(( hehe we'll make her uncomfortable xD -snickers-))

"Really? That sound's neat," he said as his elbow which he had on the table, slipped off when he moved his head to rest on it. The boy toppled over, and with it his book and homework. The blush he had was now almost glowing. He clutched blindly at the nearest thing, to help push him back to sitting--which happened to be Katsumi's hand. He couldn't help noticing how soft her hand was as righted himself. Then grabbing one of his paper's which was lazily floating towards the ground. "What's he think of wizards now 'e knows?" trying to hide his embarrassment unsuccessfully. He unconsciously scooted a little closer to her.

((We sure will. ^.^; But not until she starts noticing...Is he closer? Is that maybe just her? Does it matter? mental shrug Yay archaeology!))

Magnus somehow managed to fall out of his seat, book and papers following after. She automatically reached for him, as if she would be fast enough to keep him from landing in a heap. She wasn't, of course, but he did end up grabbing her hand moments after. "Goodness, are you alright?" Katsumi asked, pulling him back on the bench. It was his turn to try to keep the conversation away from an embarrassing topic, and she let him. "Now that he knows? Oh! No, no, I guess I wasn't very clear. He's a wizard -- went to Hogwarts, in fact, and he insisted I go too, or I might've stayed at Mahoutokoro. I was just commenting on how we have to have witches and wizards in archaeology, because Muggles can't possibly get it all right." She should have been more specific. The girl hadn't meant to confuse Magnus, but sometimes she forgot to consider her audience.

((haha, well Magnus is more like accident prone around girls he likes teeehhheee))

"I'm fine," he said trying to laugh it off. "sorry, I misunderstood. That sounds really interesting. It must be neat to compare how wizards live versus muggles through out times. I liked learnin' bout Egyptians when I was younger. In fact, I loved lookin' around the museum and staring at them on me 9th birthday. They lady from the charity that took me bought me some stuff from there, includin' a how to draw book." He got up and ran off to his room, scuffled around for a few moments and returned with the mentioned book and his old sketch book. "See, got king Tutankhamen here an' the pyramids, a scarab beetle and even Nefertiti." He let her take the how to draw book first, then nervously handed her his old sketchbook. "Me drawin's ain't the best... but..." He was bouncing on his heels slightly.

(( that's adorbs.

WHAT TEAM YOU GONNA JOIN?! I'm looking at Blake, partially because a cowardly goof is better than a prissy jerk, and also because Jean and various other chars I have like the Indiana Jones vibe. ^.^))

"It is -- and it's neat seeing what stories Muggles came up with when they didn't know about magic." Katsumi watched the boy leap up and dash off, bringing back a pair of books. "Egypt is pretty neat. Their pantheon is rather interesting, with animal-headed people." She took the offered book eagerly. She might not like history quite as much as science and technology, but it was still fun, and she'd picked up a lot from her dad. "Y'know what dad told me? The scarab ancient Egyptians liked -- it's a type of dung beetle!" She wrinkled her nose, grey eyes dancing with laughter. "Nefertiti's great. Wasn't she the one that made everyone treat her like a guy and let her be Pharaoh? That means she wore the ceremonial beard too!" Setting the how-to-draw book aside, the girl went to open the sketchbook. "I can't draw either. My ratios end up all wonky for most things," she confided. "Just simple stuff, like a leaf or a basic design, that comes out okay."

(( I love torturing him lol. team Steel here too xD I'm not a big fan of Saggi lol so looks like we think the same/similar. Plus my Raven is more adventure anyway. She's got loads of money. and think the prizes might be better...))

He nodded, "Yep and the beetle was put into their sarcophagus because they believed it would bite them and wake them once they got to the afterlife. I believe so, early women's lib." He was nervous as she started looking through his drawings, he was much better now than he was three years ago but even knowing that he winced inside seeing some of the scales and shadings so rough. "I find its best if you break things into shapes. Like your 'and," he took her hand and pointed to her knuckle, "see the joints look like ovals an' the other parts look more like rectangles." He held her hand for a longer time than it took to point out those shapes. It was soft, warm and not at all sweaty. He blushed and let her hand go.

"Ooh, that I did not know! ...And I guess maybe the stink helped?" She said the words without much of an indication that they were a joke, aside from her eyes and a slight upwards turn of her mouth. "It's much better than I can do. I know about finding shapes, but...putting them together, making them fit right, that's where everything goes wrong." Katsumi examined her hand at his prompting, though she almost pulled it out of his grip right away. She wasn't entirely comfortable with casual touching. She'd managed not to pull away at the shoulder bump, but him taking her hand...it felt like forever before he let go. "At least my calligraphy is okay. I dunno why, but that comes out alright. Maybe it's like you said, with the meaning behind it, or maybe it's because I connect better with fixed patterns." She shrugged.

