Professor O'Leary
September 26, 2007 1:59 PM
Lesson 1: Third Years by Professor O'Leary
The Defense Against the Dark Arts room was lacking in desks for the third years on the first day of class. The only thing sitting in the room was a rather large trunk that seemed to be very angry. It really was no surprise it was for inside was a boggart.Once the students had entered the room, Drake greeted them with a simple, “Welcome back class. I trust you still remember the rules.” The third years had already had him for two years and knew that there was no goofing off in his classroom. With a wave of the hand, he added, “Place your things against the walls and then gather around the trunk.”
After all the third years had gathered around, Drake began his lecture, “Today, we are going to be learning to face our fears. If you allow your fear to paralyze you, you will be unable to defend yourself in a real life-threatening situation. In order to do this, we are going to be using the creature that currently resides in this trunk, which is a boggart. Now, some of you may already be familiar with this creature. However, for those that are not, a boggart is a mischievous creature, which likes to cause mishaps. To do so, it will often shape-shift to what a person fears most.” He glanced around the room, viewing the students’ reactions.
Continuing, he stated, “A boggart can be defeated using the Riddikulus spell.” With a wave of his wand, the word appeared on the wand. He had found that, even with practical application, it was a useful reference to the students. “Repeat after me, Re-dic-u-lous.” After a few more times, satisfied that everyone appeared to be stated the spell correctly, he went on, pulling out his wand. “The wand movement is a quick forward swish.” He demonstrated a couple times, as it was fairly easy, especially for the third years that had mastered more complex movements.
“Everyone line up into a straight line. I am going to open the trunk and I want each of you to take a turn with the boggart,” he commanded. He waited a few moments for most of the third years to gather into a straight line, give or take. Then, he released the latch. “Begin.”
OOC: Remember, minimum two paragraphs, ten sentences. Have fun and be creative!
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Subthreads: I am fearless! I laugh in fear's face! Hah- by Paul Tarwater with Elly Eriksson, Paul, Red Aarden
Facing fears by Eavan Valentine
Ha! It's someone else's turn to be afraid. by Echo Elms with Nikki
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Professor O'Leary
Lesson 1: Third Years
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Professor O'Leary
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Paul Tarwater
September 26, 2007 7:45 PM
I am fearless! I laugh in fear's face! Hah- by Paul Tarwater
Paul sighed. Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't a horrible class, but it was fairly hard. Despite being in Aladren, Paul had only recieved an A in DADA. Whereas most his other classes gave 'O's and 'E's to him (minus CoMC, which certainly wasn't Paul's best either). Perhaps he didn't listen enough? Though Paul didn't know what else to do in a class, he didn't chatter on and it was hard to fall asleep with this professor watching. He was too creepy.Mother wanted perfect grades for him. She had this wild idea Paul was going to "college". As if he could. Paul had to help support the family. Dad kept getting fired, and mother was getting trouble getting hired. Cissy sure wasn't going to do anything but get married. So Paul needed to help as well. He was trying now, but no one would give him a job, which was extremely stupid in his opinion. He was a smart kid after all, right?
Paul dropped his bag on the side when the professor said, and then brought only his wand around the trunk. A chill passed through him, he had a small fear of what they were learning. What were they learning? Well with this professor, and a trunk? It could only be something that made you worry. Paul tapped his wand on his thigh and stared at the trunk. A boggart was in there. He knew about those. They showed your fears. Paul took a step back. He didn't want anyone to know his fears. Not his greatest fear, at least. Paul was afraid of what that was.
What if Cissy showed up? People would wonder. She would hurt him badly. Paul shuddered. He did not want to do this lesson. Yet, his mother wanted him to get better grades. He couldn't skip. Well, maybe only for this lesson. It was important. Paul's other huge fear was werewolves, and he'd prefer that. He always curled up in a ball on the full moon, afraid to even see his tamed father. Still, Paul didn't want anyone to know his fears. Ever.
That was too much to ask, surely the teacher understood that? Paul didn't want anyone to know his fears. Even if it wasn't Cissy that showed. He found himself in the middle of the line forming, then in a panic, raced to the back. His face blanched. No, no, he would not do this. Paul bot his lip and looked down. No one needed to know his business. Another person came up behind him. "Go in front of me," he said simply, trying not to beg. Maybe they would run out of time before they got to him. At least, Paul hoped so.
