Book Browsing

With one hand in his pocket, he opened up a book with his other hand. His eyes skimmed the page as he flicked through it, taking his hand out of his pocket only to turn the page. He had already read this particular book, but he found himself going back to it again and again. He wouldn't say it was his favorite, oh no, but it was just one of those interesting page turners he couldn't put down.

Sighing to himself, he leaned his left shoulder against a wall and peered down at the pages again. The words blurred together in nonsense as Ash rubbed at his eyes to clear them. Merlin, he was tired. Up all night floo chatting with his father again. The old man just wanted his son to do right and follow him in the steps of the dark.

'Well what if I don't want to follow exactly in your footsteps?' What was he thinking, asking that?

His father had stared at him for a little bit, before a grin creased his face. 'Then my son, you can follow your own dark path.' His father just didn't understand. Ashwin had no desires in pledging any allegiance for any Dark Lord that popped up with promises of power. He may be the embodiment child of dark magic, but it didn't mean he had to act as such.

Shaking his head, he replaced the book on the shelf before searching for a new one. He had to have some new material to read, after all.

Morgan searched through the books in the library, looking for a good one. Merlin knew she was in need of something to read, just to distract her for a little while. She grabbed one that looked interesting and flipped through the pages. She was definitely wrong; it was the most boring book ever by the looks of it.

She placed it back in the shelf and sighed. Would she ever find a book that she would actually like here? Crossing her arms, Morgan leaned back against the bookshelf and groaned. This was much harder than it should be.

She spent a few minutes complaining to herself about these books. She probably would have been better off going to a Muggle library before she left.

When she finally started looking again, she noticed a figure looking through books just as she had. She backed up into the aisle and peered around the corner of the bookshelf.

The boy looked familiar. Of course he did, they went to the same school. But that was beside the point.

Wasn't he in her year or something? She could remember him seeing him in at least one of her classes.

Ashwin pulled yet another book off the shelf and flipped through it before he stiffened. He felt like he was being watched. He relaxed slightly as he figured that it was just another student or perhaps even a teacher that was just passing by in the library. He rolled his eyes slightly at being so jumpy. Did talking to his father bring out his cautious side? Sometimes it sure felt like it.

He canted his head to the side, still staring at the book. Whoever it was, was still watching him. He closed the book and turned his head to look in the direction the stares were coming from.

"Perhaps if you took a photo, it would last longer," he remarked smoothly, replacing the book on the shelf with care before turning his whole body in her direction.

He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Surely books are more important than staring at me? I know I'm good looking and all, but knowledge is power."

She sucked in a breath as the boy stiffened. Eyes wide for a second, she kept watching. He was just looking for a book, like she had been moments before. Morgan bit her lower lip and backed away. Maybe it was best to leave him alone. But then again, since when did she do what was best?

She quickly pulled out another book and ran her fingertips along the pages. "Maybe. But why look at a photo when you can look at the real thing?" she asked lightly.

She stepped out of her hiding place, into his line of sight. "I'm sure they are more important," she replied, lifting her eyes up from the book to look at him. She quirked an eyebrow. "Confident in yourself, aren't you?" Her face relaxed and she smiled. "Morgan Halsey. You are?"

Ashwin chuckled slightly. "Why look at a photo you ask? Well I can easily tell you that while you are staring at me now, sooner or later, I won't be in your line of sight. So if you happen to have a photo of my dashing physique, you can stare at it all you want whenever you want."

Grinning, Ash stepped forward and bowed at the waist. He wasn't a proper gentleman for nothing, and his manners were practically drilled into his head. After all, this was a lady he was speaking with. Mannerisms and politeness were everything.

"Ashwin Morte, but I usually go by Ash. Easier that way, if you ask me. Ashwin just isn't my cup of tea. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Morgan. Might I ask what sort of book you happen to be looking for? I might be some help to you." Ash gave her a genuine smile and stuck his hands in his pockets, awaiting her answer.

Morgan scoffed. "I wasn't staring. I was peering. There's a difference, even though it's slight." She laughed. "I'm sure I could. I wouldn't say you have a dashing physique, exactly. You're good-looking, I'll admit. But perhaps you'd be even more so if you toned down that ego of yours," she teased.

She looked at him strangely as he bowed to her. "I'm not going to curtsy. Just telling you that now." She smiled, though.

