Looking Forward (Adara/Quinn)

[Quinn Ashwinder]

Quinn's brow furrowed, "so when I asked Dare and Michael how their honeymoon went, I was insulting them?" She truly did like them, as some of the only men that she wasn't afraid of. "I didn't mean to, I just, didn't want to talk about me anymore, and I thought....they'd just been married..." She guessed that she hadn't thought it through that much.

[Adara Snow]

Adara blushed slightly at that particular topic, her mind taking an inappropriate detour into an explanation which Emilian had once given her. Her gaze dropped a moment before she gathered herself and looked up again to speak. "It would not be an insult so much as a possible invasion of privacy, but again, it depends on so much. I do know Dare and Michael, though sadly we've spoken little over the past months, and they tend to keep much private." Even from Emilian, when he had been one of Michael's closest friends. "People may refuse to answer or simply ignore questions that are too personal. It is so difficult to explain, but I do hope that I am making some sense."

[Quinn Ashwinder]

It took a moment for Quinn to mull it over in her mind, "it does make some sense. There are things that I wouldn't want to tell anyone." She didn't mind talking about Kiley, everyone would have loved her, she was brash, bright, and so overwhelmingly friendly that Quinn had enjoyed riding her coattails. But there were other things, other things that had happened between them that she couldn't see herself ever fully diverging to anyone. Feeling like a change of topic was necessary Quinn thought a moment, "the thing I want most in the world is to make a difference, to change how the world views people," not just people but muggles and magical creatures too.

[Adara Snow]

It seemed a rather sudden jump of subjects to Adara, but she would not be rude and point that out, so she simply worked to adjust. "What views of people do you wish to change?" she asked. She could think of nothing herself. People seemed content as a whole, and in the world she knew, most were unfailingly polite to one another. On the level she could see, at least.

[Quinn Ashwinder]

Quinn's eyes filled with a confidence that she rarely showed anyone. "The world is full of people that believe in antiquated ideals." Quinn's eyes flashed, "there are hundreds of people that live with fear and hatred because of some people's inability to accept something different from themselves." Quinn remembered every beating she and Kiley had received because their biological father had been a muggle. "Muggles, Homosexuals, Half-Bloods, Magical Creatures...sentient or otherwise. The list goes on for anyone that is persecuted for being who or what they were born to be."

[Adara Snow]

Adara felt out of her element in this new topic. She knew about such issues, but only as concepts, and with little personal experience. She had no issues with any of those things, nor could she think of anyone who did. She had been protected most of her life, and though Emilian enlightened her, he protected her as well. "These people are persecuted?" she asked, genuinely curious and concerned. She wanted to ask why and how, but too many questions sometimes confused people, and she didn't wish to be rude.

[Quinn Ashwinder]

Quinn shook her head a moment in disgust, "persecuted, murdered, not given any rights. Look at what happened in the forest a few months back, they murdered a werewolf. A human being that has a disease. Species of magical creatures being wiped from the planet, because we don't have laws to protect them, and many people disregard those laws." Like her step-father, the government turned a blind eye, out of sight out of mind. "Some people even take pleasure in the pain of others. Some sophisticated society we are." Quinn let go of her hair, "but what's worse is that people don't know, so it keeps happening, and I mean to make sure it doesn't happen."

[Adara Snow]

Sadistic. Quinn's words brought to mind one that Dru had taught her soon after her arrival at Hogwarts, when she had only just met Emilian. The description was so very similar. Dru had said that he was sadistic, and it had taken her so very long to associate the word with someone who had acted so caring with her. This sounded sadistic. "Surely those people are a small minority," she suggested, sure of it.

[Quinn Ashwinder]

Quinn shook her head, "you couldn't begin to imagine the sheer amount of people that have these beliefs. Very few openly admit their disdain. The worst cover their perfidies under thin veneers of civility." Quinn knew how to talk, to use big words, but she seldom did, except in her own open dislike of closed minded people. "I've seen to much, I know to much, but I know enough that people who are the worst hide their thoughts from others. The ones who are upfront, they're easier to deal with."

[Adara Snow]

Adara was terribly worried now, and it showed in the way her brows drew together. You couldn't begin to imagine... She wanted to talk to Emilian all of a sudden, Emilian, who could explain overwhelming concepts to her without leaving her shaken. She was afraid to ask Quinn any more and risk finding out that more of the people she cared about were actually sadistic. Adara fell silent, and suddenly she doubted her ability to study a moment longer once this conversation had finished.

[Quinn Ashwinder]

Quinn noticed that Adara had fallen silent, but she wasn't sure she could let it go. She'd ripped a band-aid off, and everything wanted to flow out. "My step-father, was a terrible man. My mother married him, to save face, not thinking about Kiley and I. She was the worst, she watched what he did, but didn't stand up to him, watched what he did..." she still couldn't talk about that, but she'd talk about him. "He had upstanding members of the community, people good citizens trusted, that came to our home, and participated in acts that...they weren't what those people should have been doing, they were things those people publicly stood against."

[Adara Snow]

Upstanding members of the community... Adara wanted so badly to speak with Emilian now! She wanted him to reassure her, but Quinn made people sound so horrible! and she knew that people could hide things now. She felt so terrible for wanting to leave, especially when she'd begun in trying to convince Quinn that she was okay, that she could hold a conversation.

"Quinn, could I ask something of you?" Adara asked, hoping desperately not to hurt the other girl's feelings. "Could I meet with you again to discuss these things? I have much to think about already."

[Quinn Ashwinder]

Quinn's nose scrunched, "I guess. I'll hope that I haven't scared you away too." Smiling just a bit she tossed her hair, "it's okay, you actually asked to see me again, Lyric didn't." Nodding Quinn set to braiding a small piece of her hair wondering what she'd been thinking about, joking just a bit there, she never joked.

[Adara Snow]

Adara didn't know a Lyric either. It seemed that the new students arrived earlier each year for the beginning of term. She put on a soft, polite smile, though her nerves were still drawn tight. "I am sure that we will meet again, Quinn," she said. "Thank you for the conversation." She looked down at her books and papers, and flicked her wand to gather everything up, then said her goodbyes and headed for the front counter to check her books out.