tell me something ((ptolemy))

Finally deciding that it would be wise to not put off talking with Ptolemy for much longer, Thius invited his friend to join him in the duelling chambers; if there ended up being no shortage of tension, at least they could blow up the dummies and get it out of their system. He thought about some of what he had said to Ptolemy, and he was torn on whether some of it was misdirected. There was no direct evidence that he or Alayna had colluded to glitter bomb Bellona like that. Yet, at the same time, he couldn't write off the possibility of them arranging such a trick so swiftly. Who knows what could occur next?

His foot tapped the ground repetitively as he awaited Ptolemy's arrival. This time, he was trying to think of more covert, more normal methods of fulfilling the ritual. It resulted in him dancing and singing along to what turned out to be the beat of a Weird Sisters tune.

"...Na na ny na... Flyin' off from a cliff..."

@Ptolemy Rowle

Although he wasn't on the best terms with Melanthius right now, Ptolemy begrudgingly agreed to meet with him to give him a chance of redemption. Now it was getting to the point where it wasn't just one isolated incident: Thius and Bellona were bad-mouthing Alayna at every other breath, and he couldn't tolerate any more of it. When he entered the chamber, expecting to see his adversary standing there and trying to look intimidating: he saw a very different picture.

He uttered a bark-like laugh, which rang around the room.

"I don't think you should use those moves at the formal, you'll scare everyone away - including Bellona Lestrange."

The glee remained in his expression as he watched him, but his eyebrows were contracted cruelly. Before now it had felt indecent to point out the flaws in his friend, but now he couldn't help himself.

@Melanthius Burke

As soon as he heard Ptolemy laughing at him, he stopped what he was doing and glared at him apprehensively. "Thank you for setting the tone, Rowle, it's appreciated..."

He rolled his eyes, sighing in frustration. "Now that you've gotten such a comment out of yout mind, I suppose we should have a talk."

Thius summoned over two chairs that were off to the side of the room. Taking a seat, he narrowed his eyes upon the realization that it wasn't wide enough. Great, just great.

"Why did you allow your girlfriend to make such horrid threats to Bellona?" He wanted to get that addressed first before getting to everything else.

@Ptolemy Rowle

Now that he wasn't so busy counting by factors of five and muttering to himself, Melanthius had become a lot bolder recently. That wasn't a bad thing in itself, although Ptolemy didn't favor his opinions very much. He was still getting used to this new level of assertiveness coming from his friend, so he silently agreed to sit and talk as requested. Now sat facing him, his brow went up inquisitively.

Well... there were quite a lot of things to pick apart in that one question alone.

"Firstly I do not command or dictate to Alayna what she can and can't do, I have only ever been advisory to her through the years and she continues to value my input. Secondly," he said, taking breath, "I believe your state of being lovesick has clouded your perception somewhat. Bellona is no more charming than you are, and she has been particularly vicious towards Alayna for no reason other than, as I see it, jealousy. There is only so much one can tolerate before anger and frustration get the better of you. Alayna has enough on her plate without having to deal with the bleating of a silly fourteen-year-old girl."

@Melanthius Burke

"Alayna called Bellona a," Thius took a deep breath, rubbing his forehead before finally uttering, "cunt. It was quite vulgar and uncalled for. It was always Alayna escalating the petty words between them, and to fully excuse it due to pregnancy is foolish."

That was precisely why he felt as if both Notts and now Ptolemy required more hours to relearn what they'd forgotten about etiquette; they were carrying themselves like they were part of a circus, and it was embarrassing to witness.

"And then both of you walk around the castle ready to hump at any given moment! All of us have exams to study for and assignments to complete. None of us are particularly fond of watching your cruder displays of affection. And, frankly, I would've thought you'd understand how sacred and private such acts are..."

Instead, Thius was finding Ptolemy very trashy, behaving no better than Matilda or Potter.

@Ptolemy Rowle

"And you would have an inclination of how it could feel to be pregnant, do you? Alayna merely wants to see an end to it, if anything it is Bellona being petty. She's quick to make a comment about the way Alayna bloody breathes."

