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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 20:46:01 GMT -5
Dare had been making his way slowly, but surely all over the school, pausing now and then when inspiration struck him. He hadn't been to the forest yet. Maybe that first day it was because of the rule, but the more time he spent at Hogwarts, the more he believed that the rule was for show more than anything else.
He stopped just at the treeline, debating. Chances were there were as many students in there as in any given Common Room at that moment. He stood, looking into the gloom, and contemplating the wisdom in entering, the possibilities which lay within the trees.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 20:54:06 GMT -5
Michael had his pad tucked under one arm and his box in his pocket, shrunk to size, and he was going to find one of his usual places in the forest. Usually he would have ignored the guy standing at the edge, but he was just a little starved for contact, and so he spoke, "Don't tell me you believe all that crap the school sells us." He grinned, stopping beside the guy and looking between him and the trees.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 21:00:46 GMT -5
Dare's lips quirked at the comment, and he broke his gaze from the trees to look at the guy who'd spoken. "It's not about whether I believe, it's about the rules, man. Do they call it forbidden just so kids'll go in?" That was the impression he'd gotten, anyway. There hadn't been half as big a group of determined rebels at his last school.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 21:13:46 GMT -5
Michael shrugged, "Guess there's just nothing else to do. I know some kids that have met up with a centaur here and there, but nothing serious." He glanced back at the forest, he had a bit of a connection to it, he felt at peace when he was inside. "So you going in or not?" he asked, looking back at him.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 21:35:35 GMT -5
"Yeah I'm going in, I just figured I'd pretend the rules mattered for a minute or two." He gave a half-smile and passed his sketchbook from right hand to left, then extended his right hand to the guy. "Alasdair Blackwood," he said by way of introduction. "But call me Dare." He didn't normally seek out company, but he hadn't really met many people yet, so he figured he'd go with it for now.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 21:43:39 GMT -5
Michael took his hand, "Michael Hardt." He released Dare's hand and started into the forest. "So do you draw, too?" he asked, gesturing to the book Dare was holding. He hadn't met up with someone that really drew since he had originally come to the school, that he knew of, anyway. And he wished he hadn't known that girl he had met in the beginning.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 21:53:46 GMT -5
"It's my life," Dare replied. He gave one last glance back toward the castle, then headed into the trees with Michael, sketchbook in tow. "I draw about everything; perspectives, landscapes, portraits, whatever I feel like. Haven't gotten into figure drawing yet, but that's a tricky one, you know?" There weren't a hell of a lot of teens who seemed to want to just stand or lie somewhere and be visually inspected, even for art's sake. "What about you? Anything you're really into?"
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 22:02:05 GMT -5
"I do landscapes and portraits, according to how I'm feeling." When he was calmer, Michael did landscapes, and when something was wrong he did portraits. "I have a pretty good memory so I draw the people I know. Come out here to do it." He was heading towards one of the places he knew, a place where two people could sit comfortably, a stand of trees a little farther in.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 22:22:53 GMT -5
"So, we're off to your lair or something," Dare said, looking around at the trees as they walked, trying to recall so he could find his way back. "My brother's all about finding some den of his own, but I can't seem to settle. I'm more of a gypsy than he is," he added, his lips lightly curved with the private joke. "Is there really enough light in here?" he asked skeptically.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 22:30:45 GMT -5
"When you're me you find places to be alone," Michael said, ducking under a branch. He fell silent for a minute, thoughts going back to the reasons he was so obsessed with finding those places. "Yeah, there's plenty of light," he answered, after he remembered that Dare had asked. He took a few more steps and then came into a tiny clearing. A large tree with knarled roots that served as a place to sit was at the edge, and for some reason the trees around it were a little farther away than normal, creating a little circle of light.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 29, 2008 23:12:57 GMT -5
Dare paused at the edge of the clearing and looked around, giving the place the moment of silence he felt it deserved. He could see why Michael had picked the place. It was quiet, but with the constant low flutter and rustle of the forest, not so quiet that it felt dead. It was enclosed and open all at once, an artist's studio created by nature. "Nice," he said appreciatively. Dare could guess where the prized seating was, so he sat down a little beyond it, leaning comfortably back against a broad-trunked tree.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 30, 2008 19:37:05 GMT -5
Michael settled into his usual spot between two large roots and pulled out his box and wand. He tapped the box and it grew back to normal size and he put his wand up, setting up the box beside him and opening his pad to a clean page. "This is the first place I found, one of my favorites." He absentmindedly tugged on his left sleeve, pulling it halfway down his hand, and messed in the box, trying to decide what he wanted to use.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 30, 2008 20:12:05 GMT -5
Dare saw the motion and wondered, but didn't say anything. There were any number of reasons--nervous gesture, for example--and it could've been his imagination that it was an act to cover something. And it said something about his own mind that his first thought was cutting.
Dare looked away, turned his attention to drawing his own art box out with a swish and flick of his wand. "I was thinking the lake, myself," he said, setting aside the upper tray of his box to get to a package of chalk pastels. "I'm really into light right now. Maybe I miss the Pacific," he said with a shrug.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on May 30, 2008 20:20:49 GMT -5
Michael pulled out a pack of worn colored pencils, sometimes he just liked to go back to when he was younger, although the actual drawing he did wouldn't be that of a child. "When'd you move here?" he asked, arching an eyebrow up at Dare before focusing on the paper in front of him and starting. It wasn't anything that was going to be really finished, just a study he was doing, mostly.
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Post by Dare Blackwood-Hardt on May 30, 2008 20:36:50 GMT -5
"Couple weeks ago," Dare said. He flipped his book to a fresh page and steadied it against his thighs, then looked at Michael a moment before choosing a stub of colored chalk. "Dad gave us a week to get our crap ready in the new house, then we were on the train and here." He began a sweeping curve on the page before realizing he'd only given half that thought. "My brother Silver's here too. Ended up in Ravenclaw, no surprise." Dare glanced back up at Michael, then dove into outlining his drawing.
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