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Post by Maksimillian Novikov on Nov 30, 2007 21:24:17 GMT
Persuading an owl to do something it didn't want to coud be difficult. Persuading a stubborn owl to do something it really didn't want to was nearly impossible. Especially when that owl had a broken wing, and was at the top of a twelve foot wall. Maks had been here for almost an hour, tempting, cajoling, and occasionally swearing.
Not one to often lose his temper with those not of the human persuasion, this was something of an occasion for him, although he wasn't keen on repeating the experience any time soon.
"You dratted bird!" He stomped his foot,getting more and more unlike himself every second. "It's only going to get worse, why won't you just get down here?" Growling, he therew himself down on the floor and slumped against the wall, feeling utterly defeated.
He reached into the pocket of his coat for a small, white paper bag. A bag of almonds, with layer upon layer of hardened sugar coated on them. He carefully chose a white one, and checked the shell for imperfections. Seeing none he placed the small sweet in his mouth with a certain amount of ceremony. As he rolled it around in his mouth, he thought about his options with the injured owl. The only thing he hadn't tried was magic, and magic was out of the question - if he stunned it, or used another spell, it could fall and injure itself even more.
In frustration, he bit down hard on the hard sugar coating of the almond in his mouth. "Bugger." He said emphatically. The crunch had almost certainly broken a tooth. Now in a fouler than foul mood, he sat in stony silence, and glared up at the top of the wall, from where the owl was watching him with what appeared to be some sort of interest.
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Post by Markov Volsky on Dec 1, 2007 10:39:30 GMT
Markov walked into the courtyard he was in no hurry and the weather was perfect. He sat down on one of the benches and started to read one of his old school books, fantastic beasts and where to find them, although he was not concernatrating on the book, but on something on the othere side of the courtyard.
Professor Novikov was trying to get an injured bird down from a pretty high wall, of cousre markov knew what to do, and was wondering why Novikov hadn't thought of it, after all, he was the care of magical creatures professor, in his mind if anyone would know what to do, it would be him, but he just couldn't.
Markov couldn't sit and watch any longer, he junped up stuffing the book into his pocket and took out his wand.
"You need to use some magic professor, if it's got a broken wing it's hardly going to be able to fly onto your arm, if it did, then it would fall and get even more injured."
Markov waved his wand in the famous swish and flick motion that allows things to fly, the bird glided down to his arm and stood apon it.
"here you go professor, but he didn't look that impressed.
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Post by Maksimillian Novikov on Dec 1, 2007 11:37:13 GMT
Resolvingto climb the wall to bring the owl down safely, Maks stood. He was just in time to hear a young voice, telling him howto do his job. Markov Volsky, a 5th year Callidus. Prefect and Quidditch captain. And now he was proving himself to be a bit of a smart-arse as well.
The Wingardium Leviosa charm was one of the options that Maks had considered, but rejected on the fairly simple basis that the owl could take fright, and be harder to handle when he finally did get it down. However, he didn't voice this. Instead, he pressed his lips into a tight, thin line and took the struggling owl from the student. "Thank you Volsky."
Feeling that something more was needed, he added "You're interested in magical creatures, are you not?" He'd seen the book the boy had been reading while he had still been working out his next move. Markov was a good student as well, although Maks had a feeling that this was because he generally worked hard in all his subjects.
"Stupefy" He added conversationally, rendering the still resisting bird unconscious until he could get it back to his office, where it would be easier to fix the wing. He took off his coat, and wrapped it gently around the small body of the owl to keep it warm.
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Post by Markov Volsky on Dec 1, 2007 17:11:11 GMT
He heard the question, although this was not what markov had expected him to say, he expected him to tell him to shove off and keep his nose out of other peoples buisness. But instead he had asked him whether he was interested in magical creatures, he thought about his reply for a few seconds and answered with,
"Pretty interested, yeah, but it wouldn't be a career option for me, i want to become minister for magic, or headmaster of durmstrang. I love al animals really, magical or non magical, it's surprising just how intelligent they are, and how they do things quite similar to humans."
This was a long answer, but it was accurate. He walked back over to the bench,to read his book again, he often re-read old school books so he didn't forget the information, after all he had his O.W.L's this year, and he couldn't afford to do badly, not with his high amibtions. He was reading an interesting section on hippogriffs and there magical propeties when he suddely blurted out out something to professor Novikov, that could of sounded rude but was not inteted that way,
"That wing isn't going to fix itself you know, not even the average bone repairing charm will do the trick, your going to need some skeli-grow, if you ask me"
He coninued to read his book, while watching what was appening around him, unlike most boys, he could do more than one thing at a time.
