When Sofia entered the Cedric's tower, as she'd taken to calling it, for a tutoring lesson, she had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.
Cedric sat at the table in the room - quite spotless, even polished since last time they were here earlier that week - and, over his usual uniform of slacks, dress shirt, vest, and tie, he wore… his blackberry-juice colored dressing gown.
She also had to hold herself back from running forward and just tackle-hugging him, honestly. The laughter that threatened to bubble up from her throat wasn't mocking, though she knew he'd take it that way if she didn't keep a lid on it. It was understandable, even. At this school, she was learning, much of anyone who was different was ridiculed, treated as Other, regarded with suspicion and derision.
But here and now, in the study, grumpy old Cedric looked so adorable, grouchy expression hunched over some papers in his fuzzy robe.
Greylock wasn't here, today, oddly enough. Well, not that odd, Sofia supposed, he did have his own life-but he tended to like to study with Cedric and herself so it was still worth noting.
His absence meant that, given Cedric was absorbed in his work, Sofia had a few moments to calm herself down before she actually announced herself, thankfully. Greylock wouldn't have intentionally done or said anything, probably, but they tended to be a positive feedback loop of merriment and energy.
Which was fun. It was fantastic, Greylock was great like that. It was somewhat less fantastic for Cedric. Sofia did catch herself wondering what it might be like if Cedric was more energetic, more outgoing… But that would make him not Cedric any longer, and well of course she couldn't have that. It was… hard to work with him, sometimes, due to their conflicting natures, but that wouldn't mean she wouldn't try just as hard as she could.
So, alone, she was able to simmer down. "Afternoon, Cedric," she said brightly with a smile, finally making her way into the room itself. "You look comfy."
Cedric looked up at her with a squint and a slight scowl, though tilted his head. "I'm not trying to rib you," she said, hoping she was answering a question he was thinking rather than planting a seed of doubt in his mind in the first place. "It's so fuzzy, and comfy, and warm. ...I might have to steal one of Mabel's sweaters someday soon." She didn't add, or your robe. She knew better than to hope for that to happen again.
"Yes, it rather is," Cedric responded, apparently mollified. "I don't understand why this sort of thing isn't common. It's so much more… bearable than the awful starched uniforms. Eugh." He shivered for effect. "So, what's on the agenda today, Miss Sofia?"
Sofia rolled her eyes, but sat down. "I'm getting most of what I need to in class, for now. Nothing remedial this week. So more control practice sounds good." Sofia wondered, briefly, if Cedric didn't need some control practice himself - she was fairly sure that, if she were to look out the window, she'd be able to find an ambulatory broom wandering outside. It was rather odd that it hadn't been cleaned up yet, as far as she could tell, and Sofia hadn't known other spells to be self-propagating, either. On the other hand, she wasn't about to make any noises towards school staff that could either land Cedric in trouble, or have her assigned to anyone else.
They decided to start with levitation. Cedric gathered most of his papers into his bag, or at least stuck them mostly in the vicinity, and nudged Sofia's bag by his with his foot; placed a book from the study's shelves onto the table, a rather thin paperback; stepped into the arched doorway leading into the room; and asked her to try to levitate the book. "About six inches should be a good goal." He blinked and thought for a moment, then tugged Sofia by the arm into the archway with him. She unintentionally shivered slightly at the purposeful touch, and hoped he didn't notice.
What Sofia intentionally did was smile up at him, then turned to face the room. She pulled her wand out from the long pocket (more of a sheath, really) on her thigh, made a swooping motion then a small upward flick - a very small flick, no more than an inch of the sudden movement, measured at the tip of the wand.
Everything in the room jolted upwards. The room itself even felt like it was tugging upwards, but held fast.
"Good, good!" Cedric said. "Your range is too broad, still. I suppose you were already mentally focused on the book?" Sofia nodded, and having lost her concentration, everything fell back to the floor. It sounded like the table splintered a bit; and the shelves and the books that had been on those shelves, clattered to the floor, given their binding to the wall had been broken. ...It wasn't screws, since the wall was cobblestone as well as the floor. Masonry? Whatever, the wall was made of large rock 'bricks'. Maybe it was magic keeping the shelves up. At any rate, Sofia had broken it.
"Zeus' Zucchini. You should put things back when required to respond while casting, at least until you're more able to do so subconsciously." Cedric glanced sideways with a small pout, which Sofia hoped was his small acknowledgement that he'd distracted her. Then he looked back at Sofia to continue. "Good control of the height. I suppose the majority of the figure-eight swoop will have to be physically contracted as well, to indicate specifically what you want to levitate."
