Yes, She's A Knit Wit . . .(open to Ravenclaws!)

[Katherine Knightswood]

It was late in the evening in the Ravenclaw Common Room, supper over and done. Katherine had finally come to a lull in her seemingly endless supply of homework. Given that she had signed up for virtually every class this term, Katherine was surprised at the lack of parchment to fill. She was even caught up on her reading, amazingly enough. But she was delighted to sit a while in her favorite blue-cushioned rocking chair by the Ravenclaw fireplace and tend to her long-neglected hobby of knitting.

Katherine had picked out some skeins of absolutely breathtaking handspun yarn from her Nana’s own stash before leaving home after Christmas break. She’d found a wool that had several shades of blue that complemented her eyes hand-dyed into it, along with patches of black and grey. It was going to knit up into a fabulous jumper, warm and soft and colorful. Katherine already had the sleeves done, and was working on the back of her project. Then there would only be the front left to knit before she could make up the sweater, block it, and wear it.

Katherine looked around the now-empty Common Room as her hands went through the rows of knits and purls seemingly of their own accord. Maybe Katherine would see D’rorah and Dylan in the Common Room later. The two of them were thick as thieves over something and Katherine rather hoped it was something she’d eventually learn about. Katherine had grown to admire her Prefects and hoped to get to know them better in time. Perhaps Mami Tien would come down and play her haunting violin music, lovely notes to while away the hours by the fire. Katherine loved the nights when she could write her parchments or take notes to the sound of strings.

The cables in her sweater spun out under Katherine’s hands as she worked away, her needles moving with surety. It was a good night, a quiet night. Katherine would work until she was too tired to keep up the pattern, and then she’d get a good sleep in for the morning. There were more classes and more challenges coming and she was looking forward to them. With a smile on her face that reached all the way to her eyes, Katherine took a sip of her chamomile tea, and kept knitting, the soft yarn twisting around her fingers.

[Dylan Cooper]

Rubbing his forehead a few times as he passed through the common room door, slightly aggravated at being accosted by the doorknocker, Dylan headed directly up his stairway and to the bathroom in his dorm to take a shower. It was a wet, miserable night, and he was soaked and chilled right through to the bone. Today had been one of his busiest of the week; double Potions, Defence, Arithmancy and Transfiguration all directly after each other, followed by an intensive Quidditch practice that he had done on his own due to a current lack of a Ravenclaw team. Speaking of, he really needed to hold tryouts soon; the season was coming, and he needed to get a move on.

Tallying in his mind anyone that might be interested, the first person his mind jumped to from Ravenclaw was quickly discounted; D’rorah and brooms really didn’t mix, which he found odd due to her natural affinity with Wind. Nevertheless, she had assured him that she was quite terrible at flying and would not attempt to do so again, so he moved onto other candidates. Of course, Alessandro would normally be interested, but he wasn’t sure if his dorm mate would still be eager to participate in the wizarding sport after everything that had happened recently. Everyone else in his house, to be brutally honest, he wasn’t entirely familiar with on the front of Quidditch.

Perhaps he would tack up a sign-up sheet over on the notice board, but at the moment nothing would be dreaded more than anything that required effort; it was all he could do to dry, dress, and head back down the stairs with some texts ready to be translated and cross-referenced. Heading toward the fireplace, he took a seat nearby and dropped down without much ado or care, splattering the large volumes across the table before him. It wasn’t until he looked up to view the warming fire that he noticed another student present in the otherwise deserted confines of the common room.

Recognising her, he smiled in a friendly but slightly tired sort of manner. “Hey, Katherine,” he said happily, having heard her name called enough times in class and on the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall or in the common room to remember it with quiet ease. His happiness was in part because, of course, he had forgotten about their meeting on the Quidditch Pitch a week or so earlier – here was someone almost entirely keen to join the house team. “Relaxing night in?” he questioned, noting what appeared to be some delicious looking warm drink and the knitting in her grasp.