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Paul Tarwater
I am fearless! I laugh in fear's face! Hah-
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Paul Tarwater
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Elly Eriksson
September 27, 2007 3:42 PM
Funny, it looks like cowering to me. by Elly Eriksson
Elly liked Professor O’Leary, she really did. He set interesting classes, he was a fair professor, and he’d helped Echo out with the Fury!. Plus Briony was lovely, and she wasn’t going to get that way if her father was the vampire some of the other students seemed to think he was. Elly also liked defence lessons – she was good at all the written stuff, because she found it interesting. Okay, so the practical bit was a bit harder for her to grasp, but she certainly got there in the end.This class, however, didn’t sound good at all. It had sounded like it was going to be fun at the start, when O’Leary told them to put all their stuff along the walls. However, she slowly became uneasy as he began to describe the capabilities of the truly horrific creature within. When he’d said about ‘facing their fears’, Elly had smiled because there wasn’t a great deal that she was afraid of. Spiders, ghouls and ghosts weren’t a problem; neither were snakes or vampires, unless they were actually setting out to attack her. If that had been the purpose of the lesson then it wouldn’t have caused Elly the concern she now felt creeping up on her. If this thing was going to show each individual his or her own personal fear, in front of the whole class, then no way was Elly going to take part. She’d never hear the end of it.
Without further ado, Elly made her way as subtly as possible to the very end of the line, hoping that the class would finish before she took her turn, or there would be a fire or earthquake or something – anything – to prevent abject humiliation.
“Go in front of me.”
Elly looked up to see Paul Tarwater in the queue in front of her. She took her fingers away from her mouth (she’d been biting her nails in anxiety) and gave him an odd look. “No thanks,” she said. She wanted to be at the back of the line – there was no way she was going to move for anyone, particularly someone who was tetchy at the best of times.
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Elly Eriksson
Funny, it looks like cowering to me.
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Elly Eriksson
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Eavan Valentine
September 28, 2007 2:46 AM
Facing fears by Eavan Valentine
Eavan always walked into Defense with a bit of trepidation. It was one of the more dangerous class with a scary-looking teacher. She tended to be very wary around Professor O'Leary. She doubted he was a vampire like the rumors around school suggested, but he was a bit nervous, nonetheless.She took one look at the room an frowned. There were no desks; just a big trunk that rattles ominously. Curiosity getting the of her, Eavan moved toward the box to get a better look as Professor O'Leary began to explain the contents of the trunk. She said the spell quietly along with the rest of the class and watched in awe as the trunk began to shake violently. Eavan back up a few steps, but not enough, so that when the line formed, she was first.
Visibly shaking she watched Professor O'Leary get closer and closer to the trunk. She tried to imagine what could be waiting for her. Mummies? Werewolves? Evil Over-cooked eggs? There was a multitude of things that Eavan was afraid of.
Finally the latch was unlocked and a big rotweiler bounded out of the trunk and faced Eavan, snarling viciously. Eavan began to visibly shake. This was the dog who had chased her down the street on several occasions when she was younger. It used to eat other pets and went by the name of 'Princess'.
Eavan held up her wand and swished it. "R-Riddikulus!" she shouted. The rotweiler backed up, whimpering, but returned to growling after a moment. Gathering a bit of courage she tried again.
"Riddikulus!" she cried again. This time the dog began to shrink before her eyes, finally turning into a sweet, little puppy. Eavan sighed and moved to the back of the line, feeling rather proud of herself though still shaking slightly.
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Eavan Valentine
Facing fears
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Eavan Valentine
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Echo Elms
September 29, 2007 8:07 AM
Ha! It's someone else's turn to be afraid. by Echo Elms
Echo wasn't sure if Professor O'Leary was his favorite teacher anymore--he really liked last year's astronomy teacher--but he was definitely at least his second favorite. O'Leary was strict, fair, and, most importantly, he didn't put up with any nonsense from the kids so everyone could focus on the subject.Today was a little different than usual and Echo stood off to the side to listen, as was his habit in classes where people where milling around without the comforting structure of desks. He could watch most of the other kids as well as the teacher from where he was and, as O'Leary explained about the bogarts and facing your fears, Echo folded his arms and waited for the line to form.
One, two... at least three kids in here already knew about his phobia of physical contact. But, in all honesty, he really didn't think anyone would be particularly surprised to find out about it. Well, now they would. It was inevitable either way, what with it getting progressively worse and all.
As they lined up, the other kids all seemed pretty tense. Elly and Paul had a brief exchange over who would get the end of the line. Echo was just as happy to be near the front so he could get it over with. It wasn't like the bogart could really be all that different than eating in Cascade Hall every day. People closing in, he figured. Hands, reaching out. Or maybe it would focus more on the stuff of dreams... fear that somehow through the physical contact he'd switch bodies and not be able to get back to his own. But even if it was, it wasn't like it didn't happen every single night in his nightmares. It wasn't like the whole scene would play, just the beginning.
