Good Books and Strange Thoughts (Open)

[Sylvia Roberts]

The young Slytherin walked slowly through the hallways, hearing the loud chatter in the distance of students gathering in the Great Hall preparing to eat their dinner. How could they be so loud? The Great Hall was a few hallways down from where she was. She shivered at the thought of what it sounded like in there. Not like being in a room full of strangers that were loud and hungry didn’t appeal to Silver, she just had other plans for the afternoon. She turned down the main hallway to see the door that leads to the main stairs that were used to reach the library. She hated using the stairs at Hogwarts, sure, she loved magical things and all, but confusing her by moving the stairs and rooms around was a terrible thing to do. She opened the door and looked up, finding the Library doors on the fourth floor, where it should be. She took her first step onto the stairs; no movement yet. She rushed to the next set of stairs, moving as fast as she could, waited for them to move to the right floor, and hopped off. She stood there for a moment looking at the vast doors of the library. She grabbed one handle and gently pushed it open.

Sylvia walked in, and was suddenly engulfed in the thick smell of old books and the sound of quills against parchment, scrawling away at tonight’s homework, most likely. She looked up at the amount of books there were; books thicker than the encyclopedias at her local library back in London! Books that were from before she was born, even books that were older than her foster mum, and that was old. She found the librarian, respectfully nodded, and walked towards the first aisle. She looked at the sign nailed into the shelf that read “Acromantula’s A-Z” A whole aisle on acromantula’s? How much could someone possibly learn about the eight-eyed spider? Is seemed unbelievable someone would even want to learn so much about them. Silver continued down the aisles until she found the plaque that had the word “Adventure A-Z” engraved into it. She smiled and walked down finding something she thought looked interesting. It was an old book about how a man rescued this girl from a large beast. Typical, but it was the kind Silver liked.

The Slytherin girl walked over to an empty table, and sat down, gently moving her blonde locks on her left shoulder getting them out of her face. She blew the dust off of the book, noting that it hadn’t been open in what seemed like years, and cracked it open. The book’s spine made a creaking noise due to not being opened frequently sending goose bumps through Silver’s body. She loved that sound; you could never find a book like this at the local bookstore back in London. Sylvia ran her index finger gently over the words that were hand written in a beautiful font. She pictured an old man working over a desk lit by candles writing with his favorite quill making this story come to life. She began reading slowly, absorbing every word, every sentence and every paragraph of the story. The picture was clear in her mind; a handsome young prince with brown hair and amber eyes, saving the blonde haired blue eyed angel in the castle tower.

Silver took a quick look at the clock above to see how much time she had, since the library closed at eight; about two more hours. She smiled and looked back down, reading more about the evil sister, Cassandra who was the one behind the plan that put her sister in the tower that was now guarded by an evil dragon. Cassandra wanted the prince all to herself, and saw that the prince was only in love with her sister, which made her furious, casting her into the tower, where she would keep her there for the rest of her days. The thought of sisters struck a thought in Silvers mind. She remembered the words her father had said to her before banishing her to live at that foster center; “Oh, and by the way, you have a sister. Yeah, I got some lady pregnant while your mom and I were dating. She named her Isabella or something.” The strange thing was, was that she saw an Isabella Leone be called at the sorting ceremony. Is that the same Isabella her father was referring to? She would have magical abilities since her father had them, but what are the chances that she got put into the same house as Silver? Sylvia shook her head. She didn’t want to think about family right now, she just wanted to finish her book. The girl sighed, and began reading again, imagining in her head the different scenes from the book, but in the back of her mind, Isabella was still there.

[Asher Bennesh]

The school day had come to an end and Asher could not have been happier. he'd long since traded his robes for something a bite more casual. Dressed in a a pair of black jeans, a black button down shirt with a emerald green crest of the Slytherin house graced the pocket on the left side of his chest. Asher wore a black and white checkered pair of tennis shoes as he strolled down the hallway for towards the Library. The Slytherin hadn't seen his brother since their last class. Ancient Runes never ceased to make him drowsy but fortunately, the cute brunette that sat a few seats away was enough to keep him from actually falling asleep.

