lohn-lee [open]

[gemma]

"I do know him. We joined at the same time; he does not speak to me much, but I would have many bruises if not for him."

Gemma felt herself smile delightedly at this description of her little brother; she had adored Gerard since the day she'd learned of his existence, well before his birth, and he had continued to make her heart glow ever since. She couldn't help feeling happy that her efforts at counter-training him against their parents' influence had been so successful that he was able to make other people happy, as well.

I just wish I could do as well as he...

"My little sister is in Slytherin. I am afraid she picks on him a little."

A more serious expression came back onto Gemma's face, and she bit her lower lip thoughtfully.

"... I think I have observed this, but he has said nothing to me," she murmured, suddenly worried for her brother. "I will need to speak with him... Though I am most pleased to hear that he is doing so well for the team." Her smile returned, though it was still more guarded than before, due to her new worry for her beloved sibling. "I am not much interested in Quidditch myself, but I care about it for his sake... most of what I know about it comes from him, and also from my friend Sofi; she plays for Hufflepuff, as Beater and Captain."

Katya commented on her interest in Spell Research, calling it "amazing," and asked if she had created any yet. An almost smug expression sidled its way onto Gemma's face; she didn't often get to talk about her creations or interest in this area. Even with Orion, with whom she shared the most, she didn't: his interest in Potions made even bringing up Charms and Transfiguration... difficult.

"I have. I've also written several papers on the subject, and hope to use them in future research... My father actually sent them to Orion's mother, who is in the field, before the engagement was even discussed... she liked them so well that... well... that's actually where the idea for the engagement came from, I believe..." She felt herself flush, feeling embarrassed for revealing this; she was also reliving much of the frustration her parents had put her through by forcing her into the arrangement.

If Orion had been anyone else... The thought she'd had so often still had the power to make her skin crawl in anger and fear. If Orion had been anyone else, he would never have been able to capture her heart... and her life would have been a never-ending nightmare of terror and despair, tied to a man she hated with all her soul.

"B-but... anyway... I can show you a few, if you'd like," she murmured, still flushed. She hoped Katya would interpret the blush as the result of nerves rather than as lingering anger at her parents.

[katya]

Katya caught both Gemma's pride and worry for her brother and decided to comment, even knowing that Layla would regard it as a betrayal if she ever found out... and Katya would probably pay the price for that. But Gerard was worth it; he was so sweet. "Some advice: if you can protect him, thwart her without letting her know. Otherwise it is made worse." She shrugged one shoulder with a lopsided smile. "One learns. You're lucky to have such a good friendship with your brother." She and Layla had an uneasy truce at the moment, but Katya knew by now not to let her guard down.

"I vould love to see!" She said, grinning. Then she realised that it was possible that the offer was purely politeness. "That is, if you aren't too busy," she added, giving Gemma an out if she needed one.

[gemma]

"Some advice: if you can protect him, thwart her without letting her know. Otherwise it is made worse. One learns. You're lucky to have such a good friendship with your brother."

Gemma nodded, pondering what Katya had just said. Her sister was in Slytherin, she'd said... she knew how to deal with those. A small smirk came onto her face before she replied.

"I will watch how I proceed, then," she stated smoothly, a shadow of her former attitude -- what the students at Beauxbatons had always called the Ice Queen -- showing in the sudden emotional darkening in her nearly-black eyes, "And if worst comes to worst, I shall ask Orion for his assistance... he is a Slytherin, as well, and therefore has the correct mindset for dealing with them..." Her smirk grew positively evil for a moment before shifting back into a much more normal expression.

"I vould love to see! That is, if you aren't too busy."

"I am not busy," Gemma answered, suddenly sounding a little shy again. She glanced around, then slid her wand out of her sleeve, where it had been residing in its leather holster. "Technically students aren't allowed to use magic in the Great Hall, but I am the Head Girl... I ought to be able to make some sort of excuse if I get caught..."

A small flick of her wand had her napkin transforming into a piece of parchment, and several more relatively simple spells turned her goblet into an inkwell and her fork into a quill.
"One of my spells enables me to send letters without an owl," she explained, "But I needed the proper supplies for it... I need to put the spell into the parchment, though, so please wait a moment...."

She pointed her wand at the parchment and closed her eyes in order to focus -- the incantation was rather complex, and she didn't want to mess it up -- before she began the spell, her lips moving soundlessly as she performed the modification on the parchment non-verbally. Within ten seconds she had finished the spell, and reopened her eyes to give Katya a little smile.

"There... now, who should we send the letter to? We'll have to write something so that I can show you how the sending process works."