Zane Lucifer Bishop
Slytherin
[green]6th Year Slytherin[/green] Elemental Master of Metal
You people all have to learn. This world is going to burn.
Posts: 483
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Post by Zane Lucifer Bishop on Dec 20, 2007 20:40:59 GMT -5
As Zee listened to Kerridon's counterpoints, he waved his hand dismissively at his initial apology. It had been a misunderstanding, something that seemed to happen quite often when Zee conversed with others late at night in the astronomy tower. After a moment of consideration he bowed his head, conceding both the points that the headmistress was not likely to set a curfew lightly and that the shadows may not remain confined to the woods indefinitely.
"You are correct. Perhaps my view has become too narrow to consider that which is beyond my immediate circumstance. Sometimes I think this school isn't good for me. The headmistress though . . . I agree, she likely has enough wisdom to not enforce a curfew whimsically, yet I find myself wondering about her. I do not have all the information before me by any means, but it seems as if she could be doing more than she is about these Shadows. As far as I can tell, they are being generally ignored except by a handful of concerned students. And there is the matter of Dylan Cooper's attack. She has done nothing about that. Perhaps I should soon have a word with the headmistress. There are things I've been wanting to discuss with her anyway."
A derisive snort was Zee's first response to Kerridon ascribing nobility to the students in Godric Gryffindor's house. House prejudices aside, Zee was not terribly fond of any of the red-clad students. Altogether they seemed relatively stupid.
"I speak not from reputation but from experience when I say there is little to recommend about Gryffindors. True, I am only familiar with one, and vaguely so with another, by neither of them have much impressed me with anything but their penchant for self-destruction. Courage. Ha! I say they're merely not clever enough to choose their battles, rushing headlong into situations they don't understand. So they fight back when they're attacked. Dumb beasts do that."
Zee surprised himself with his disdain for that house. He had never bothered considering his feelings before. Perhaps he had merely met those Gryffindors who were best left out of the gene pool.
"In all fairness, I am equally disappointed in some members of my own house."
Once more Zee shrugged and turned his attention to the subject of D'rorah.
"I see. So she is a study partner then? She seems to acquire her share of those. I myself have been guilty of conspiring with her in the dusty corners of the restricted section of the library. Brilliant girl. Though perhaps not in a terribly practical way. She ignores her body's needs more than she should and seems almost determined to not enjoy anything. Always planning for the future, rarely considering the present."
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on Dec 21, 2007 18:02:05 GMT -5
Now here was a chance for Kerridon to earn his keep in his Mistress' eyes. Revert suspicion from Caira without causing suspicion to fall upon himself. Although it was rather alarming that some students had picked up on the fact that her loyalties were not completely as they seemed.
"I suspect that, like I previously mentioned, she does not wish to scare away anyone, nor does she wish to scare the attacker into hiding. If it is a student who was the attacker, then surely it would be more successful to simply watch and listen for any unusual behaviour. Although I doubt it, judging by the apparent severity and brutality of the attack, the attacker might be feeling some sense of guilt and be acting differently to usual."
From what he had heard, Dylan's attack had been carried out in a very clever manner, with near to none clues left behind as to who the attacker was. Not realising the irony of it, Kerridon wondered what topics he and the attacker would converse on if he ever got the chance to meet him - or her.
"I have not met many Gryffindors, but I will watch when I come across one to see if your description appears to be accurate."
"In all fairness, I am equally disappointed in some members of my own house."
"Anyone in particular? I cannot say that my own house is at its greatest right now, if you look at the house point scores. I may not put much stock in "house points" but it would not be a bad experience to win."
"I see. So she is a study partner then? She seems to acquire her share of those. I myself have been guilty of conspiring with her in the dusty corners of the restricted section of the library. Brilliant girl. Though perhaps not in a terribly practical way. She ignores her body's needs more than she should and seems almost determined to not enjoy anything. Always planning for the future, rarely considering the present."
