sit back, relax -open-

[Orlando Theodore Montague]

Orlando rubbed at his neck angrily. He sometimes hated his brother. He didn't want to. He didn't want to hate anyone. He tried to find good in everyone, but his brother didn't give him a chance. He wanted Orlando to go home. Where he 'belonged' was it only so that he would tend to the animals? Did his brother want him brought up as an peasant? Deprived of his birth status.

Though Orlando had no love of court life, he still wanted what was his. He growled to himself, and kicked at the floor underneath the table he was sat at. Why did his brother have to be like this? Why could he not let Orlando have his share of the will and be done with the boy. He hated that his brother was 10 years his senior. It meant that he was still liable to make the decisions for Orlando. Though by next year, he was sure that he would legally get his money.

His mind flicked to another subject, as one particular girl walked past him waving politely as she did. He still had yet to properly talk to Rosalind... on her own. When they were alone, he just clammed up. He couldn't speak. He felt like a right idiot. He shook his head at his own stupidity, and went back to the page he was reading. He dipped his quill into the ink pot, and scribbled down some more notes. He held the quill to his mouth, a curious expression on his face.

He scribbled some more down, and before placing the quill down on the table. He looked around at all the silent faces, and relaxed into his chair. His arms lifted and his hands joined together to cup his neck in his awaiting hands.

[Catherine Cearo Celeste]

Cate was on the tips of her toes. Her arm was grasping at the top shelf. Her gaze swivelled up and down. Her face contorted with the attempt to reach the higher shelves. Which was where the 'Aquatic Herbs and Plants', book sat. She gave up suddenly and peered to her left. A boy robed in silver and green was using a stepladder nearby. Cate got one look at the color of his robes and decided against requesting the ladder. Scratching her messy hair lazily, she looked around for others. There was a small Gryffindor boy who was probably a first or second year but shorter than she was at least.

As she walked down a row of books, Cate scanned the tables on the other side for someone who could help her. She noticed a Hufflepuff boy right away. He seemed rather preoccupied with thoughts. Cate watched him for a moment, debating whether to bother him with her problem or leave him be. Slowly, she inched toward him from behind. Her casual robe dangled loosely as she went. Her school robes were too torn and patched for her to be comfortable wearing them out of classes.

As she approached him, Cate also noticed the girl waving at him. She grinned awkwardly at the other girl. When she glanced back down at the boy however, he was looking around the room. Though Cate was right behind him now. She leapt as he moved he moved suddenly. Cate chuckled softly and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Excuse me?" She asked softly. Cate removed her hand from his shoulder and held her hands together at her side. With a glance toward the librarian's desk, she continued softly. "I'm sorry to bother. Could you help me a moment?" She tilted her head to one side as she peered down at him. "I can't reach a book, you see."

[Orlando Theodore Montague]

Orlando was about to close his eyes, when a hand dropped down onto his shoulder. He tilted his head and glanced back, rocking the chair back slightly so he could see. A blond haired girl stood behind him. He chuckled as the blood began to rush to his head. He straightened up, and swiveled on the chair so he could see her properly. He was sure he recognized her. She had to be in his house.

He gave her a bright smile, “Sure I can” he nodded as he waited for her request. He moved his hair from his eyes, and pushed the chair back, careful not to push it back into her, and stood. “Which book do you need getting?” he asked, scanning the upper shelves with his eyes. He shoved his fingers into the pockets of his robes. He gave her a curious look “You're in my year right? And house” he asked as a way of starting up conversation.

“Orlando Montague” he suddenly introduced himself, sticking his hand out, thinking it would be polite, and he was feeling ashamed that he couldn't recall her name even if she was in the same house as him. He shifted on the spot, then gently closed the book that he'd left open as a means of distraction, she was quite pretty really. While he 'loved' Rosalind, he wasn't blind to the aesthetically pleasing features of other females.