"Yep, and you should 'ear how they do mummification. They like stick a poker up the nose, and pull the brains out!" Maybe that wasn't the best topic for a girl you nitwit, he thought. Then replied with a nod, "I should think mummies are thankful they can't smell themselves." At least he assumed that was what she was meaning. "Maybe I can 'elp you find a way to see art like calligraphy?" Was it his imagination or was his heart pounding louder as he felt more awkward?

"Yup, and the other organs -- they have special jars for 'em!" The Ravenclaw was hardly disgusted, she'd found the process interesting. Who else disposed of their dead by taking them apart? "Canny...um...cana...can-something jars, and they're pretty cool." Magnus suddenly made her an offer, and Egypt was pushed aside. "Teach me about art? ...You think you can?" Her tone wasn't condescending. Katsumi seemed interested, even hopeful. Through most of the discussion, in fact, she'd been far more animated than she was most of the time, but then the pair had never had such a lengthy conversation before. "I'd really like it if you would -- oh, but only if you let me try to help you with Astronomy, okay? I know you've probably tried and tried, but I could say the same about art. It's only fair."

"Canopic jars, each one has a different set o' symbols and stuff for the organgs." Well she didn't seemed grossed out so that was a plus. He nodded, almost solomely, "I fink so. I'm not saying I'm the best, but I can show you how I see things and give you tips. I taught a few o' the kids at the orphanage. Mum said next summer she's gonna enroll me in a muggle art school course so I can get even better! I'll be staying in London for a week with my Gran." He smiled and nodded, "Deal! I'll send mum a letter an' 'ave 'er run to town for some art supplies for you. I could give you some o' mine, but I fink you'd rather 'ave your very own. But if you'd like a lesson today, you can borrow some." He sat down and rummaged in his rucksack. Pulling a piece of parchment out he quickly penned a letter, then pulled out an envelope. He folded the letter and tucked it in. Then digging in his pocket he pulled out some money which he slipped into the letter and sealed it. "And no fightin' me on it cos it ain't gonna do no good." He was beaming again.

(( giggles))

Striking their bargain on mutual tutoring got another real smile from Katsumi. "Excellent! Wait, what? No, no, I couldn't possibly--" Have him buy her art supplies? Maybe she might need some when she was better, but she didn't even yet know how much use she'd be getting out of them. "I don't even need anything yet, really, just an ordinary pencil and eraser will do fine, and I have several!" But Magnus insisted. The money was in the envelope before she could stop him, but that didn't mean she'd let him have his way so easily. "But if they're going to be mine, then /I/ should be paying for them!" Between his generosity and his grin, her pale skin cheeks had flushed pink with embarrassment and indignation. She dove for the letter, trying to snatch it away so she could keep him from sending it. "Hey!"

Her smile was enchanting and almost enough to have mesmerized him enough, but he was deterimined. "I'm sure you will love 'em," he said. Then as she dove for the letter he did the only thing he could think of, he took off at a run, hoping to get out of the room and up to the owlrey before she caught him. He hadn't been chased for a long time but it was just as exllerating as having a policeman running after him--actually better...if he was being honest. Tearing out of the Ravenclaw tower and off to the owlrey he almost collided with a burley fifth year. He already had a backup plan in mind if he should loose though (( hehe I cannot keep my smirk off my face, this is adorbs))

"Ah! No -- oi, get back here!" The other student caught herself and dashed after Magnus, ponytail flying. Down the stairs she went, startling the fifth year who was already bellowing after her quarry. Her shoes squeaked on the floor as she planted her foot and desperately sidestepped to avoid barreling the unfortunate Hufflepuff over, but a quick scramble and she was off after her classmate again. "Magnus, baka!" He'd managed to seriously fluster her, and it showed; she was jumping between the two languages she'd grown up with, and ended up shouting several of her objections in the wrong tongue.

She'd spent enough hours running around her father's digs that uneven ground and various hazards weren't such a problem. She might be on the short side, but Katsumi made up for it with speed, and two thirds of the way to the owlry she caught up to the fleeing boy, one hand snagging his arm before she made a final lunge and they both went down.

Magnus might not know Japanese but he got the gist of her objections well enough. Then she grabbed him and he toppled down to the ground where he quickly covered the letter with his other hand, grasping it and pulling himself into a ball. "Its mine, my own, my precious," he said with a half-pant, half-laugh. This had been rather fun.

