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Post by Berwald Oxstierna on Sept 6, 2010 14:08:34 GMT -5
Professor Oxstierna's First class of the year had gone well, he thought. The kids (could he call them kids, if some were only 11 and some were nearly adults by muggle standards?) had had some trouble with his name, but he thought they'd gotten the point of his first lesson quite well.
You couldn't afford to mess around with magical creatures. They were as unpredictable as they were amazing, and he didn't want any of these new generation of wizards to do anything stupid out of neglect or ignorance as he, on multiple occasions, had. The students had seemed quite grateful to be let go early, at any rate.
He frowned as he surveyed the field between the two groundskeeper cottages that would be their makeshift outdoor classroom whenever they needed more room. inkpens, textbooks, random peices of trash and personal belongings were dotted here and there on the flattened grass. He suspected his next lesson would involve respecting the outdoors. He gathered them up, piling them in a corner of the small fenced in area to be taken to up to the castle and paused, spotting something else hanging over the fence. some students had been using the fence as something to lean against earlier rather than stand for the entire lecture, and he supposed the object had gotten caught.
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Post by Tino Väinämöinen on Sept 6, 2010 15:45:30 GMT -5
Tino trotted across the castle’s yards, silently cursing at himself with every step. How could’ve he been so stupid and forgotten his beret? He’d just taken it off for a minute during the class and in the next moment he was hurrying back to the castle for lunch, as happy as everyone else to get away from the weird and scary creatures. (And the equally weird and scary teacher.)
Professor Oxstierna hadn’t really stricken him (or anyone) as the teacher type; most of the lesson he’d just glared at his students as if they‘d done something bad, grunting a few words about magical creatures here and there in such a heavy accent Tino had barely been able to understand him and looming above his smaller students like he was some sort of predator himself. He was, shortly put, rather intimidating.
And if he’d had a choice, right now Tino would have much, much preferred to sit in the dining hall eating his lunch than making his way back towards the aforementioned teacher’s hut. But damn, it was his treasured beret and he was going to get it back even if it meant fighting some weird monsters.
He just really hoped he’d go unnoticed.
Approaching the teacher’s hut in a way that could’ve been best described as sneaking, Tino scanned the area furiously for his lost hat. A few yards away from the fence he’d leaned against during the class he finally spotted his treasured piece of clothing, hanging miserably from a rusty nail. He half-jogged the last steps and grabbed it, turning on his heels and fully intending to get back to the castle as quickly as possible.
He found himself staring directly at his teachers face a few paces away.
“A-a-ah, Hello!” Tino spluttered, his heart jumping into his throat. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to bolt into run and get the hell out of there before he was fed to some magical monster or worse. However, for some reason his legs didn’t seem to want to cooperate.
Oh god, he’s glaring at me.
“Ahaha,” He let out a laugh that was nothing short of nervous. “The weather s-sure is nice, isn‘t it?” Tino gave himself a mental slap. Why this topic off all the possible ones? He could’ve just said hello and be done with it. The professor was hardly a person wanting to indulge in small-talk with his students, if the lesson had been any indication.
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Post by Berwald Oxstierna on Sept 8, 2010 13:18:06 GMT -5
Berwald looked up from the forlorn, abandoned hat as he heard footsteps rusting over the grass. The student seemed not to have noticed him, inching around like he didn't want to be there. Maybe the boy was embarrassed that he'd already lost something on the first day of classes. The tall teacher kept his silence, letting the boy sight his lost property on his own. No point in adding the the lad's troubles.
Berwald's eyes narrowed as the boy came closer, trying to match a name to the pale hair and violet eyes. He had a scroll full of names and it was his job as a teacher to get to know them so he could help them better. He was sure they were all tired of 'getting to know you' games and introductions- he had been, as a student- but they were for the teacher's benefit more than the students'.
Finnish. kid said he was from Finland. Think it started with a .. D? maybe a T... The boy still didn't seem to notice him as he retrieved the hat, even until he turned to go and met Berwald's eyes. Tino!