"Yes, in effect. She has helped me with some translations for my research and she has promised to show me her own at some point. I admit that I am also one for forgetting that it is time to eat or sleep, causing lapses in my concentration in class. And as for planning for the future, surely there is nothing wrong with that? I would prefer to have a planned out future than a pleasurable present."
Not that he was likely to have either while working for the Shadow Mage. Pleasure was not something he had time to consider rigt now, while she was the one who would be planning his future. For all he knew, he could be killed on the next mission. At least then he would be able to see his sister...
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Zane Lucifer Bishop
Slytherin
[green]6th Year Slytherin[/green] Elemental Master of Metal
You people all have to learn. This world is going to burn.
Posts: 483
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Post by Zane Lucifer Bishop on Dec 22, 2007 2:20:21 GMT -5
Zee seemed to contemplate Kerridon's logic concerning the headmistress and the "unknown" assailant. After a few moments he shook his head slightly.
"I'm not sure I agree with your assessment of LaPointe's performance. But I suppose it's all too easy to point out apparent mistakes made by those in charge. She's likely doing as she feels best. As for Mr. Cooper's attacker, call me naive but I don't believe any human could be truly guilt free after perpetrating such an act. Some can simply ignore the sensation. And as the attack seems to have been carried out quite . . . brilliantly, if you'll excuse the inadvertent praise of such barbarism, I'm not sure the guilty party will be foolish enough to act differently than they otherwise would. You do believe it to have been a student then?"
Without waiting for an answer, Zee stood and leaped upon the ledge that lead to the open night. He begun pacing back and forth along the edge much as he had when he was up here with Wysteria. He noticed then how much he missed her. The tower seemed much colder without her there. A small smirk invaded Zee's lips at Kerridon's inquiry about which students Zee despised.
"Now now Mr Paradox, far be it from me to slander specific students without them here to defend themselves. Suffice it to say there are those that lack any subtlety or wit, or are very accomplished thespians and wish me to believe as much.
"Your research hmm? What would that be concerning? Knowing what I do of Miss Philosophy's chosen study subjects it cannot be anything particularly wholesome. You seem much like her in many ways. Formal. Rigid. I don't believe I've ever seen either of you smile. Forethought is a fine thing, but what good is life if you don't enjoy it. Power, knowledge, riches. What good are any of these if you don't enjoy them as much as you can? I don't see that sacrificing the present, which is certain, for a future that may very well never come, is really very wise."
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on Dec 22, 2007 18:36:12 GMT -5
"Putting aside all questions of the Headmistress' loyalties or capabilities while fulfilling her role, it would be very difficult for her to hire a teacher with that kind of repuation - have you heard of the scandals of Quirrel and Crouch? Since then the Ministry have created a lot of regulations on what is or isn't acceeptable knowledge for a Hogwarts teacher to have, and they have strict guidelines on hiring new teachers. Besides, the most likely candidate would be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, being the one person who should know more about the dark arts, but Professor Kade is currently away, is he not?"
A smirk washed over Kerridon's face when Zee mentioned those who lack subtlety. One person in particular came to mind - Gat Soldier. He had warned his colleagues on something along the same lines upon arriving at Hogwarts, not wanting to be found out because of others' inabilities. Feeling uncomfortable with Zane looking down at him from the ledge, Kerridon jumped up to join the Slytherin.
"Your research hmm? What would that be concerning? Knowing what I do of Miss Philosophy's chosen study subjects it cannot be anything particularly wholesome."
"Wholesome, perhaps not. Satisfying, very. At least it will be if I can complete it correctly. It is an alternative to the patronus charm for those people who find summoning happy memories particularly difficult, as I know some do."
"You seem much like her in many ways. Formal. Rigid. I don't believe I've ever seen either of you smile. Forethought is a fine thing, but what good is life if you don't enjoy it. Power, knowledge, riches. What good are any of these if you don't enjoy them as much as you can? I don't see that sacrificing the present, which is certain, for a future that may very well never come, is really very wise."