It was weird. He was probably the 'fraidiest person here, but this lesson did not scare him (well, Eaven's dog startled him at first). When it was his turn, he stepped forward and nodded his readiness to Professor O'Leary.
He set his feet on the ground, shoulder width apart, and readjusted his grip on his wand. Now would be a bad time to drop it, but he didn't think he would. He had more practice being terrified than anyone else in the room. In fact, he was all terrified out.
So out came Jae, the Pecari second year, running towards him shouting, "Hugs!" while Janice appeared beside him and grabbed his hand and started to lean in close.
Echo snatched his hand away from Janice and ducked Jae's hug, only to bump into Saul (who was not in this class). The Pecari third year put his arm around his shoulders. Echo tried desperately to disentangle himself.
"Let go," Echo complained, not quite able to remember the spell.
"I'm sick of you being such a freak," Brett complained, appearing now in Jae's place and hovering menacingly. "We always have to do everything different for you."
Stomping on Saul's foot, Echo finally broke away from Saul and pointed his spell at both of them. "Riddikulous!"
They stayed where they were.
"Riddikulous!"
"Hey, I'm just joshing. For real real. Air fives," Brett said, holding up his hand. Echo made the high five motion from ten feet away, then they all swooshed back into the box. Echo stood still for a moment, looking at it, and then went to join the lucky kids who were done facing their fears for the day.
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Echo Elms
Ha! It's someone else's turn to be afraid.
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Echo Elms
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Paul
September 29, 2007 2:40 PM
I like sarcasm, okay by Paul
A nasty swear made its way on Paul's mind and stayed there as he bitterly noticed whom he'd just wanted to cut in front of him. Elly was there, that girl would get him killed, he swore. And above all, she'd told him no. What was her problem, But Paul wasn't going to dwell on this. She probably would want him dead anyway.That was what would happen if Cissy showed up on the boggart. He'd die. Paul stared coldly at the girl for a second before stating a simple, "Fine." As in, 'Fine, whatever, be that way.' A mental, 'I don't care if I die either' was added in Paul's mind and he grew even more nervous. Beads of sweat dotted his covered forehead, and he turned away from Elly and instead stared with panic at the ground.
Paul would rather die than be here. She'd hurt him, he really did care. He really, really cared. Well, Paul thought simply, being at back is really no different from being second to back, right? He didn't really believe it himself. There weren't many people in the second year, they probably would have enough time. Should he pray?
Merlin, please please let the killing curse strike me before I have to face that boggart, please.
Or maybe he should just skip. Paul sighed, right, mom wanted him to get good grades. But... she shouldn't want him hurt. Even if she didn't know who would be hurting him, this class would be dangerous for him. Paul thought over the ideas. Paul bitterly frowned, Elly may tell on him, he didn't know her too well nor did he have nice thoughts of her to protest that thought. But being told on wouldn't much mind to him. Detention didn't either.
Detention or Cissy? Easy choice, detention.
Paul turned to Elly. "Goodbye," he said and walked past her, hoping to get to the door before anyone else noticed. Though getting caught was certainly just his luck.
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Paul
I like sarcasm, okay
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Paul
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Nikki
September 30, 2007 7:27 PM
Understanding Fear by Nikki
Nikki entered the Defense classroom and saw that the desks had been set up along the wall and a trunk was in the middle of the room. That could only mean one thing; the first Defense lesson this year would be a practical one. Professor O'Leary explained that a boggart was in the trunk, and told the students how to face it. Nikki knew about boggarts, but had only seen one once. That had been a very bad incident.Nikki thought about fear as she lined up to face the boggart. She couldn't remember what she had been afraid of when she was very young but she suspected it was one of the classic fears children had, like dragons or the dark.
When she was seven a tornado had hit the ranch, so she had then become afraid of tornadoes.
When she was ten, she had realized that people were never really afraid of anything, they were afraid of what that thing or situation might do to them, so she feared only fear itself. This was when she had seen a boggart; it had taken the form of a dementor. Papi had had to get rid of it for her.
Since Nikki had started at Sonora, she had been afraid of failure. No matter how much she still believed that no one truly feared anything, she still feared failure. What form would that take. She thought of two homeless people in an alleyway, fighting over a piece of meat. Okay, now what to do with that to make it funny? Turn the homeless people into first years with wrestling costumes.
She smiled as she thought of it, and then brought her mind back to the classroom. It seemed to be just in time too, because the person in front of her was stepping up to face the boggart. It was Echo. Nikki felt a slight pang for him when she remembered the opening feast; his fear wasn't just a fear, it was a phobia. But Echo handled the boggart very well. She smiled at him as she took his place and whispered, "Great job," resisting the urge to pat him on the back.