He nodded to the boy's stuttered greeting and turned the edges of his mouth up, mildly surprised that the boy stayed past the quick courtesy, especially as he so clearly needed to be somewhere else, by the way his legs were twitching. Maybe he needed something? Or maybe he was just one of those kids that got along better with teachers than other students. Berwald mentally shrugged.
"Yup. S' nice d'y." He waited for the student to provide anything else, then offered his hand to the boy for a shake. "Y'r... Tino, r'ght?"
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Post by Tino Väinämöinen on Sept 11, 2010 12:46:14 GMT -5
Tino didn’t know whether he felt more embarrassed or terrified when the professor answered in that obscure accent of his. The man was probably thinking he was a total idiot, standing there shaking like a leaf and talking about weather. He thought he was being an idiot. He was an adult, for god’s sake! He shouldn’t be so freaked out over a teacher! (Even if the said teacher was over half a foot taller him and had a rather menacing glare.)
Tino’s heart skipped a beat when the professor suddenly stepped forward, then he felt even more stupid when he realized he just wanted to shake hands. He hesitated for a second before deciding it was best to not offend the older man and taking the outstretched hand into his own smaller one.
It was a strange moment, to say at least. It was such an ordinary thing, but still it felt somehow different; as if some kind of barrier had shattered between them the moment their skin touched. There was something oddly calming in the contact. Tino glanced up at the professor and was surprised to find that he didn’t look quite as scary as earlier. Stern maybe, but not outright terrifying. It was like he’d realized for the first time that the other was a human being, just like himself.
He was so absorbed in this sudden realization that he nearly forgot to answer the question. “Ah, y-yes!” He quickly stuttered, though this time it was more out of embarrassment. Tino silently let go and wondered if he should say something else; somehow it didn’t feel right to just leave now.
Sometimes he wondered if he was just too polite for his own good.
“I’m sorry I bothered you during your break.” Tino finally said after a few seconds of somewhat awkward silence. He dropped his gaze to his feet and his fingers started fiddling with the worn out fabric of his beret. “I forgot my hat.” He wasn’t sure if the man already knew why he was there in the first place, but he’d rather say it out loud himself than be suspected of planning on something that was against the rules. It was not like there were many good reasons he’d be sneaking around the yards during the lunch break, after all.
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Post by Berwald Oxstierna on Sept 13, 2010 11:17:26 GMT -5
Berwald's mouth twitched as he enfolded the student's smaller hand with his large one- the contact seemed to have calmed the boy down and that was all to the good. The moment stretched and just as berwald was about to ask if the boy was feeling alright he let go. His hand felt strangely empty as it slid back into his pocket. "'m glad I got it r'ght...."He watched the boy as he fidgeted, fingers worrying at the hat. "'S No probl'm. W's Jus' cleanin' up."Polite was a good thing, in Berwald's worldview, though there was such a thing as stating the obvious. He kind of wanted to pat the boy on the back and tell him it was okay, people were allowed to come back for their belongings... sudden movements were probably not the best though. He leaned over the fence and hefted the pile of student belongings under one arm. "Y're not t'only one. Gotta g't this lot up t' the school." Either they could find their way back to their owners via the lost and found, or he could hand them over to the headmaster and watch students be embarrassed as they had to retrieve their belongings at dinner. He kind of liked the second option, it would teach them to be more careful with their things. "Y' got y'r hat all s'fe....So y' should be headin' back in, n't wastin' y're lunch break out here w' me." He attempted a smile to try and put the boy at ease. He knew he was tall and serious looking and he wondered why the student had even stayed this long. The professor moved to the door of his cottage, making sure it was locked before turning to head up the hill to the castle proper. "Y'comin', Tino?" (providing more time for more awkward conversation! )
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Post by Tino Väinämöinen on Sept 17, 2010 15:56:49 GMT -5
“Oh,” Tino said, a small wave of relief washing over him when the professor said he hadn’t interrpted anything. “That’s good.” Making a nuisance of himself on the first days of school wasn’t exactly on the list of things he wanted to do.
He watched the teacher lift a rather large looking pile of random stuff he hadn’t really noticed before in his anxiety. He was a little surprised when he realized they most likely didn’t belong to the professor but the students. The professor was quick to prove his assumptions right.
