How Prudence Became Imprudent (closed)

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence Campbell sat behind a table located at the corner of the infamous pub that went by the name ‘The Three Broomsticks’ with a glass of butterbeer on one hand and a fork on the other. Her decision two hours ago about getting a break led Prudence to commit a very imprudent deed… she sneaked out of the school at eight o’clock in the evening. When she sneaked out, it was not curfew so it was not that bad. Being out, however, at eleven in the evening can not be justified.

So she decided to stay and relax inside the store. The seats were comfortable and the pub had a good ambience. An ambience that would have brought her to sleep instantly if she did not spend the whole day sleeping for she never had a day more tiring than the day before in her entire life… She stopped her line of thought before it brought her back to the stressing facts that she discovered the night before. Why hurry? Everything was at peace and the later she came back to school the smaller the possibility of getting caught. It was not like Lar’s murderer to be was already lurking out there to get her!

She sighed, hoping that her mother would reply to her owl as soon as possible. She sent her an owl before sneaking out. For Prue, her answers were like raindrops that were being awaited by people, who experienced a year without rain, to fall. Suddenly, she wanted to go home and berate her with questions.

She eyed the door and heaved another sigh; if a professor, who happened to be teaching one of her classes that day, saw her there she would be in trouble for cutting class, sneaking out, and all the other rules she broke and was still breaking now. Glancing at the pub, she saw no one she knew and smiled. Peace, at last.

[alariclarsstouner]

Alaric went inside The Three Broomsticks, quite unsure of what he was doing there. He was supposed to try and catch up on some sleep since the ordeal he experienced the night before took its toll on him. He was already sneezing and he had to cover his nose with his hankie for aesthetic and hygienic purposes. Then again, it had just been his habit to sneak around at night and walk around. And he just did not know why his feet took him there. It just seemed that he had a natural disregard for his safety and after all, if the inevitable happens, he would just have to defend himself.

He then sat on an empty table not far from the back. The waiter appeared suddenly before him, asking for his order. He asked for a butterbeer and some hot chocolate. The waiter confirmed his order and disappeared, then reappeared with the drinks asked. He then thanked the waiter then letting the minutes pass, drinking in silence, occasionally sneezing from time to time.

As he was straightening his tie, he then saw a familiar face on the other side of the pub. It was Prue, the girl he had met last night. For some strange reason, he smiled, yet he was worried at the same time. It was already very dangerous for her to be out at this time of night and yet he couldn't just resist not to talk to her.

He then got up, with both drinks in hand, and approached her. He sat down right across her. "Looks like you're having some alone time," he said and at the right moment, he sneezed. Good thing the hankie was there. "Ow, sorry about that, my resistance to sickness seems to have weakened. So how are you?" he then asked.

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence took a sip from her mug as she eyed the silver bracelet around her right wrist. She was starting to get bored and frustrated. She did not know what to do with the bracelet. When she was in the owlery that afternoon, she had an epiphany. The bracelet was not infused with healing charms, at least, for her, it did not seem to be, it was charmed to do something else. Somehow, it was preventing her from getting visions.

She desperately wanted to take it off and see something. Now that the idea of being a seer sunk in, she wanted nothing more than to see something… anything. It was like she found a missing part of herself last night. Although unsure of what that part might bring her, she just could not control herself.

She took another sip and smiled as the familiar liquid went down her throat. The feeling was somewhat relaxing, in her opinion. She then brought a piece of cheese cake to her mouth. Prudence’s mind was elsewhere when someone sat across her. She nearly jumped and spilled her butterbeer all over herself and the table.

“Lars! You scared the heck outta me!” She exclaimed, regaining her grip on her mug. Thank Merlin her cake was still in one piece. “And yes I was.” She could not help but grin. “I think my alone time just came to an abrupt end.” She added, raising an eyebrow.
She frowned when he sneezed. “Shouldn’t you be back in school? I don’t know… probably sleeping that cold you caught away?” She tried to sound strict but the redness of his nose was distracting her… he looked cute and she laughed.

