Disclaimer: I don't own Holmes, Victor Trevor, Old Trevor, or Cambridge for
that matter. All Sherlockian references belong to Doyle, so don't sue.
A/N: Hello, everyone, I'm back!! Hopefully I'll be able to post some more chapters up in both University Life and New Ally, seeing as I am finally on winter break ::Thanks the school for three free weeks:: Anyways, hope you guys are still interested in this story, as well as New Ally, because I will be posting Chapter 14 up.
About the whole romance thing, I have decided, after viewing all of your wonderful reviews, ::gives everyone a cookie for their great work:: to include some romance in this story. But, don't worry all those who don't like romance, I assure you that it won't be fluff and that I will keep Holmes as close to the canon character as possible.
Anyways, enough about the plot, here's Chapter 4: ENJOY!!
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Chapter 4-
"So what do you think of Katie, Sherlock?" asked Anne ardently as the two strolled slowly down the path leading to Caius Hall, one of the front entrances of the school grounds.
"What do you mean?" Holmes asked in return, slightly surprised. He had no idea that his thoughts about his friend were so obvious. "She's a good friend, but I'm sure that you already know that. What are you trying to ask?"
"Oh, never mind," Anne sighed with a shake of her head and a knowing smile gracing her lips. Holmes was sure that he heard her mutter "Men." Under her breath as they continued in silence.
Nothing more was said for several minutes as each student spent their time relishing the warmth of the warmest rays of afternoon sunshine that they were going to receive that year, and listening to the chirping chatter of songbirds as they prepared to fly south for the winter.
"So, Sherlock, what classes do you take here?" Anne asked, deciding to break the utter silence that had fallen between the two.
"I do a bit of everything, really: chemistry, physics, calculus, trigonometry, biology, and psychology."
"Hmm, sounds a bit one-sided to me," Anne opined as she folded her arms.
"Whatever do you mean?" Holmes asked in mock surprise.
"You've practically taken every single math and science course available at this school!" exclaimed Anne as she threw up her arms in exasperation.
"That may be true, but you have to admit that it gives me a broad foundation of experience." Holmes countered teasingly.
"I suppose," Anne conceded with a sigh.
"Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I've already taken any necessary art courses," continued Holmes haughtily.
"Why are you telling me this? You don't have to defend your qualifications in front of me, I already know that you're a genius." Anne announced with a smirk.
"If only that were really true," mused Holmes thoughtfully as he observed a single crow land on the gravel paved path before them.
Silence settled over the two of them once again, as they entered a small rose garden enclosed by a beautifully ornate iron wrought fence.
"So what do you do in your free time, apart from showing new students around the school grounds?" Anne asked in a second attempt to start a proper conversation.
"You don't enjoy silences, do you Anne?" Holmes returned amusedly with a question of his own.
"Well, no," Anne replied, slightly more subdued. "Maybe it's just because I haven't had many people to talk to in the past, but I feel that silence tends to weigh down atmosphere of a normally cheerful situation."
"I see," mused Holmes thoughtfully, making a mental note of the information. "Well, in answer to your question, I don't have a lot of spare time, with all my classes and personal researches, but I believe that one of my favourite pastimes, if you can call it that, would be making observations and deductions from the people who I meet, and seeing how accurate my conjectures were, like what I did with you earlier on in my rooms."
"Really?" Anne asked, slightly incredulous. "Well you've got yourself quite a hobby if I do say so myself. And you seem to be getting very good at it."
Holmes shrugged nonchalantly. "Right now, I have to actively train my brain and senses to make these observations, based on trivial things, such as a person's air demeanour, or way of dress. I hope one day to have trained myself so well, that this becomes a second nature habit. The ability has come in handy for me, on more than one occasion."
"So what do you plan to do with your life once you have perfected your seemingly magical ability?" Anne asked, with her interest peaked.
"I'm not completely sure yet," confessed Holmes with a sheepish smile. "It is true that this is our last year at Cambridge, and so I ought to be thinking about a possible career, but to tell you the truth, I haven't given the matter a lot of thought. The only possibility that has entered my mind in all my years in university is that of becoming a detective of some sort."
"Well that's not an occupation I get to hear about every day," mused Anne excitedly, and Holmes was sure that she had skipped a step as they continued their stroll. "What makes you turn to that line of work?"
"My attention was directed to detection by the father of my only friend at the previous college I attended," explained Holmes casually. "About two years ago, right before I transferred to Cambridge in fact, I met a fellow called Victor Trevor. We became friends after his bull terrier froze on my ankle one morning as I was running to the chapel." At this, Anne's eyes grew wide with astonishment and a tinge of fear, but Holmes waved away the comment offhandedly and continued unperturbed as if he were talking about the weather.
