[Courtyard] Happy Sketches

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash sat on a bench, staring up at the blue sky, snow fell gently to the ground, coating everything in a soft, fluffy blanket of white. Ash's foot tapped against the cobbled stone as he hummed a little tune to himself. It was cold yes, but Ash preffered it that way. Summertime meant sun and heat. Sun meant tanning, and Ash hated being tan. He preffered being pale. But then again, he never tanned anyway. So, he considered himself lucky.

Looking back down from the sky, he reached into his bag, pulling out his sketchpad. He hadn't drawn in ages. Flipping open to a clean page he pulled out his charocal and pencils, and began to sketch the scenery around him, the castle, the courtyard around it, the fountain he was sitting against, and the students millling about.

[clarrissa]

Clarissa was out breaking a few more school rules without the slightest thought about not doing so. Today she ditched the thick black robes that disgusted her. Instead just dawned a vibrantly pink skirt that barely reached her knees and a white sweater that covered barely let the tops of her fingers peek out with her hands straight down. Even if it was a little over-sized, she still found that she looked quite adorable today. As usual. She was even having a good hair day, with her hair falling just past her shoulder blades in sexy swerves and curls that looked like she took ages to perfect. 'Sometimes it's ungodly that it takes little effort to look this good.' She thought after passing a nicely placed mirror in the corridors.

Turning towards the courtyard, she decided to see if there was anyone worth her time there. And if there wasn't, maybe she'd just have to see if she could bring someone worth talking to to her. But, she was lucky today, as when she walked in there was a rather cute looking boy sitting on one of the benches doing homework or something. 'Ravenclaws, seriously, they can't just sit and smell the flowers, can they?' She thought after noticing the badge on the boys lapel. Although today Clarissa was bored and not as picky as she would normally be and just walked over to him and glanced down at his 'homework' which was actually a drawing.

"Ohh," she said and smiled her voice clearly feigning interest. In actuality, she still had portrait painters in the Lemont household that could do better doodles than this kid. But he was adorable, therefore his little art projects were good. "What a cute little drawing!"

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash looked up at the sound of a voice, he could feel the strange sensation coming from the blond headed girl and figured she was a veela, but like Ms. Locke, instead of enticing him, it only served to irritate him. He refrained from rolling his eyes, barely. "Je dirais merci, mais mes instincts semblent me dire que qui n'était pas un vrai compliment. Mais plutôt une insulte intelligent, déguisée comme un commentaire." He replied dryly. He shrugged vaguely, "Évidemment je suppose que mes instincts pourraient être incorrects, mais..." Ash went back to his drawing. Finally after several minutes, he spoke without looking up. "Je sais que vous êtes toujours ici" He spoke in French, not even being in the mood to bother with English. Plus he recognized this girl, Clarissa Lemont- or at least he'd heard of her. Students had given a pretty detailed description of her. She was obviously French, so unless she was a complete airhead, she would know what he was saying


((Translations: I'd thank you, but my insticnts seem to be telling me that that was not a compliment. But rather a clever insult, disguised as a compliment.

Of course I suppose my instincts could be wrong, but...

I know you are still here))

[clarrissa]

Clarissa smiled as he finally replied to her, a little slower than most but that may be her own fault for stereotyping that all Ravenclaws were quick little whipper snappers. Maybe wit beyond measure was not their greatest treasure anymore, lord knows that the other houses don't seem to live up to their quotas. But when his words came out in French, she frowned at the snappy remarks he was making. If she was back in her home area, she probably would've slapped in across the face for being so accaustive to her. Her eyebrow twitched slightly in irritation but the rest of her smile didn't dissappear.

'What's his problem?' She thought but just sat down on the bench next to him. So, he caught her not giving a crap about his little drawing? It wasn't the end of the world, or her little attempt at entertaining herself. Instead, she just pulled a pout on him and replied to him in French as well. "Vous m'appelez-vous un menteur?" She said with an added sadness that couldn't possibly be interpreted as anything but sincere. It was a learned talent of hers and she found it handy. "Vous tirez vraiment est tout à fait joli."

Though, since she thought the conversation would be quite dreary if she didn't pull it away from the little accusations he was making against her. Hell, he didn't even know here. 'The rude little brute.' Although, that might not all be true because by his accent he was surely a Frenchman, and what sort of dignified Frenchman would go to school anywhere but the lovely Beauxbatons?

"Je m'appele Clarissa Lemont. Et tou?"

[ Translations:
Are you calling me a liar?
You're drawing really is quite lovely.
My name is Clarissa Lemont, and you? ][/font]

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash smiled slightly, Two can play this game he thought to himself, "Je suis désolé, je n'ai pas eu l'intention de vous parler d'un ton brusque." He answered in a sweetly innocent voice. He looked up as she intoduced herself, "Agréable de vous rencontrer Clarissa. Je suis Ashton. Ashton Laurent." he kept the smile on his face, like a mask. His sapphire eyes were warm, giving no hint of the irritation he felt.


((Translations: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you.

Nice to meet you Clarissa. I'm Ashton. Ashton Laurent.))

[clarrissa]

[ it's hard to post while watching a TV show that FREAKS you out. ]

Clarissa caught his smile and smiled back, though to her it meant a little victory. At least he didn't seem to have that stick shoved as far up his arse now, and he might actually be a little nicer. I mean, what did she do to him anyway? But now he seemed to pass into a modest phase and she couldn't help but smile and shake her head. "Non, ne vous battez pas en haut sur cela." She said just as innocently and flicked her hair back overr her shoulder.

At the name Ashton, Clarissa raised a brow expectantly. She did remember an Ashton from her old school, but then he finished the name with Laurent and she sighed. Wasn't the one who moved and then made his poor sister follow after. Ah, well, what were the chances of being so anyway? "Vous agissez comme vous sont James Bond, mais c'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer, Ashton."