The Library, Asher thought, was the most likely place to find his brother. It was late enough that his Ravenclaw twin had likely already eaten but not late enough for the Library to be closed. It was amazing to Asher that despite being twins, he and his brother were so drastically different. Asher thrived on being in the spotlight. He wanted to be seen. To be known. Besides, it provided a decent distraction while Aisik was busy laying the trap to take their foes off guard. It was simply that Asher felt that his brother was too anti-social for his own good sometimes. He stopped in his tracks wondering if he should be offended by his own thought process. He had essentially boiled his entire existence down to being Aisik's shield. If it was true, was it such a bad thing?

Asher shrugged as he continued down the corridor. He was nearing the library now, smiling at a group of attractive Hufflepuffs lingering in the hall, his smile turning to a sneer after he'd past. He was certain that the disdain was mutual. There was a stigma that surrounded Slytherin house. Everyone expected a student from Slytherin to be the next dark wizard and weren't surprised anymore when it turned to be true. This stereotype bother Asher slightly. Right and wrong, after all, were matters of perception. What seemed right and just to one person might seem heinous to another. Being Jewish, this made Asher think of the Holocaust and the countless indignities his people suffered at the hand of some self-righteous boule who thought he was doing God's work.

As Asher entered the library, he spotted his brother sitting at an out of the way table far from everyone else. Asher couldn't help scanning the library as he began walking towards Aisik. he could almost here his brother's voice in his head, "You've got to be more mindful of your surrounding, frate." Asher cursed his brother for making him so paranoid but he couldn't deny it had its payoffs. Now was one such payoff. Asher stopped in the middle of the library when he stopped a pretty blond girl that he recognized from the sorting ceremony. He there for a moment trapped between his brother and the overwhelming desire to go speak to the girl.

"Sorry, frate," Asher whispered with a shrug.

Asher approached the girl with a wide smile. "Greetings," he said softly as to not irk the ire of the librarian. It wasn't that he feared the useless old man but it wouldn't do for him to come around and interfere. "You're a new Slytherin, yes?" His Romanian accent was thick but not to the point of making his speech incomprehensible. "I'm Asher," he said, keeping his smile light and playful. He glanced at the empty chairs around the table and grabbed one, pulling it closer to the girl. "May I sit?" He asked motioning to the chair. The young boy glanced over his shoulder towards his brother. Surely he would understand. This wasn't exactly new behavior for Asher. He turned his charming smile back to the girl and waited for permission to join her.

[Sylvia Roberts]

Getting to the most dramatic and intense part of her book, Sylvia continued reading, faster now as she wanted to know what would happen next. Her finger rushed over the page, sentance by sentance, word by word, finally reaching the end of the chapter in which the prince... dies? That was a dampener on her fantasy image. It reminded her in a way of Romeo and Juliet, but the princess didn't die, she was trapped in the tower forever. The sad story tugged a bit at her heartstrings, but she knew that she wouldn't cry. Silver had become attached to the prince, and was taken off gaurd when he had gotten killed by the dragon. It was a tragedy that he was dead, but it was always refreshing to have a change in the story line and let the bad guy win.

Asher approached the girl with a wide smile. "Greetings," he said softly as to not irk the ire of the librarian.

Silver read on in the last chapters, when suddenly she heard a voice speak to her from the right of her. She jumped a bit and nearly dropped her book. Silver looked up to the disturbance, but suddenly lost all harsh feelings, seeing this boy's wide smile, beautiful blue eyes, and shoulder length hair. He was rather handsome, and even met Sylvia's high standards, and by the way he held himself, he knew it too. Silver was the same way, beautiful and proud of it, though she would never admit her confidence in public. Her blonde hair sat perfectly around her middle back, with slight curls at the bottom, making it a tad bit more elegant. She swiped a piece back with her hand as it had fallen from looking down and reading. Finally, after scanning the boy from head to toe, she replied, "Hello." Plain and simple.

"You're a new Slytherin, yes?" His Romanian accent was thick but not to the point of making his speech incomprehensible. "I'm Asher," he said, keeping his smile light and playful. He glanced at the empty chairs around the table and grabbed one, pulling it closer to the girl. "May I sit?" He asked motioning to the chair.

