The Dream Oracle (Open RP)

[Kip]

Weatherby Wiggins could barely wait for his first opportunity to visit the Library after the new term began at Hogwarts. The oddness of the situation was not lost upon him: Weatherby usually avoided the Library as much as he could, preferring to study by practice or in the solitude of his own bed or the sunlight of a courtyard to the book-filled vaults. His sister Waverly giggled at the thought, and insisted on following him all the way there to watch him enter, suspecting his plans to be an elaborate lie to sneak elsewhere without her knowing. Much to her surprise, he did find his way to the Library, where he disappeared for the rest of the afternoon.

After sheepishly asking for help from the librarian, Weatherby navigated the rows of shelves, finally withdrawing a sleek tome and studying its cover. "The Dream Oracle", by Inigo Imago. It was an old loaner textbook, indicated by the worn edges, the loosening binding, and the sheer amount of graffiti inside the covers and along the edges of the pages.

Over the next few days, Weatherby returned to the Library in his free time (Waverly following him to the doors interestedly every time), devouring the book page by page. Finally, having flipped through the entire tome, he inquired if he might borrow it; after a quizzical look from the librarian, Weatherby departed, his new prize in tow.

___________________________

Several days later, Weatherby and Waverly sat beside each other on a long stone bench in one of Hogwarts' many courtyards. Weatherby was pointing to a picture in "The Dream Oracle", while Waverly dangled her legs over the edge of the bench.

"It says birds can mean loads of things. The phoenix is a symbol of rebirth. The bluebird is a common image of happiness and hope. Vultures and," he paused before uttering the next word, "crows are carrion birds-"

"So symbols of death?" his sister interrupted.

"Err... yes." Weatherby answered idly. He coughed lightly, eager to change the subject. "So you said you dreamed about Quidditch last night?"

Waverly nodded. "Yeah. Only I was a tomato, and my entire team were tomatoes."

Weatherby closed the book on his lap and set it beside him on the bench. "Well, that could just be a yearning - I'm trying out for the team, and you would be too if you were old enough. The tomato thing - I dunno, tomatoes are pretty vulnerable, so maybe you're a little nervous about the school year? I know I was when I was in your shoes last year."

Students began filing through the courtyard as another block of classes ended. Weatherby continued chatting idly with Waverly, one hand resting on the textbook.

[Agamemnon]

'Hello Weatherby. How are you today?' Arthur stopped by to say hello.

[Kip]

Weatherby waved. "Good morning, professor! I'm doing well. Waverly and I are just enjoying the weather, and I'm doing a bit of reading," he said, patting the book beside him. "Don't suppose you've had any weird dreams lately, Professor White?"

[Barry Goldwater]

Cecil, while looking for books to help him practice his Charms and Hexes, found Weatherby's and Waverly's table. "Hey, Weatherby, Waverly. What're you two doing?"

[Agamemnon]

'Well, last night I had one... You see, I dreamt that I was sitting in a theatre, and a beautiful red-haired girl in a black lacy dress came and sat next to me. I was feeling adventurous, so I grasped her hand, and she laid her head upon my shoulder and we finished watching the movie. Then I woke up.'

OOC: Actually had the dream last night... it was weird...

[Kip]

Cecil, while looking for books to help him practice his Charms and Hexes, found Weatherby's and Waverly's table. "Hey, Weatherby, Waverly. What're you two doing?"

Weatherby and Waverly waved. "Hello, Cecil. We were just talking about dreams, and Professor White has shared one with us."

'Well, last night I had one... You see, I dreamt that I was sitting in a theatre, and a beautiful red-haired girl in a black lacy dress came and sat next to me. I was feeling adventurous, so I grasped her hand, and she laid her head upon my shoulder and we finished watching the movie. Then I woke up.'

OOC: Actually had the dream last night... it was weird...

Weatherby waited for Cecil to situate himself before continuing. "Well, Professor, I can make a few observations if you don't mind. The majority of dreams can be boiled down to simple desire - if there's a lady who has caught your eye - perhaps a redhead? - your dream might just be your subconscious brain trying to fulfill the idea of being with her. Dreams where you aren't the main actor can also suggest regret - if you were watching a movie, perhaps you are expressing discontent at watching as 'life passes you by'. You're a successful man, Professor White, so I doubt it would be that. I'll be there's just a special lady out there."