[Translations:
No, don't beat yourself up over it.
You act like you're James Bond, but it's a pleasure to meet you, Ashton]

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash laughed slightly, "Bien, si vous m'aviez rencontré il y a quelques mois plus tôt, j'aurais dit McLane. Ashton McLane." he replied with a James Bond accent. He laughed again, "Comment était que pour agir comme James Bond?"


((Translations: Well, if you'd met me a few months earlier, I would've said McLane. Ashton McLane.

How's that for acting like James Bond?))

[clarrissa]

Clarissa gasped a little at his next comment about his name and she had to pause for a moment to close her jaw and recompose herself. 'A last name change, for a man, what a weird little boy.' But the much more important, and probably more odd one, was that he was the exact guy she was thinking of. In fact, it was weird that she could remember any man since they all seemed the same and none of them really impressed her, but maybe he was just above-average adorable to her back then... well, still is.

"Ah, Mclane?!" She said with a bit more enthusiasm than she meant or was neccessary. "J'ai cru qu'était vous. Comment est Laney, est elle ici aussi?" Clarissa always enjoyed talking to Laney, and it was only natural that they would, Carolanne being a decent looking mademoiselle, for only being human, of course.

"C'était merveilleux James Bond, évidemment."

[Translations:
I thought that was you. How is Laney, is she also here?
That was a marvelous James Bond, of course. ][/font]

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash smiled, "Vraiment, il est moi. L'amende de Laney. Ne l'ont pas vue autour de dernièrement." He looked at Clarissa curiously, "Sont ami avec vous Laney, ou reconnaissez-vous juste le nom?"


((Yes, that's me. Laney's fine. Haven't seen her lately.

Are you friends with Laney, or do you just recognize the name?))

[clarrissa]

Clarissa nodded to his next statement, both in understanding and a little bit of disappointment at his lack of information on Laney. Well, if she was here, perhaps she'd run into her later and talk to the girl. "Ah, c'est une pitié." She said, though she felt the same about her sisters since they were all out of school and having a hell of a lot more fun than her. But she had to study and pass to please her stupid old mum.

Catching the suspicions that suddenly arose from him, she just shrugged lightly. "Quelque part entre ces amis appelés et ces connaissances appelées." Laney was just one of those girls she would talk to if her click members were in low stock, or suddenly being complete idiots. "Nous anons parlé."

[Translations:
Ah, what a pity.
Somewhere between those called friends, and those called acquaintances.
We've talked.][/font]

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash shrugged, "Eh, it's not the end of the world if I don't talk to her. I'm sure she'll pop up sooner or later. She seems to have a habit of doing that when you least expect it." He smiled at Clarissa, "So, you went to Beauxbatons as well? I don't think I ever saw you there. Then again, I didn't pay much attention."



((Sorry, don't feel like doing all the translation crap.))

[clarrissa]

[ no problem. it was a pain in my side, except a few lines I could do without a translator! -proud- ]

Clarissa had to stop and stare at him for a moment with a brow raised at the sudden switch of language. Her mind fumbled slowly over the words trying to figure out what they said until it hit her in the face. 'Oh, English. Riiight, everyone speaks that here.'

"Well, of course. It's sibling rivalry, after all?" She smiled at him. "Looks like you guys would be the type to fight over the hairdryer. I have three sisters myself." Well, somewhat sisters, though only one shared the same father as her. Naughty veela mommy and her polygamy.

Sighing a little at the memory of her old school, to which she'd still like to return to, she nodded distantly. "Yes, I did and I can say I don't really remember seeing you, either. I probably just heard gossip about an Ashton McLane, or maybe I heard some stories from Laney?" She didn't really know, Clarissa could've met him face to face and not really remember it. It's surprising she even recalled his name, but that may just be because Laney was someone that she remembered because she was a girl.

[/blockquote]

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash laughed slightly, "Actually there's really no sibling rivalry between us. And we don't fight over the hairdryer, we steal eachother's clothes! And as for not remembering me, well I'm not surprised. My goal in life at that time, was to be invisible. And trust me, I was good at it!"


((Quick question, does Clarissa know he's gay?))

[clarrissa]

[ no ]

Clarissa laughed along with him. "Steal each other's clothes.. like to hide it from them?" Sadly, Clarissa was too tiny to steal her sisters clothes and by the time she'd fit in them, they would be considered hand-me-down's and that would be simply disgusting. So she got a whole new wardrobe. That's just too bad, not.

Hearing his little anti-social speech about how he acted in Beauxbatons, she couldn't help but frown. Such a lovely upper-class school like that deserved dedicated students, like her, and yet he just got by without friends or making much contact? Sad, very sad. "Hmm, I was probably the complete opposite of you then. Being shy was never my forte." Clarissa had to laugh a little at that to seem like she was lively and joking, when in actuality that was a completely serious statement.

"But I'm sure the black Hogwarts robes suit you more than the old pale blue?" She suggested with a wry little smile. Of course, she missed them most of the time when she had to get dressed and wondered what would happen if she wore them to class one day. She could pin a little Gryffindor badge onto its lapel, perhaps?

[/blockquote]

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash laughed, "No. Steal them to wear them! These are actually her jeans." he replied, pointing to the dark blue pair of skinny jeans he wore. He shrugged, "I wasn't shy...just...very...distrustful. But things have changed, and I've learned to trust people more." He laughed again, "Oh Merlin, I hated those robes! Pale blue, is not my color! Dark blue? Yes. Pale blue? Oh hell, no!"



((Sweet, that'll make it even more fun!))