[Katherine Knightswood]

Katherine had been knitting for a while, when the sound of several books hitting the table next to her brought her out of her reverie. She looked up at the sound of her name and smiled. “Oh, hello, Dylan.” She frowned in concern at her older classmate. “Goodness, you look positively knackered!” The younger student blushed at her outburst, but plowed on. “Actually, yes, I was catching up on my knitting because I finally hit a break in the homework. I need another jumper; I swear I outgrow them faster than ever these days.”

Katherine put down her yarn and needles and stretched, wiggling her fingers to ease any stiffness. She eyed the pile of texts with a raised eyebrow as she slid into the chair next to Dylan’s. “Wow. Homework getting a bit heavy?” she asked curiously. “If it isn’t homework, well - I know a good deal of Latin, or if it’s something I can’t translate, I take neat dictation. And I used to help my father with his papers and library research sometimes.” The young woman turned to meet his eyes, hers dark with concern. “You look like you could use a hand there. Maybe another whole set of them, to be exact. Perhaps then you’d have some more time for fun.” Her smile turned teasing. “Like zooming around the Quidditch pitch!”

Katherine gave a little wave of her new wand. “Accio quills, inkwell and parchment!” The three items named zoomed to hover in front of her, and she pulled them out of the air neatly and placed them precisely on the table in front of her. She checked the quill’s sharpness and nodded, then gave Dylan a conspiratorial grin as she opened her ink. “So. What do you want help with first? I can’t stand to see someone drowning in work when they could be having a good time. Especially when they’re tired, and a fellow Housemate.” Katherine could almost feel in her own bones and muscles how exhausted Dylan was. It was eerie. She wanted to help him get his work done faster so he could rest up or relax, whichever he needed more. “I know we Ravenclaws are famous for hitting the books, but this time, it looks like they’re hitting you back!”

[Dylan Cooper]

Smiling lightly at her small frown, he shook his head slightly. "I'm not that tired, really," he replied softly, opening the top text to where he'd last finished off, about halfway through. Giving a small laugh to her comments, he continued. "Not homework," he began, considering what she had said and feigning the beginnings of work as his mind ran across what she had said. A translator... the Lightfighters could always use more of those, and their last encounter had made a significantly good impression on him.

Raising his head slightly, he smiled quite genuinely. "So... Have you heard any of the rumours going around lately?" he asked lightly, broaching the subject with an air of casualness about him. "I think I have something in Latin," he said, trailing a finger down the spines. "Ah, here we go." Withdrawing the book second from the bottom, he kept it in his hands for a moment, as if not realising, though in truth he was waiting for her reply, for how she reacted. He didn’t want to trust too easily when it came to revealing his alignment to the Lightfighters, but he knew that the more people they had the better and knew they needed to take a few chances to get more allies.

Briefly, he was sad that he had to bring this up at all. No-one should be drawn into this war, to be put in danger and potentially ripped away from their family and friends, dying for a cause that might not even succeed. His thoughts flicking, as ever when he crawled into a glum mood, to D’rorah, he couldn’t help but smile slightly. Her face flashed into his mind and remained there for a while, smiling at him with lit eyes, before the image changed to that of the ring she currently wore on her engagement finger. His smile widening exponentially, his mind returned to the present moment and he directed his gaze toward Katherine.

Secretly very happy that she was so eager to do translations or, really, any work at all, he could tell that she was quite genuine when she summoned some writing materials. Laughing slightly at her finishing comments, he sat back in his chair and relaxed a bit in front of the fire, stretching out his legs and arms and giving a small yawn. Wanting to keep the conversation going a bit before he introduced her to the works on the table before him; some of the information in them could be a bit difficult to absorb if you just jumped into it.

[Katherine Knightswood]

Katherine almost laughed at Dylan’s brushing off of the amount of work in front of him. It was just so typically . . .Ravenclaw of him. But there was an undercurrent to his voice, something not quite right to her ears and her instincts. What was going on around here?! Everyone was so serious and so busy with the strangest things. Dylan’s next words brought her head up like a hunting hound’s. . "So... Have you heard any of the rumors going around lately?" The words were too casual. Katherine almost missed Dylan’s suggestion that she could help him translate something in Latin.

