October 19, 1879 - Transfiguration Classroom, Hogwarts (Basil's Sixth Year, Fall Term)

It had been some weeks since Basil’s little excursion into the restricted section and since then he’d read the entire text Mr. Macnair had helped him attain from cover to cover. He’d written more than enough for Thompson’s essay too, exceeding the scroll minimum by almost four pages. Their detention hadn’t been the most thrilling, but with it behind him, Basil was pleased.

His favorite time of year was upon them. Autumn was… in its very essence, the most beautiful, poetic and peaceful season of the year for many reasons. Firstly, he enjoyed his time at Hogwarts more than he enjoyed his time at home these days. There was just something to be said for the aesthetic of it, and he adored his classes. Here Basil felt… appreciated. Wanted. He had a purpose. The flavors of the season were also amongst the Ravenclaw’s favorite; pumpkin pasties especially. He was on the hunt for them year ‘round, but at least in October they were abundant. (If he’d started having them for breakfast recently, that was nobody’s business but his own.)

Today, as he walked across the castle grounds, arms laden-full of books, a crisp chill accompanied Basil and the brunette snuggled his nose into the blue and grey scarf around his neck. He’d just stopped off at the library for some reading material for the weekend and was on his way back to Ravenclaw tower. He had to drop off a book for Thompson that he’d borrowed the week prior, but Nee had class and so Basil found himself alone on this Friday afternoon, already ahead in most of his coursework. He was excited to dig into a text entitled “Samhain Origins,” an indulgent break from the transfigurative scrolls he usually preferred. The idea of curling up with this book and a mug of tea by the window overlooking the greenhouses was so cozy that Basil couldn’t help but hum a little as he crossed the threshold back into the castle.

He was ambling along, thinking to himself how pleasant this upcoming evening was shaping up to be, when he spotted someone in one of the empty classrooms. The transfiguration classroom, to be precise. His very destination. Basil paused in the doorway only to spot Agrimony Macnair fiddling with… he wasn’t even sure what. Curiosity getting the best of him, Basil cleared his throat awkwardly from the doorframe. “Er— hi,” he offered, shuffling in about half way. He didn’t want to intrude if Macnair preferred to be alone, but he did have to drop off Professor Thompson’s book. Settling his things on the desk nearest the door, Basil picked it up and turned it over in his hands awkwardly. “I er— just had to drop something off,” he explained, though why he wasn’t exactly sure.

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Agrimony Macnair & mood music because basil latched lolwhoops

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Thompson's classroom was the most ideal for any of this, though Agrimony had never sought out express permission to do experiments. True, he'd thought to simply ask if he could do some work in the classroom, but he never spoke up when Thompson failed to ask him what kind of work he'd be doing. Given his excellent grades in the subject, Agrimony took that to mean Thompson trusted him enough.

That was good enough for Agrimony, frankly.

After pushing four desks together to make an expanded surface, Agrimony laid out all his tools (and a fire-retardant tarp, of course — he wasn't that disrespectful to Thompson's classroom) and got to work. It was after a quarter of an hour that his tinkering was interrupted and his eyes slid up to see a familiar — and particularly sheepish looking (or was that just how he always was?) — Ravenclaw at the door.

The Slytherin was content to merely ignore him and let him get on with whatever he'd been set on doing, however Foxwood then proceeded to explain his sudden appearance. Grey eyes flicking up to Foxwood, then back onto the pile of metal in front of him, Agrimony blinked. "You can put it on the desk, Thompson said he'd be back later this evening." He flicked his head slightly towards the area, despite there being only one obvious place for Foxwood to put it.

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Relieved Macnair hadn’t seemed too irritated at being interrupted, Basil nodded. He was endlessly curious about what the other could possibly be working on, but as it really was none of his business, the Ravenclaw decided to simply move through the room and meander towards Thompson’s desk. He replaced the tomb in a particularly organized spot - weird for his mentor, really - and then turned back towards his little stack by the door. “Thanks,” he mumbled, turning back towards Macnair.

Basil reached up to scratch at the back of his head awkwardly. He didn’t know… what was still keeping him here, but something certainly seemed to be. Perhaps it was curiosity, or maybe even breeding that taught him not to be so curt and dismissive of people without necessity. Whatever the matter, Basil found himself tucking his books back into his arms and standing rather still. He supposed if he was going to initiate contact, he ought to do it in a way that allowed him an expedient exit lest things go terribly awry. He scuffed one foot into the ground.

“So um, how have you been?” Basil finally asked, rather arbitrarily. Well that had been a stupid question.

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Agrimony Macnair & mood music because basil latched lolwhoops

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He only marginally paid any mind to the shuffling of Foxwood — enough students did that around him all day when he was tinkering with things, so what was one more Ravenclaw. He always felt a lick of satisfaction at the obvious curiosity that people exhibited when he was fiddling with things, as if that secret was for him and him alone. It was rare that Agrimony disclosed any of his machinations lest they get back to the ears of one of the teachers. They were often not so nefarious that he would get in trouble, but they could cause quite a bit of mischief if used correctly. 'Correctly' being the operative word, in Agrimony's estimation.

