Humbling ((Calista))

[India Nightingale]

((Setting this even before the OWLs take place.))

India groaned to herself inwardly. Perhaps missing her Arithmancy lesson hadn’t been that good of an idea. Okay, so it wasn’t as if she had a choice. Almost fainting in the bathroom that morning the day before, India had decided against going to the first lesson of the day: Arithmancy. And therefore stayed for several hours cooped up in her empty dormitory, trying to sleep away her weakness and fatigue. If she had been as sensible as she was meant to be, India would’ve realised that she was lacking nutritional dietary requirements, and could’ve just gone to breakfast like a good little girl. But no. India didn’t eat breakfast, she never did. And occasionally she missed lunch too, though she tended to prefer to skip dinner, because that was the bigger meal. Normally, India survived a whole day on just lunch. Sometimes with nothing at all but lots of water chugged down her throat. So now she was in the dilemma that she had missed the lesson’s homework and notes, and after consulting her professor, she had been ordered to copy up the work from somebody else and get homework information from them too. Thankfully India had escaped without detention, because of her usual flawless work, and India was glad of it. She was adamant she wouldn’t sit through a pointless detention for no good reason.

Still, India was rather angry that she was in this position. She hated to “beg” other people for help. India had always been an independent person, she hated using others, leaning on their shoulders for assistance. In any way or form. Her stubbornness drove her forwards. India knew very well that she’d be able to do the homework in five minutes, that she probably already had read about the work they had done in the lesson, and knew it back to front. Arithmancy was one of her favourite lessons, and it was one of the subjects India wanted to take to NEWT level. She wanted to pass her OWL with nothing less than an Outstanding in all her subjects, but especially Arithmancy. But here she was, having missed a lesson. India cursed her luck, that her illness had affected her at that point in her day. Why couldn’t she have missed Astronomy instead? Something more pointless. India couldn’t not do the homework now; she was too proud, and the teacher wouldn’t be pleased if she didn’t do it either. A detention seemed inevitable. Growling to herself from her position in the Slytherin Common Room, head bowed over a piece of work, India’s gaze swept roughly round the room, observing the students cluster together observantly.

Who could India ask? She hated being reduced to his level, but she’d have to do it. Eyes wandering from first years to seventh years busy cramming in work for their NEWTs, India finally spied a familiar face that she could probably get away with asking. Calista Greystone was a fellow fifth year, one that India had never spoken to over the last few years, but knew she attended the same lessons as her. She seemed to be the best candidate to ask, and India only hoped she wouldn’t be made to feel humble for asking, otherwise she would not be happy. Though… when was India ever happy? Shaking her head to herself, India sighed inwardly before defeatedly getting up from her position, abandoning her seat for now. Strolling casually, almost reluctantly, to Calista’s side of the room, India finally approached her fellow classmate, and asked in an expressionless voice, “Hey. I missed Arithmancy yesterday morning. Can I borrow your notes? I need to know the homework.” India almost winced at her pleasant-ish tone. She hated having to bend low and stoop to ask someone for something. India didn’t return favours, so she made sure not to make any.

[calista]

Calista's colored pen tapped absently on her chin as she stared down at the piece of paper on the desk before her. She had no idea what it was going to be, although already she knew it was going to abstract. Her minds eye had already jotted down a few things that her hand was quick to trace, and already it was apparent that this piece of work would be a clear and definite picture. Calista probably could have done this with her wand, but she got a this sense of satisfaction from doing it the manual way that did not come with doing the witch way. She had wondered if maybe that was the reason why her paintings did not move after they were finished like most wizard paintings or photos. Than she had noticed other witches and wizards her age making paintings by magic which did not also move and she merely shrugged. Hopping that that ability would come with age.

She sat alone in the common room, she was always alone but never unknown. Calista lifted her gaze to view the others sharing the Common Room with her. She knew most of the faces, and the names that went along with them. Although she had a small circle of friends, she was very aware of just who was sharing this house with her, hardly anything escaped her watchful eye. It just so happened that she noticed India Nightingale approach her. Calista's eyes flashed in confusion at this site. India was in her year, and therefore attended much of the same classes as Calista. But in all 5 years of their stay at this school Calista could not think of a single time that India had spoken or sought her out.

Calista slowly put her pen down and pulled out her wand from her bag at her side. She knew India well, she had a reputation, just like any student, and Calista had seen first hand a lot of those rumors. Calista looked up into India's face calmly as the girl finally reached her destination, her grip tightening around her wand. It relaxed almost immediately as India spoke her request and Calista nearly laughed out loud. She wasn't stupid though, and she was not in the habit of making enemies, even if she did enjoy pushing every now and than. Calista could tell that India hated having to do what she just did, hated the fact that her fate now rested in the hands of Calista Greystone.

