Into a new world we go

[captaincatblock]

[It had been exciting news at the start, to be invited into the exchange program his wizarding university had with the Hogwarts. Ever since Kuroo had discovered the strange world of wizarding, Hogwarts had been the school everyone this side of the world looked up to. He looked forward to the opportunity to learn Western magic, and to see how the foundation of their wizarding differed from what he knew.

The preparation leading up to the program, though... That was quite tedious, and Kuroo's excitement grew less and less after struggling through Nakano's secret alleyways to look for a bloody oversized cauldron.

Now, after landing in Britain and being in the train, all Kuroo wanted was to sleep. He had gotten there ahead of most other students, stored his baggage, and then just sat to sleep. It was cold, though, so he'd pulled off his jacket, transformed into a cat, and just curled up underneath it. With luck he'll stay asleep for most of the ride. He was sure that the other passengers would just mistake him for someone's pet and leave him alone, especially since his things were right there.]

Comments

[hellacene]

They're easy to take care of.

[he looks at him with a raised eyebrow, wondering if that had been an honest statement or if he's making a passing remark about something else. it's a bit difficult to tell since he barely knows him. he comforts the hedgehog in his lap until it's calm enough and curious enough to return to its animal state, spines and all, poking its head underneath his hand while tsukki returns to the page he was reading for the spell.]

It's a delicate subject, charms. You need to be precise with your words and movements for that one, more so than transfiguration.

[captaincatblock]

I can't pronounce some of the things properly. [He sounds like he might be complaining.] It's different from transfigurations where it's mostly numbers. My professor gave me third year charms to study, apparently it has a lot of the radicals.

[Kuroo sighs, eases himself to sit down on the tree next to Tsukki.] Are you trying to change that hedgehog?

[hellacene]

I am.

[but he likes it more as an animal .... kei can be incredibly stubborn, and of course his wand listens to his feelings instead of what he actually wants to do, and there's a bit of a disconnect between the spell and what he actually has to do.

not to brag or anything, but - ]

Charms is quite easy for me.

[captaincatblock]

[Well-- The opportunity is there.]

I'll help you with transfiguration if you help me with charms.

[hellacene]

Fair enough.

[since he does want to have high marks. but more than that - ]

Did you see the cat again today?

[captaincatblock]

[Erm. Well, he hasn't changed since that kitchen encounter.]

No, not today. Or yesterday, actually. [Subject change! He takes out his wand.]

What are you changing this hedgehog into?

idk why i didn't get this notif

[hellacene]

Oh. [he looks a bit sad at that, that he almost misses kuroo's question.]

... I'm trying to change it into a pincushion, but it's not working.

[and the hedgehog is far more interested in licking his hand.]

hahaha maybe it went to spam

[captaincatblock]

You're surprisingly a soft one, aren't you? [But he thinks on it for a few seconds, sorting out equations and spells in his head before arriving at the appropriate one. He makes the gesture, murmurs the words, and the hedgehog twitches and turns into a bright yellow pincushion.]

It's basically in a state similar to hibernation when it's like that.

no it just got lost in my inbox

[hellacene]

[he looks utterly surprised at the change, and even jabs the pincushion lightly with the tip of his wand to see if it will react, but it remained frozen in its transfigured state.]

Nicely done, [murmurs kei.

and of course, not to be outdone, he mutters a spell for a charm to make the pincushion completely vanish.]

[captaincatblock]

[Kuroo tilts his head to the side and then chuckles.]

Did you know that in Hogwarts, vanishing and reappearing spells are considered part of their transfiguration placement exams? You'll pass that at least. [He flicks his wrist, says the words, and the pincushion reappears.]

[hellacene]

I'm aware of it.

[he's a bit annoyed that kuroo managed to put the pincushion back after he'd vanished it, but then he reminds himself that he's rather good with transfiguration spells, so it only stands to reason that he can be also good at some charms ....]

It's one of the riddles you have to answer to enter our house. [that is, where do vanished objects go?]

