Dying Embers Glow

[mcnutt]

The second night of being a Prefect and things were relatively calm so far. It was nice. Sitting in the common room late, having finished his rounds for the night and still needing to write an essay for Potions class, Dustan was by the dying embers of the firelight, hoping a House Elf would soon appear to relight and stoke what was left. Of course, he could light a candle to provide necessary light, but he was rather fond of the firelight. The cast shadows that fell around the room, giving people's shadows looks they could never express themselves, adding extra darkness to corners throughout the area. Most people it seemed had already headed off to their beds, but he was stuck writing because his new duties took time from his usual stock he had in store.

Sprawled out in a chair, with a table drawn up to his knees, Dustan kept his head bent over the papers and books he shuffled about. While it wasn't difficult to write an essay, especially the required one, he wanted to make it something good. After all, his professor was a female and it was in his nature to try to put his best foot forward when it came to them, even if it didn't always work out such a way. But writing came naturally to the boy, almost as natural as reading. They also kind of went hand-in-hand.

Brushing a hand through his hair, letting it settle for a second or two at the back of his neck, Dustan yawned audibly, wondering if he could pull off going to bed early and getting up in the morning earlier. But he knew it was impossible as he wasn't much of a morning person.


[Tallulah]

[Tallulah Skeffington]

The darkness of the castle overwhelmed Tallulah. It wasn't average darkness, it was extreme darkness. Around every corner there was a shadow lurking to scare the living dragon dung out of her. Tal was sure she would have at least one major freak out before the year is done. The only bright side to this was Dante, her boyfriend was also a prefect and maybe, just maybe whilst doing rounds they'd catch each other and be able to see each other if only a few seconds.

Finally finding her way back down to the dungeons she sighed in relief as the portrait leading to her common room was in sight. Without a second glance back she rushed forward, saying the password mid jump as she tried with all her might to get out of the darkness. As she jumped the portrait opened up and she flew into the hallway. Without a sound she crashed onto the ground. As she got up she hissed in pain from her crash landing. Rubbing her arm as she walked she walked down the steps and into the common room.

Light hazel eyes scanned the common room for anyone. If she hadn't taken her time as she scanned she would have gone over the boy sitting on a chair. With all of his books around she would have thought someone didn't clean up. Seeing her somewhat hazardous entrance went unnoticed she took a few more steps closer to see who this boy was. Slowly walking she watched intently, craning her neck as she watched. The corners of her lips curled into a smile as she recognized the face.

It was Dustan McNutt, her fellow prefect. They hadn't spoken a word to each other their entire careers here. Now would be a good time to meet him. Rubbing her arm for a few more seconds she took another step forward, this one not as quiet as the ones before. "Hey, you're Dustan....right?" Tallulah said quietly, not wanting to startle the boy who seemed so engrossed in his work.

[mcnutt]

Making marks on his parchment, Dustan rattled through his mind trying to remember where he'd heard something about this particular potion. Something about it doing something to a person if something or other. It wasn't much of a lead. However, he was quite pleased with himself for having it nearly finished, it just needed a bit of flair of some sort to make it stand out. Really, this wasn't his best class but he was going to try his damnedest to make it work for him because he did want to pass the O.W.L. for it. The only reason though was because he had no idea what he wanted to do in life, so his plan was to pass as many as possible so he would have a lot of options... hopefully.

But, ink splattered and his ink well tumbled over when his knees hit the small table he was working at after hearing a voice, a female one at that, talk to him. Why were females suddenly calling on him? All these years and he'd been invisible and suddenly, it just didn't make a whole lot of sense. Green orbs widened, not in anger, but in worry when he saw the new state of his essay, pitch black with a gleaming shine from the dying fire. It spread, the spots on his sleeves, too, becoming large with every nano second that passed. Terrible, terrible, and now he'd have to start all over. Why him? Why now?

"Ye--yeah," he answered, needing to tear his eyes from the sickening form that had been a lovely essay. "I--I'm Dust--Dustan." The face he recognized, had maybe said one word to in his career as a student, but one he guessed he should know by now as they were fellow Prefects. Why him? Why now?