Asher's Romanian accent was noticeable, but it added to his attractiveness. She flashed him a flirty grin, and nodded as he asked if she was a Slytherin. Silver gently closed her book now, knowing she wasn't going to be able to read with such a presence next to her. She slid it softly onto the table and put her hands on her lap, she sat perfectly poised, and smiled once more. "Sylvia Roberts, but you may call me Silver." Her British accent was heavy amongst her words. She was raised in London, so it was to be expected to have such an accent. Silver looked at the chair that he had grabbed, and held her breath for a moment as he moved it closer to her. She didn't understand why he had asked, possibly as a form of being polite, since he had already helped himself to sitting down.

"Be my guest, it never hurts to have some company." She gave him a smirk and crossed her legs underneath the table. Sylvia raised an eyebrow as she took noticed in his clothing, obviously muggle-made. She wasn't one for muggle wear, but the way he had put his outfit together looked rather respectable, and well-warn. A rare happening when Silver took a liking for Muggle clothes, but his case was different. The fellow Slytherin seemed to be similar to most in her house, but none had taken the first step in speaking to her until now, and she appreciated his bravery. Silver wasn't one that really made it easy to approach her, she always had her nose stuck in a book, or she just didn't send off the signal that she wanted to be talked to, and sometimes she liked it that way, but she liked the fact that Asher came up to her. Sylvia figured it was time to start speaking to people and making friends other than befriending the librarian and the library's books.

"So, what brings you to this part of the woods." She asked him, leaning in towards the table and placing her arms on the flat surface, looking at Asher intentlly, watching him, seeing if he was just fooling with her, or playing with her emotions. Most Slytherins were the same; students who put on friendly mask's and when they become close to you, they push you on the floor and crush you, though Asher looked like he was genuine enough. Before she could be sure, she would have to wait before warming up to him, she would definitely have no problem warming up to this fellow. None at all. Silver bit her bottom lip, staring him up and down, knowing that the reason he had sat down next to her at first was because of her good looks. It was no secret she was beautiful, and she has had a few stares and glances from the other houses, but Silver was happy to find someone attractive and from her own house to speak to.

[Asher Bennesh]

Asher's spirits lifted even higher when he was the girl's flirty smile. It was refreshing to meet someone who was willing to play along, if at least for a little while. Many of the students that resided within the walls at Hogwarts seemed drab and lifeless to Asher. That was his rationale for acting the way that he and his brother did. If they brought a bit of chaos to the structured realm of learning then for a moment, everyone's lives would be filled with the same vibrant colors and excitement that Asher and Aisik's were all the time.

"Sylvia Roberts, but you may call me Silver." Her British accent was heavy amongst her words..."Be my guest, it never hurts to have some company." She gave him a smirk and crossed her legs underneath the table.

With a nod, Asher politely extended his hand towards the girl. "Well, it's refreshing to run into such a beauty," he said softly with, his eyes locking on to hers. "It's a true pleasure to make your acquaintance." There was never any doubt about what roles Aisik and Asher fell into. Aisik was clever and a brilliant schemer. Asher was the face. He was quick witted and incredibly likable when he needed to be. He leaned back in his chair, letting his long hair fall wherever it may. Of course, "wherever it may" just happened to framed his face perfectly.

"So, what brings you to this part of the woods." She asked him, leaning in towards the table and placing her arms on the flat surface, looking at Asher intently, watching him, seeing if he was just fooling with her, or playing with her emotions.

"In all honesty, I was hunting down my twin brother, Aisik. He's on the other side of the library being anti-social. I had finally found him when I came in here and was a bit side tracked," Asher said with a sly half smile. "I suppose I could ask you the same question but the answer seems obvious," Asher said, pointing to the girl's book. kept his posture open and inviting. He could tell that she was studying him and he wanted her to feel like she'd learned everything she could. "I sincerely hope that I'm not intruding. I know my brother become terribly put out when interrupted while reading a good book." The young boy looked over his shoulder to wear his brother was sitting. Of course, he was in the middle of book. There was no telling with Aisik what he was studying this time. Asher could only hope that it would lead to some fun for the duo.

"So tell me, Silver," Asher began with a smile. "How is that book that you seemed so absorbed in?" The Slytherin tucked his hair behind his ears and leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table. He kept his eyes locked to the girls and took on a posture that made him look interested in what she was about to tell him. Of course, Asher didn't care one bit about the book she'd been reading. Books had always been Aisik's specialty. Talk was Asher's, and he was good at it. "Your accent screams England. Where exactly are you from?" Asher asked, giving the girl a kind, genuine smile.