[captaincatblock]

What's the riddle, then?

The transfigurations approach to vanishing is easier than how charms deal with it, at least. And reappearing has a shorter equation. [he pulls out his phone to look at some of his files, and shows Tsukki a photographed copy of his old notes. It's a lot of numbers.] I'll copy this out on paper for you, it's all the transfiguration radicals in the West versus ours.

[hellacene]

.... thank you. This is really helpful.

[and he takes out parchment to do just that, painstakingly copying his notes in a neat script.]

What other subjects are you good at?

Back from the beach!

[captaincatblock]

[He'd like to say he was just being helpful, but he's really just showing off when he transfigures a stick into a small breakfast table for Tsukki to write on.]

Potions. Anything formulaic, I'll absorb like a sponge. What about you? [He leaves the phone on the table though.]

back from frankfurt ....

[hellacene]

[don't think he doesn't know you're showing off, kuroo >:( he totally notices these small gestures.

but hm, potions. that's not a bad subject at all. he keeps on writing his notes for a while before he answers,] Herbology. Care of magical creatures. Alchemy, to a degree.

I'm horrible at Transfiguration and the Dark Arts.

hahaha what a full weekend

[captaincatblock]

Dark Arts, hm. [He's changing the pincushion back and shushing the hedgehog when it pops back to existence in bewilderment.]

I could help you a little in the sense that I'm done with what you're taking, but I'm average at it. We could ask Bokuto. Or Akaashi could ask Bokuro for you. He ended up in Gryffindor.

[hellacene]

[there's a look in his face that tells kuroo what he thinks about gryffindors in general. tsukki is thinking that it might not be so bad if he's akaashi's friend. akaashi himself is pretty cool, after all.

he takes the hedgehog from him and then reaches into his pocket to feed it sunflower seeds.]

I'll mention it to him when I see him again.

.... how are you enjoying Hogwarts so far?

[captaincatblock]

[Kuroo looks amused.] You don't like Gryffindors? And I'm enjoying it well enough. It's very different from life in Tokyo, and I feel like I'm learning new things. They don't even have wifi, though.

[hellacene]

Gryffindors have a temperament I tend to dislike.

[he looks at him in confusion. he is not a muggle, even though he's from japan like the rest of them. he's familiar with some terms, but not all. he assumes that that has something to do with electronics, though, because there's only so few things that muggle students in hogwarts complain about, and electronics was always a big deal to them.]

There's too much magic in the air for electronics to be fully operational.

[captaincatblock]

Always gung-ho about things and breaking all the rules? [Amused. He knows the reputation of every house, as well. Kuroo's still not sure why the sorting hat decided to put him in Hufflepuff, but it might have had something to do with asking for a challenge.]

I know, I know. [Sadly.] I am going to miss so many shows this year, though.

[hellacene]

Shows, [he repeats, trying to place the word ... ] Oh. You mean, in the television.

[he may have meant plays, or the opera, or radio-shows, but he doubts that was what he meant.]

[captaincatblock]

Oh. [Blinks, tilts his head.] I didn't realize you're not muggle. Anyway, I can show you my shows if you're curious.

[hellacene]

No. I'm pure blood.

[not that it matters. if it really did, he wouldn't be in ravenclaw.]

I know ... quite a bit about muggles, but not a lot.

You're welcome to talk about your shows. [and, after copying his notes, he goes to take the hedgehog for another round, transfiguring it into a pin cushion.]

[captaincatblock]

Where did you study? Did they have quidditch there? I'm from Nekoma, in Tokyo. [glances at the hedgehog, nods in approval.]

[He flips through his phone, pulls out a file for some anime.] This one is a shoujo anime called Ore Monogatari. If's hilarious.

[hellacene]

I'm from Karasuno, in Miyagi. We have quidditch and our team used to be strong, from what I've heard.

[he glances at kuroo's phone for his anime and makes a rather amused face at the characters.]

Do you normally watch shoujo? Or is it just that this one is funny?