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[alariclarsstouner]

“I am having trouble sleeping since the last couple of months,” Lars said as he took a swig of butterbeer. He sneezed again and he was annoyed with himself for doing so. “Even if I want to, I just…can’t.” This suddenly made him wonder what really happened to him. He was suddenly conscious when she laughed and he realized because his nose was all red. “Man, I just don’t like my nose getting all red like this,” he mused while he rubbed his reddened nose. He laughed loudly, then he sneezed again. He almost cursed, muttering under his breath.

His eyes suddenly went from her to the bracelet on her wrist. Something told him that she was already itching to remove it, maybe to see something or whatever. “I guess you really want to remove the bracelet,” he remarked. He then took another swig of butterbeer. “Why do you think your grandmother does not want you to awaken your seer abilities?” then asked. There must be some good mighty grounds for her grandmother for doing so, he thought. He then sneezed again. “Ah that figures,” he then said. He took out a jug, and drank deeply from it.

“So, what made you come here to the Three Broomsticks?” he asked. “Surely, there must be something that’s bothering you right now.” He added, apparently sure.

[Prudence Campbell]

Prudence never thought she was ever going to laugh at sick people. Had her mother been here, she would have gotten herself in to a long chastising period. Struggling, she tried to get a grip on herself as she listened to his sleeping problems. “You’re just thinking about what’s possibly going to happen…” She paused. “Just remember that we are going to do something about it. Let yourself sleep and relax, I need you in one piece if we are ever going to figure out whatever is going to happen to you. And stop it if possible.” She calmly pointed out. It was kind of hard since he was older and he was a boy.

She thought she was successful in controlling herself but what he said next cracked her. She burst into a fit of giggles and she covered her mouth with her right hand. Then she cleared her throat, blushed and muttered an apology. His next topic helped her control herself. “I do not know actually, but I have a feeling that she wanted to ensure I would not end up like Mel.” She sighed. “She probably thought that by hiding away my abilities, she was forever going to eliminate the threat it posed.” She contemplated the question, trying to think like her grandmother.

What she saw next made her chuckle. Lars, all of a sudden, was busy drinking deeply from a jug. Where in Merlin’s beard did that come from? She raised an eyebrow, astonished and amused at the same time. She did not realize last night that he was funny. Or maybe you are just going crazy. That thought ended her laughter.

“Nothing’s really bothering me.” She said slowly, not knowing if she was lying at that point in time herself. “You are the one who can’t sleep so let me ask you your question.” She sat up and appeared a little taller than she had been. Clearing her throat she asked. “What brought you here?”

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[alariclarsstouner]

Prue’s question suddenly made him think about what he was really doing there. He merely mussed his hair and thought hard. Surely there must be some reason behind the act. However, all he knew that he just wanted to go there on a whim. “Well, actually…I really don’t know why I went here but all I know is that I wanted to go here,” he answered. That was actually true, aside from the fact that he couldn’t sleep.

He then looked at the jug where he was drinking from moments earlier. “Actually, I’ve been making a potion to cure my colds, I tried copying my mother’s recipe and I guess it kind of worked for me,” he then said. His mother was one person he looked up to when it comes to potion making. “She makes bad tasting brews taste like heaven,” he then added, smiling, although he was still bothered by what she said about him.

He then contemplated on his increasing lack of ability to sleep. Surely, he knew that it lingered for quite a long time, but it seemed like he was quite unaffected by it. He could still study, get high grades and exercise like mad and yet he doesn’t feel tired. He then remembered the muggle medical book he was browsing back home. “Well, I actually don’t feel tired at all. I am still able to perform my activities well yet I still don’t feel tired or anything,” he said. “Although the prophecy was bothering me, I’m still pretty much in one piece.” He then added to assure her that he was alright.

[Prudence Campbell]

His answer sort of surprised her. For a while she thought she was the only one who does that. Most of the time, she just followed her instincts and go wherever her feet leads her. Prue never thought of a destination, unless it was an event that required her attendance, like class for example.

“Wow, you must be really good.” She smiled at him, impressed. Wow… his talented. First the telescope thing and now the potion altering acts. “More than half of the potions ever invented taste like hell.” She commented, remembering a particular potion she had to drink when she was younger. ew. She swallowed a big gulp of butterbeer and chewed her lower lip. “Do you mind me asking a favor?” She asked, not wanting to just tell him without asking.