"It's nice to meet you Ashwin- Ash. Miss Morgan?" She bit her lower lip again. "I like it," she decided with a grin. "I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking for. I'd appreciate the help though."

She stepped toward him. He was much taller up close. "Come on now, don't be shy."

He laughed and pulled his hands out of his pockets as she stepped closer to him. He had to at least be a head taller than her. He wondered if perhaps they were in the same year. He faintly remembered some of the students from his classes, but mainly he paid attention just to get it all done and over with.

"Peering, staring, same thing really to me," Ash grinned, a playful mirth entering his eyes. "Besides, I do happen to remember you just looking at me while I perused a book. And I was the one who initiated conversation. Do not mind my mannerisms. I grew up in a strict household."

He tilted his head slightly, staring up at the ceiling before looking back at the girl again. "I'm always a gentleman, no matter what. So you do not have to curtsy unless you truly wanted to." He laughed and tapped his fingers along the spines of the books he had been looking at before Morgan had come along.

He faintly wondered what he blood type was before he shook his head. No, that did not matter. He was away from home, but eyes were everywhere. Narrowing his, he glanced down the rows. When he was satisfied, the smile came back to his face and he pulled a book out before handing it to her. "This one is decent I must admit."

His eyes wandered about again. His father certainly had spies everywhere looking to see who he associated with. One false move, and he was dust.

Morgan smiled as he laughed. Ash really did have a nice laugh. "Are you a fifth year too?" she asked. "I'm pretty sure I've seen you in some of my classes."

She grinned at him. "Maybe they are the same thing. Perhaps the only difference is just the word, not the meaning. You just looked so focused I couldn't resist," she teased. "You can blame yourself for talking to me. I think I know why you started talking." A slight smirk made its way to her lips. "Don't worry, I don't mind. If you don't mind me asking, how strict exactly?"

She laughed. "Okay, I don't want to curtsy. I'm not polite enough to do that." She put her hands behind her back and lazily scanned the shelves. "What were you looking for earlier? Obviously a book, but you know."

Morgan placed her hands in front of her as Ash gave her a book. She couldn't really read the title. "So you've read it before. What's it about? I feel like I'm asking a lot of questions."

She wondered why exactly he was looking at everything so suspiciously. She shrugged and kept looking.

Ash nodded, his eyes scanning over Morgan's face. She was a cute brunette, to be sure, and while she happened to be just a bit short, he found it endearing. She also happened to like books. His own father tried to get him to read books, granted they were dark books, but he did support it. Ash himself wasn't so into the dark as his father would have hoped. Refusing to read the dark books cost him his meals for a whole twenty-four hours.

"That's right. Fifth year and still going. And then next year I'll be sixth, and so on." He teased, grinning at her. "I started talking because I wanted to know why you were staring at me of course. And now that we've established it was because of my devillish looks..." Ash trailed off, winking at her before his face grew solemn once more.

"Pretty strict," he finally answered with a sigh. "No meals some days, locked in a room for a full day other times. That sort of thing. No beatings. Far too inhumane, even for my father. But I'm used to it." He grinned and tapped the book she was holding. "Witch & Wizard by James Patterson. The first in the series so far. I'm reading The Gift right now. This Muggle guy has some stuff right, and it's very interesting."

Ashwin turned his face back to looking over at the books. Some he had read, some he hadn't. So what looked interesting to him? More importantly, what would look interesting to the girl next to him? He placed a hand on his side and tapped his lips with the other as his eyes scanned the spines of the tomes of knowledge. He'd find something soon enough.

She could tell that Ash was staring at her. She started to panic somewhat inside her head. She completely understood why he wouldn't want to be stared at. It was uncomfortable at best.

"Really?" Morgan asked with knitted eyebrows. "I thought we went backwards at this school." She shook her head. "No, no. That is definitely not why. You started talking because I'm so wonderful and you couldn't resist my girlish charm." Her cheeks reddened as Ash winked at her.

Morgan's jaw immediately fell. "Th-that's terrible. I'm sorry." She attempted to smile as he grinned again. "Oh, I've read some of his stuff before. He wrote Maximum Ride, didn't he?" She loved the Maximum Ride series. She often wondered what it would be like to have wings and just go off and fly.

Her eyes wandered over to the side, looking at Ash again. He just seemed so focused on finding a book. She turned around and brushed her fingertips along across the spines of each book, thinking that she would feel a certain one and stop on it; the theory was still under construction.

