Baxter had been writing a letter to his mother in the common room. She was constantly worried about how he was doing since his family life had been suddenly turned upside down. But he was fine- and he assured of such. Baxter also assured his mother that Tapendra was there for him, so she had no reason to worry. It was weird that he was the one reassuring the parent- and not the other way around. But then again Baxter had always been incredibly mature for his age. Most people wouldn't guess that the boy wasn't yet fourteen by the way he acted.

He had just signed his name to the letter and was ready to let it dry when he saw Percy come into the common room. Baxter had been meaning to bother Percy for some advice. Tappy was good at it, but this was something he thought was better for a guy close to his own age. He still thought that fourth year girl was super pretty and he had tried to talk to her a couple of times but it hadn't ended well. He was just too socially awkward for his own good.

"Hey Percy!" Baxter called, waving his older friend over to the table where he was sitting. He moved the letter aside so that it wouldn't be in the way. A few moments later the older Ravenclaw joined him at the table. "How's your day been?" the third year asked. Baxter knew enough about socializing to know that small talk was mandatory before you could launch into a serious discussion like asking for advice- so he was trying to keep that in mind.

Percy had always been impressed by Baxter Fox.  Polite, respectful, thoughtful, and well spoken.  There were certainly worse things to be considered!  He was a wonderful representative of the Ravenclaw house name.

Yet Percy Dervish had never really considered himself a role model...or a source of guidance...especially on the subject of the fairer sex!  Luckily, Baxter's conversation did not begin with such questions.  Small talk had served its purpose well.

"Oh, I suppose it's been rather a good day Baxter.  Nothing to complain about.  And what of yours?"

Little did the bookish Ravenclaw know what the conversation had in store for him!

Nothing to complain about? That wasn't very helpful. Baxter didn't really have much to complain about either, but he did have a lot of questions to ask. He just hoped that Percy could help him. But he wasn't sure yet what to do as far as small talk. Baxter was not a deceitful person by nature- he was always very honest.

"My day was typical," he responded. "Classes and the like. The teachers seem a little distracted with the OWLS and NEWTS coming up. It's almost like they are giving us busy work so that they can focus on the tests of the upper years. I can't really blame them, I suppose, but I enjoy classes. The homework hasn't been very detailed either. It's been relatively simple, and it's just not what I'm used to. When I don't have much homework to do for classes I find myself with a lot of extra time on my hands." That was because the Ravenclaw didn't really have any hobbies and didn't do much other than academics. He really ought to change that. Perhaps he would. Now that he was getting older and Baxter had been going through some interesting changes his interests had begun to wander.

"I was hoping, though, that you might able to help me," Baxter said. Might as well dive right into it if he was going to ask. Get it out of the way. "I thought since you're a fifth year you'd be better to ask. I talked to Professor Trishna about it briefly, but he wasn't much help. I think it's because he isn't a kid anymore."

Baxter leaned in close, and dropped his voice. He didn't want someone to overhear and start gossiping. "Do you know much about girls?" he asked. "There is a girl that I... think is cute, and I don't really know what to do about it or how to handle it. I was really hoping that you might have some sort of advice for me." There- it was out and he had said it. Hopefully his older friend would be able to tell him what to do.

Percy listened to Baxter, who seemed to be rather talkative and opinionated.  The older Ravenclaw very much did agree with what his younger housemate was saying, of course.  Even in Baxter's uncertainty, he seemed more self aware and sure of himself in expressing his own thoughts than Percy perhaps ever was or would be.

"I know what you mean, but don't worry...things will turn around.  They do every year, after all." 

Percy looked forward to the end of the year, perhaps more than most at Hogwart's.  When he went home, he could feel comfortable again.  At least to some degree.  There was a lot less pressure there.  And books were always worlds of comfort and ease to Percy, as they were for most Ravenclaws. 

"Oh?"

What was it that Baxter could possibly be asking for help about?  Was it an advanced Herbology question?  Maybe it was Potions related?  Whatever it was...an academic question intrigued Percy.  However...when the nature of the quandry was revealed, Percy was quite stunned.

"Ohhh...!  Uhm...well..."

Percy began scratching the back of his neck, before clearing his throat and cupping a fist to his lips.

"Well...who's the girl?"

Maybe he could analyze this question like any other problem and help Baxter with finding a solution!

Baxter wasn't derailed when Percy seemed a little surprised. He was surprised himself. This year had been confusing, and the last few months had been more confusing than he could have ever imagined. His voice was still changing, he'd noticed that he was gaining weight, and from what he had read Baxter knew it would only get worst. Puberty was unavoidable- and with that  change in his physiology there would be no potions to make the transition faster or easier. It was simply a part of growing up he would be forced to deal with- however unpleasant it may be.