“Maybe you’ve turned bionic or something.” She told him. “Or you eat a lot. Eating and sleeping are both energy givers. Maybe you are eating instead of sleeping?” She half asked half stated, not knowing if it was a very bad thing or not. There was a reason why human beings are created with the ability to sleep. Upsetting the balance between waking moments and sleeping hours could not bring any good.

She drank and eyed him over her mug. He did not look like someone who was eating instead of sleeping. In fact he, looked like he was balance personified. She could not help but notice how muscular his chest was across the table and that thought caused her to almost sputter her drink all over him. What the hell was she thinking?! She discretely looked at the window. "Oh look, it's snowing again." She muttered more to herself than him, feeling a light blush creep up her cheeks...

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[alariclarsstouner]

“I’m not really that impressive…men from our clan usually dabble in the potion making arts as well as repair work,” he said, taking a swig from his bottle of butterbeer. “It was ironic though that I had to learn from my mother, since my dad couldn’t even brew a love potion,” he added, chuckling. He could vividly remember his dad coming out of the laboratory all blackened because his cauldron exploded. Since then, he learned the art from his mother and he knew that he was taught very well.

As he was listening to her, he couldn’t help but feel something quite funny with her. Then again, this was only their second meeting since that fateful night. I must be imagining things, he thought. He then took another swig until the bottle was almost empty, prompting him to start drinking his hot chocolate.

As she was talking about him eating more than sleeping, he merely smiled. “Yeah, I’ve just been eating much since I couldn’t sleep, but most of the time, I would just tinker with my tools or read books to help me sleep. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time it does not work,” he then said to her. “When I just couldn’t sleep anymore, I tried to exercise inside the room however, by the time my roomates wake up, I’m not yet done with it,” he added, remembering how he attempted at least a thousand one finger push-ups one particular night.

He then heard her comment about how it was snowing outside. He glanced by the window and saw that it deposited quite a blanket of snow on the road. “Probably it just woudn’t last long enough to get us stranded here,” he commented. He then took off his jacket and loosened his tie. “This tie I chose is very stifling, its choking me to death,” he said, smiling at her.

This was then he noticed that her cheeks seemed red, however he knew that asking her about it would make her blush even more.

[Prudence Campbell]

She was so glad that he was fond of the potions and brewing. Feeling like her favor was something that will push him to do his hobby, she decided to tell him. Although he seemed to have ignored her question, she reckoned that he just did not hear it. So, she told him her favor anyway.

“I have a friend, who seemed to be always in need of a certain potion that cures… sickness.” She paused. Sickness? Really? You could not think of a better term? I kept asking her to drink her mother’s potion but she just did not want to because it makes her gag. Maybe you can make some for her? She and I would really appreciate it.” She smiled brihtly. “She and I would even be happier if you taught us how to do it.”

Ah the reason behind muscular chest was exercising instead of sleeping… She mused and mentally shook her head. She really should stop thinking about details like that. It was both improper and dangerous. And very disappointing… her own voice in her head told her and she nodded in complete agreement to herself.

“So that works for you. Never tried it before.” She said truthfully. “Mother would kill me if I don’t sleep. She says it’s essential for a growing girl.” She shrugged, drawing quotation marks in the air as she said ‘it’s essential for a growing girl.’ “Not that I’m still growing taller…” She rolled her eyes but could not help but smile as she remembered her mother. She just saw her last Christmas break and was missing her already.

She turned her attention away from the window and back to him. “I have a feeling it would stop in about five minutes.” She grinned. “It’s just passing by, I think. Just wondering, are you in a hurry to go back?” She asked. He was the one who was not getting enough sleep lately. Maybe he wanted to give it a shot. “I figured staying here would be safe, you know from the professors. Surely they would give up patrolling around morning... say two o’clock?” A certain professor scared the hell out of her yesterday.

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[alariclarsstouner]

Lars was surprised when she suddenly asked him a favor to brew a potion for someone. It was not really difficult for him, however he needed to know a few things about the potion and what are its supposed effects. “Well, sure I can help, however, you have to tell me what kind of potion it is and what it’s supposed effects to the drinker,” he said. “It would not really be difficult to make it better tasting and I’m more than willing to teach both of you,” he added, smiling at her. He knew that she had heard her earlier, however, he seemed to have spaced out.