Sofia tried again, this time managing to pick up only the table, aside from the intended book. She manage to put it down again, gently this time, and stepped forward to be better able to pinpoint the book with the tip of her wand, and performed the spell-successfully.
Suddenly, both looked up at the sound of footsteps loudly echoing up the stairs to the tower, and Sofia dropped the book before she could notice she'd done it, or Cedric could praise her for it.
Greylock turned out to be the source, appearing at the top breathing somewhat heavily. He nearly ran into Cedric in the doorway, but steadied himself and moved around the other boy. He called out, more loudly than necessary, "Sofia! We're going to be late!"
Sofia was muddled for a moment, until Greylock said, "Auditions, remember?"
Sofia gasped. "Oh no! Is that today? Cedric, I'm sorry, I've got to go." With that, she started gathering her things. Well, less 'gathering' and more 'shoving anything that looked like it was hers into her bookbag'.
Cedric blinked and finally managed to ask, "Late for what now?"
"Oh. Um. Tryouts for the autumn play. Would you like to come too?" Sofia didn't stop moving as she asked, and only barely glanced up at him before looking back to what she was doing.
Cedric scoffed. "Yes, absolutely. Me and the arts mix about as well as oil and water. ...No, no, I think potassium and water is a more apt… ah. What's the word?"
Sofia answered, "Metaphor? Analogy?"
Greylock, still by the door, said, "I'd have invited you too, Candlewick, but I thought you'd say as much." Sofia didn't catch the scowl that scrunched Cedric's face just then.
"Would you want to come along to sign up as a stagehand?" Sofia offered, looking around for last things to stuff in her bag.
Cedric folded his arms in a pout. "Does that actually sound like any better of an idea?"
Sofia sighed. "I really am sorry, Cedric," she said, stuffing the last things in her bag, and finally pausing to look at him. "I'm usually better at scheduling than this. Is there any way to make it up to you…?"
Cedric shrugged and grinned, though his eyes were hard. "I've finally got time to work on my Independent Study in Potions, now that you're leaving. No need to make me feel any better!" Sofia bit her lip at the caustic tone of voice Cedric used. She reached out a hand, clearly intending to touch his, but pulled it back.
"For what it's worth, Cedric, I'm sorry too," said Greylock. "But Sofia, we really need to go if we want any chance at all."
Sofia left with Greylock then, giving Cedric a last, "Sorry," just before she started down the stairs.
Greylock and Sofia came running up to the side doors to the assembly hall just as a Prefect was starting to close them. Luckily, they caught her attention. "Wait, wait!" they both called, and the girl looked up - and Sofia recognized Tizzy.
"Oh, hi again, Sofia!" the girl said brightly. "And your friend. You're here to try out?" Both Greylock and Sofia simply nodded, somewhat out of breath. "You should keep a better eye on the time, Sofia, I can't save you every time you're late. Believe me I'd like to, but there's only so much even I can do." She shrugged and gestured them in.
They thanked her and rushed inside, to… hurry up and wait. The doors were closed behind them, yes, but there was still a line to wait in, before they could read their lines.
"This… is good, actually," Greylock said. "We have a chance to catch our breath, competition notwithstanding."
"Not to mention," Sofia added, "the first and last in a group are always the most memorable."
Greylock nodded. "Still, I'd almost trade a shorter wait for that boon. My heart doesn't seem to agree that this position ought to be less stressful."
"I think that might just have been the running," Sofia said, though she couldn't really disagree.
They looked ahead, and while Greylock seemed to perk up and left to talk to someone, Sofia didn't see anyone she recognized to talk to. So she did the next best thing: made new friends.
"Hi there! I'm Sofia, what's your name?" she said to the person directly in front of her. They turned out to be one of the few nonhuman students in the school, an elf girl with unnaturally pale skin and purple hair that curled in broad swoops - and, of course, the pointed ears you'd expect.
The girl smiled, and answered, "I'm Belle! Nice to meetcha." They talked about their pieces for the audition - it turned out Belle could recite lines, and was in fact planning on doing that for the dialogue with her partner, but was more interested in singing, on the off chance this play was a musical. Sofia hadn't heard the song she planned to sing, "Let It Go," but she was very excited to hear it, and said as much. She also, inwardly, hoped she wasn't too obviously chattering nervously about nothing in particular.