Withdrawing the dragon-hide gloves from his hands, Agrimony reached out and twirled the little top on the desk. It sputtered to life briefly before sputtering out a tiny squeak and falling apart on the table. "Bloody hell," Agrimony tossed the gloves onto the table, sitting back in his chair before the sound of a scuffing on the ground reached his ears, Foxwood's voice traveling not far behind. He turned in his seat to see the other boy hovering.

With a quizzical look pasted on his face, Agrimony quirked an eyebrow again, his gaze moving from Foxwood's feet to take in his awkward expression. "I've been alright." He replied after a pause. Was Foxwood playing at something? "And you?"

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   Basil Foxwood

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Macnair is always so polite, was Basil’s first thought when the other answered him. His tone of voice was quiet too, making him approachable despite any slight oddity about him. Basil had heard many things over the years about Agrimony Macnair and so far, form his experience, not a single one of them had proven true. He was a delightful person, likely cast in a terrible light because he was different. Basil knew a little bit about that himself.

Offering the other a slightly lopsided little smile, still heavy from awkwardness, Basil replied: “About the same.” They were quiet then for another moment, and he watched as whatever it was Macnair was fiddling with continued in its inevitable progression. He considered for a moment asking if he could just sit and watch, or read, but that seemed remarkably rude and… likely, odd. Basil didn’t know why he was looking for an excuse to linger anyhow; he had splendid plans with his texts in the common room.

Deciding that was that, he turned to go.

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Agrimony Macnair & mood music because basil latched lolwhoops

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Though Foxwood wasn't exactly the most chatty person in the world, he seemed a bit off-kilter. But then again, Agrimony was never the best judge of character. Foxwood still did have a peculiar air about him; nervous almost. Or perhaps that was the Slytherin imagining things. In any case, Agrimony surveyed the other boy in the room briefly before nodding. "Right, then." He murmured, flicking his eyes over Foxwood's shoulder, then turning back to the device on the desk. "I'll see you around then, Foxwood."

Before he could do anything else except for look at the silver contraption, it rattled again before making a high-whining noise. Uh oh. "Duck." With Foxwood over by the door, there was little time to do much except for throw caution to the wind, kick the chair back and levitate the desk in the air to block any of the metal shards from whizzing towards the other student.

Two sharp bites to his shoulder told him that the exploding device caught him on the way to maul the desk. "Bloody hell," He hissed, the desk dropping as his wand clattered to the floor.

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   Basil Foxwood

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Basil was still thinking about Macnair’s voice as he retreated towards the door. Its cadence rattled around in his mind, even and low and comforting in a way that was… slightly unusual for the Ravenclaw. He wouldn’t let himself indulge the thought, but something about Macnair’s voice made him want to wrap up inside of it like a blanket, a shield from the hardships of the day. Maybe some people were just meant to have a calming presence in this world? Maybe Macnair was just special.

It was with this thought that Basil turned and ducked, having heard the cry, and obeyed immediately. Grey hues widened as he heard something explode. What in Merlin’s name—? The Ravenclaw flinched as something smacked him in the arm, books dropping to the ground with a thud. Then Macnair hissed and Basil turned to find the other scowling at something on his shoulder, wand discarded.

“Are you alright?” He asked, abandoning his collection of tombs and standing. Macnair didn't look alright, so Basil crossed the small space between them. He picked up the other's wand as he went. When he neared, Basil could see blood staining the Slytherin's attire. “Ah,” he murmured. “Here, let me see…” He turned Macnair towards himself, not minding any protests the other might make. Then, gently dipping cold fingers under the ripped cloth of the other’s robes, Basil tugged back the fabric. He revealed two small gashes, one superficial the other a little deeper, from where something from that exploding whose-it-what must have caught. The Ravenclaw’s face softened. “That doesn’t look fun,” he said quietly.

Gently then, still holding Macnair by the arm with one hand, Basil set the kid's wand down on the nearest surface (a desk) and reached for his own. He didn’t wait for permission to proceed; this was an easy one. With a soft mutter, Basil gave his wand a flick and the wound began to stitch itself closed. It took a minute and some concentration, but eventually the smaller of the two scrapes vanished and the larger closed in so much that it might heal on its own in a few days. Relieved, Basil lowered his wand and gently released Macnair’s arm. His face warmed then as he realized how close he’d gotten to the other boy. “Er— there,” Basil replied, taking a small step backwards and ducking his head. “Sorry.”

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Agrimony Macnair & mood music because basil latched lolwhoops

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He would have dipped down to get his own wand, but any movement of his shoulder sent twinges of spasming pain down his arm, so Agrimony elected to stay still as he watched Foxwood retrieve his wand. He expected to be handed his wand and perhaps for Foxwood to fetch a bandage kit but instead the Slytherin found himself being turned to face the other boy again. He wasn't exactly in a position to protest, however he watched him warily, his eyes and expression suspicious; as if he had something precious in his pockets that Foxwood was seeking to take.