He laughed when she told him about her sleeping habits and how it was supposed to be important for her. “Back home, my parents were already used to seeing me awake for hours at a time. Sometimes I have to pretend I’m sleeping so they would not check on me too often,” he said, suddenly remembering his parents. He wondered whether his mother had already recovered. He just sighed.

“Sure, I’m not really in a hurry to go back,” he then said when she asked him. He knew the professors were patrolling at this time of night and they would have to wait until the coast gets clear. “Besides, you seem like you needed some company,” he then added as he drank from his cup of hot choco.

“So, how are your classes? I’ve heard there were new professors this term and they…quite have a reputation,” he then commented. Although He did not have that much academic load, he was aware of the other professors and he was getting feedback from his roommates about them.

[Prudence Campbell]

A small part of herself, the one who foolishly hoped he would not ask about the specifics of the potion, sunk. She smiled and brought another piece of her cake to her mouth. As she chewed slowly with enthusiasm, she thought of the supposed effects of the potion. It was hard to explain but she had to try anyway.

“It’s sort of supposed to calm a person to prevent…” She struggled, trying to find the right word. “unfortunate events from happening?” She knew she sounded like she was asking a question for she was not really sure what the effects of the potion were. All she knew at the moment was that she needed loads of better tasting potions and fast. “Actually, I have a sample here…” She took out a vial and a small piece of parchment. “and the list of ingredients. I still have five vials in my room. Maybe you could just alter them? Make them better?” She asked hopefully.

“Yup. Definitely needed of company. I can’t stop thinking about it you know.” She eyed him and sighed. “I sent my mother an owl as soon as I woke up. I needed answers. It’s so hard to be in the dark… especially if it is all about yourself.” She sighed and called for the bartender. Another drink was definitely what she needed. “So I went up the owlery… you know what I got?” She raised an eyebrow at him as she sipped the last of her drinks.

“Quite a reputation?” She asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “Have you heard about Professor Pardelle? The Divinations teacher? I heard some students saying she was doing the unthinkable with a student along the corridors in the middle of the night.” She said, shaking her head, not really sure what to believe. The logical part of her brain told her not to but her intuition was telling her otherwise. “Wait have you meet the newest professor yet? The one with really untamed hair?”

[alariclarsstouner]

Lars merely watched her as she took out the vial with the potion and wrote down the list of ingredients on a piece of parchment. He held the vial and examined it. He would have to consult his books regarding the potion so he would know what to alter without actually poisoning her in the process. “So you just want it to taste better? I can manage that,” he said, as he rotated the vial on the palm of his hand. Surely whatever its use would be, he hoped that he would succeed and so far he only failed once. “After all, potion making is just like cooking much,” he added, nodding. "When I finish this, I'll meet you in the common room."

He listened to her talk about how she was bothered by the turn of events in her life, and how she even sent her mother an owl because she needed answers. “Yes, I know it’s hard being kept in the dark but trust me, they wouldn’t have to do it if they knew you’re going to be safe,” he commented. He couldn’t help but smile when she raised an eyebrow at him. “What did you get then?” he inquired, chuckling,

The talk suddenly shifted to academics as Prue talked about all the other professors, who had quite a reputation in school. He listened with interest as she told him news about their activities that seemed very interesting to him…yet he knew that it only invoked bad vibes. She then asked him about the newest professor with untamed hair.

“Oh you mean Madam Drayton? The Arithmancy professor? She was the reason why I dropped the subject in the first place,” he said. “She has this tendency to go insane and when she does, she can kill anyone as she pleases. They say her insanity killed her husband, although she loved him very much,” he then added as he recalled the information being passed around the sixth years when they were choosing subjects.

“If you are taking classes with her, I advise you to be more wary of her and when she goes berserk, run as fast as you can.”

[Prudence Campbell]

She said thanks to the bartender and drunk. ”Great. Thanks.” She gave him another smile. “If I could do it, I would not have bothered you.” She said almost apologetically, not really used to asking people favors. “I just don’t want to end up poisoning myself, you know.” She added jokingly. “I suck at cooking. I can’t even fry chicken.”