Another girl walked up at some point, probably Belle's sister or other relative - or was that culturally insensitive to assume that similar color scheme meant relation? The older elf's skin was slightly darker than Belle's though still very pale, and her hair was a darker purple and curled differently - though that was probably due to a beauty regime rather than genetic difference. "Sweetie, how are you doing? And oh, is this a friend of yours? Lovely to meet you, darling, a friend of Belle's is a friend of mine. If you'll have me, of course. I'm Rarity, and you are…?"
"Sofia, pleasure to meet you." She grinned and curtsied a little. It probably wasn't strictly necessary, but this girl seemed so classy that it felt wrong not to. "Are you Belle's partner, then?"
"Me? Heavens no." Rarity gave a tinkling laugh and waved a hand dismissively. "I'm only here for the costume department and moral support for my dear sister, don't mind me."
The conversation petered out, and Sofia looked around again. The line had gotten shorter, considerably shorter, but there was still a long wait ahead. She looked around and spotted Greylock talking to a student with longish red-brown hair, and wandered over to hear the other boy saying, "Well, whoop-de-frickin-doo for you." She came a few steps closer and Greylock saw and acknowledged her with a slight wave, as the other boy added, "And there aren't even any girls here, ugh."
"Perfect timing!" Greylock said over the boy's shoulder as Sofia walked up. "Rusty, old boy, haaave you met Sofia?" He gave Sofia a slight nudge at the top of her back towards his friend, then left.
"It's TS and you know that!" the boy shouted, but Greylock was already lost in the crowd. With a sigh, he looked back at Sofia and said in a more level tone, "Yes, well, hello. I'm TS, as you just heard. Sofia, is it? How nice to meet you." He didn't sound sarcastic, exactly, but not entirely genuine, either.
"Nice to meet you too, TS," Sofia said. "Is that short for something?"
"Thaddeus. Much too pretentious to use that shit on a daily basis, but then any shortening of that is nearly as juvenile as 'Rusty,' even if it's not- well, you know." Sofia didn't know. "So, what do you think the play's gonna be? A musical, maybe?" Why did everyone think it was going to be a musical? Did Sofia miss a memo? ...Well, no, TS here didn't seem to know much more than she did.
"Belle sure seemed to think it would be," Sofia said.
TS's eyes lit up. "Another girl into theater! I might have a chance."
Sofia put a hand up to stop him. "I don't know if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, but if you are: she's too young for you. I think she might be an Eighth or Ninth Year, maybe Tenth." Though she was also an elf, so maybe looks were deceiving? Probably not, with how Rarity looked more like her age, or maybe a little older. "Anyway, so she seemed to think it was a musical. I'd assumed it wasn't, but I also only just started this year, so…?" Sofia shrugged.
TS crossed his arms and gave her a once-over. "Oooh, oh I get it. You're the girl Cedric is tutoring, right? Instead of coming to Invention Club anymore. Just like him, to put magic over making useful things."
Sofia blinked. Huh. Cedric talked about her. "Well, he's got big shoes to fill, hasn't he? In the whole magic department, with his dad even getting a House renamed after him, the one Cedric lives in. He's under a lot of pressure to succeed."
TS scoffed. "Yeah, and look how much that has helped him! Inventing was the only thing he's ever been very good at. And, don't you even try to lecture me about big shoes, missy!" TS scowled deeply and wagged his finger at Sofia's face. "My father coined the term 'Adventure Party' with his little quests. Well, it was originally 'Venture,' given that it's our last name, but of course the public fucks with everything." He snorted in derision. "I mean, at least we got out of the shithole that was Oz, but I don't know, I might have preferred to be in a damned war zone, eaten right the hell up by -I think the weapons these days were dragons, or some kind of magic book? - Than be dragged along on those campaigns by dear old dad!" TS threw his arms into the air dramatically and looked away from Sofia, and continued in a high, mocking voice. "'Rusty, hold this loot from this guy we just killed.' 'Rusty, test to see if this trap is active.' 'Rusty you nearly died, isn't that hilarious!?'"
Sofia could only blink as TS caught his breath and calmed down.
"I'm - I'm sorry, you didn't need to see that," he said, much calmer than before, though still a little red in the face. He didn't meet her eye, either, so probably embarrassed. "You know, I don't usually go shouting my life story to everyone I meet. You just happened along the perfectly wrong button combination with me! Joyous day."