She approached the boggart, ready for the homeless people, but they didn't appear. Instead a crystal ball floated in front of her. In the crystal ball she saw Julio plowing a field on the ranch. Next to him was a man who looked like the pictures she had seen of a young Leonardo Idoya I. He was yelling at Julio, but it was in a language she couldn't understand. However she was positive that it was German, because the voice was that of Benito's girlfriend, Tara, who had stayed with the Ramirezes that summer and was fluent in German.
Nikki merely stared at the crystal ball with confused expression on her face before turning to Professor O'Leary. "Excuse me professor, but I don't understand what my boggart is supposed to mean."
OOC: Nikki's boggart symbolizes the future, which Nikki fears, although she doesn't know it. Crystal balls are used to predict the future. Julio plowing represents him becoming the patriarch of the family. Sr. Idoya yelling represents the negative opinion Nikki believes the man has of her, and how this will affect her friendship with he twins. Tara's voice represents her joining the family, since Nikki knows the relationship is serious. German represents confusion and uncertainty.
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Nikki
Understanding Fear
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Nikki
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Red Aarden
October 03, 2007 9:38 AM
Where do you think you're going? by Red Aarden
Red was excited. Sure, boggarts--what she'd heard of them--were terrible, and she wasn't exactly thrilled about seeing her greatest fear basically incarnate itself in front of her--but Defense Against the Dark Arts... this was what she wanted to do with her life. She was determined to be an advocate and a great defender--whatever it was magical defenders were called and did--of people like her beloved friend and near-brother, Godewyn Schuyler.She stood in line, somewhere in the first half, trying to think of what the boggart could end up showing her and practicing the movements, when she saw Paul break away from the line. She grinned at seeing him, then, realizing where he was headed, raised both eyebrows and ran out of the line to catch him by the sleeve.
"Hey, Paul, where you going?" she asked, smiling a little nervously. She had a feeling that she knew where he was going, but she also had a feeling that maybe--just maybe--she could convince him to spare himself the detention. "I have a favor to ask you," she said, then. "I'm--well, I don't--er--I don't deal with fear very well," she fibbed easily, chewing her lower lip and winding her fingers together. "Get freaked out really easily... b-but it helps if there's someone there I trust, and I d'no why, but I trust you, so would you please come stand next to me while I do it? Please? Or behind me or something--I just--I'm babbling. Sorry." She blushed in earnest, hoping he wouldn't see through her ploy and would come along.
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Red Aarden
Where do you think you're going?
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Red Aarden
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Paul
October 03, 2007 7:28 PM
Um... away? by Paul
Paul was just about to get away from Elly, and this stupid class, when Red came over to him. Obviously noticing him flying out of line. Why, why couldn't he skip classes without feeling guilty or being stopped? This was getting ridiculous. For him at least. Paul really did not want to be here. Why was Red stopping him?"Hey, Paul, where you going?"
"I don't need people knowing what I'm afraid of," Paul answered simpley and truthfully.
Red didn't know what he may see. Paul didn't even know. One would be worse than the other though, that was for sure. Paul groaned inward. This was why he chose not to have friends, it seemed to give him more pain than pleasure. She went on speaking about how she can't face her fears alone. Paul frowned, why should he do this again?
Right, he was her "friend". Sighing, Paul nodded. "It's fine, you don't have to say anymore," he muttered lightly. "I'll stand near you, not next to you in case the boggart gets me instead, but near you." Paul then looked at her coldly. "But then I'm leaving. No one, no one needs to no my fears." He didn't mean to put it so rudely, but it was true. Paul wasn't taking it back. He pointed ahead.
"Alright," he sighed. "Let's get this over with."
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Paul
Um... away?
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Paul
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Red
October 04, 2007 9:18 AM
Oh... okay. by Red
Damn. Well, that had backfired. Paul was leaving anyway. The look he'd given her had been awfully chilly, too. Red swallowed and looked up at him. "No... no, it's okay, never mind... you can go," she said. "I'll just deal."Really, there was no point in making him hang around to help her deal with fears she could probably handle on her own, after all. He didn't want to be there, and Red didn't want to jeopardize one of the few friendships she had here at Sonora. She gave him a smile, then hopped back in line. Unsurprisingly, she found herself sooner than she'd thought back at the front of the line--the others obviously weren't too enthused about facing a boggart.
Red stepped forward, clutching her wand and feeling an unexpected tendril of anxiety release within her; she glanced at Professor O'Leary as he opened the trunk, then felt her blood run cold as a fully transformed werewolf lunged out at her, stalking her.