Is all that stuff from this morning? He imagined how the field their class had been held on must have looked like and felt a little ashamed. It seemed everyone had just hurried from the class as fast as they could once the bell rang. He too had done that, and now he found himself wondering if everyone else had felt the same way about their teacher as he had. The thought made him feel even worse. The professor might have been scary looking, but after their little meeting Tino couldn’t really see him as a bad person. Just…socially awkward. Maybe he didn’t get to interact with people a lot, living alone in that small hut.
Tino looked up at the older man to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat when he saw the man smiling at him. It wasn’t exactly the brightest of smiles, nor the biggest, but it gave the teachers face a new kind of softness Tino hadn’t really thought possible. It was small and a little awkward, but somehow Tino found it kind of fitting for his teacher. It was a nice smile.
“N-no! It’s okay.” He hastily answered, wondering if he should return the smile. But by the time his lips curled upwards a little hesitantly the professor had already turned and walked over to his front door. For a second Tino thought the man had had enough of his company and was going to go back inside, and he stood there a bit lost, but then the man turned to him again.
“Ah! Yeah!” He said and hurried after his teacher. He had to half-jog to catch up with him; being small and short-legged really did have it’s disadvantages. They walked up the hill a few paces in silence before Tino blurted out the question he’d been thinking about pretty much from the moment he’d first seen the professor. “Why did you become a teacher?” Though the moment he said it he wished he hadn’t; it wasn’t any of his business after all. “I-I mean that we’re you always interested in m-magical creatures or…” He kept on stuttering something that he knew made little sense, trying to make his question a little less harsh. It wasn’t really working well though. What was with him and his babbling when he was nervous? He could already feel an embarrassed flush on his face and quickly looked at his feet.
“Sorry.” He mumbled quietly, clutching his beret a little bit tighter in his hands. Seriously, he was usually very good at talking to people, so why was it so awkward now. It made him feel really stupid.
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Post by Berwald Oxstierna on Sept 20, 2010 12:52:03 GMT -5
Berwald adjusted his pace a little as the student caught up to him. It was slightly odd, having someone around while he went on an errand. He often spent the time his groundskeeper duties demanded working and walking at his own pace. Others might have found the solitude stifling, but Berwald didn't really mind. it wasn't bad to share it someone though.
He cocked his head at the Fin's question. "Mmm." The boy's embarrassed stutter made Berwald want to reach out and ruffle his hair. He kind of reminded the professor of a new puppy, eager to please but not sure of his place in the household. He liked puppies. " I l'ke animals. An' Y' gotta learn t' r'spect nature. Goes twice 's much f'r magic stuff." He shifted the bundle of student's belongings under his arm, redistributing the weight. " 'F y' got s'me know-how y're not gonna do stup'd stuff." He paused, and stared seriously down at Tino. " Plus t' b'ars wouldn't take m' back. Should be w' m' own kind."
He waited to see how the boy would react. He'd convinced one of his fellow resistance members of the same thing, once, and had the man completely under the idea that the swede had been raised in a cave in the woods by a pack of brown bears. He wouldn't be surprised if the student body turned out equally gullible- kids always liked to make up stories about the janitor-type.
It was just as well if they did believe it, rather than his students finding out their teacher was entirely self taught and occasionally made lessons up on the fly.
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Post by Tino Väinämöinen on Sept 24, 2010 14:14:02 GMT -5
The professor didn’t snap at him like Tino had feared he would, nor did he make any remarks on his flustered face and nervous stuttering. He was really grateful for that, he was already embarrassed enough.
He listened quietly to the man as they continued up the hill towards the castle. He figured the answer had been a kind of expected. Still, he found he could somehow relate to the older man; Tino himself had always loved animals and nature as well. Back in high school he’d even though about pursuing a career as veterinarian.
But well, that had been when he’d thought he’d never be able to become a wizard. A lot of big things had suddenly happened in his life, completely unexpected. He still felt slightly overwhelmed by everything. Even if he was a half-blood, being suddenly thrown into the wizarding world after years of muggle life had been a big shock for him. Tino idly wondered if that was the reason he had been unusually nervous these last few days. Though the tall groundskeeper seemed to have an even worse effect on him.