He peered at all the books that his fingers touched. Surely he could find a good book for her? He made a slight face as he realized that perhaps they might not have the same interests. Though she seemed intrigued enough by the book he had given her just a moment or so ago.

Ash turned to look at her and laughed. "Yes, we do go backwards. I really forgot. So next year I'll be a fourth year, just like you will." He grinned and shook his head. "My my, you silly girl. How you so easily see through my ruse. Of course it's because I couldn't resist your charm." He winked once more at her before he shrugged.

"What can you do when you have a family like mine? You deal with it, and learn to enjoy Hogwarts as your one true home. And yes, he did write Maximum Ride. I happen to have the whole set up in my dorm room. Perhaps you'd like to come and see them sometime?" He said grinning slyly at her, eyes twinkling with mischief.

Morgan struggled to fight the urge to smile as Ash made a face. "Frustrated?" she asked with a chuckle.

"I just wonder how you could have forgotten something so important," she teased. "Fourth year should be good. We've got extra free time if I'm not mistaken." She rolled her eyes. "How exactly am I silly if I saw through your ruse, as you so eloquently put it? I knew it." Morgan grinned.

"I suppose that's the only thing you could do if you're locked up with no food. Great, I'm right for once!" She was much more excited than she should have been. "Really? Who would have thought that you'd like Maximum Ride?" She smiled back at him, unsure of what to think of his mischievous grin, and said, "I don't see why not."

Ash laughed slightly. "Just a slight bit frustrated. Trying to think about books you might be interested in, and I'm not seeing many here in front of me." He explained moving down a bit in the row to peer at new books.

He grinned. "You're forgetting first year my dear! That'll certainly be a hoot, being our last year here and all. I can't wait to ride in tiny boats and the like. Mmm seen through my ruse huh? Perhaps I'm more of an open book than I thought I was."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ashwin caught sudden movement. It appeared to be a little first year, but if they had a Slytherin crest on their robes, he'd string them up until they didn't say anything to the elders. And most importantly, his own father.

Relaxing once more, Ash gave Morgan an easy grin. "Good. You can lounge about on my bed while you peer through the books. I assume you've read them all, or perhaps at least most? I've had to re-read a few of them since I've gotten distracted by other things, but they are a good read."

Morgan smiled. "Just don't get too worked up about it. We'll find something eventually."

Laughing, she said, "I can't believe I forgot about the boats!." She sighed. "Only four more years to go. I wonder how we'll all fit in those tiny little boats. What with half the fifth years being taller than the first years." She grinned widely at Ash. "Of course you are. You're an open book that I can't wait to read."

She reddened a bit more. Why on earth did she say that?

Morgan scrunched her eyebrows at his jumpiness. She wanted to ask if he was all right, but decided against it.

She placed a hand on her chin and pretended to think. "Perhaps. I've read all of them up to Fang. I love them so much. Iggy's definitely my favorite character," she said with a large smile. "They're just good books, what can I say?"

Ash grinned and shrugged. "I'm sure at least four of us will magically fit into one boat at a time. We won't know how it'll be done, but if anyone can do it, the Headmistress surely can. I'd probably take up one whole boat by myself if I really wanted to. Stretch my legs and all that."

Raising an eyebrow, Ash laughed. "You can't wait to read me huh? While I must seem like an open book to you, I can assure you that I happen to have pages and pages that are completely blank to those around me. Think you can try to read those?" So sue him. He enjoyed challenges, no matter what. And he really wanted a friend to hang out with since he didn't keep company of anyone.

Smiling at her, he returned his eyes to the shelves. He didn't fit in with the good guys since they knew he came from a Dark family. And if he didn't join the Dark, he would be ostracized from them as well. Possibly killed. He had to watch what he was doing, and perhaps this girl next to him might be next if he's seen chatting with her. He didn't want to risk anything.

"Do you happen to like any other books that belong in a series?" He asked carefully, his eyes strayed to the end of the book aisle before they returned to her.

"Four of us would fit even with magic only if we were tiny. None of us are tiny. I'm sure you would. It'd be an awfully lonely boat ride though. You've got to have friends you could ride, float, whatever you do with."

Morgan raised her eyebrows at his challenge. "Maybe there are words written in invisible ink that no one's bothered to make visible. I just might decode them if you give me the chance," she said lightly. "I can try."