Waverly giggled.

(Freshly) Professor Petunia walked past the group, and overheard Arthur's last comment. 'Professor White!' she complained, and hurriedly walked up to the group. 'I'm not so sure that sort of thing is.. appropriate..for these children to hear.'

"Oh, I don't mind, Professor Petunia. Nothing Waverly and I haven't read about in the gossip section of the Daily Prophet." Weatherby smiled as the new herbology professor strolled by. He was eager to get to know her better and return to studying herbology properly, after the confusion of Professor Song's tenure in the position.

[Watercress]

(Freshly) Professor Petunia walked past the group, and overheard Arthur's last comment. 'Professor White!' she complained, and hurriedly walked up to the group. 'I'm not so sure that sort of thing is.. appropriate..for these children to hear.'

[Agamemnon]

'What? Oh, sorry... Erm, excuse that last remark. It wasn't obscene... at least not compared to what the kids would see in a public school...'

[Agamemnon]

'Hmmm... I've never run across a special lady before. Ah well, I'm only in my twenties. Someone will come along.'

[Watercress]

Abigail raised her eyebrows at Arthur, behind his back of course. He then looked back at the children.

'Well don't get into too much trouble now, children. I'll see you in Herbology.'

She bid them Adieu, and walked onwards.

[Barry Goldwater]

Abigail raised her eyebrows at Arthur, behind his back of course. He then looked back at the children.

'Well don't get into too much trouble now, children. I'll see you in Herbology.'

She bid them Adieu, and walked onwards.

"Of course not, Professor." Cecil waved goodbye to White and Petunia both, he was glad to see that he hadn't failed the former's class and had no intention of starting off on the wrong foot with his new Herbology teacher. Turning back to Weatherby he speaks, "So...you guys were talking about dreams, huh? Trying to make sense of them, see if they're prophecies or just ordinary dreams, something along these lines?"

[Kip]

Abigail raised her eyebrows at Arthur, behind his back of course. He then looked back at the children.

'Well don't get into too much trouble now, children. I'll see you in Herbology.'

She bid them Adieu, and walked onwards.

"Of course, Professor Petunia. See you in class." Weatherby watched the new professor stroll away - something about her quirky fashion choices of mismatched floral prints suggested to him that herbology would be quite a bit more fun than last year.

'She's a rather pretty one Weatherby... I wonder... No, it'd never happen. Anyway, enjoy your afternoon.'

Weatherby gave Professor White a broad grin. "You always do look very dapper in your tweed suits, Professor. She's new here, maybe you should offer to show her around the grounds?"

Waverly could barely contain her excitement. "Oh Professor White, you should! Professor Petunia is very lovely, and I'd wager she's as nice as she is pretty."

"Of course not, Professor." Cecil waved goodbye to White and Petunia both, he was glad to see that he hadn't failed the former's class and had no intention of starting off on the wrong foot with his new Herbology teacher. Turning back to Weatherby he speaks, "So...you guys were talking about dreams, huh? Trying to make sense of them, see if they're prophecies or just ordinary dreams, something along these lines?"

Weatherby nodded. "Over the summer I had a few dreams that... err... they were just very strange. Probably because I was exhausted from fighting those bloody Gnomes all the time. I figured I should have a look when I got back to Hogwarts, see if they actually meant something."

He picked up the textbook and offered it to Cecil to leaf through. "Have you had any strange dreams lately, Cecil?"

Fritz wanders over to see what all of the commotion was about

"What are you guys up to? Hopefully it's not deadly?"

"Hello there, Fritz. We were all just having a chat about dreams. I've been fancying myself a bit of an analyst lately - if you've had any strange dreams recently, I can try to tell you what your brain really wants. Not deadly, but potentially embarrassing!"

[Barry Goldwater]

Weatherby nodded. "Over the summer I had a few dreams that... err... they were just very strange. Probably because I was exhausted from fighting those bloody Gnomes all the time. I figured I should have a look when I got back to Hogwarts, see if they actually meant something."