He’d been getting lost in his thoughts again, but was pulled back to the yards when the professor suddenly mentioned the bears.
”Eh?” Tino said, a little confused. Then he remembered what some of the other students had been whispering about before the class, the rumors the groundskeeper was some kind of feral child. He’d just cocked an eyebrow at the gossip; like anyone would actually believe that.
”You’re kidding, right?” Tino said, a little hesitantly. The professor was looking at him, his face dead serious. It made him question himself. If the man had started the story himself… Tino couldn’t really think of a good reason why he would do that if it wasn’t true. Unless the man wanted to scare people away even more. Somehow that seemed like a thing the man would do. For some reason Tino suddenly felt determined not to give in.
”I don’t believe you.” He stated, looking up at the taller man’s eyes, hoping he didn’t look as nervous as he felt. The professor had such striking, strong eyes. He felt so small under the man’s gaze, but he didn’t look away. He wanted to hear the truth. God know why, but he felt like he needed to know, needed the man to be honest with him.
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Post by Berwald Oxstierna on Sept 25, 2010 8:58:07 GMT -5
The look in the boy's wide violet eyes made the corner of Berwald's mouth twitch up a little. He could see the same progression in most everyone he tried the line on- the confusion, a little disbelief, followed by a niggling seed of doubt and the tiniest bit of relief at having a vaguely plausible explanation for his strange habits and forbidding face.
The confusion hardened to a sort of nervous determination and the taller man laughed out loud as his student passed his first test with flying colors. His eyes softened with the laughter, highlighting the smallest of laugh lines at the corners as he reached out and gave into his urge to ruffle the boy's hair, gently."Good F' you." Most people, even if they didn't believe him, never had the guts to admit it straight to his face, and courage should be rewarded.
"Can't keep M'n'ture Unic'rns in a muggle 'partment." He pulled his hand back from Tino's soft blonde hair and absentmindedly pushed his thin wireframe glasses back up his nose. "Couldn't 'magine any ot'r job, now."
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Post by Tino Väinämöinen on Sept 25, 2010 17:40:00 GMT -5
It was quite a surprise when the professor’s stern face suddenly melted into a light amusement, followed by the sound of heartfelt laughter. Tino stood there, staring at the older man, both relieved and confused. At the same time, however, he couldn’t help noting how warm the sound made him feel, how the man’s face lightened up, revealing something like…gentleness. In that short moment it was like he could see the true man underneath the ever-present frown, and somehow it felt special. Like he’d been given a glimpse of something precious and rare. Tino’s own lips slowly curled upwards in response without him even noticing.
Suddenly there was a large hand on his head and Tino could feel his heart skipping a beat. His touch was surprisingly soft, mirroring the look in the man’s eyes, yet there was something in the act that was almost playful. It made Tino’s smile widen into a grin.
”Unicorns?” Tino asked when the professor pulled his hand away, a little suspicious. There was a tingly feeling on his scalp and he raised his hand to scratch at it before finally putting his beret back on. It felt kind of weird not to wear it. ”Are you trying to fool me again? Do they…even exist?” The last bit came out slightly unsure. Tino was a little embarrassed to ask such a dumb question, but it was not like he had any real clue. The only places he’d seen unicorns were on the pages of muggle children’s story books. He really hoped his mother would’ve have told him a little more about the magic world so he didn’t have to feel like an idiot half the time at school. Like now. But then again, he couldn’t really find it in himself to blame her. She’d been a good mother, and she’d done her best to be there for him as much as she could. They’d just been unfortunate to live through such hard times.
Well, it was no use brooding over that anymore. He’d just have to live with his mediocre magic knowledge, at least for a while. After all, that was the reason he was at the school to begin with; to learn. And he found himself looking more and more forward to the process.
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Post by Berwald Oxstierna on Oct 16, 2010 13:36:54 GMT -5
Berwald's face closed again as the boy smiled at him. Funny, the walk up the hill was, if anything, less strenuous than many of the other things his duties required on a daily basis, and yet his chest felt slightly odd. He would have to go to the medical wing later and have that checked out.