Katherine watched his face as he searched through the pile of books. Various emotions flickered over Dylan’s face. Sadness, a bit of guilt, then a smile. Huh, I’ll bet that was a thought about D’rorah. Katherine had watched them whispering together in the Common Room, and she had made the assumption that they were a close and happy couple. At least something – or rather someone – makes him smile. Katherine met Dylan’s eyes as he turned back to her. “The Ravenclaw rumors that you and D’rorah are engaged? Or that we might have a shot at the House Cup this year?” Katherine gave him a serious look. “Or perhaps you were referring to the more serious talk in the corridors? About the Dementors and the accidents and the other weirdness?”

Katherine shifted in her seat. “I’m more worried about the latter, frankly, Dylan. I know all too well what Dementors are capable of, because I’ve read ahead, curse my curiosity.” Katherine sighed. “My family especially my father, was lucky enough to not be as affected by the last War . My family was in France, doing diplomatic work.” Katherine’s bright blue eyes grew bleak. “But I’ve read one of the accountings of the aftermath, written by a Healer. And this time, my family will be in the way, if something like that is going on.” She turned back to Dylan. “And after reading that accounting, I know damn well what side I’ll be choosing,” she said, conviction filling her voice. “I intend to be the first combat medic on the frontlines of whatever evil is out there set against us.”

[Dylan Cooper]

His eyes finding hers as she replied, he attempted to search them for lies. Of course, he probably couldn't tell whether or not she was lying unless she was painfully obvious about it; but it couldn't hurt to try anyway. His eyes widening as she announced that the Ravenclaws knew, or rather thought they knew, that he and D'rorah had made some sort of serious step, he found himself actually quite shocked for a moment. He supposed he really shouldn't be, though; the appearance of a ring on her finger was probably a good indicator to anyone named in the Ravenclaw house.

"I was," he began with a slight emphasis on the latter word, "referring to the talk in the corridors. And we are not engaged." It was silly, but he hated being misunderstood in any way. And it was true, they weren't engaged. They were in fact promised, if you will; close, but not quite. He was only fifteen for christ's sake, and she not much older. Ahem.

Letting her speak as she continued, he took in both the words and the inflections behind them. She did genuinely seem to be eager to join the cause against Dark Phoenix, or at least against the darkness she led and represented. "A medic?" he repeated lightly, surprised for some reason. "I assume that means you're looking into becoming a Healer?" he asked, having thought about such a career many times himself.

Pulling himself back on track to the reason he had brought the subject up in the first place, he surveyed her intently for a moment before deciding something. "If you want to help... to get involved in the movement against the darkness, then this is a good start," he said quietly, not wanting to be overheard despite the common room seeming decidedly empty. Dylan handed her the Latin text as he spoke, and decided to explain a little further. "These are texts written on the Shadow Wars, detailing the encounters between Lightfighters and the Mage and various other things involving the two sides. At the moment me, and primarily D'rorah, as well as a few others, are working on translating the texts and cross-referencing them with the other information we've gathered - just to see if we can learn anything useful. It's a bit of a long shot, but it's something, anyway."

Opening a French text for himself and, retrieving a quill from his pocket, he dipped it into the black ink already set on the table before tracing a few words onto the blank parchment before him.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

{{ooc: Mind if I barge in too? If it's not cool, just let me know and I'll delete my post. }}

D'rorah made her way back up to the Ravenclaw Common Room from the library. It seemed there were so very many things to attend to these days and never enough time for all of them. As though she needed a reminder of a darkness left still in the world, the periodic chills--a remnant of her near corruption--had become rather bothersome to her. No doubt she looked odd when she shivered, the girl wearing more clothes than anyone else in the school. And it seemed almost a confession of weakness to her, to shiver in her overly modest attire whilst others made do with rather fewer clothes and were warm in spite of it. The library had been her choice of study location today for the very reason that the seats closest to the fireplace in the common room had been taken up earlier by students no doubt in the first throes of studying for their NEWTs and OWLs. The library, though rather cavernous, was a trifle warmer at least than the seats closer to the windows in the common room.

