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mad men - michael ginsberg

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[The library's supposed to be quiet, but keeping quiet has always been pretty difficult for him, and now's no different, even if he's meant to be studying for something or another -- he's already forgotten what. So when he turns the video on, he's sitting there with his feet up on a table, absentmindedly pointing his wand at a stack of books and making them levitate.]

I'm pretty sure this about the only thing I'm going to get out of these books, anyway. I mean, sure, everybody's studying, but it's the weekend. Doesn't anyone want to do something other than study for exams?

[He stops paying attention to what he's doing for a moment, in favor of addressing the video directly, and the books clatter onto the table with several thuds that earn him a glare from other, more studious individuals.]

Okay, okay, I can't be the only one who's pretty sure they're bad at every single class, right? So maybe we can all get together and commiserate. Or go somewhere other than the library. Somewhere other than the library sounds great. Who's with me?

[[OOC: He's a 7th year Hufflepuff, and he's not all that fond of school. In fact, he'd rather be doing just about anything than studying. Who wants to help him slack off?!]

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If I say yes, does that mean you're going to glare at me like those people over there who're obviously really good at everything, and leave? Or does it mean that you'll sit down and keep me company because you're bad at everything too?

[A pause, and then a shrug.]

Well, the answer's yes, either way. This is definitely that table. I'm the president of that club. If it were a club.

Oh, no--I'm not so good with the glaring. You really don't mind if I sit here?

[Because she's going to stand here hugging her books until she knows that company is actually wanted.]

I mean, I'm bad at everything, too. You know, bad at school things.

Sure, have a seat. I'd say have more than one seat, to show you how much I don't mind you sitting here, but that'd be excessive and also uncomfortable, so you can just have one seat.

[Babbling? Him? Never.]

What're you studying for right now? I mean, supposed to be studying for? Because obviously neither of us are actually studying.

One's good for me, thank you.

[No, the babbling is good! She's a babbler herself, so now she knows he won't mind when she goes and does it. Penny takes a seat--just one--and looks over her books.]

Um... Potions is the one that's really going to kill me. And History of Magic. And possibly all of the others. How about you? Is your badness spread out like mine or more concentrated?

Well, let's see...

[He pauses like he really has to give it some thought, but it's accompanied with a big, cheeky grin, because he already knows the answer.]

Potions is going to chew me up and spit me out. Astronomy might be even worse, but it matters less in the long run, because I'm never even going to think about it again after I graduate. History of Magic's an easy class to bullshit if you know how, so I'm not too worried about that one. It's kind of an overall badness. At classes and schoolwork, I mean. I'm good at magic. Really good, actually.

[And oh so humble.]

It's just that when it comes down to actually getting work done, or doing things the way other people want them done, well... let's just say I've messed up a lot of potions by trying to come up with my own recipes. Which, by the way, never works.

Yeah, Potions doesn't give anyone a lot of room to be creative, you know? Everything has to be exact and you can't put a spin on it or you'll give someone a second head or an extra finger or something--not that I've done that! I mean, I did, sort of, but they both got better, so it wasn't such a huge deal.

[She's interested by this whole being good at magic thing.]

But you're really, really good at magic? That's something! Maybe it's not super useful here, but once you're out in the real world doing real things, you'll be great. That's something to look forward to.

You gave someone else an extra finger, too? I thought I was the only one. I mean, the way the professor was carrying on about it, I might as well have been.

[He grins at her, because clearly that's the appropriate response to hearing that they'd both accidentally physically altered someone in Potions class.]

Yeah, sure, in the real world that might matter a little bit. If I can get a job. Which relies on graduating. Which I'm not sure I will. There has to be something you're good at, too, though. I refuse to believe that, even though you're sitting at the designated Bad At Everything table, you're an across the board failure.

[She's so excited! Not alone!]

I know! I thought I was the only one, too, since it was such a huge deal and the professor was all "physical disfigurement" this and "consequences of improvising" that. It was even an extra pinkie, so it's not like it would've really gotten in the way if it couldn't've been fixed.

[Her expression morphs into sympathy.]

Plenty of wizards get jobs without graduating if they're good, and you're almost done, right? If you can hold on a little while longer, it'll all be okay.

[And now embarrassment.]

No, I pretty much am. My magic's kind of miss-or-miss. I'm kind of okay at Divination and art, and I'm good with anything about magical creatures, but everything else is kind of a disaster.