[Catherine Cearo Celeste]

Catherine's eyes widened in shock at Orlando's head tilted back. She put her hands, fingers still locked together, to her mouth. She gasped when he rocked the chair back. She took a wary step backward and put her hands back at her sides. Scanning the rest of the tables of the library, she wondered if he was sane. When he chuckled, she gazed back down at him. "Er." Cate mumbled nervously.
Catherine had been about to apologize for bothering him. His acceptance and seeming willingness to help made her ecstatic. So happy, in fact, that she forgot the title to the unreachable book. "Um. It was. . ." Cate doubled over and rubbed her head slowly with one hand. "Had to be 'Aqautic Plants and Animals' or 'Aqautic Herbs and Fungi'. Cate stood back up. She gave Orlando a panicked stare, fearing impatience on the boy's part.
As she stared, she couldn't help but noticing how tall and handsome he was. "Lucky girl," Cate thought aloud. Without even noticing she'd made the comment out loud, Cate began to answer his greeting. Completely forgeting the request she had needed fulfilled. "Catherine Celeste. Its not a very consistent name. I know. Most people call me Cate to remedy that. But not Cathy, please!" Cate nodded aggressively as he spoke. "Yes. Hufflepuff and Seventh. I recognize you. My robes are a bit different in classes. I preferred to have nicer casual dress than a new school uniform. You might not remember me because of that."

[Orlando Theodore Montague]

For a moment, he believed that the Hufflepuff girl was in pain, as she began to rub her head, and a look of concern graced his face. Then she told him a guess of the title, and Orlando nodded twice, and smiled brightly at her. He licked his bottom lip, his tongue snaking out and wetting the pink skin of his lip. “Al-right” he said turning from her to look at the books. He began to scan the upper shelves, looking for a book with a name that was similar to what she'd told him.

Orlando's nose scrunched in confusion. “Lucky who?” he asked, looking back around at her. His fingers grasped the spine of a book with the name 'Aquatic Herbs and Plants', and he gently tugged it out from the shelf. “Cate” he tried with a smile. “Is this the book?” he asked, fully turning back around, and holding the book out for her to see.

“Well it's a pleasure to officially meet you” he said and as he thought about it, he realised he had seen her in class, just he'd not paid enough attention in the classes they had together, though to be fair, he never really paid much attention in class. “That'll be it” he grinned, it was a lot easy to place someone when they were in the normal school robes. “I wish I'd dressed in my casual clothing.” he smiled, “But I didn't think about it when I came down here” he added.

[Catherine Cearo Celeste]

Cate watched Orlando carefully as he moved. Her mind was far from textbooks and school work by now. She quickly grew bored of watching him find the book. She was deeply sorry that she'd let herself forget the name of the book. As she watched a short group of first years go by, Cate opened her mouth to voice an apology. But he had spoken first. 'Lucky who? Good question. Strangely, Cate couldn't recall the girl's name. She was certain she had never seen her before actually. Cate was much better at remembering names and faces that books.'

"Lucky me!" Cate lied with a grin as she spun back toward Orlando. "To have a helpful person nearby in a time of need." Cate didn't think she sounded sincere. Nervously, she shrugged and cried out, "Yes! Finally, the book Helga wanted!" Cate rushed forward suddenly and snatched the book hungrily. "Sorry. I really needed it though."
"Uh-yah. School robes are boring. Sometimes I don't think to do things too." Cate stared blankly at Orlando for a moment. She smiled and lunged forth suddenly, embracing him by the waist. "I thank you kindly." She released him quickly and stepped backward. "Sorry about having you look for it as well as reaching it. That shouldn't have been necessary."

[Orlando Theodore Montague]

Orlando smiled back at her. “It's no problem at all Cate” he said with a large smile. “I'm glad to have been of use” he added, his hands settling back down by his sides. He didn't mind helping, and seeing her smile at him made it worth it. “Helga wanted the book?” he questioned, trying to make conversation. He chuckled softly as she grabbed the book from him, and waved it off “You don't need to apologize for that” he told her, with his typical large grin plastered on his face.

“They really are” he agreed. The robes were fine for wearing in school hours, but once he'd finished class, he usually enjoyed wearing more colourful clothing. He grunted quietly as she suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist, but returned the embrace gently for a brief moment.

There was a light pink tint to his cheeks when she released him. “It was no problem, it was a pleasure to help you” he replied, “I mean it didn't take too much effort to find it, you did tell me most of the title” he gave her another bright smile to show her that he was honestly okay with it.