However, the drawback of the library was that it was not accessible to her throughout the length of the night. In fact, it seemed even earlier than usual tonight that the librarian had shooed her away with the admonishment to get some sleep. Intending to do no such thing, D'rorah quickly gathered her things and headed up the staircase to the fourth floor. Upon reaching the door, she had been forced to endure the chiding riddles of the brass doorknocker. She stood, wishing they might replace that particular knocker with something with a bit less ire toward her before finally being admitted into the Ravenclaw common room.

Spying an open seat near the fireplace, began to make her way toward it, feeling doubly rewarded to see Dylan there as well, no doubt working on the translations she had given him. She arrived just in time to see Dylan hand one of her precious, precious tomes to a younger student, a first year, no less. Feeling a good mood die within her before it ever had the chance to properly assert itself, she made her way over to the table where Dylan sat.

Her nod first with to Katherine. "[blue]Miss Knightswood. Good evening,[/blue]" she acknowledged. Her attention quickly turned to Dylan. "[blue]Mister Cooper,[/blue]" she waited for him to raise his eyes, keeping hers trained on him with an unspoken question. [blue]What is that girl doing with my book?[/blue] Even though they weren't technically D'rorah's books, they had been entrusted to her by the scribes of the Order and she was ultimately responsible for their safekeeping. With any luck, after Cavan had more training, she'd be able to begin leaving the books in his care instead of feeling solely responsible for them. For now though, she felt rather chagrined to see any one of them in the care of a person she hardly knew.

[Katherine Knightswood]

Katherine grinned as she accepted the book with an almost reverence. Maybe Dylan and D’rorah just wanted to keep their new-found happiness to themselves a while. Her cousin Amanda had been like that when she got engaged at a young age. Then again, maybe Dylan considered himself too young to be engaged? Could be, could be. All of this flashed through Katherine’s brain in an instant. She looked down at the book at let out a small whistle. The delicate book in her hands must be very old. She hoped she remembered the more archaic forms of Latin conjugations and declensions!

Dylan asked her about her career plans, and she smiled at him. But she was distracted by his telling her about the Shadow Wars, the Lightfighters and the Mage. Ah, ha!! She’d known something both dangerous and exciting was going on. Between running into Keaira in the Room of Requirement and various other students approaching her, it was beginning to make sense. “Thanks for telling me the truth,” Katherine said quietly. “I’ll help however I can. Translation isn’t my real area of expertise, but for Latin, I can definitely help.”

Katherine decided to elaborate on her plans to mix Auror and Healer training later. After all, she was still working out the kinks in her plans, such as having to get five NEWTs to pull that dream off. She bent over the tiny, crabbed script in the book, grimacing. Mother of Merlin, this looks like someone with a bad case of the tremors wrote it! Hmmm. Hard to read, it being handwritten . . .looks like the paper may have gotten damaged at some point. She squinted at the writing for a bit, and then she suddenly flushed. The first words of the book nearly made her faint.

Sum Merlinus Magister. Scribo hic litterae, ut servio Lucis. “I am Merlin the Great Wizard. I write this epistle in service to the Light . . .,” the Ravenclaw whispered. Katherine’s quill stilled, and she swallowed hard. Just as she was turning to ask Dylan about the book, she heard movement behind her. "Miss Knightswood. Good evening," D’rorah said. Katherine saw D’rorah’s look grow stormy as she noted the book in her hands, and flushed. Uh, oh! What was the older student thinking? Katherine decided to go back to translating ‘Merlin’s Epistle’. At least she had a better grasp on her Latin than on this brewing situation . . .

[Dylan Cooper]

Nodding with a small smile in response to her thanks, he replied in his usual quiet voice. "We have a few texts left in Latin, I think, so anything will be a great help," he said, bowing his head back to the text before him. Raising his gaze as she whispered something, he hadn't quite caught it over the crackle of the fire and gazed at her for a minute, slightly confused and hoping to piece together just what it was she had muttered.