"After we became close friends, Trevor had invited me to his home in the country, where I had the honour of meeting his father, who was a Justice of the Peace at the time. Apparently, Victor had told his father of my talents in observation and deduction, which I was just beginning to cultivate at the time, and the old man had absolutely insisted me to give a demonstration. After making several correct deductions into his past, including one that was connected to his darkest secret, Old Trevor had announced in front of me that I should turn my attention towards detection when it came time for me to choose a profession.
" 'I don't know how you manage this, Mr. Holmes, but it seems to me that all the detectives of fact and fancy would be children in your hands,' he told me. 'That's your line of life, sir, and you may take the word of a man who as seen something of the world.' "
"Well, I suppose Mr. Trevor has a point, now that you mention it," Anne mused. "I mean, you could find out so much about your clients and antagonists alike with a mere glance in their direction, and if you put your skills to use in a crime scene, then who knows the possibilities!"
"Dear me, you do me too much honour," Holmes stated modestly. "There is much more to detection that the simple art of observation and deduction, of that I am sure. For one, experience is needed. And that is what I have very little."
"So what happened to Mr. Trevor and your friend, Victor?" Anne asked curiously as the two turned down the path towards the grand St. Mary's University Church, with it high steeples rising upwards from the horizon and its magnificent stained windows glistening in the afternoon sunlight.
"Victor is doing well, as far as I can tell, and is at the Terai tea planting, the last time I heard from him. Unfortunately, his father didn't fare as well as he did. I am sorry to say that Old Trevor died soon after I made my acquaintance with him as a result of an affair which became the first case in which I was ever involved."
Anne's eyes grew wide once again in disbelief and she managed to utter out, "How?"
Holmes, however, remained silent as he took out an ornately engraved golden pocket watch from the depths of his waistcoat and glanced at the dial.
"Is that the time already?" He exclaimed with surprise, before turning to Anne. "Please accept my apologies, Miss Finnegan, but I must leave you now; I need to prepare for my calculus class. All you have to do is take the path on the right and you'll be able to return to your lodgings." Without another word, Holmes turned on his heel and sped away in the direction from which they came, with his coat tails flapping in the air as though desperate to keep up with his swift gait.
Sighing deeply, Anne continued on the path towards the grand chapel in front of her, shaking her head the entire time. "Seems like all men will still be boys in their minds," she mused under her breath amusedly. "Wait till Katie hears of this."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Not much happens in this chapter, but it's foundation for what's about to happen. Stay tuned, you guys!
A/N: Hello, everyone, I'm back!! Hopefully I'll be able to post some more chapters up in both University Life and New Ally, seeing as I am finally on winter break ::Thanks the school for three free weeks:: Anyways, hope you guys are still interested in this story, as well as New Ally, because I will be posting Chapter 14 up.
About the whole romance thing, I have decided, after viewing all of your wonderful reviews, ::gives everyone a cookie for their great work:: to include some romance in this story. But, don't worry all those who don't like romance, I assure you that it won't be fluff and that I will keep Holmes as close to the canon character as possible.
Anyways, enough about the plot, here's Chapter 4: ENJOY!!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 4-
"So what do you think of Katie, Sherlock?" asked Anne ardently as the two strolled slowly down the path leading to Caius Hall, one of the front entrances of the school grounds.
"What do you mean?" Holmes asked in return, slightly surprised. He had no idea that his thoughts about his friend were so obvious. "She's a good friend, but I'm sure that you already know that. What are you trying to ask?"
"Oh, never mind," Anne sighed with a shake of her head and a knowing smile gracing her lips. Holmes was sure that he heard her mutter "Men." Under her breath as they continued in silence.
Nothing more was said for several minutes as each student spent their time relishing the warmth of the warmest rays of afternoon sunshine that they were going to receive that year, and listening to the chirping chatter of songbirds as they prepared to fly south for the winter.
"So, Sherlock, what classes do you take here?" Anne asked, deciding to break the utter silence that had fallen between the two.
"I do a bit of everything, really: chemistry, physics, calculus, trigonometry, biology, and psychology."
"Hmm, sounds a bit one-sided to me," Anne opined as she folded her arms.
"Whatever do you mean?" Holmes asked in mock surprise.
"You've practically taken every single math and science course available at this school!" exclaimed Anne as she threw up her arms in exasperation.
"That may be true, but you have to admit that it gives me a broad foundation of experience." Holmes countered teasingly.
"I suppose," Anne conceded with a sigh.
"Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I've already taken any necessary art courses," continued Holmes haughtily.
"Why are you telling me this? You don't have to defend your qualifications in front of me, I already know that you're a genius." Anne announced with a smirk.
"If only that were really true," mused Holmes thoughtfully as he observed a single crow land on the gravel paved path before them.