[Catherine Cearo Celeste]

Catherine beamed as she lifted the book in front of her and read the title. She flipped through the pages, wondering why professor would need a book about her own subject. Cate grinned wondering if the Professor also forgot things like she did. It seemed unlikely but made Cate feel less like a fool.

She looked back up to Orlando again, she frowned in thought. His question made her wonder further about the Professor. "Yes. Does she seem a bit strange to you at all? Like she's older. Maybe more strict?" Cate scratched her eyebrow and gazed at Orlando blankly as she wondered what might spark the sudden change. "Maybe I'm only imagining things."

Cate smiled sweetly. "I know! Would you come deliver it with me. I know she'd give you House Points for helping me find it. If you would rather stay here, I wouldn't mind telling Helga about you. I just hope it doesn't slip my mind before I get the chance to say something." Cate didn't remember if he had been reading or doing some work when she'd found him. Either way, he didn't seem too busy at the moment. Cate's eyes were distracted from a passing first year student. She giggled quietly and mouthed the word 'cute.'

[Orlando Theodore Montague]

Orlando was happy that he could help her. There were certain merits to being tall. While he was just under 6 foot, it was still tall enough that he could reach the higher shelves without help of a ladder. He watched as she went through the pages, probably checking again that it was the right book. Orlando would be more than happy to put it back and replace it with the right book if it wasn't.

Orlando bit his lip before he answered. “I guess, she's been a bit stricter recently. Maybe she's just stressed?” he shrugged his shoulders. Professor Hufflepuff did indeed seem a little strange recently, but he'd put it down to stress or something along those lines. It was a stressful time. He smiled at her again, and let the subject go.

He looked at the bag of stuff and then back at Cate. “I'd be delighted to accompany you, miss, I was finished here anyway” he grinned at her, offering his arm for her to hold. “I believe a walk around the castle is a good thing” he smiled, trying to explain to her that it would be no hardship on his account, and honestly, he was enjoying talking with her. He bit back a chuckle as he saw her mouth 'cute' in relation to the passing first year. “I'm not sure the first years would be all too pleased if they heard you calling them cute” he teased gently.

[Catherine Cearo Celeste]

For a moment, Catherine's gaze went blank. Her thoughts played out her vibrant fantasies about Helga's subtle change of character. Of which Cate was not even so sure that she witnessed. It would be a fairie spirit, of course. A fitting symbol of Helga's personality. But there were evil spirits too. Cate gaped as the thought darkened her usually colorful mind. A dark spirit. Like the one Cate herself shared her body with, empowered perhaps, not by the full moon, but by what? Cate's eyes snapped back into focus as Orlando spoke. When she's stressed? Ah, yes. She must be stressed. Cate hoped that stress had nothing to do with her.

"Great!" Catherine exclaimed as Orlando agreed to come with her. Cate grinned at being referred to as 'miss'. Which was quite uncommon for her outside of the Castle. She still found it hard to take. Instead of shrinking away from the awkward feeling, Cate leapt forward and took the boy's arm eagerly. She dropped the book in the quick exchange from one hand to the other but her free hand jumped to life instantly, seizing the book by its spine before it even had time to fall past her reach. Cate clutched the book to her side with one hand and began to walk toward the library exit.

Cate turned her head and smiled up at him. She silently wondered if he was pure blood or not. He didn't seem to mind her company too much though she knew that some, like Gryffindor, only pretended to respect half-bloods and muggleborn. "Yes. Well, what they don't know wont hurt them. And they are so cute. I wish I had been that perfect when I was that small." Cate recalled having robes so torn and small that her knees poked the through the bottom and it was a chore to keep the rags from falling off. Now she could use magic to make her clothing more presentable. But that first impression stuck with most of her fellow Seventh years. Now frowning, she remembered her father begging her to stay with him. Partially spiteful of his absence during the full moon and part sheer selfishness, she ignored his tearful plea and left him to suffer alone. Now, Cate wished she had succombed to his sorrow. He was now nothing more than a bloated, drunken heap who had to be forcefully fed most nights. Cate even had nightmares of what his furry-counterpart had done. "I was a mess back then." Cate managed a quick smile but turned her gaze to the library door as they approached it.