Finding himself lost for ideas, he made to revert his eyes back down the text before his attention was diverted once more. D'rorah's voice flowing through him, a happy smile formed on his features before he accepted the tone behind her words. His expression faltering as she directed a less than playful formality for a greeting his way, his eyes sought hers, questioning the reasoning behind it.

Straightening his posture and keeping his eyes glued to hers, he replied to her unspoken query with a look that displayed quite clearly that he could hold his own. "Dee... Katherine offered to help with some translations; as my grasp on Latin is still only minor and a text written in such happened to slip into my pile somehow, I decided to make use of the coincidence," he explained lightly, his expression softening slightly towards her.

Noticing Katherine flush and quickly attend to the text before her, Dylan's eyes pierced those of his girlfriend. Wishing briefly that he could speak to her privately, he set the thought aside and reverted his gaze back down to his work.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah was deathly still as she listened to Dylan's answer. She supposed she had come on rather harshly, but she had no intention of demurring.

"[blue]Ah, a coincidence,[/blue]" she replied, her voice suddenly sounding deceptively light as she parroted his last word. "[blue]And tell me, does young Miss Knightswood have some idea of exactly what it is she might be looking for in the text?[/blue]"

Not one to allow emotion show on her face normally, D'rorah crafted a brilliant smile and fluidly sank down onto the couch next to Katherine. "[blue]Why... I would say you appear as though you might have had quite a start. Tell me, Miss Knightswood, have you indeed found something worthy of note in my text?[/blue]" The carefully cultivated smile remained on her face as her eyes switched to Dylan. "[blue]Did you at least give her some clue as to what she might find? Typically, I would not expose one so young to such strong materials.[/blue]"

Here was that feeling of crushing guilt once again. She had gone through it in spades with Cavan, at times wishing she hadn't alerted the Order to his talents. And now, another the same age as Cavan was being pulled into a battle which could well cost her her life. D'rorah couldn't have wished harder for a time turner than she did at that moment, wanting to undo Katherine's involvement with the conflict that had already changed her own life in so many tragic ways. As if she needed a reminder, a rather violent chill chose that precise moment to make itself known, causing her to shudder involuntarily, gooseflesh rising on her skin fiercely.

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, irritated with herself for the emotion she was allowing to have reign with her. She had always been the stoic one, steadfastly resisting her troubles so that others might lean upon her strength. But at times, when alone, she allowed herself to entertain the notion that she wasn't quite the pillar that she wished to be. Each moment of guilt or horror seemed a fissure in her foundation... and more and more people seemed to find the necessity to rely on that foundation within her. Still, she wouldn't allow herself to crumble under the strain... she would fortify herself, build herself up to withstand whatever she had to in this war.

She looked back at Katherine, assessing her quickly. There was no way to undo what had already been done. Obviously she couldn't be obliviated. It didn't take a telepath to see that Katherine's mind would find a way to pull the memories back... perhaps not right away, but she couldn't reconcile herself to messing with any mind so sharp. She couldn't help but feel defeated as she added another name to the list of those now in danger. "[blue]I cannot undo what has already been done,[/blue]" she finished quietly. "[blue]Your training begins tomorrow, Miss Knightswood.[/blue]"

Feeling exhausted beyond all belief as this event brought forward the strain she had so carefully packed away, she stood to leave, thinking it best to retreat to her dormitory for the evening, rather than study.

[Dylan Cooper]

Her sudden change in voice, he knew, did not mean any kind of miraculous change of heart at his words. She was pissed; or seemed it, anyway. Clenching his jaw, for some reason extremely annoyed about how she had approached the situation, he waited for her to finish speaking before bothering to reply. Thinking on it, he was inclined to think that perhaps he was reacting this way simply because he expected to be given slightly more credit in these matters.

He suspected that her mood had not been great to begin with, and the sight of him handing over a valuable and precious text to a first year that, indeed, neither of them really knew all that well, had most definitely not helped. At the moment, however, his anger gave way to more negativity, and thoughts of her newfound connection with Zane pervaded his mind. Forming a dark scowl for a moment, he gave a brief flicker of a thought to Katherine and found that he didn't care if she was caught in the crossfire.

