arts magical

[occluminous]

Bella has been living in the dorms for two days when the term properly starts. The buses begin arriving and discharging the students who didn't need to arrive early just in time for them to join the early attendees for lunch. Bella is sitting at a half-full table, reading her Charms textbook and prodding at one of her notebooks with the hazel wand. The vine one is still in her hair; she uses it for most things (to the extent that there is a 'most things', but she's getting a jump on her assignments) but she's giving the hazel a try for this particular charm. It's supposed to make the notebook refuse to open for anyone but her. Poke. Poke. "Claudo!"

Her notebook snaps itself shut abruptly. She opens the cover, closes it, passes it to the girl on her right and gets her to try, observes that it does not open. She puts the hazel wand back in her sleeve.

Comments

[occluminous]

"But how do you do it? Is there a poem or can you just do it whenever?"

[sparksflying]

"I just... do," she shrugs. "And sometimes it doesn't work and I fall flat on my face."

[occluminous]

"Sometimes a poem doesn't work. Especially if I try to use the same one more than once," Bella says.

[sparksflying]

"I think you can't repeat them or something?" says Tony. "I'm bad at rhyming on the spot, I never use 'em myself."

[occluminous]

"Well, yeah, making them up on the spot would be really hard, that's why mine all have spots in them for the date," says Bella.

[sparksflying]

"...Genius," declares Tony.

[occluminous]

"Thanks!"

[sparksflying]

She beams.

[occluminous]

Something occurs to Bella.

"Is Tony short for something?" she asks.

[sparksflying]

Tony rolls her eyes.

"Antoinette," she says, "and don't ever let me catch you using it. Why?"

[occluminous]

"Because my orientation packet says my roommate's name is Antoinette," explains Bella.

[sparksflying]

"Well now you know better."

[occluminous]

"I'm informed," Bella agrees. "And yours probably says I'm Isabella, which is true, and I won't really care if you use it, but I prefer Bella."

[sparksflying]

"Okay," says Tony. "I forget stuff all the time, so just keep reminding me of the right one and we're good."

[occluminous]

"Sure," says Bella. "Do you guys know any wanded magic yet? I'm trying to teach myself some things. I didn't do that well on the SPAWN - it doesn't really seem designed to measure aptitude, just whether you've met lots of wizards before, it's kinda stupid. I want to advance quick."

[sparksflying]

"I don't," says Tony.

[nobodyelse]

"I may have picked up one or two things," says Sherlock.

[occluminous]

"Like what?" Bella asks Sherlock, bouncing in her chair.

[nobodyelse]

He hesitates, then shakes his head.

"I'm not sure I've got them right. I'll wait until I know."

[occluminous]

Bella frowns. "But you're allowed to do magic, here. I just did some. Why don't you try it and see right now?"

[nobodyelse]

"Because I don't know if I have it right," he reiterates.

[occluminous]

"But - that's why you'd need to try it. If you don't have it right it won't work and then you'll know you have to change something."

[nobodyelse]

He says nothing.

[sparksflying]

"We'd rather not do our experimenting in the lunchroom," says Tony.

[occluminous]

"Why?"