He saw it as Alayna defending herself. She and Bellona were very similar in a lot of ways, and sometimes he enjoyed seeing her being riled up and feisty, but it wasn't good for her in her current condition. That was the only thing he really cared about. Not what words she was choosing to say.

Ptolemy snorted.

"It takes a little more than just kissing to enter the phase of love making, Melanthius. But you wouldn't necessarily know that, seeing as you haven't experienced a kiss that wasn't from your own Mother."

@Melanthius Burke

"You don't put an end to it by threatening to torture her until she begs for death! Do we not agree that's too many steps too far for bickering?"

It wasn't as if Bellona said or did anything to warrant such a threat. Although he still wouldn't like to see or hear of it, he would've been far more understanding if Alayna threatened to fight. That was one of the typical ways to sort out problems... But she might've been too afraid to after getting her arse kicked by the Potter girl. Thius had no doubt that Bellona's ice manipulation would give her the advantage.

Thius crossed his arms, not liking how his in-tact virginity was being brought into it. "I was waiting for the right girl! I wasn't going to give a part of myself away so easily, and I was waiting to meet a girl who was similar. Does decorum mean nothing to you?"

@Ptolemy Rowle

"A threat is just that Thius: a threat. If she truly wished to torture Bellona then she would have come to me about it."

And he sounded completely confident in that, as though it were a fact.

"Bellona Lestrange is only similar to you in the way you've adapted to her," he explained almost conversationally, as though he was giving him advice and not criticising him. "Honestly, I fail to see many similarities. The main reason why you haven't kissed anyone is because you've lacked the confidence to do so. It's as simple as that."

He thought about it for a moment.

"It may be more important to me than it is to Alayna, but I also like to have my own way with things."

He grinned.

@Melanthius Burke

Thius rolled his eyes, slouching slightly on the chair; how could Ptolemy always be so sure of everything? Was it because he always got his wants met? Or was it because it really wasn't that normal to ruminate?

"Why, yes, Bellona and I do have our differences seeing as we've had very different experiences growing up, but we do have quite a bit in common. I enjoy being around her, and we find plenty to discuss."

It was soothing to actually feel as if he could confide in somebody for once with no judgment attached to it...

Getting up from the chair, he stood in front of Ptolemy. "When you were only bloody known as the fat boy, of course I wouldn't be as bloody confident as you! I'd sometimes wonder if I was playing second fiddle!"

@Ptolemy Rowle

He didn't disapprove of their friendship, or the fact that Melanthius was currently pursuing her. If anything, he had been glad to see him having that sort of attention from a girl that didn't have any malicious intent behind it.

When he stood up in front of him, Ptolemy looked up at him. He kept eye contact with him as he expressed his frustration.

"I had never thought for a second that your build had anything to do with it. There may have been others who had spoke behind your back about you muttering to yourself, but I certainly never encouraged such conversation. I had always seen it as your own battle that only you yourself could overcome."

He lowered his head, but kept his eyes solidly on him.

"If you had felt second rate to me, then that is your own doing. A self-fulfilling prophecy, so to speak. I certainly do not feel you are any less able than I."

@Melanthius Burke

"When you've received attention just for breathing and greeting a girl, of bloody course I'd feel second rate! You never had to reassure yourself of your own sanity! Everything always came so bloody easy to you that you don't know how to put up with people who don't cater to your every whims! And guess what happened as a result of that? You've damaged your reputation within Hogwarts!"

He did defend his friend frequently over the past few months, but there came a point where he wasn't getting any benefit from it. Instead, it had his brother comparing him to Ptolemy. Why? Because he turned Mackenna into a rat! He wouldn't dream to ruin the privilege of attending Hogwarts without care as he actually enjoyed school.

Thius looked down awkwardly, scratching his arm. "I didn't like how you and Alayna reacted to Bellona getting 'glitter-bombed'..."