They always get way too serious about that kind of stuff. And hey, an extra pinkie isn't so bad. I gave someone an extra middle finger. And you know, if that'd have happened to me, I would've been happy about it. Think about how useful that could be, having an extra middle finger, to really express your disdain with something.

[Oh, the joys of meeting someone who seems to have similar problems with their magical abilities, albeit different ones.]

So what do you want to do once you're done with school? I mean, that's a lot of pressure to ask someone who's not even graduating yet, so never mind, unless you already know and you want to tell me. Something artsy, right?

[She laughs just a little too loudly. Gosh, the students who actually want to study are so judgmental.]

I don't think I'd get a whole lot of use out of it, but it'd sure send a strong message.

Oh, I don't mind! I don't really know, either, but artsy would be nice. What I really want is some kind of... like, boarding house for people who don't know exactly what they're doing or where to go. Lost people. I don't think there's a huge demand for that kind of thing.

I totally forgot to tell you my name, didn't I? I'm Penny. I've seen you around, but I don't think I ever caught your name.

I don't know; there probably is a demand for that kind of thing. At least, I'd think there would be. There're a whole lot of lost people out there.

I'm Michael Ginsberg. But just Ginsberg, really, because I loathe and despise the name Michael.

You think? I mean, I know there're plenty of lost people, but I don't know what the best thing to do to make everyone less lost would be.

Then it's nice to meet you, Ginsberg. I promise I'll never, ever call you Michael, and if I do, you're totally allowed to call me Penelope to get back at me.

I think sometimes spending time with other lost people can really help. So yeah, it's a good idea, and you should do it. When you're done with school, I mean. As much as I've thought about it I guess I can't in good conscience suggest dropping out.

By the way, uh, are you planning on going to the Quidditch game?

[Suddenly he has the most nervous expression ever.]

I know it's helped me, so... yeah, maybe after school. I made it this far, so I'm totally going to finish.

[What is this nervousness? It makes no sense.]

I think I'll go. Gotta support the team, right?

Would you, uh, would you maybe want to go with me? Is that weird to ask because we just met? If it's weird pretend I didn't say it.

[She has to go over that first part in her head more than once. No one asks her to things.]

Really? I mean, you'd really want to go with me even though we just met? 'Cause I don't think that's weird at all if you don't.

Yeah. You seem nice. You're cute. You're bad at everything just like me -- even though I still doubt you're as bad at everything as you say. I mean, I don't have to have talked to you for hours to want to hang out with you, right?

You seem nice, too. And cute. Is that an okay thing to say to a guy? But no, I'm terrible and you're so cool for talking to me anyway, so of course I want to go to the games with you.

That's definitely an okay thing to say to a guy. I think. I've never said it to a guy before so I don't know. Actually, I've never really said it to a girl, either.

[Oops. Babbling again.]

Anyway, that's cool. I'm glad you said yes.

Hey, I don't mind if I'm the first person you tried it out on. Cute works for me.

I'm glad you... asked me. So I could say yes.

I'm glad. Cute definitely applies. It'd be stupid of me not to say it.

[And look, at this very moment he's concentrating extremely hard on the quill that's sitting in front of him on the table, which he should have been using to write his essays, but obviously hasn't touched this whole time he's been in the library. Several more seconds of concentration, and then... it turns into a flower. A carnation, to be exact. Yes, he did that spell without using his wand. Be impressed, Penny. Or not.]

Well, uh, I was trying to turn it into a slightly more exciting flower, but that's for you, anyway.

[This is how to give girls flowers, right?]

[SO MUCH BLUSHING. And she has no idea what he's doing, but--]

Oh my gosh! Thank you--thank you so much! How'd you do that?

[Yes, this is the correct way.]

Uh, well, I'm not sure, actually. There're just a couple of things I'm okay at doing and that's one of them. I mean, when I first started, I had to use my wand, but now it just kind of comes naturally. Like I said, I meant it to be a different kind of flower, so obviously it's not perfect, but...

[He shrugs, and might be blushing juuuust a little bit, too.]

That's amazing, you know that? I mean, no one's ever made me a flower before, with or without a wand, so I'm impressed. And it's sweet.

Well, um, it's really nothing. I mean, it's not nothing, because that makes it sound like I give just everyone flowers, and I really don't, but you deserve ones. Nicer ones than carnations, but I guess that's what I felt like doing today.

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