When he asked about what she got and chuckled, she told him. “I got a letter composed of two sentences with a P.S. from my mother.” She complained, she could not believe she would send her a letter that short. The way it was written indicated alarm and haste. The letters were not in their normally perfect forms. “She asked if I was fine for she sensed something big happened and said that if I ever needed answers all I needed to do was ask away.” She grumbled and eyed him. “She really wanted me to ask. Lars, why couldn’t she just answer?” She scoffed her hand gestures showed her frustration.

She noticed the professor’s unstable mind the day before but never did she imagine her killing somebody. She knew nothing about her. She did not even know that she had a husband. After hearing what Lars had to say about the Professor, she needed not wonder why she had been getting bad vibes the day before. “Do you think that’s true though?” She could not help but ask for his opinion. “Why would the founders hire someone with that kind of… record? Unless… she was never caught?” She trailed off. If that was the case, she was lucky to be alive.

After mulling over the professor’s insanity for a few more moments, she realized he did not really answer her question. “Did you have any personal encounter with her?”

[alariclarsstouner]

Lars laughed when she told him she couldn’t even fry chicken. “Nah, I really don’t cook that much but I guess, I had to learn since my mom is always sick most of the time and my dad just couldn’t even boil an egg,” he said laughingly as he sipped the last of his hot chocolate. He knew that some girls he was acquainted with cannot cook also and it understood it naturally. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t have some difficulty with potions,” he added as he placed the vial inside his pouch bag.

He realized that he didn’t have any drinks on him so he called for the bartender for another two bottles of butterbeer. Moments later, the bartender reappeared with his two bottles of butterbeer. He thanked him then took a swig and sighed contentedly.

He then listened to her ranting about the very short letter she received from her mother and she was frustrated as to why she wouldn’t answer her questions. “Maybe she was expecting this already. She knew that you’d be bursting with questions; I guess you just have to give her some time to think about what to give you for an answer,” he replied, as he took another swig of the butterbeer. He could understand what Prue’s mother felt; it would be really stressful to know that your daughter would ask you the questions that you will never expect her to ask.

“I guess despite her insanity, the founders still trust her, since she is the best in the subject and they feel that she is suitable for the job,” he then said, as he was trying to form the image of Esmeralda Drayton on his mind. “From what I heard, she teaches the subject quite well although she can be quite cruel at times,” he added.

Prue then asked him if he already had any personal encounter with the professor. “No, I haven’t, although one time a saw a picture of her and I touched it for a sec and then I began to see images on my head about her,” he said truthfully, although he was bothered if he had to tell her about the picture touching thing.

[Prudence Campbell]

“F. Y. I. I can boil and fry an egg.” She told him, head held high and suddenly very proud of her extremely limited cooking knowledge. It was good for him to have learned the art of brewing easily. Although, her mother being sick most of the time made her feel sad for him. She could not imagine how she would feel if their situations were reversed. Never was she the really dependent type of daughter. Thanks to her father who balanced out her mother efficiently. But, she never really felt she was super independent. Being an only daughter made her her parent’s only star. It was good she did not end up spoiled rotten. But if her grandmother lived a little bit longer…

“My point exactly!” She tried to say as calmly as possible and controlled herself, she could not fill his night out with her rants about a psychic mother who knows exactly how to piss her daughter off. She knew he was right. If she was her mother, she would have used this same opportunity to buy herself some time. Of course, she had to have gotten that particular trait from her. It proved to be super useful all the time. But, her mother using it on her was just plain annoying. “My mother and I both know she’s on to my recent discoveries… it’s impossible that she’s not. She’s just using a very familiar delaying tactic to buy herself some time.” She sighed. She knew her mother too well that she did not need to listen to her intuition with regard to this.

She nodded. Professor Drayton was more than amazing in the subject. “She’s great. I was able to learn a lot in our first class.” She said truthfully, recalling how she computed for her character, heart and social numbers, all of which were accurate, and she still could not believe how powerful Arithmancy could be if practiced correctly. “Actually, I already love her class. It would have been better if she did not look insane half the time though.” She commented lightly, as if she was talking about her favorite cake.

“Oh.” She said automatically. Now she realized what he meant about his mother’s ability being rubbed off on him. “So you touched an image of her and saw her past? Wait! You touch images and see the past?” She raised an eyebrow, very curious now.

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