His anger simply building as D'rorah spoke, he held his tongue in regard to 'exposing one so young to such strong materials'. He didn't think reminding her that she had done so to Cavan would ever accomplish anything, and he was mindful enough to realise that. Dylan was certainly not someone to just spit something he would regret out in the heat of the moment; not usually, anyway. Not only would he regret it, but he knew that despite it being said in the heat of battle, that it could affect her still - it was true, afterall, and he had seen for himself her worries and guilt over introducing him into the fold.

Despite feeling that very-same guilt as he had handed the text over, he knew that every extra pair of hands would help the Lightfighters, that every extra translator would help to ease D'rorah's heavy burden. The opportunity to lighten the load even a minute amount seemed worth it in his heart to add another young soul to the fray. It might have been extremely selfish, but he did not regret it for a second. For all he knew, the first year could die tomorrow, or the next day, or in some final confrontation between the two forces; she could be ripped from her friends and family in one moment, and his love for D'rorah stopped him from preventing that.

Truth be told, even those not directly involved, not even aware of the Shadow Wars could die. To stumble across something they should not, or to be in the wrong place at the wrong time; that was about the only solace he could take. Every extra fighter meant that they had a better chance against the darkness, and he would recruit until the end if it was necessary, to get every single person possible allied with them.

"Perhaps if you wouldn't interrupt, I would have had a chance to discuss what she was looking for with her," he said coldly, having intended to do just that as Katherine had opened the text. "I warned her, D'rorah, I'm not an idiot," he said in reply to her next happily feigned words, quite frankly sick of her tone. As she visibly shuddered, however, the icy cold expression faded from his eyes and was overtaken with a minor concern that he attempted to conceal from her by averting his eyes to the page before him. Hearing her speak once more, this time directly to Katherine, he raised his gaze surrepticiously.

Still angry about the entire situation with Bishop, he sucked it up and stood as she rose from the couch. Wanting to just talk to her, he knew that he couldn't just leave Katherine alone down here with the texts, especially when he'd only just introduced things to her. Frustrated with the scenario, he sent D'rorah a straight-edged look before turning away and taking his seat once more.

[Katherine Knightswood]

Katherine had gone back to the text, when she heard D’rorah speaking behind her. All she caught was the last sentence D’rorah said. “Typically, I would not expose one so young to such strong materials.” Katherine felt gooseflesh rising on her arms and put down her quill to rub them, suppressing a shiver. Maybe she should go get a sweater from her dorm room and let these two talk? She was so cold all of the sudden! But why was she also feeling irritated and miserable? She’d been completely fine five minutes ago. A sudden flush of anger followed by a feeling of guilt raised the hair on her neck. Something was very wrong here. And something might be wrong with her too.

Dylan’s reply to D’rorah was just as frost-edged. "Perhaps if you wouldn't interrupt, I would have had a chance to discuss what she was looking for with her." Katherine flinched internally, shivering a bit herself. She shot a quick glance at Dylan, who looked upset, and then at D’rorah, who looked tense. Ye Gods, I have to diffuse this somehow! Katherine wasn’t a diplomat’s daughter for nothing. The young woman took a deep breath, and then stuck her neck out. She cleared her throat, and spoke up.

“All right, whatever the hells is going on, you two aren’t going to make it any better by going to war over a firstie trying to translate fifteen hundred year old Latin epistles.” Katherine took another deep breath, and tried to sound calm. “Would one of you please explain to me why my translating something written by Merlin is putting Ravenclaw’s finest couple at each other’s throats?” She looked over at D’rorah, flushing but meeting the older girl’s eyes defiantly. “I just was talking with Dylan about the nastier rumors flying about the halls. I’ve heard enough to know something awful is going on. My father’s a diplomat; I was trained to listen to people from the time I could toddle.”