He picked up the textbook and offered it to Cecil to leaf through. "Have you had any strange dreams lately, Cecil?"

"Strange dreams? Uh, not really." Cecil scratched his head and tried to think of the last truly strange dream he had. "Last one I'd say was interesting, at all, was one where these two roosters were fighting...then they turned into peacocks, and well, one lost. More than lost, actually - it bought the farm." He figured Waverly might not be in a mood to hear that one peacock killed the other by plucking its eyes out.

"You said you had a strange dream of your own? Well, what happened?"

Fritz wanders over to see what all of the commotion was about

"What are you guys up to? Hopefully it's not deadly?"

"Hah, 'course not." Cecil thought back to his own near-death experience in the Forest, and Andrew's death. "I think we've gone through enough deadly business to last a lifetime last year."

[Gone 2 the Celts]

"You said you had a strange dream of your own? Well, what happened?"

"Hah, 'course not." Cecil thought back to his own near-death experience in the Forest, and Andrew's death. "I think we've gone through enough deadly business to last a lifetime last year."

"Hah, you could say that again"

"And yeah, I've been having weird dreams, anybody else having them?"

[Agamemnon]

Weatherby gave Professor White a broad grin. "You always do look very dapper in your tweed suits, Professor. She's new here, maybe you should offer to show her around the grounds?"

Waverly could barely contain her excitement. "Oh Professor White, you should! Professor Petunia is very lovely, and I'd wager she's as nice as she is pretty."

'Hmm... perhaps I will...'

[Kip]

Augustus heads into the library to find another book on either thestrals or wand makers for his research, when he notices that the Gryffindors happen to be in the aisle he was headed to. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, he greets them.

"Hello again, Weatherby, Cecil, Waverly, and Fritz, anything interesting happen lately?"

"If you want to call books interesting," Weatherby said, indicating the textbook. "Jokes aside, I've been reading up on dreams lately, trying to understand them a bit better. Have you had any interesting ones recently? I can tell you what they mean. Or rather, what the author of this book thinks they mean."

'Hmm... perhaps I will...'

Weatherby winked at his sister, who just clasped her hands together. "How romantic!"

Violeta glances over when she sees Cecil wave. She waves back and then goes back to finding one last book she wanted to read, then goes to a table not far from where the Gryffindors were to start reading through the pile of books, of which the first one is about various uses for Tarot Cards, what combinations of cards mean, and other information.

Weatherby smiled in Violeta's direction, but didn't make any attempts to wave her over. He still felt too awkward to approach her after her cryptic statement on the Hogwarts Express.

[Agamemnon]

'She's a rather pretty one Weatherby... I wonder... No, it'd never happen. Anyway, enjoy your afternoon.'

[Gone 2 the Celts]

Fritz wanders over to see what all of the commotion was about

"What are you guys up to? Hopefully it's not deadly?"

[Kip]

Weatherby clicked his tongue. "Ha! Waverly and I were just talking about birds before you came over to say hello. Roosters are a symbol of, well, manliness. Pride, arrogance, bravery, valor. Peacocks fit that too - very haughty birds, so they represent pride, especially in accomplishment - but they're also a good omen, a sign of luck and wealth. Interesting that they were fighting... a fight usually means some kind of rivalry, with the two people or things involved in the fight representing a conflict in the dreamer's mind. Hmm," Weatherby tapped on his chin before continuing. "Maybe two things you're proud of are dividing your attention. Something inside you wants to focus on one, but perhaps the conscious you doesn't want to sacrifice one for the other. At least, maybe that's why one of the two birds died."

Weatherby coughed lightly, hoping Cecil might forget his question about Weatherby's own dreams.

"Hah, you could say that again"

"But yeah, I've been having weird dreams, why?"

"I've been doing some reading on what they mean," Weatherby said, pointing to the textbook. "I could tell you what your brain's trying to say to you. Or, what I think it's saying, I suppose."

[Xion]

Violeta walks into the library and starts searching for Divinitation books, while somewhat listening to the group around Weatherby converse.