Silence settled over the two of them once again, as they entered a small rose garden enclosed by a beautifully ornate iron wrought fence.
"So what do you do in your free time, apart from showing new students around the school grounds?" Anne asked in a second attempt to start a proper conversation.
"You don't enjoy silences, do you Anne?" Holmes returned amusedly with a question of his own.
"Well, no," Anne replied, slightly more subdued. "Maybe it's just because I haven't had many people to talk to in the past, but I feel that silence tends to weigh down atmosphere of a normally cheerful situation."
"I see," mused Holmes thoughtfully, making a mental note of the information. "Well, in answer to your question, I don't have a lot of spare time, with all my classes and personal researches, but I believe that one of my favourite pastimes, if you can call it that, would be making observations and deductions from the people who I meet, and seeing how accurate my conjectures were, like what I did with you earlier on in my rooms."
"Really?" Anne asked, slightly incredulous. "Well you've got yourself quite a hobby if I do say so myself. And you seem to be getting very good at it."
Holmes shrugged nonchalantly. "Right now, I have to actively train my brain and senses to make these observations, based on trivial things, such as a person's air demeanour, or way of dress. I hope one day to have trained myself so well, that this becomes a second nature habit. The ability has come in handy for me, on more than one occasion."
"So what do you plan to do with your life once you have perfected your seemingly magical ability?" Anne asked, with her interest peaked.
"I'm not completely sure yet," confessed Holmes with a sheepish smile. "It is true that this is our last year at Cambridge, and so I ought to be thinking about a possible career, but to tell you the truth, I haven't given the matter a lot of thought. The only possibility that has entered my mind in all my years in university is that of becoming a detective of some sort."
"Well that's not an occupation I get to hear about every day," mused Anne excitedly, and Holmes was sure that she had skipped a step as they continued their stroll. "What makes you turn to that line of work?"
"My attention was directed to detection by the father of my only friend at the previous college I attended," explained Holmes casually. "About two years ago, right before I transferred to Cambridge in fact, I met a fellow called Victor Trevor. We became friends after his bull terrier froze on my ankle one morning as I was running to the chapel." At this, Anne's eyes grew wide with astonishment and a tinge of fear, but Holmes waved away the comment offhandedly and continued unperturbed as if he were talking about the weather.
"After we became close friends, Trevor had invited me to his home in the country, where I had the honour of meeting his father, who was a Justice of the Peace at the time. Apparently, Victor had told his father of my talents in observation and deduction, which I was just beginning to cultivate at the time, and the old man had absolutely insisted me to give a demonstration. After making several correct deductions into his past, including one that was connected to his darkest secret, Old Trevor had announced in front of me that I should turn my attention towards detection when it came time for me to choose a profession.
" 'I don't know how you manage this, Mr. Holmes, but it seems to me that all the detectives of fact and fancy would be children in your hands,' he told me. 'That's your line of life, sir, and you may take the word of a man who as seen something of the world.' "
"Well, I suppose Mr. Trevor has a point, now that you mention it," Anne mused. "I mean, you could find out so much about your clients and antagonists alike with a mere glance in their direction, and if you put your skills to use in a crime scene, then who knows the possibilities!"
"Dear me, you do me too much honour," Holmes stated modestly. "There is much more to detection that the simple art of observation and deduction, of that I am sure. For one, experience is needed. And that is what I have very little."
"So what happened to Mr. Trevor and your friend, Victor?" Anne asked curiously as the two turned down the path towards the grand St. Mary's University Church, with it high steeples rising upwards from the horizon and its magnificent stained windows glistening in the afternoon sunlight.
"Victor is doing well, as far as I can tell, and is at the Terai tea planting, the last time I heard from him. Unfortunately, his father didn't fare as well as he did. I am sorry to say that Old Trevor died soon after I made my acquaintance with him as a result of an affair which became the first case in which I was ever involved."
Anne's eyes grew wide once again in disbelief and she managed to utter out, "How?"
Holmes, however, remained silent as he took out an ornately engraved golden pocket watch from the depths of his waistcoat and glanced at the dial.
"Is that the time already?" He exclaimed with surprise, before turning to Anne. "Please accept my apologies, Miss Finnegan, but I must leave you now; I need to prepare for my calculus class. All you have to do is take the path on the right and you'll be able to return to your lodgings." Without another word, Holmes turned on his heel and sped away in the direction from which they came, with his coat tails flapping in the air as though desperate to keep up with his swift gait.
Sighing deeply, Anne continued on the path towards the grand chapel in front of her, shaking her head the entire time. "Seems like all men will still be boys in their minds," she mused under her breath amusedly. "Wait till Katie hears of this."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Not much happens in this chapter, but it's foundation for what's about to happen. Stay tuned, you guys!