Calista's eyebrow arched up as she considered the question. Thinking back to Arithmancy and finding that India had indeed been absent from that particular lesson. "Arithmancy? Ah yes, I do believe that your constant hand in the air was missing from this particular lesson." Without waiting for a response Calista flicked her wand at her bag and caused a stack of parchments to float in front of her face. "Arithmancy.......Arithmancy." She repeated as she scanned each parchment and than with a flick of her wand sent it to the back of the pile. Calista had always been a great note taker, wanting to have ample information to complete her homework on time so that she could spend her much more valuable time on her art.

"Ah, here it is." She said as she took a hold of the 3 pages of parchment and sending the rest of the stack back into the bag. She held the parchments in her hand, but made no move to hand them to India. "So tell me India. Its unlike you to have missed an Arithmancy lesson. What could have been so important that it invaded on your Arithmancy time?" Calista asked, moving as if to scratch her cheek with the parchment but in truth moving into view to antagonize India a little more. This situation was beginning to look like fun. She was interested to see how far she could push India without her exploding. Not to mention it was always good to have a fellow powerful Slytherin owing you a favor.

[India Nightingale]

((Apologies for the delay.))

India arched a slender eyebrow at Calista’s comment but kept her lips tightly shut, biting down her teeth in expert self-control. She wasn’t being made to look the fool… just yet. And she was talking to a fellow Slytherin. India shouldn’t have expected a decent conversation. Half the time India conversed with someone from her house it would result in either physical confrontation or verbal abuse. Usually the latter in India’s case, but she was never afraid to shoot a painful hex at any of her fellow pupils. She didn’t hold any of them in high regard anyway. It was true however that India was a constant alert student in every class. That was typical of her. Perhaps some people despised her because of this, India didn’t know, nor did she particularly care. She had never fit into anyone’s good books much, not the students’, not the teachers’. India was well disliked and feared, and she wasn’t expecting that to change any time soon.

Waiting with outward patience, India stilled herself as her gaze followed Calista’s movements fixedly, her eyes trained and cold. She listened to her classmate’s ramblings without much thought (did India even look in the slightest interested in Calista except for obtaining her notes?); there were the silent types of Slyths like India herself, and then there were the annoyingly talkative, outwardly egoistic people which India couldn’t stand. She wasn’t sure where to place Calista, though. It was true that the dark haired girl had indeed an arrogance about her; what Slytherin didn’t? But it wasn’t too overbearing, being one which India could tolerate and not be made to feel too small and insignificant. However, one’s personality could change in a second, and India wondered if Calista would “try” anything with her. India didn’t like to play around with people, nor did she accept people trying to play with her for their own sick interests. India had better things to do with her precious time.

India was drawn out of her inward observations and opinions of Calista when said girl found the notes in her bag, brandishing them nowhere near India’s grasp. She was about to grab them swiftly, thank Calista (in India’s special way, because India didn’t thank anyone), and promise to return them in five minutes, planning on using an easy spell to copy all the notes and then give them back to her classmate as soon as possible, because she hated to feel indebted to others, but then Calista began to talk, and India groaned in her mind at the inconvenience of it all, and how troublesome it was to rely on other Slytherins for anything at all, even a little bit of note taking. Then again, how generous would India have been in Calista’s position?

The girl wasn’t making India’s life easier at all as she took in her words, and she narrowed her eyes with irritation. India knew Calista’s game immediately, saw through it, you could say. She wasn’t the only one who played it, and it annoyed India to no end. It was time to grow up and get rid of childish things such as these. They were too old to be playing games. Mind games. ”Stop messing with my head, Greystone.” India heard her insides growl angrily, though suppressed it with a slight smirk that covered up her true feelings. She wouldn’t let Calista have the satisfaction of ruining her evening.

“That,” India began in a firm, silky tone, smile dripping from her face. “Is none of your business.” This was the best India was willing to do. She hated to act all sickly, and it was plain obvious what her true emotions were, stirring in her brain, ready to curse Calista on the spot. “Now, if you would kindly lend me your notes, I will have them back to you in less than… five minutes. No. One minute.” India reaffirmed as she kept a roll of her eyes from happening. She’d do anything to get away from Calista with those notes. Anything to have to keep on going with this pathetic excuse of a conversation.