Katherine sighed, and put her writing materials aside. She closed Merlin’s book with gentle hands, and put it aside for the moment. “I’m going to let you two in on my secret dream. I want to mix the training of an Auror and a Healer.” She waved her wand and called “Accio Smethwycke & Pye’s Compilation!” A thick book covered in dark green leather came flying into Katherine’s hands. “This book is why. It’s been my latest bedtime reading, and in my opinion it definitely qualifies as ‘strong materials’. Two Healers from St. Mungo’s wrote this after the last War against Voldemort.” Katherine said the name without a flinch. “The Compilation is a selection of three dozen cases that came into St. Mungo’s Wards as the result of that War. It even covers Arthur’s Weasley’s getting bitten and poisoned by that snake of Voldemort’s.” She looked from Dylan to D’rorah, and then down at the green-covered book in her hands.

When she looked up again, her blue eyes blazed fiercely. “I don’t give Broadmoor’s Bludger about whether or not what I’m getting into is safe. Magic isn’t always safe. Potionsmaking isn’t reliably safe, according to my Maman. I’ve gotten injured in sword practice, for Merlin’s sake.” Katherine softened the glare with a sudden smile. “It’s my decision to stand up for the good guys and help you out. No one’s dragging me in kicking and screaming.” Katherine face suddenly broke out in a smile, as D’rorah mentioned additional instruction. “And as for training, D’rorah, you might want to talk to Keaira O’Connell. She may have a comment or two for you on that, if I’m not mistaken, after our encounter up two floors. But yes, training would be good.”

As D’rorah got up to leave, Katherine called after her, softly, but clear. “This is my decision. Not yours. No guilt on your part. Please?” Her voice was gentle. “Something in here –“ Katherine put a hand over her heart – “tells me that you have enough on your shoulders, given . . . well, I don’t know, you just do.” The first year sighed in frustration. “I can tell you and Dylan are both tied in knots right now, and it’s my fault and it isn’t. All I can say is I’m sorry it’s happened. I don’t know how I know that, I just do.” She looked over at Dylan as he sat down again. “If you need to go talk it out, go ahead. Neither one of you is going to be any help to each other all worked up like this. I’ll get to translating Merlin later.” Katherine finally ran out of words, and fell silent, waiting for the older students to say something.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah listened to Katherine's response, filing the information away for later. Had she been in a more receptive mood, she would have been quite impressed with the young woman's poise and eloquence. As it was, the fact that Katherine had apparently already started some sort of training with Keaira was quite surprising. The Lightfighters really needed to work on their communication... one would think two telepaths would have an easier time keeping each other apprised of their goings on. She pushed the thought away for now. She didn't need anything further to dwell on to stir her ire.

"[blue]Volunteering wholeheartedly, Miss Knightswood?[/blue]" she questioned, when at last the girl fell silent again. "[blue]Do not be ridiculous. You cannot volunteer wholeheartedly when you do not even know what it is you are volunteering for. A bit of caution is advised... I might very well be looking for a well-read and intelligent child to sacrifice.[/blue]" The last statement might have been humorous, but there was absolutely no humor in D'rorah's voice at the moment. "[blue]My father was a diplomat as well, and I have learned since my youngest days to be very discerning of the commitments I make. As for your admission of fault, it is entirely misplaced. This is no more your fault than would be living in the path of a hurricane.[/blue]"

Her eyes moved pointedly to Dylan before she made her last statement. "[blue]There are, however, those who should know better than to frivolously endanger the lives of others by wantonly enlisting their help[/blue]" She waited no longer for a response, turned and continued on her way through the door. She knew there would be little point in trying to sleep now and didn't want to feel crammed in her dormitory. Thinking then, that a walk might do some good to eliminate the uncustomary buildup of emotion, she ventured to the door leading into the corridor. She could always use the excuse of making a nighttime patrol of the corridors and would most likely be unmolested for the duration of her journey. That was the sole benefit of being a prefect, in her mind--a slight bit of freedom... which was nearly always employed to the benefit of her role as a Lightfighter. She waited for no response from either Katherine or Dylan, and allowed the door to the common room to close behind her with a resounding click.