Ash was so...well, jumpy. Morgan didn't think she had anything to do with it. They'd just met, after all. There was something about him that kind of strange. She wasn't sure whether she liked it or not. "Are you all right?" she asked, an eyebrow quirked.

"There's the Percy Jackson series. You can't really go wrong with Rick Riordan." She grinned at him.

"I'm sure I could make you tiny with a little bit of magic," Ash said wiggling his fingers in Morgan's direction. "If you want to fit in my pocket, just say the word, and I can make it happen you know." He laughed shaking his head.

Crossing his arms, he smirked at her. "Or maybe I just haven't written on them yet because I don't think there should be things people can read at this current moment in time. They might be written in invisible ink, but you certainly couldn't guess without the proper tools, yeh?"

He peered behind her before casting a glance over his shoulder. "Yeah, I'm completely fine. Don't worry about a thing. Could be spies here." He said winking at her. "Gossip spies and all that you know." Gossip, hah. He hadn't been the topic of gossip since he beat up a Slytherin during his first year at Hogwarts.

"Ah a good series if I do say so myself. But I have to admit, I love the Last Apprentice series. Thomas J. Ward, seventh son of a seventh son. You know the who magical drill with that." Ash said, grinning at her.

"Could you now?" Morgan asked with a grin. "But I'd be so small, I'd be crushed if you bumped into something. Anyway, I'm not so sure that shrinking charms work on people, so..." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Who's to say you won't write on them later? I might be able to get the tools if I absolutely have to. Eventually. The real question is why anyone would want to write on themselves." She smirked back at Ash. She knew she couldn't win this argument. That didn't mean she wouldn't try, however.

She raised her eyebrows. "Spies? Gossip spies. That makes so much sense. I don't understand why people just can't mind their own business." Morgan didn't even think this thing, whatever it was, was all that interesting; to other people, of course.

"Hm, I've never read it. Seven, seven, seven, so on and so forth, right?"

Ash grinned and shrugged. "They may not work on people, but I'm certainly not against trying it. I do have my wand in my back pocket, if you are so inclined to become as small as a doll. Just let me know if you want to have a go with it." He said, pulling a book out of the shelf.

"Because it's fun?" He murmured, giving her a sideways glance. "Haven't you ever drawn on yourself before, thinking that perhaps you'd give yourself a permanent tattoo when you were little?" Ash only did it because he saw it on TV. He wanted to compare with his father, so he handed him a marker. And then he got an eyeful of that damned Dark Mark.

It changed him forever. Coming out of his musings, he chuckled. "When has anyone ever minded their own business? Gossip keeps people up at night in Hogwarts, and everyone wants to get the latest news. Please tell me you've at least heard talk of gossip?"

He handed the book he pulled out to her. "The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch. By Joseph Delaney. Generally, the ones who have power are seventh sons of seventh sons, but I'm sure that as the line progresses, more power is added. Go ahead and leaf through it. It's a good series." He smiled at her.

Morgan snorted. "You might not be against it, but I am. No thanks. Maybe another time. Or not. Not's good with me," she said, rapping her knuckles against the shelf. "What about this one?" she asked, pulling a book out of the shelf. "Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen...." She read the summary and placed it back in the shelf. "Oh no, definitely not for me."

She shrugged and replied, "I guess I have at some point. I didn't really like getting dirty or having anything on me. I preferred to draw on others and charged a sickle. I got a lot of business. Real tattoos look like they hurt."

She sighed. "Never. Damn human race always wanting to know things that aren't for them to know. I've heard plenty of it," she deadpanned. "Doesn't mean I like it or actually listen to it. Maybe that's why people think I'm naïve. I don't know."

Ash handed her a book and she turned it in her hands as he explained it. "I guess that's kind of cool." She started to walk to the tables and said over her shoulder, "I'm just going to go take a seat. You're more than welcome to join me."

Ashwin shook his head as his hand grasped another title. Flipping through it, he shut it before nodding. Yes, this one would suffice his reading inquisitions for the moment. He'd have to find a better book later when he wasn't in the company of another. "And why wasn't that one for you?" He asked, grinning. "I have to say that I've never read Sarah Dessen. I always thought they were girly books."

Ash mulled over what she said about drawing. "Does that mean you're good at that? Drawing tattoos and such? I always made such a mess when I was drawing. Marker on my face, in my mouth, up my nose." Ash made a face. "I'm not creative by any means."