He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and opened it in Ptolemy's direction, allowing for some of the remnant glitter from the incident to disperse. Thius didn't care if it wasn't equal in magnitude; he just wanted Ptolemy to feel the humiliation Bellona did.

@Ptolemy Rowle

Opening his mouth to say something, Ptolemy was nonplussed when he opened an envelope seemingly in his direction, and it was too late to work out what was happening before it happened. A cascade of red powder and gold glitter puffed up over his face and hair, and he shut his eyes just about in the nick of time.

Silently he wiped away the dust from his eyes impatiently. As he opened them, some had got into his left and he was forced to only look out from one.

"You are bloody mad, Burke!"

He stood up, wiping at his eye furiously until everything was out.

@Melanthius Burke

"That's what you bloody get for laughing at Bellona!"

Thius hid a look of satisfaction. Of course, it wouldn't be enough to knock Ptolemy down a peg or two, but he would be capable of doing that all by himself.

"If we're on the same side, I suggest you and Alayna start showing it. Our kind only has so many allies..."

A part of him wondered if Ptolemy wouldn't have gotten so soft had he and Alayna stayed proactive with their contraception.

"Do you have anything to say to me? If we're to stay friends, I'd like to see both actions and words from you, at least if we're in the same room... If not, we can have ourselves a duel."

@Ptolemy Rowle

"Honestly, everything you have said so far is so contradictory that I have not the slightest idea what you want from me. All of it sounds like bitterness to me: petty bitterness and resentment that I have received, supposedly, more attention from others than you have. Why don't you just bloody cry about it, get over it, and stop all this fuss over nothing!"

He performed a quick cleaning spell, feeling he was far too distracted by specks of glitter in his peripherals to be as firm as he wanted to be with him.

"First, you say I have sullied my reputation at Hogwarts. But sitting around and discussing my discontent for others doesn't remotely achieve anything. I would rather put them in their place quickly than whisper behind their backs, and so far I have caused James Potter to leave Hogwarts. That is more than you can say. If it sullies my reputation with Voclain then boo-hoo. I would not take back any of my actions - not a single one."

"And now you are saying that I need to prove to you that I am on the same side, when I have given you a solidarity of companionship for the past however many years?! What is it that you wish for me to do? Punish Alayna for all the things she says to Bellona, when I know you two have wasted more hours collectively demeaning her behind her back! You are being ridiculous, Burke. You have been sounder of mind when counting in fives than you are at this moment."

@Melanthius Burke

He was bitter. Very bitter, and quite envious as well. However, Thius never expressed it as he held a lot of respect for Ptolemy, even to the extent of trying to emulate his sense of style, formally speaking.

"You caused Potter to leave Hogwarts when it was Alayna who consistently badgered him into doing so? See? You're just full of yourself by taking credit for what was mainly her work! Do you ever bloody pay attention to people other than yourself and Alayna?!"

The audacity! Thius should've known that following through with the talk might end up being a hopeless endeavor.

"If you bloody did, you would've realized I suffer when I count! I had your back 110%, but just like my brother, you learned to tune it out! Some solidarity that was!"

He kicked the air frustratingly; this was making him want to start a duel once and for all. A fair chance to put Rowle in his place.

"We don't only talk about Alayna! If you paid enough attention, you would've noticed that!"

He couldn't help that Alayna made it so easy all year to be a topic of conversation. "I don't ask for you to punish her, but I'd like to know that you genuinely see me as a friend and that Alayna treats her civilly by extension. If both of those can be achieved, I'll ensure her name is rarely uttered. Though I'm sure we can manage that without your intervention..."

"Which is why I requested to meet here. Besides the privacy it afforded us, it would allow us to sort things out."

@Ptolemy Rowle

Ptolemy watched him kicking out, ironically acting like more of a spoiled brat that he considered himself to be. He was putting words into his mouth, entirely projecting onto him and being just a little over-dramatic. If it wasn't so pitiful to witness, he could have laughed. Instead he just watched him like you would a child having a tantrum: Are you done now? Good boy. Now go and get changed for dinner.

