The Baron leaves the sorting room (Open RP)

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

The Baron was exceptionally relieved to leave the sorting room, which had been getting rather cramped.  Although it had been a somewhat enlightening experience, he now found himself filled with a great deal of questions, such as where to find decent rooms, where that library was, and, how to find the Muggle Studies Department. The hat had left him with a burning need to watch something called "The Maury Povich Show". Not understanding things was troubling, and this needed to be remedied.

He recalled that A did say he'd show him around, and, didn't say when, so, he decided now was as good a time for any, and looked around for one of those weird little house elves. Unsure of just what to do, he barked out, "House elf! Come here, now!", feeling rather silly about this. He made sure to not act surprised when one did actually show up. "Go and tell A that I need to know where things are." It ran off, presumably to do so. They sure are ugly little things, he thought, but, at least they do take orders. And looked easy to kick if they did happen to disobey.

Adjusting his suspensors slightly, he straightened out his robes, and took up a good portion of the hallway while attempting to wait patiently. This wasn't one of his strong points, unless it involved being patient with long and convoluted plans within plans.

Comments

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

"The hat said something about a Muggle Studies department, although I'm still rather clear on exactly what a 'muggle' is." It was definitely a silly word, and he felt a bit odd just saying it. "I suppose that's what I'll have to find this place tomorrow, along with attempting to learn the layout. It seems a confusing place." He looked around the corridor with a slight frown, noting the lack of windows and general downward direction they'd been taking. "And this isn't exactly, ah, airy." The way he said 'airy' held entirely negative connotations, and a rather lot of them. "And what's a television show?"

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Muggle means people without magic. It's a separate culture, and the muggle world doesn't know about the wizarding world. A television show is recorded video for entertainment or information, broadcast to many people. There are many kinds."

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

"So. . .possibly sort of like a filmbook, but, maybe not, I'll just have to see. It's hard to believe that these muggles don't know that there's talking dragons around, but, I expect that's magic too? And is this the Slytherin area?" He was definitely not pleased with what was shaping up to be a rather green, dark cellar. "I rather hope not. I don't much like green." Damn Atreides color.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Green and silver are Slytherin colors," A told him. "Yellow and black are Hufflepuff, blue and bronze are Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor's are red and gold." He paused. "What's wrong with green? I like green. Plants are green."

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

"Ah, it's not inherently so much the color green, as the fact that the House colors of my ancestral enemies happen to be green." He sighs. "I presume I can tell the house elves to deal with it. Gryffindor at least gets good colors, and griffons are highly acceptable creatures. My House's emblem is a griffon- blue, however. Not my favorite of choices either, but, there's no changing things after thousands of years."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"Ancestral enemies... that's a strange idea. I can understand thinking of someone as an enemy, though, if someone hurts you or a person who is important to you. Is it similar?"

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

The Baron nodded very seriously. "It is. The vendetta between the Harkonnen and Atreides has lasted near ten-thousand years, or will, ever since they basically tried to get us and a great deal of other people killed at the Battle of Corrin." Of course, the Atredies would say that the Harkonnens turned and fled the battle. But, to all appearances it was a screwed up situation, leaving was the smart move, and they were the ones that got demoted over it. "Things don't get solved very quickly in the Imperium, although, I was hoping to finally finish the matter." He rubbed at his forehead, looking rather upset. "I damn well hope that this is some nebulous alternate timeline, or something, and, I or someone's finishing matters. It's gone on too long."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I would never forgive That Yagami, not in ten thousand years," A said in a low, fierce tone. "But Ryuzaki, Ryuzaki said I wasn't to hurt him." He wrung his hands, looking down and to the side. "It's good that he's popcorn, now. Because I, I want, oh, so much I, I, I want him to bleed and I couldn't, not, not if Ryuzaki said no."

He might be calmer about it, but A was still deeply troubled about that.

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

Now, that's interesting- this young man's got more depth than meets the eye. "Someone has been upsetting you? Let me know if they ever end up giving you more trouble." He patted A's shoulder in a rather fatherly way. A was proving quite helpful, and, he couldn't very well let people go upsetting him too much. Life without obvious vendettas was alien, and even a unknown, virtually meaningless someone to hold something against felt a bit more natural. Not that he was sure how you dealt with problematic individuals when killing them wasn't in the realm of possibilities.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

A smiled a bit grimly, and he managed not to flinch at the unexpected touch. "Even if he comes back, I'm not allowed. I, Kusuriyuri said, if I ever wanted to be a medicine seller I would have to help anyone who was hurt, even That Yagami, even B. And I can't, can't do that, couldn't help them, but I'm not supposed to hurt them, not without thinking about it. Because of ripples. I'm supposed to be wiser than a sugar cube, or a stone."

