wunderkind | (no subject)

wunderkind

STUFF GOES IN HERE

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From:

parumcanis

Him?

[He snorts, glancing after Rosier where he's fled.]

There's no way. They might not even let him in to Hogwarts, considering what a tremendous git he is. C'mon, let's go back to our compartment, we've got to be nearly there--

From:

bitty_justice

Right -

[Miles pushes after him, following him into the compartment. At once he goes to his trunk, fishing out his robes, smiling at them - ]

And these seriously aren't a joke? Everyone wears them?

From:

parumcanis

Why would they be a joke?

[His truck is neatly packed, the work of Kreacher and his mother, and Sirius purposefully rifles through, stirring up the contents.]

Everybody wears them. These ones are really plain, there's ones that are loads better. You don't have to wear the hat all of the time, though.

From:

bitty_justice

Oh, good.

[He does give a little huff of relief at that.]

It's really silly-looking. Where I'm from, at school, all we wear is jumpers and trousers.

From:

parumcanis

And that's it?

[The tone of his voice is... well, nearly scandalised. Like maybe Miles had said they go about mostly naked.]

That's weird. What about for formal dinners and parties?

From:

bitty_justice

For - oh, you mean receptions and stuff?

[He shrugs.]

I have a suit and a tie for that. When Dad gets awards and stuff.

From:

parumcanis

[He nods--sure, yeah, that's what he means--]

A tied what?

[Only after he's asked does he realise the potential for stupidity, with that question. But he can't work out what's being tied--better to ask now than later, right? He lifts his chin a little, defensively, in case Miles should laugh.]

From:

bitty_justice

Oh - a tied bowtie.

[Miles wrinkles his nose, misinterpreting the lack of comprehension in Sirius' question as an actual inquiry, for details.]

Though I think I'm going to probably...change to a proper necktie, soon. Bowties are a little bit little kid. Plus my suit doesn't even fit me any longer.

From:

parumcanis

[A necktie, and a bowtie. Sirius tries to work out what Miles might mean, without asking further questions. To buy himself time, he nods, sensibly, like what Miles has said makes perfect sense.]

Do they need fitting?

From:

bitty_justice

[And Miles realizes - ]

Oh, you must not have ties in the wizarding world.

[That's said without the least bit of condemnation or scorn or even incredulity, though. It would be rather hard to be scornful regarding Sirius' knowledge of fashion, after all, given that Miles isn't even entirely certain how to put his hat on.]

No, they go around your neck and hang down. So very tall people need longer ties, because otherwise they'd look silly and short, but no, they're pretty universal.

From:

parumcanis

[He's embarrassed, straightaway--but Miles' tone helps, the way he doesn't sneer or even look aghast. He just-- says it, as if it's reasonable, and Sirius looks around at him, chewing on his lower lip for a second.]

They just hang down?

From:

bitty_justice

[A nod.]

Except for bow-ties! They stick out.

[He demonstrates with his fingers crossed in front of his neck.]

It's pretty stupid, I guess, because they really don't have any purpose. But they do make you look distinguished.

From:

parumcanis

How do they make you look distinguished?

[And then a though occurs to him, and he grins, a little--]

Someone could grab you by it.

From:

bitty_justice

Well - if you were in a fight or something. But you don't ever get in fights at the sorts of events you wear ties to.

From:

parumcanis

[Well, that's just naive.]

You can always get into a fight.

From:

bitty_justice

[A little laugh - ]

Not there! Everyone's there to talk, not fight.

From:

parumcanis

[Dismissively, he waves a hand.]

But talking can turn to fighting, easily. I've seen it happen. And then they could choke you!

From:

bitty_justice

Well - yes, theoretically, but - I've never seen any...fighting at events like these. And I've probably been to four or five.

From:

parumcanis

[He squints at Miles, still a little unconvinced--but four or five is quite a few, and what does Sirius know about the muggle world, really. So he concedes the point with a nod.]

All right. But they have to feel weird around your neck, right? Robes are loads better.

From:

bitty_justice

What about the hats, though?

From:

parumcanis

[He wrinkles his nose.]

We don't always wear hats. And we don't have to, either--not ones like these, anyways.

From:

bitty_justice

[Which, again - Good.]

Okay, what do better robes look like?

From:

parumcanis

Well, like-- hang on--

[He fumbles around in his trunk for a moment, before he realises that perhaps it's silly to have dress robes with him. But Miles doesn't know any better--and anyways, it's not as if Sirius packed his own trunk.

But hat would be even worse to say aloud. For one of the first times that he can remember, Sirius feels a little like a prat.

He digs out his dress robes anyway, balls them up as if he doesn't care--as if his mother wouldn't twist his ear for crushing them--and chucks them over to Miles. They're black, with fine green stitching and green at the cuffs and collar and along the bottom.]

See?

From:

bitty_justice

[And Miles holds them up, shakes them out. They seem like they ought to be heavy, with their fine cloth, but really they're light as anything. And they're clearly...rich, beyond anything Miles has ever owned or will ever own - Miles can tell that, because he's been with rich people and seen the sorts of things they wear.

Dad's never much cared for wealth. It's rare to get Dad to speak disapprovingly about anything, but opulent displays of wealth he will frown on. Dad would frown at these.

But Miles isn't about to say that. He's not a complete prig. Besides which, he imagines himself in them, and - well, for all that robes are just weird, anyone would look completely dashing in them. So he doesn't really have to fake his enthusiasm.]

These are brilliant.

[He grins at Sirius.]

That's a good color, too, I think. Green's not my favorite, but it's good.

From:

parumcanis

[Outright approval was not what Sirius was expecting. Politeness, maybe, but not brilliant. He blinks, at first--but he's quick to grin a second later, a little flush in his cheeks but fading quickly--]

Yeah? They're all right--and green's all right as well. I wouldn't have picked them out.

[He takes them back, and he's a little more careful when he places them in his trunk again.]

But they're all right, I guess. S'ppose you'll have to get some eventually yourself.