She turned on the spot, following it, eyes wide and fixed, mind paralyzed; what was the incantation again? Godverdomme! She knew it--it was just hard to think with the werewolf coming steadily closer, fangs dripping--
"Riddikulus!" she shouted, closing her eyes and flinching away.
"Rood-liefje?" She looked up at the voice. Godewyn stood in front of her, looking more than a little perplexed. The handsome Dutch wizard looked around at the other students, then grinned at Red, pistol-winked at her teasingly, then jerked his head as if for her to move aside. She did, wanting to talk to him--even if it was just a boggart-him--but Godewyn morphed into the next student's nightmare as soon as she stepped aside. Her shoulders sagged a little, disappointed, and she moved off to sit on a nearby desk, watching the boggart go through its transformations.
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Red
Oh... okay.
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Red
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Paul
October 05, 2007 6:17 PM
Yeah... so... by Paul
"No... no, it's okay, never mind... you can go,"Paul wanted to groan aloud again. This almost made him feel bad, why couldn't he just be homeschooled. Or have some quiet, and be alone. That would be so much better than being here, where human contact was nearly required. And leaving made you feel bad because someone had wanted you to stay. He wanted to get out of here, because he didn't want to see Cissy and be hurt more, and he wished he could tell people that so they wouldn't wonder what was wrong with him but he couldn't.
Because then, he would be hurt even worse. Red went back in line, and whether she wanted him or not, Paul stayed and watched her. Folding his arms across his chest, Paul watched without emotion, until he saw the boggart. A werewolf? She was afraid of them too? Paul took a step back as his jaw dropped in surprise. Blinking, he noticed her boggart turning into a boy at the spell. Paul took a step back, and then watched as Red walked off. Paul followed.
"You too?" he wondered to her. Paul was still surprised, though werewolves weren't an uncommon fear (it was the reason his father wasn't able to get a job). Paul frowned. "That would have been mine as well." Not that he was exactly sure on that idea.
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Paul
Yeah... so...
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Paul
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Red
October 05, 2007 7:10 PM
Right... *awkward* by Red
Red blinked. Paul was still here? She was pretty certain she'd heard the door close--maybe it was just her imagination. She was surprised he'd stay, anyway. He hadn't seemed too keen on the idea before. Regardless, she gave the dark-haired boy a smile, reflecting once again on how much he resembled--at least physically--Godewyn. She'd seen photos of the family friend, now in his early twenties, when he was about their age; he had dark hair and pale eyes, just like Paul. She looked on the thirteen-year-old with more affection then."You're afraid of werewolves?" she asked, eyebrows rising. "I d'no... I was surprised, actually." She'd never seen Godewyn transform, of course, but the idea of what he had to go through, to become something so vicious--it made her shiver. Then you add in the typical childhood nightmares about beasts--even Red's devotion to Godewyn couldn't fully assuage her fears of the side of him that came out on the full moon.
She smiled anyway, shaking off her thoughts. "Good to know, at least. I wanna be an advocate for magical half-human creatures. Or an Auror. I don't really know yet." She picked at the wood of the desk she sat on thoughtlessly. "What do you want to do, Paul?"
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Red
Right... *awkward*
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Red
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Paul
October 05, 2007 8:24 PM
*shifts feet* by Paul
Paul took a seat next to Red, hoping it looked like he'd already done the boggart. Professor O'Leary shouldn't mind, though he was a scare he should know some people didn't want to see their fears. It was too much. Even more for Paul, too much for him as well, having such a sister he had to face every day. And his father as a werewolf, not able to get a job or anything. Paul worried over everything, and he didn't like to show it to anyone. It was unhealthy he was told, but he didn't care. It would be worse if he did tell.Though sharing his father's condition with someone who had a friend with the same condition was different. His feelings did not have to be expressed. Just what was wrong. What happened. My family is poor because my dad can't get a job to make up for his family's mistakes because he's a werewolf and its all my fault. No, she didn't need to know it was all his fault either. "Yeah, since I was little," Paul shrugged. "Almost got bit, my dad saved me, got bit instead."
It wasn't much to say, but it was more than he'd said to anyone else before. Not that Red knew that, she'd just came here. "That may be hard when you are afraid of werewolves though, wouldn't it be?" Paul posed the question, looking at her. His surprise was gone, replaced with his usual mask.
"What do you want to do, Paul?"
This was a confusing question, Paul never thought beyond supporting his family any way possible. "I--I don't know," he muttered. "I'm probably just going to apprentice somewhere simple, for some money. I don't think I could be anything else, really."
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Paul
*shifts feet*
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Paul
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