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

"So. .. you're. . .studying to be something like a Suk Doctor?" He rather intrigued- something like Suks were not at all bad to have around, and their training involved complex brainwashing that supposedly made them unable to kill or betray their employers. He knew it was only supposedly because he'd actually managed to turn that Dr. Yueh, a fully-qualified, silver-ring Suk, and he felt a brief flash of frustration at the fact that he wasn't getting to see how that was all playing out. "Suks are extremely valuable doctors, where I come from. They're trained to never kill people, and remain loyal to their employers."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"A... what sort of doctor? No, I'm not. I know how to make some medicines, and treat some sicknesses and injuries, but I am not a doctor. I started learning because I wanted to know the uses of plants, and I try to learn their other uses as well, how to use them for food and to make ink, and as ingredients in potions. I haven't tried making fabrics yet, but I don't have the land to grow flax or cotton."

His smile now was calm and proud. A was confident that he was becoming very useful indeed with his garden and the things he grew.

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

"Suk doctors happen to study plants as well, and, their skills are worth millions of solari. It isn't cheap to have one- they're only found in the noble houses, really, and the smaller ones have to share them sometimes. You shouldn't ever underestimate your potentials. Not that overestimation's a good idea either, but, I expect you'll go far with the sort of focus you show." He hoped to encourage A a bit further- he was proving invaluable thus far, and potentially useful skills were always wise to cultivate.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I don't know if I'll ever be as skilled at treating patients as a doctor, but I know I can care for people who are not dangerously ill. And I am not as skilled a cook as the house elves, there are fewer dishes I can make, but I am becoming very good at the dishes I do make. And my garden thrives."

A had gained vast amounts of confidence in his just-over-a-year at Hogwarts.

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

"Ah, but from the looks of the house elves I've seen so far, you've not been at it nearly as long as them. So it's just a matter of practice, and with your enthusiasm, I doubt you've been neglecting it." He nodded seriously at A, and said, "You've got a great deal of potential, not that I know much about wizarding- still, I know potential when I see it. You'll have to bring me a sample of your cooking sometime."

He looked around and shook his his head, adding, "But, I doubt I'll be here too long if I don't have to be. Much too green, and all too closed in."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I will send you something," A promised. "What kinds of foods do you like? And I am sure it would be all right if you stayed somewhere else, many people do."

Of course, that was usually to be near friends, not because of taste in decor.

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

"Here, I probably wouldn't be sure- there may be strange and unfamiliar things. Which I'd be very pleased to try." He smiled at A appreciatively. "I'm rather open minded with culinary matters, provided it's made well. Meals really should have meat of some sort, though." It was always good to be reminded that one was on top of food chain- the Baron had found cultivating a predatory outlook to be a useful thing.

"I'm pleased I won't be stuck down here- I wonder if it's the hat's idea of a joke." He smirked disapprovingly. "Ah well, finding something suitable will give me something to do, and, I don't have to see green while I'm asleep." Not that he was sure if he'd be able to- the lack of guards was likely to keep him awake for awhile.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"When I was in Hufflepuff, my room was not yellow and black, and my room in Ravenclaw is not blue and bronze," A told him. "So hopefully you will not have to see it."

He made a mental note of the Baron's meal request and started mulling over a possible meal. There were a few dishes he was perfecting, and some things he wanted to try...

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

"Ah, well then, that's good at least- I figured it might be a consistent decorating motif. It's not so much not liking the color, it does have it's place, as, a reminder of things that would prove very irritating to dwell on. For now, I expect those house elves can at least find somewhere quiet and comfortable." He'd have to make sure to mention that it couldn't be near the bar.

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"They are very helpful that way." As they reached the entrance to Slytherin, the bar in question came into view as well. The door hung ajar, and strains of jazz drifted out, as did some suspicious-smelling smoke.

[i-am-harkonnen.livejournal.com]

The Baron had to chuckle at what was an obvious bar in the basement of what was supposedly a school, even if an apparently chaotic one with an unclear purpose. "I suppose that there is the bar, very good to know." Admittedly, he wasn't the bar type, but, as many people were, he'd have to force himself to stop by one day. Building up connections would be important- so far, it at least had been interesting, and A was a pleasant one, even if not one in any position of power- cooking at least was a very admirable art.

"And, I also suppose I should flag down one of those house elves." He of course hollered loudly for one, despite the fact that one had actually emerged the first time he mentioned it at a reasonable volume. He was again impressed at how fast the creatures were, and, began to dictate it out a rather long list of requirements for "a" room, which happened to include three, one with a bath, preferably no green, and a window. Despite it being a basement. Considering this, he added "Well, the window is preferable, but not necessary." He hoped the house elf would manage something, and, figured he'd work on finding a wing to take over in the morning. Along with that Muggle Studies department.