The other boy's touch was...peculiar, and Agrimony continued to watch him, more curious than cautious now that he saw Foxwood was trying to heal him. And he'd done so without a second thought, not even to accuse him of putting his life in danger. It seemed Foxwood was murmuring to himself more than to Agrimony, and yet he heard himself say, "Cuts on one's shoulder usually aren't very fun." in response to the Ravenclaw's musings. Yet injuries were pretty par for the course for Agrimony — he usually had to patch himself up, relying on the aid of magic to help him reach places he couldn't.

Either Foxwood didn't hear him or he was merely too concentrated on healing to hear Agrimony's answer — either way, there was a prickling of annoyance that tugged at him when he saw the degree of concentration to which the other student was under. He also resisted the urge to swat at Foxwood's hand as he felt the skin pulling together as it was being healed. For all the good that it did, this was the worst part of the spell for Agrimony; the sensation felt as if there were something crawling underneath his skin, so unpleasant that it took strength to not tear the wound right open again.

Feeling the pressure of Foxwood's touch on his arm disappear, Agrimony pulled his hand back quickly as he realized there was little space anywhere around them — one step backwards and he would back into the desk behind him. Blinking, he searched Foxwood's expression before there was enough room between them that Agrimony felt he might actually breathe again. "Thanks." He said finally, his good hand reaching up to his injured shoulder. It felt only sore now, the trickling feeling having disappeared. Looking Foxwood up and down, he felt the strangest sensation that it was his turn to say something now. "You're not...er - hurt, are you?"

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   Basil Foxwood

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Basil couldn’t help the absent little smile that stole across his face at the Slytherin’s mutter. Amusing, was he? the Ravenclaw thought to himself as he patched Macnair up. (That was the inobvious charm to Agrimony Macnair Basil found he liked so much. The other could be entirely straight faced as he quipped back a snark, and Basil couldn’t help but find it endearing.) He concentrated fully then before stepping away, warm and somewhat self-conscious at having taken such a brazen initiative. Macnair didn’t know him that well; he could easily have gotten angry at being messed with by magic. Still, the Slytherin didn’t seem upset, especially as he thanked Basil. Another little lopsided grin stole across the Ravenclaw’s face and he shrugged noncommittally.

Basil felt himself squirm then under Macnair’s flash of an appraisal. There was something about being looked up and down by the Slytherin that made him want to dart. Holding his own, Basil kept grey eyes keenly focused on the other’s movements, looking for any additional signs of damage. When he was addressed, he shook his head slowly.

“No,” Basil replied quietly. “I’m alright, thanks.”

Tucking his wand away then, back into his waistcoat pocket, Basil let out a short breath. His books still lay across the way where he’d abandoned them on the floor, but it felt rude to simply pat Macnair on the back and walk away after that fiasco. Instead, he looked around at the wreckage. “Do you er— need help cleaning this up?” He asked. Curiosity still prickled at Basil as to what the Slytherin had been working on in the first place. Perhaps it was something he could lend a hand with, after all?

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Agrimony Macnair & mood music because basil latched lolwhoops

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He took the other boy at his word, and nodded in response before taking a look at the mess across the floor. The scattered remains of the contraption were next to useless now. Not completely, there was always the prospect of melting the metal down, but it would still be reduced and diminished in value. Agrimony frowned before picking up his wand from the desk Foxwood had placed it on. “I don’t think so, it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.” His mind was already whirring through the possibilities of what he could do to turn this mess to his advantage; precious little, but there wasn’t any harm in keeping the pieces for something down the line.

Expecting Foxwood to leave, Agrimony set about cleaning up the supplies with a wave of his wand. He set his bag down on a free desk for the pieces to settle back into. Halfway through, he realized the Ravenclaw was still there and he turned fully to him, head cocked as he regarded him. Eventually, he didn’t say a word — turned back to the desk and finished packing up his things before another wave of his wand saw the desks rearrange themselves. “Thanks for the patch up, Foxwood.” He said finally before walking towards the door; towards Foxwood. Fixing his eyes on the boy one last time, he quirked a grin. “See you around.”

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   Basil Foxwood

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Basil wasn’t sure what he expected Macnair to say as the blonde refused help and began to clean up his belongings. Unsure if it was rude to just leave, Basil straightened his pile of books awkwardly. It wasn’t until the other made right for him that the Ravenclaw finally straightened as if standing to attention. He opened his mouth to say something but then the Slytherin thanked him and tossed him a small grin, and Basil felt words fail. He just nodded, sheepishly, and watched as the other floated from the room.

Left there, feeling clammy and warm, Basil didn’t even notice the blush that had stolen across his own features. He looked out over the familiar classroom, now all set to rights, and wondered if everything that had just happened was… real. Blinking, and deciding it wasn’t worth the mental dissection, Basil scooped up his pile and made to go on his way. He’d… deal with whatever this was another time.

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Agrimony Macnair & mood music because basil latched lolwhoops

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