[Dylan Cooper]

His eyes piercing into D'rorah's, it took a moment for him to register that Katherine was now speaking in a surprisingly authorative tone, and he went into a small state of shock. His eyes flicked to the younger student, and a small flurry escaped into his heart as she said 'Ravenclaw's finest couple', but it was quickly subdued when Dee replied to the girl. Her tone made him irrationally angry, and though he knew it would not have done had he been in any kind of good mood, he was furious about it anyway.

The plain and simple fact that she was not trusting his judgement caused a flicker of doubt within him. He hated himself for it, but it was there nevertheless, and it only made him lash out more. Flaming, he barely even registered Knightswood's words as she explained about the book now in her hands. Glad that Katherine was standing up for herself and in doing so backing his own decisions to include her, he felt a small triumph and though she commented that he was free to leave, he remained exactly where he was.

Not finding anything at all funny about D'rorah's next comment, he thought she was being unduly harsh towards someone who only wanted to help, and it bugged him that she was only doing it because she was in a foul mood. Seeing her gaze directed back toward himself, his eyes narrows when she spoke. His jaw clenched as he decided to store the words on the tip of his tongue away, he barely even gave the first year a glance as he gathered his things and left the room, headed straight up to his dormitory. Knowing that he could regret leaving a text in Katherine's hands immensely later, he didn't care all that much, his anger having flared and unable to be dispelled for the time being.

[Katherine Knightswood]

The Common Room door swung shut with a click, as did the door to the Boys’ Dorm. Katherine sat in her seat, Compilation still in hand, her eyebrows crawling into her bangs in surprise. “Bagman’s bloody broomstick,” she swore softly, using one of her Cousin Adam’s favorite curses. The swearing dissipated any thought of crying, even though Katherine was upset. She looked down at the book in her hands, over at the book on the table, and then at the two vacant seats. What to do, blast it all? Well, since she wasn’t making any good impression on D’rorah, and Dylan was wrapped up dealing with a loved one’s foul mood, she might as well stay out of the way and translate this epistle.

Putting the Compilation aside, Katherine dipped her pen, pulled over a sheet of parchment and scribbled down some notes. She thought about D’rorah’s comment on “living in a hurricane” and smiled to herself and resisted the urge to giggle. Her Maman’s family was from wind-ridden Normandy, just across the Channel. How appropriate. Katherine’s stomach churned and she suddenly felt like she was going to throw up. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself, remembering the batch of everyday potions she had from her home. There was one for stomachache, and she’d drink it later if she needed it. Right now, it felt like she’d need to, maybe before trying to sleep.

But there was work and translating and a mystery. And Katherine loved a good mystery. Between her stubbornness and the other Ravenclaws, Katherine would ferret out what the hells was going on eventually. And in the meantime, maybe it would be a good idea to dig out one of her Nana’s most surprising Christmas gifts. She needed to hide this book, where no one could find it but her or Dylan or maybe even D’rorah. Maybe that lap desk Nana had given her would do the trick. She’d check later, but from what Katherine remembered, she would be able to fit the book in the hidden compartment of the desk, along with a packet of notes.

With a sigh, Katherine turned to what was reliable and knowable – at least once it was translated! She turned back to the little epistle, and began to read again. Si legis, scis hic: Lux est et Umbram est. Semper pugant. Scis nunc, ergo deligedum est. Katherine took a few moments to call up her Latin, and frowned, realizing that there had been a few shifts and changes in the millennia or so since the book had been written. She finally figured out the few tricky bits thanks to an “Accio Latin reference text!” and looking up a word or two. If you read, know this: the Light is and the Shadow is. Forever they fight. You now Know, therefore you must choose. [/b] Katherine nodded in satisfaction, and kept writing on her parchment. Well, she thought tartly, at least Merlin seems happy to give me some answers!


((OOC_ Forgive the atrocius Latin grammar - I'm piecing this together with 20 year-old knowledge and a trio of high school Latin texts! Feel free to end here and start somewhere else, or continue by coming back and finding her working away!))