He gave a chuckle, and tucked one hand in his pocket again. "Don't like gossip then huh? Neither do I, but I get to hear it daily. I swear, my dormmates are like giggling school girls with all they talk about. Don't tell them I said that though."

Ash's eyes peered over the books and out into the library aisles again. It appeared that whoever had came was gone now, thank goodness for that. He followed Morgan to the tables, even bypassing her so he could pull out a chair for her to sit on. "After you," he said, gesturing to the chair with a smile.

Morgan looked at the book Ash had in his hands. "What's that?" she asked as he nodded. She made a slight face. "Uh, according to the summary, it's about teenage pregnancy and feeling sorry for yourself. Okay, the feeling sorry for yourself part isn't written, but I think that's in there somewhere." She nodded. "Yeah, they are. My roommates gush about them all the time. It gets annoying after a while." She pulled out another book and read the description. "Now Eragon sounds much better."

She shrugged. "I guess so. I could give you a 'tattoo' if you want." Laughing she replied, "You just probably haven't found your thing. Have you tried writing or crafts? And no, crafts are not just for girls."

Shaking her head, Morgan said, "Not at all. I happen to hear it every day. A lot of the stuff I hear is about my brother." Her eyes turned sad for a moment before she laughed. "Giggling schoolgirls, huh? I promise you I won't." She flashed him a grin.

Morgan quirked an eyebrow as Ash passed her and pulled out a chair. She smiled back at him. "I guess chivalry isn't dead after all. Thank you very much," she replied as she took a seat on the chair. "Go on and take a seat, Ash. I don't bite hard."

Ash laughed. He had figured that the Sarah Dessen book had to be about something girly. And he was just about completely right. "Sounds like your roommates need to find a lot of different reading material. Eragon was okay, and I did read Eldest. But I just couldn't get into the last two." He shrugged. "Oh, this is the Ranger's Apprentice. I've read them before, but I figure they're good enough to re-read."

He snorted and grinned. "I've tried some writing and I think I might be good at it, but I can't truly tell until I actually do it more." He scratched his eyebrow and proceeded to shrug once more. "I guess I could do writing. Though my father wants me to follow in his trade when I graduate Hogwarts." Ash's eyes grew dark. "I don't want to though."

Ash took the seat across from Morgan and grinned. "Well, don't expect that from most people. I was raised with strict values, as you already know. When you're in a Pureblood family, you have to have manners or they will be literally beaten into you. Or at least, when you're in my family it works that way." He shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

Morgan rolled her eyes. "You're telling me. It's always, 'Oh, did you read Blah Blah Blah?' 'Yeah, it was brilliant!' 'Oh my god, I know right?'" she said mockingly. "Hmm. What about The Hunger Games? Ever read that?" She grinned at Ash. "Well then, read it again!"

Smirking slightly, she asked, "Is that a yes or a no to the tattoo? I wonder if I could read what you've written so far." I bet he's a great writer. "And you can't tell your father that. Huh. You, my friend, are in quite the predicament."

Morgan chuckled. "Don't I know it. I wouldn't expect it in a thousand years. You're probably the first person who's ever pulled out a chair for me without making me fall on purpose." She cringed. "That's..." She couldn't think of a word to describe it, so she just went with, "...not good." Merlin, she felt so stupid right then. "My family's really different from yours. My mum and dad want me to graduate and become and Auror. I don't really know if I want to. I mean, I want to follow in my brother's footsteps, but he died on the job. Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of death; I just don't want it to happen earlier than it has to, you know?"

Ash chuckled. For some reason, he could honestly see girls chatting about books before moving into the latest gossip. Didn't seem right to him, in some way. "Of course," he commented offhandedly, shrugging slightly. "I've read all three in the Hunger Games series. I have to admit, the first book was good, but the other two were...iffy at best."

He tilted his head. "I'm sure it'd be a no for the tattoo," he murmured, smiling. "If I happened to be caught with that on my skin by my father or even one of the ones that watches me throughout school, I'd be in big trouble." He paused slightly. "I suppose I could show you what I've written at a later date. If you truly wanted."

He leaned forward in his chair to set the book down before nodding. "Yes, I do know what you mean. My uncle, on my mother's side, was an Auror." Ashwin grinned wistfully. "He was the only one who would come around after my mother married my father. He was closer to me than my own father has ever been. He was killed by followers of the Dark."

And I'm pretty sure my father was responsible.