Our aspirations are wrapped up in books

[bookish_lioness]

WHO: Hermione Granger and Open!
WHAT: There's a new witch mage wandering around Skyhold. Come say hello?
WHEN: Backdated to her arrival near the end of Guardian and onward throughout Drakonis.
WHERE: The library. All over Skyhold. But mostly its library.
NOTES: Feel free to run into her pretty much anywhere, or have her run into you. And be prepared for all the questions about your character and Thedas/their homeworld and everything in between.

If not for the fact that Hermione had spent so many of her formative years in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Skyhold might have been overwhelming

As it was, the sprawling fortress was a little hard to get used to, since the academic environment that had given Hogwarts some sense of structure amidst the chaos wasn't present here. There was a library, thankfully, and she spent much of her time there, though it was so small that she was certain she'd end up reading every book in there in two weeks' time if she didn't actually go out and explore the rest of her surroundings.

And so every so often, she pried herself away from the cold little corner she'd set aside for herself and wander the rest of the area, though granted, she more often than not was carrying at least one book with her. Usually it was one of the books that had survived the trip through the Fade; anyone who might spot her in the garden or tavern or a safe distance away from the sparring going on in the training grounds might notice her engrossed in such unfamiliar titles as Hogwarts, A History or occasionally digging through Spellman's Syllabary in the vain hope of finding recognizable runes on various inscriptions throughout Skyhold.

After all, just because she was endlessly fascinated by all the new people and cultures and history and magic, it didn't mean she didn't occasionally need a bittersweet reminder of home. Especially when her other major reminder was her wand, which - despite the fact that she'd taken to finding the most solitary places she could find and practicing with it harder than she ever had the night before an exam - still wasn't behaving properly at all. Apologies to those of you who end up slipping on some wayward ice or getting sprayed with pebbles from a spell gone wrong.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

The smile returns to sad. Last resort. It really had been the last resort, one turned to in desperation, but in the end that doesn't matter. He'd killed people who weren't mages and so the world is furious.

"I think we agree that it should be a last resort. And I will hope that time does not show you what it has shown me, and every mage I've cared about."

Anders stands, brushing a little dust off his robes. There are some people he actually needs to speak with before sealing his fate in a few hours, and while this had been pleasant and given him a little hope for the future, he should move on.

"Fare well, Hermione. And know that every person who believes mages should be free helps, which means you will make a difference." One pebble can start an avalanche. Granted, he pretty much blew up the mountainside to start one, but further ones, smaller ones, are needed now.

[bookish_lioness]

Every mage he'd cared about. Either he's particularly melodramatic, or is his hasn't been a happy one. Either way, Hermione looks up at him, eyes wide and sad, though there isn't anything she can really say to make him feel better, not when she doesn't know the extent of what's happened to him. And at this point? She isn't going to ask simply because it sounds painful for him, and not just because it wouldn't be polite to ask.

Maybe he's already hurting, and that's why he breaks away from the conversation. She isn't going to stop him, but it wouldn't be right to let him go without offering an encouraging word or two. "I hope I will, Detlef. For all our sakes. Please, if you ever feel like talking, seek me out. Maybe we can help each other."

[justice_is_blond]

There is no help for him. He appreciates the offer, and he nods, but there isn't anything that can be done at this point. Or even should be.

"We'll see what the future brings," is all he can say before giving her yet another nod and heading off. He expects to die. What help he can give, he has, as little and as possibly useless as it is.