Katsumi sat on him, trying to wrestle the letter away, but she wasn't able to get at it. "C'mon, Magnus!" she exclaimed, but it was no good. His laughing protest made her stop short. "Na -- Gollum?" She recognized the quote, of course, how could she not? She started to ask him a question, but it came out in the wrong language, and the girl stopped, trying to put her /very/ jumbled thoughts in order. "I mean -- Lord of the Rings?You've read it?!" She was out of breath too, and abruptly realized how ridiculous she was being, chasing Magnus halfway across the school and taking him down like they were playing rugby. "Ah! Oh -- I'm sorry, I didn't--" She rolled off him to sprawl on the grass, hands covering her face so she could only see a little of the sky. "I just...I'm sorry." Katsumi's cheeks were burning. She didn't get so caught up in things often, and now she was mortified. "Ohhh, I acted like an idiot," she mumbled into her hands.

(( ognna watch anime, so will be in and out, and a bit slower. ^.^))

Tears of laughter shinning in his eyes it took him a few moments to calm himself down. "I loved Lord o' the rings. Nicked it from me old 'ead Mistress when I was seven. Bit thick for me at times and the songs got a little boring, but it was a brilliant book." Then she had rolled off him, their little scuffle over. "No!" he said with an abrupt shout, "Don't you dare apologise. It was fun. 'Nd besides, I act like an idiot all the time." A broad grin crossed his face, "So its nice when someone joins in." Then his owl arrived, dropping a letter on his head. "'Ey, Vega, take this to mum please." He tied the very rumpled letter onto her leg and she was off. He got up and offered her his hand, "Come on, lets go to the kitchens and get a butterbeer."

"Haaa, well." The young Ravenclaw gave a bit of a breathless chuckle. "Yeah, I guess it was. Not the kind I usually go for, but it was." She levered herself up a bit so she could use her elbows to prop herself up. "But it really was unseemly. I would have gotten in such trouble, at Mahoutokoro, if I'd done something like this." Katsumi's eyes shifted guiltily. "Then again...it's probably a good thing none of the teachers here saw us either."

"Most 'o the books she 'ad where taudry romances, so it was a nice break." He laughed again, "I never minded getting into trouble. Nothin' ta get me chucked in jail or anything, but enough. Coppers used ta 'aul me back all the time. It was fun. But yeah, probly good fing no one caught us now or we'd both 'ave a detention." He led her to the kitchen portrait where he tickled a leaf and was greeted by several house elves. "Could we 'ave some butterbeers please," he asked them. "Fancy anything else before we go back to the tower?"

"The police?" Her tilted eyes widened. "I'd never get in trouble with them! Oka-- ah, that is, Mother would be so disappointed. Dad too, but especially her. But I'm surprised -- most of the time, folks in the wizarding world don't know much about Muggle culture. Or at least they don't discuss it with other wizards. It's like there's a taboo or something." Katsumi's expression was no longer quite so open, but her grey eyes showed she was both excited and pleased. Magnus took them back by way of the portrait to the kitchens, something she'd not even known about. "Ah, no thank you. How'd you find out about the pear? Do you just go around tickling all the paintings?" she asked, only mostly joking.

"Well, mostly got in trouble for loitering or being out late. 'Eadmaster didn't like me too much, sent them after me for every little thing." He shrugged his shoulders non-pulsed. "I wasn't in the wizarding world till my stay at Saint Mungos, so I grew up muggle really. Though I see your point, cos knowing you read the book seems strange since it was a muggle book, er I think?" He now started to confuse himself as the elves ladened him down with butterbeers and a whole chicken which he hadn't asked for. Katsumi was having her hands piled with snacks and sweets. He laughed, "no, I don't tend to tickle paintings. I was told of the pear on me first day. I 'ave to eat more on changing days, so I 'ave to come 'ere and load up. Need lots of extra protein for the shifts."

(( Or, y'know, I might just vanish. ^.^;; Sorry! But Tokyo Ghoul is a good show.))

"I'm not sure if Tolkein was a muggle or not. I mean, if the story's good enough, magic is just more fiction, right?" Katsumi pulled out her ponytail, which was messed up from their roughhousing, and redid it. "I know there's a few wizard authors that muggles know about. But really, you grew up a muggle? I suppose it's not that bad, but I really don't know what I'd do without magic. Then again, I don't know what I'd do without the internet, either." The girl looked amused. "My Poppy's a muggle, you know. Met my grandmother after he moved to Japan. Both he and my mom work with computers. Ah! No, no, really, thank you, that's more than I could possibly eat!" The girl was not expecting to be piled down with quite so much food, and the overly eager house elves were insistent.

"I guess I never really thought about that. Needing more energy because you change," she said, once they'd made good their escape. "I suppose it makes sense. By the way." The Ravenclaw hesitated, not wanting to wreck the cheerful mood, but she felt her next words needed to be said. "...I don't think I ever thanked you properly, for that one Magical Creatures club session. ...It was brave, letting everyone see you like that. And making yourself go through it, too. I don't think I could have -- and I know you were worried about what everyone would think." She stopped walking long enough to look directly at Magnus, so he would know she was being sincere. "I won't say I enjoyed it, but I do appreciate it. I learned a lot."