]

"Some day, some clever witch or wizard will make unspillable ink. And that man will be a rich man!"

Lachlan took in what the boy had said, with a little bit of surprise. He had said it rather sternly and this had been rather unexpected to Lachlan. He had seemed at first to be rather shy to Lach but now, the olders boy's impression had changed. The boy seemed to be a very strong, well spoken person, not necessarily a bad trait, it was just something that at first, Lach hadn't thought the boy would be.

Getting over his uncial shock, Lach breathed a sigh of relief as the boy brought out his stubby wand. The boy didn't waste much time in casting the spell"Purgimmacula vestis," and Lachlan tried to remember it for future reference. It just might come in handy one day. Lach watched in awe as a the ink stain was removed from his top. It left his top looking almost as good as it used to be and what was left was nothing his mother couldn't get out with a good soak. "Thanks,"Lach beamed, incredibly grateful "I owe you one"

Lach shook the boys hand firmly as he introduced himself in return. "Pleasure to meet you too and don't worry about the essay" Lach continued, eying the ink stained parchment 'It wasn't that good any way, now I get a chance to write it again, filling in a couple bits I remember" Lachlan gave a small grin at Dariusz, who had rubbed off well on Lach, "So what brings you down to library today, hope your not finishing off any essays" Lach joked looking straight at his new acquaintance.

[Dariusz Greenbaum]

((I'm sorry it took me so long to reply; real life has very suddenly tightened my deadlines on some more urgent matters, but I still should have PMed you so you wouldn't have to wonder.))

Dariusz's chin lifted a notch as Lachlan spoke, respect for the older boy filling him. To consider the ruined work a first draft to be improved upon could only do Lachlan good. Supposing that Lachlan already knew this, and that it might be insulting to mention it (rather like commenting on the good posture of an honor guard,) he didn't mention it, but rather returned Lachlan's smile and answered the question.

"I've come here to try and brush up on my potions work," he said, sighing. "I was working from home for a very long time before now, and so while I was keeping up with theory, practice was..." the corner of his lip tightened, and he admitted it. "Neglected. Frankly, as I did not think I was coming back, I did not expect to need it. So I am trying to compensate with some books which deal with the practical elements," he explained.

"But I hope I am not interrupting your essay?" he asked, looking down at the paper and up at Lachlan again; he didn't know how much time the older boy needed.

[Lachlan McCormick]

((perfectly ok. im sorry in return, i have not gotten a chance to get on latey))

Lach let a small grin, etch across his face. He listened as the boy spoke, with some curiosity. "I think you will do fine" Lachlan commented aloud, it had appeared to Lach that Dariusz was rather smart. It would have never occurred to Lach that the boy would of had to brush up on his work, he seemed to know quite alot. "So what made you leave, or at least return" Lach said before realizing that he was being rather nosy. "Sorry" the boy said blushing "that was none of my business"

Steering off onto another subject, incase he had made the boy feel uncomfortable with his curiosity, Lach replied to Dariusz's question. "Err, no your fine, I need a break any way, it was doing my head it" Lach smiled weakly at the boy, He had spent ages in the Library today. Not doing any of his essay, just tapping his quill on the desk, racking his brains for what to write. Dariusz was giving him a very good excuse to take a long awaited break. "Are you sure I haven't taken you away from some serious study?"