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Post by Maksimillian Novikov on Dec 1, 2007 19:08:41 GMT
A smll smile appeard on Maks' face. He likd people who liked animals - and appreciated that they weren't all just 'dumb beasts'. Although there were exceptions. "That being the case, I'll be paying very lose attention to your conduct in lessons." A moment should be taken to explain Maks' demeanour and vocabulary. As a child, he was shunned by others of his own age, and so took solacein books. His social skills were therefore underdevelloped while his vocabulary was overly so. He was not at his ease in any conversation and so seemed stiff and uptight. "With an understanding of not only the people, but the creatures around you, I think you will be an excellent Minister, Volsky."
Just as Maks was beginning to examine the bird though, the boy made a mistake. His lips once again pressed themselves tightly together as he voiced his advice. "Thank you for your esteemed opinion, Mr Volsky." He cradled the small bundle that contained the owl in his arms as one would a baby. "Unsolicited as it was, I'm sure a person such as myself with many years experience with broken wings of owls, thestrals, hippogriffs and others knows less than a fifteen year old child."
He turned back to the wing, pausing a moment to stroke the top of the owl's head. Irritatingly, Markov seemed to have been right. The break was a bad one, and the tip of the break was beginning to break trough the skin. "I take my leave." He nodded briefly to the boy, and marched quickly towardshis office where he was better prepared to deal with such a serious injury. He was struck with an idea before he left the coutyard, and pused. Turning only his head s little, he called back to Markov. " You would be welcome to observe, if you feel that you might benefit from it Volsky."
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Post by Markov Volsky on Dec 1, 2007 20:55:42 GMT
Markov found Novikovs comment extremely offensive, never had he been told that he been told to shut up, no when he was trying to help anyway, well he hadn't said to shut up, but he might as well of done.
"Excuse, me i was just helping, i'll have you know i'm cleverer than plenty of grown wizards and witches i know," which was a fact, he was deffinatly cleverer than a lot of people, no one could deny that.
No matter how much he felt angry, he could not resist going with him to observe, he loved learning new things. As he stood up again and ran after the professor to catch up, his book clutched in his hand at his side.
"Do you want me to go ask for some skeli-grow potion from matron or Morpha--, sorry, i mean, Professor Morphakvicha,"
He stuffed the book in his pocket, the book now looking worn and tired, not only beacause it was old, but the amount of times it was stuffed in, and pulled out of his pocket rouphly. He looked at the owl, the owl looked as if it was in terrible pain even thoug it was stupified. He brought his hand and stroked the broken wing.
"Is this your owl sir?"
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Post by Maksimillian Novikov on Dec 5, 2007 7:26:57 GMT
Maks' eyebrow twitched. "I apologise for causing offence, Mr Volsky. However as your comment was unsolicited and indicated a less than confident view of my abilities as a healer, it caused me some offence also. May I assume that we are once again 'even', insofar as we can be, taking into account my status as a professor and yours as a student?"
The professor gained some satisfaction from the student following him to observe. He was always pleased when anyone showed an interest in the welfare of an animal, and this boy seemed to be at least interested in learning something. "Other assstance will not be needed, i have a store of skeli-grow in my office for just such an emergency."
He allowed Markov to stroke the owl gently, and almost smiled at his question. "Unfortunately, no. This is the owl of a student I have known for a long time - Zoya Petrova" His hand reached out and opened the door of his office. "His name is..." He paused, preparing himself to utter the utterly ridiculous name the girl had given the poor bird. "...Binky."
He stepped into his office. Inside, the areas of wall that weren't obscured by sketches of various animals were lined with books and cabinets containing potions. "Please take a seat." He said, placing the bird on the desk and walking towards a locked cabinet.
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Post by Markov Volsky on Dec 5, 2007 17:29:45 GMT
Markov smiled when he heard the name of the owl, butnot in a sblack persony way.
"Yes i know her, virtus isn't she, she's in my year, but i don't know here very well," infact he didn't know anyone very well that wasn't in his own house, not that he didn't try and make friends with others, .it was just that he shared more in common with other callidus students.
He walked with the professor to his office, and as he entered he realised just how many pictures of animals there were, he had never been inside his office before,infact he hadn't been in many techers offices before more because he never got stuck in any detentions or needed extra lessons to catch up or because he didn't understand things.
He look a seat oposite the desk and watched the bird lying on the desk. He could see the break properly now and it appeared a lot worse than he had first thought, and he wasn't even sure if skeli grow would help, the chances were that the owl would die, but he didn't mention anything as there was still a chance that it could survive, but suddenly he turned a lot more serious than he had been. Professor Novikov was rumaging through tone of his cupbords.
"How much skeli-grow do think you will need sir?"
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