Sofia laughed weakly. "That's all right. It's obviously not quite the same, but being his friend I'm used to Cedric's hot and cold moods. He doesn't usually yell so much, but I'm fine. And so are you." She hesitated to put her hand out to him, given the Cedric similarity, but that was ridiculous. So she touched his shoulder lightly, but withdrew before TS could do anything about it.
"Anyway," she said brightly, "the play should be fun, regardless of whether it's a musical. I'm more curious as to whether it will be a tragedy or a comedy, broadly, but also - well, everything about it I guess!" She laughed again, and it sounded more genuine this time, at least to her own ears. It was hard to say how it came off, though. "The few plays I did, ah -" ...Well, he'd told her his life story, his weak spots, he probably wouldn't use hers against her. "-Back in the village, where I grew up, we always knew what play we were auditioning for, and often read lines from it. It seems more practical, rather than asking students to find their own pieces that might and might not reflect anything from the play itself, but who am I to judge?"
"Wow, yeah, it seems even more fucked when you put it like that," TS said. Sofia wasn't sure if she was slightly endeared or appalled at the way he threw commoner 'curse' words around - when he was having a minor nervous breakdown was one thing, but he still did it even now. Though, she supposed it was better than some of the students using literal-curse-words. It seemed like every day of class, someone different was absent to have something treated in the infirmary. They were almost always back the next day, regardless of whether they cast the curse on someone else or themselves, but it was still… hard to get used to.
Not long after that, TS and his dialogue-reading partner - a guy named Heinz apparently, who had scraggly brown hair, a large chin... an exceedingly long nose, a slump, and wore a nonstandard dressing gown or coat or something over his school uniform; as if TS wasn't reminiscent enough of Cedric himself - were called to the stage, and Sofia went back to the end of the line.
"Sooo," Greylock said when she got back, "what do you think of our man Rusty, eh?"
Sofia bit her lip and took a breath. "Yeahhh, about that. I think that nickname might bother him more than Cedric's do him."
Greylock blinked in surprise and asked, "How do you mean?"
"Heee said some things he didn't quite mean to, I think. I pressed 'all the wrong buttons,' or something like that." Sofia shrugged. "I won't repeat what he said, any of it - but I think there's actual trauma tied to the name, so, like… Maybe don't call him that?"
Greylock took and blew out a deep breath. "Well, don't I just feel like a Rocinante's round ass." He was looking into the middle distance and lightly shaking his head. "All right, no more of that. Thorin's Thigh-highs, though, I had no idea, I never meant to..." He turned back to Sofia. "You do have a knack for getting people to open up to you, don't you. I don't know if that's a blessing or a curse."
Sofia laughed, what she hoped didn't sound nervously, and moved to scratch her neck without thinking. "So how about you? Who'd you go talk to after you left me with TS?"
Greylock clasped his hands together and smiled. "A lovely boy named Jamie. Shares my fervor for the stage. We didn't talk much, but I hope we do more in the future."
This time Sofia's laugh was definitely genuine. "He sounds delightful, I'd love to meet him. Before I met TS, I talked to a girl named Belle. - No, I don't know if it's after historical Princess Belle, she's an elf. She was very sweet, and so was her sister, though she was only here for costume creation, I guess. We should see more of Rarity at least, I guess. That is, assuming we both make it in?"
At the back of the line, there hadn't been much to do but wait in tense semi-silence. Or, well, it was Sofia so it probably wouldn't end up being silence, he could almost always find something to talk about with her. Still, he had plenty of opportunities to talk to her, and a change of pace to calm his nerves sounded like a good idea. So he'd scanned the crowd ahead of them and - Ah, Rusty!
Greylock came up behind Rusty and clapped him on the shoulder, causing the other to jump. "Rusty, my man!" Greylock said, "How are you? Haven't seen you since we shared Wish Physics last year, how've you been?"
Rusty scowled and picked Greylock's hand off, gingerly, like it was something slimy and disgusting. "It's still TS. And I'm fine, thanks. Didn't know you were into theater."
Greylock laughed heartily. "Oh, it's probably only my favorite hobby. It's not like I go out of my way to see any shows I can, to participate as often and as thoroughly as I can while I can. I can see how you'd miss it."
Rusty crossed his arms, saying, "Well, it's not like we talked much. Honestly I'm not sure why you're pretending like we're friends or something, we worked on a few projects together. Big freaking deal."
"And whiled away the time, so that awful Nikidik's lectures didn't defy the space-time continuum and last for literally ever. Actual life-saver, you are."