Kerridon had noted himself how similar he and D'rorah were when compared to each other, so perhaps it was no surprise that the Sorting Hat had decided to put him in the same house as her when it changed its mind.
"I think it is simply a matter of priorities. Some value enjoyment above everything else, while others prefer to focus on goals, which provides a feeling of fulfilment once completed. Yes, I am one of the latter, and I gather from your comments that you are of the former. But if we do not aim for the future we want then when that future does become present, we will be disappointed when it does not measure up to the past."
((lol does that count as godmodding the Ministry?))
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Zane Lucifer Bishop
Slytherin
[green]6th Year Slytherin[/green] Elemental Master of Metal
You people all have to learn. This world is going to burn.
Posts: 483
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Post by Zane Lucifer Bishop on Dec 25, 2007 17:12:45 GMT -5
Zee nodded and smiled placatingly as he continued he walked toward the Ravenclaw. The boy's logic was solid on this matter and Zee had come to a similar conclusion. In the interest of appearing as though he were seriously interested in discovering Dylan's assailant, he had tried to look at the situation as if he were as ignorant of the facts as everyone else. the confirmation that another had traveled down a similar thought path was encouraging.
"Just so you don't think me an ignorant fool, I usually don't ask a question because I don't know the answer. I simply wish to know the opinion of the person I am asking. Indeed I have arrived at the same conclusion as to the likely identity of Dylan's assailant. If it was someone from the school, which is almost certain given the difficulty an outsider would experience if they tried to enter secretly at night. As for Professor Kade, I am beginning to suspect him to be a myth. I've not seen anything of him and only heard a few vague references. Perhaps he, like the creatures in the forest, are merely imaginative attempts to scare the younger students."
Zee had turned away from Kerridon and was pacing back the other way when he spoke of Mordred Kade. When he turned back however the crooked grin he brazenly wore showed how little seriousness he intended with his claimed belief. Indeed he was slightly hopeful his second reference to the shadows as fantastical would provoke Kerridon to angrily reveal something more about them. But perhaps there was nothing more for Zee to learn from the boy. He wasn't convinced Kerridon knew any more than he'd already expressed. Given his similarity to D'rorah though, it was likely he hadn't told all.
Zee's eyebrows raised noticeably at the revelation of Kerridon's research subject. He immediately thought of Wysteria (as he often did when any topic even came close to something they'd discussed) and her inability to produce a patronus. Perhaps Zee should assist him and so expedite the process. He still wasn't comfortable with the belief he held that Wyst would be helpless against the Shadows. He was unaware that she could combat them in the same way that Keaira could and a patronus wasn't even necessary.
"Don't misunderstand me Kerridon, I am not without goals and I believe myself quite adept at directing the present so that it heads toward a future where those goals are realized, but I am not about to single-mindedly pursue some ambition and so despise the time I spend on the path toward it. Countless unforeseen complications could arise and place impossible barriers in my way. Unfortunate indeed is the man who's sacrificed everything for something he never achieved.
"But tell me of this research. It sounds a very worthwhile project. If not the positive energy of a patronus, how would you propose defending against the horrific attacks of a dementor?"
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on Dec 28, 2007 19:12:05 GMT -5
"I do not usually believe people to be fools unless they give me more evidence than asking a perfectly logical question," Kerridon replied calmly.
"As for Professor Kade, I am beginning to suspect him to be a myth. I've not seen anything of him and only heard a few vague references. Perhaps he, like the creatures in the forest, are merely imaginative attempts to scare the younger students."
At Zee's next comment, he purposely turned away so his companion could not see his expression. "Are you trying to provoke me, Mister Bishop?" he asked, smirking at the Slytherin's reference back to the 'myths to scare younger students'. "If so, I believe you will have to be a little more subtle in your attempts."