"'course. B't they're shy." And getting shyer, as muggles took over their territory and technology drove out the purity of thought they loved... Berwald had been quietly ecstatic to find the herd in the forest here not only extant but thriving. The thought of them contented him, even more the thought of them meeting the better of his students and maybe convincing some of the children that conservation efforts were necessary. "M'ybe 'f y' class 's lucky y' can meet Sw'tpea and B'tterc'p. Th'y're t' nicest."
That was a lesson plan for another day, however, and they were nearing the crest of the hill and the main school grounds. ".... 'spose y' should b' headin' b'k t' y' lunch."
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Post by Tino Väinämöinen on Oct 19, 2010 14:00:55 GMT -5
Tino’s eyes lit up when the professor told him about the unicorns. To him they’d always come across as magnificent and unique creatures; beautiful, innocent and fragile, but still strong and noble. He felt excited already; it would be a privilege to see one in real life, even if it was from afar or during a class. There was just one thing…
“U-um. Sweetpea and… Buttercup?” He wondered if he had heard his teacher correctly. The man did mumble quite a lot, after all. Those names were quite… well, they certainly didn’t strike him as names for something he’d describe as “noble”, and even less as something the stern looking professor would call anything living. For a moment Tino wondered if the man was serious, but one look at the man’s face was enough proof to end his doubts.
It was also enough to make him highly amused.
“S-sorry.” He managed between the small giggles that escaped his mouth when his mind kept trying to associate the professors serious glare with “Sweetpea” and “Buttercup“. Tino didn’t even want to try to guess what the rest of the creatures were called. “That’s just…so cute!” He wiped the corner of his eye with the back of his hand, trying to calm down. “I’d love to see them someday.” He smiled brightly up at the man as they continued up the hill.
Tino was so happily lost in thoughts about unicorns and his strange professor walking next to him that he barely noticed how late it already was. It was only when the older man spoke again that he remembered to check his clock.
“Ack!” He yelped when he realized he only had about fifteen minutes left of his lunch break. How had time passes that quickly? He could’ve sworn it was only a couple minutes ago that he’d walked the yard to the opposite direction, towards the Groundskeeper’s cottage.
“I-I guess your right!” Tino swayed on his toes a little awkwardly, knowing that he should hurry already but at the same time feeling like he should say something else to his teacher before they parted ways.
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Post by Berwald Oxstierna on Nov 9, 2010 13:58:46 GMT -5
Berwald nodded solemnly as the boy repeated the animal's names back to him, his lips tugging down into a slightly deeper frown as the reply is followed shortly by muffled giggles. "'s s'methin' wrong w' em havin' c'te names?" He shook his head. " Y' dun want t' meet Thund'rf't. 's mean." He supposed it went hand in hand with people's willingness to believe the bear story, that no one ever thought his names were good. "Wh't w'ld y' name a unic'rn, then?"
He transferred the attention back to his student as the boy yelped, beginning to be nervous and stutter again. Poor kid must have awful nerves. "Nev'rmind. y' can tell m' s'me good names at y'next class. Was a g'd t'lk."
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Post by Tino Väinämöinen on Nov 16, 2010 9:55:01 GMT -5
A good name for an unicorn... That was a hard one. It'd have to be something that matched both their beauty and strenght. But his mind was completely blank at the moment and the clock kept ticking, telling him to hurry back to the castle.
”Umm...” Tino started but was interrupted by the teacher himself, urging him to hurry to his lunch. He let out mental sigh of relief and nodded. ”I will!” He'd make sure to think of something fitting for the next time they saw each other.
With that, he gave the man one last shy smile and turned on his heels, starting up the hill towards the school. However, after a few quick steps he stopped again and turned back to the professor . Standing alone there in the downhill, arms full, he didn't look nearly as big or unnerving. ”Thank you!” Tino yelled at him and waved his hand before glancing at his clock once again. With another loud yelp, he whirled around and ran towards the castle, stumbling a little as his foot got tangled in his long robes.
He ended up being late for lunch anyway. To his surpise, Tino realized he didn't really mind.
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