Rusty shrugged and huffed. "Yeah, well, whatever, I still don't see what you're bothering me for. No, you can't switch to be my dialogue partner, and you'd better not have stolen my monologue."
Greylock tilted his head. "I don't know, what is it?"
"Like I'd tell you so you can steal it. I don't think so."
"How could I possibly 'steal' it in this little time, Thaddeus? I've got my own scene, which I've practiced in my room for a while now, much to my roommate's chagrin. I wouldn't change now unless my very life depended on it, or my friends' I suppose."
Rusty shrugged again. "Yes, well, I'm still not telling you."
Greylock sighed. "Well, is it from Cyrano de Bergerac?"
"Nnno…" said Rusty.
"Well then good news, Rust!" Greylock clapped a hand on Rusty's shoulder again. "I haven't stolen your monologue. I do wish you good luck on your mysteriously special monologue, it must be special to you to garner that kind of protectiveness. I know mine is as much to me, though I suppose that's likely true of all the theatre. One of my favorite scenes, I've put a lot of work into it. Not to say that all the other guys and gals with us haven't, just that I really hope I do it justice."
"Well, whoop-de-frickin-doo for you." Rusty said, as Greylock saw Sofia approaching and offered a wave. "And there aren't even any girls here, ugh."
Well. If Rusty thought that talking to Greylock was just not on, maybe he'd feel better about talking to a girl. And if any girl could liven this old sad sack up… "Perfect timing!" Greylock said over Rusty's shoulder as Sofia walked up. "Rusty, old boy, haaave you met Sofia?" He gave Sofia a slight nudge at the top of her back towards his friend, then left.
Hmm… Who else… No one Greylock recognized. New crowd this year, apparently - most of his friends from previous years had graduated, he supposed.
Well! That boy looked pretty cute. "Ho there, chum! I'm Greylock. And what might your delightful name be?"
"Jamie," the boy answered, "future thespian, known the world over." He clenched his fist, raised it to face level and closed his eyes. "I shall put my heart upon the page, my love upon the stage, and the crowd will cheer, oh will it cheer."
Greylock's eyes were twinkling as he grinned. "Oh my! You're a man after my own heart, Jamie. Looks like I've got some stiff competition, mm?" Maybe he could get something else stiff. Not now, of course, but with the way things were going elsewhere, Greylock figured he really needed a romantic (and otherwise) distraction.
"Yup," said Jamie, coming out of his previous dramatic state. "I mean, good luck. May the best man win, and all. But I'm not going to go easy on anything, so you know."
Greylock laughed and lightly poked Jamie. "I should hope not! We've only just met. I certainly will be giving it my all when I'm finally up on stage. I'm last, even, so you'll want to put some extra oomph into yours to make up for that."
Jamie nodded, but said, "I always put my all into everything. ...Everything related to theatre. I can't wait to get out of here, work for, eventually lead a magical acting troupe. Traveling, based in a specific theatre, I don't know, but it's so exciting."
With a half-smile and a small sigh, Greylock said, "I rather envy you that dream. I love the theatre with all my heart, have since I was a wee lad." He paused, looked at Jamie, and clarified, "That is, a child, not 'lad' as they call them these days. The obnoxious older boys and young men who cause such a ruckus being all over themselves and each other." ...That was significantly more sexual than he intended that visual to be, but he wasn't about to take it back. "Anyhow, I've loved it for so long. However, my bloodlines are Too Good for following my dreams, I suppose. I'm a good sorcerer, there's no doubt of that; some would even say Grand! I should even be able to pick up a Royal Sorcerer position, especially with my mother's noble status. Oh, but I'd like to join you on the stage."
Now Jamie's wide eyes glittered in the dim lights. He put a hand on Greylock's shoulder and said, dramatic as before, "It is a hard life you lead friend. But I know, you can persevere." A voice called for Jamie from the other side of the stage door. "I must go now, but know: I shall be thinking of you, and your struggle, friend. Farewell." Greylock watched the young man walk through with his dialogue partner, a girl in his year with long, bright red hair. ...Erza, was it? He heaved a sigh and clutched at his chest - he wasn't sure if Jamie's dramatism was wearing off on him or if he'd have felt slightly heart fluttery anyway. It looked like his instincts led him right, anyhow.
But for now, he'd have to wind down, stay his nerves, nail that audition, and hope that he and Jamie at least both got parts.