[Sylvia Roberts]

Silver still kept a close watch on him, just in case he was pulling her leg, not that watching him was a hard thing to do since he was so attractive. She bit her bottom lip as she began to think that he wasn't in on any scheme or plot to completely humiliate her in front of the entire school, so she relaxed a bit. She kept her pristine posture as his thick Romanian accent rolled around inside her head. His looks and confident attitude made him seem like a Romanian angel of some sort. Still mesmerized by his looks, she didn't even realize that he had begun to speak again. Furrowing her eyebrows slightly as she snapped back into reality, she listened to his golden words as he spoke.

With a nod, Asher politely extended his hand towards the girl. "Well, it's refreshing to run into such a beauty," he said softly with, his eyes locking on to hers. "It's a true pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The young Slytherin took his hand gently, feeling it's strenght and warmth, she practically melted, but held her poise. "Well, those are awful kind words for someone I just met." She said with a flirtatious grin and a slight rosiness in her cheeks. She didn't mind his words at all, in fact they made her heart beat faster but she didn't show it in the least bit in her faceal composure. As he leaned back in his chair and let go of her hand, it felt cold and vulnerable, longing for warmth once again. She gently put it back in her lap, and covered it lightly with her other hand at an attempt to return the warmth it once had.

"In all honesty, I was hunting down my twin brother, Aisik. He's on the other side of the library being anti-social. I had finally found him when I came in here and was a bit side tracked," Asher said with a sly half smile. "I suppose I could ask you the same question but the answer seems obvious," Asher said, pointing to the girl's book.

God, another one of his cunning comments. He was good, but Silver couldn't let him get the satisfaction of her just melting in his hands. She let out a soft smile curl upon her lips, but that was all. "Oh, why I thought you came in here looking just for me, but apparently it's your brother you were searching for." She said in a joking manner and giving him a small flirty wink. At his second remark Silver just looked down at the book which lay untouched on the table. She would much rather be speaking to Asher than reading, which was saying a lot for her.

"I sincerely hope that I'm not intruding. I know my brother become terribly put out when interrupted while reading a good book." The young boy looked over his shoulder to wear his brother was sitting.

Silver grabbed her book and looked at the cover, then back at Asher. "Oh trust me, you are not intruding whatsoever. I was just about finished anyhow. No worries. I'm glad you interrupted me, because if you didn't I would have gone along not even knowing a dashing fellow like yourself was in the same room as me, and what a terrible inconvinience that would be." She said in a serious tone and a face to match. Sylvia put her book back on the table, fixed her legs, and leaned slightly closer to Asher. When he looked back, she copied his action, noticing a boy who looked a similar to Asher sitting at a table reading away. A true Ravenclaw, she thought noticing his robes. They're all so typical, spending their hours reading in the library. Slytherin's usually didn't like to read, so it was rare for one like Silver to be found reading in the library, and in a way she wanted to thank his brother, because without him, Asher wouldn't have walked in.

"So tell me, Silver," Asher began with a smile. "How is that book that you seemed so absorbed in?"

Silver blushed slightly, as she remembered how foolish she must have looked reading the way she was. She knew that Slytherin's weren't readers, so she figured that Asher was just trying to make conversation. Due to this she didn't go into great detail about ever single thing in the book, instead she just smiled and replied in her thick accent. "Well, it was very wonderful romance, filled with adventure and a rather unexpected ending." Plain and simple, she didn't want to elaborate any more as not to bore the fellow Slytherin.

"Your accent screams England. Where exactly are you from?" Asher asked, giving the girl a kind, genuine smile.

The girl giggled and realized how thick her accent really was. "I was born in a hospital in London, and now live on the outskirts of town with my.. er.. parents." Was that what they were? They weren't her true parents, but they treated her as if she was their child, so that must mean that they are her parents. The whole topic confused Silver. She wasn't sure if Mr. and Mrs. Roberts were considered parents since they adopted her, but she decided best not to think about all of that. She leaned in close to Asher. "Your accent screams Romania. Where exactly are you from?" Silver said with a smile as she mocked his words, though she was truly curious as where he had come from; Heaven perhaps? Possibly.