He simply nodded at Zane's continuation of their discussion on the future or the past, conceding the points he made. For Zane and most others, this was probably true, but he no longer had any personal ambitions. He wanted to get through what was left of his life serving the Mage as his father would have wanted, avoiding all thought of Taisy so he could get his job done. Pleasure was of no use to him, and would just produce bittersweet memories of when he had been happy. Besides, there was little if anything left for him to sacrifice except his own life, and that would not be such a bad thing; following Taisy where he could not follow before.
"But tell me of this research. It sounds a very worthwhile project. If not the positive energy of a patronus, how would you propose defending against the horrific attacks of a dementor?"
Kerridon turned again to face Zane, considering the apparently curious boy. He had been taught to read people well and thus knew that there was more to this Slytherin than met the eye, but the question was what was behind that mask? Was he a lightfighter? Or one of the Mage's spies, put in place without his knowledge? He had begun to suspect that the Mage was not trusting him with as much as she used to, but whether she would place an ally in the school without telling him was a question indeed. Had he become that out of touch since Taisy's death? Sure, he had gone through a rough patch, a couple of suicide attempts, but never had his loyalty for her faltered. He hadn't had, and still didn't have, the energy to defy her. What would be the point?
"The basic idea is to stop the dementors from snesing any of the bad memories that draw their attention, so they would not be able to sense you," he briefly explained.
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Zane Lucifer Bishop
Slytherin
[green]6th Year Slytherin[/green] Elemental Master of Metal
You people all have to learn. This world is going to burn.
Posts: 483
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Post by Zane Lucifer Bishop on Dec 31, 2007 12:08:53 GMT -5
Once more, a vague answer that tells me next to nothing. Why does everyone in this bloody castle insist on trying to be mysterious and intriguing with every damn thing they say?
The hypocrisy of Zee's thoughts only added to his frustration. He would have to make that trip to see the headmistress soon. Perhaps she would be straightforward where no others were. D'rorah had been fairly open with him at the end of their last conversation. Uncomfortably so. He wondered if every student who refused to tell him anything had secrets as sinister as the Ravenclaw Prefect. Perhaps this Ravenclaw had them as well.
But Zee was tired. He had wanted to see Wysteria and talk to her about all D'rorah had revealed. He had thought that if the Hufflepuff Prefect's secrets were in line with the Ravenclaw's, then she might reveal more to him about the Shadow War and, more importantly, about herself. She was not here though and despite Zee's genuine interest in Kerridon's work, he had no interest at all in waging a verbal war of wits in order to retrieve the information.
When he next turned in his pacing, he instead stepped off the ledge back to the tower floor. As he strode toward the door leading back down the stairs, he glanced over his shoulder at that night's companion.
"The hour is late and I feel you've long been desiring my absence. Good luck with your research, though I'm sure you'll not need it. Good Evening Mr. Paradox."
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on Jan 1, 2008 17:56:15 GMT -5
Zee seemed to grow frustrated with himself as Kerridon spoke, he observed, and eventually jumped off the ledge the pair of them were walking on.
"The hour is late and I feel you've long been desiring my absence. Good luck with your research, though I'm sure you'll not need it. Good Evening Mr. Paradox."
He did not refute that he had been 'desiring the absence' of Zane, instead just nodded politely. "I appreciate for your confidence in me Mister Bishop, and bid good night to you as well."
Zee left through the door he had entered through about half an hour ago now, and Kerridon sat again, dangling his legs over the side of the tower. It had certainly been an interesting encounter, even if he had wished to have a small amount of time to himself after that nightmare. Apparently 'time to yourself' was a little known phrase in such a large and prestigious school of magic. It was even starting to grow on him. Sighing, Kerridon leaned his head on the stone pillar to his right. He could almost guarantee that this near-carefree time (at least when in comparison to the last few years of his life) was not to last. Working for the Mage complicated things a thousand times over. But what was the point in disobeying her? Disobeyment meant pain, he had learnt that lesson a long time ago. He may as well just follow her until his time came to join his sister, wherever she was now. His eyes drifted shut and Kerridon was surrounded my memories of happier times...
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