"Bellona isn't doing her fair share of acting civilly, Melanthius. Nothing that Alayna did was unprovoked. If you can't admit that, then you really must be too lovesick to see things as they are."

He rolled his eyes.

"You never bloody listen, Thius. I had told you that I felt your battle with your state of mind would always be something you would have to overcome yourself, and nothing I or your brother could say would help you," He felt as though this was a brick wall now, "You cannot place the responsibility of curing your mental well-being onto others, particularly as they could never comprehend. And I definitely do not recall saying that Alayna was all you spoke about."

He sighed at him.

"Honestly, you act as though I have spent these years constantly mocking you. You have such an astounding victim complex, I thought it was Potter talking to me for a moment."

@Melanthius Burke

"Bellona is abrasive, and that is one of many reasons why I'm into her. However, snide comments doesn't justify the sewage that came out of Alayna's mouth... A dress color and comments about mothers leading to threats of torture? Unlike you, I did try to defuse the situation. I tried to get Bellona to not take the bait. You? You reveled in it!"

Did he just say that..? Was he sounding like Potter? Oh no...

That had to be the worst person he was ever, ever compared to.

"Rowle, we aren't getting anywhere by talking, so why don't we duel instead? It's quite obvious, at this point, that we're not going to find a common ground, or anything we could possibly agree on, verbally..."

Pulling out his wand, he moved towards the center of the chamber.

@Ptolemy Rowle

"Fine."

He took out his wand, turned away from the chairs and stood to one side of the duelling floor. The chairs Burke had summoned were banished, so they wouldn't get in the way, and he squared his shoulders, rolling them back, loosening himself up for flexibility.

"There's something you need to learn about women, Burke," he said stiffly, "And it's that they can very easily be enemies one moment and friends the next. I believe Bellona and Alayna could be friends - perhaps better friends than we could be, apparently."

He spread his feet apart slightly, getting into position.

@Melanthius Burke

"If that ends up being the case, then we shall patch things up..."

Currently, he didn't see that happening, but he couldn't dismiss the possibility.

Getting into position, he pulled out a knut from his pocket. "Heads or tails?"

@Ptolemy Rowle

Perhaps they could, but somehow he knew there would always be some kind of resentment there on Thius's part.

"Tails."

@Melanthius Burke

Flipping the coin in his hand, it landed on heads. He nodded at the result and bowed before taking his stance.

He sent a pepper breath hex at Ptolemy following very brief deliberation.

@Ptolemy Rowle

Briefly bowing to him, he kept his eyes and ears alert for any sudden movement he was about to make. He knew that he would be very quick, and very unforgiving.

"Protego."

The shield charm encased him just in time, but he dispersed it again. Standing within shields the entire time was no way to duel. Ptolemy swished his wand harshly from one side to the next, and several arrows came flying out towards the hems of Burke's trousers, seeking to pin them to the floorboards.

@Melanthius Burke

Seeing the arrows approach his path, he moved out of the way and pointed at them. "Evanesco!" The arrows quickly vanished.

Thius smirked and said in a voice mocking Professor Voclain, "Spring is coming! Herbifors!"

@Ptolemy Rowle

He thought that he could just dodge that one, but he was slightly put off-guard by his imitation of Professor Voclain. It actually made him laugh. Melanthius could be quite funny when he wanted to be.

Unfortunately, however, he was now sporting a head of spring tulips. At least his hair wouldn't get into his eyes this way. But this was all very light, wasn't it? Pepper breath hex and making a flower bed spring from his skull?

Ptolemy tried hitting him with a knockback jinx while running over to the other side of the room.

@Melanthius Burke

As he began to formulate his next move, Thius was thrown back a few feet. He needed to get much, much harder on Rowle. Thius was generous enough to start mild.

He decided to use one of his favorites: "Alarte Ascendare!"

Getting up from the floor, he ran towards the dummies.

@Ptolemy Rowle