Right now it was very unpleasant. But telling Percy about the girl was easier than telling Tapendra. "Her name is Lydia," he told Percy. "She's a fourth year. She isn't in our house- she's a Hufflepuff, but she's really smart and works hard. We study together sometimes. I think she's really pretty, but I don't know what to do about it. We talk about classes and stuff, and I've been helping her with Runes and Arithmancy."

The Ravenclaw shrugged. "I just... I don't know." Baxter sighed, defeated. "I've never liked a girl before. I don't know what to do about it. And I'm even more worried because I don't want to try to do something if she doesn't like me back. And since she's older than me, she probably doesn't. It's not any fun. I don't like having a crush on someone. It makes me feel stupid."

"I've never not known what to do or lacked an answer. Always I've been very sure of everything- with the right answers, or at the very least the correct steps to take to find the right answer. It's frustrating. It's not like reading a book or anything. It's like all the normal rules don't apply here."

As Baxter explained the situation...Percy felt as if he very much identified with the very things the younger Ravenclaw was saying!  Percy seemed quite attentive, nodding,and giving many agreeable expressions which showcased his understanding and compassion on the subject.

"She sounds like quite the girl, Baxter!"

Percy began to contemplate a strategy or solution the moment that Lydia had been summarized for him.  It was obvious that the wheels were turning in the brown eyed, brown haired Ravenclaw's mind.

"Well...she seems to enjoy spending time with you.  That's a good sign, right?  Do you two spend one on one time or are you always around other people when you're together?"

The bookish Ravenclaw shrugged with a faint sigh.

"Not sure if I'll be able to help.  I feel rather witless and overwhelmed almost every time a female walks into the room.  I may well be the worst person for you to go to.  I don't mind trying to help though, Baxter.  Don't think I'm trying to get rid of you.  I just...I'm really dreadful.  Honest."

There was a disappointed half frown on Percy's handsome features.  He really wanted to be more competent when dealing with the fairer sex, but it had never come natural for him and it had always been a root of stress and self esteem issues for Percy.

"Well, it's both I guess. Sometimes we meet up in the library together just us. But sometimes we have big study groups. Most of the time when we're together we're studying or doing something for school, though." Which was true. Not that it bothered Baxter. Intellectual pursuits were his strongest. "We've played wizard's chess a few times, but she isn't very good at it. I've been trying to teach her, but I'm not always good at teaching chess. It's mostly one of those things where you just have to play it to learn it. But I don't want to just let her win."

It was a bit disappointing to hear, though, that Percy didn't seem to be any better with girls than he was. "I just never really thought that I would be so concerned about one, before. I mean, I knew it would come eventually... It's just, I don't know." Baxter shrugged. It just didn't make sense. He assumed he wouldn't be concerned about girls until his sixth or seventh year.

"Maybe you and I should get some advice on this together, then," Baxter suggested. "I bet there is a professor who could help us. I wonder if Professor Vallaincourt would be helpful. She is pretty, and she might be able to tell us how to talk to girls since she is one. Maybe that's the problem- you need to learn about girls from someone who is one?"

Percy nodded, as if weighing in all the facts and trying to analyze them thoroughly.  Of course, the problem was the unknown in this equation = girls. 

"Studying and playing games with the girl...that's got to count for something!"

The slightly older Ravenclaw couldn't help but wonder the kinds of faces that the girl in question would make around Baxter.  In fact, he wondered what kind of reaction she'd give if Baxter came up in conversation.  That might be a good tell all sign...

"Hmmm...Maybe we could have someone bring you up, casually.  In conversation, you know.  And then we could evaluate perhaps, by how she talks about you?"

Of course Percy could also understand the difficulties of throwing a game or performing at anything less than one's best in order to make someone else feel better.

"Well...do her feelings seem to be hurt when she loses every time?"

The bookworm nodded at Baxter's commentary regarding the timing of this sudden interest in the fairer sex.

"Girls can certainly be...unexpected.  But...I don't know.  Maybe we're overthinking things.  Maybe girls and interacting with them should be a more casual thing...less intimidating.  Somehow.  In theory of course."

Percy chuckled and shook his head, somewhat embarrassed at his own joke.

"Professor Vallaincourt...?  You feel comfortable speaking with her about this?"

Dervish doubted himself immensely with girls his own age...He couldn't imagine how he'd fare any better with a bombshell like Professor Vallaincourt!  Of course...Percy was growing more and more open to the concept of help, because he wasn't doing so well on his own.

"I mean...I suppose I'd be open to trying, if the Professor was available for such talk."

Baxter blinked. Were her feelings hurt? He shrugged in response to the question. "I don't know. I'm not good at reading feelings. I don't know how to tell if someone has hurt feelings or not- unless they get angry or cry. She doesn't get angry or cry, so I suppose her feelings aren't hurt. Naturally she gets frustrated- but any time a person performs poorly they get frustrated, don't they?" Baxter asked. "I know that when I lose I get frustrated- because I can see how a few different steps might have prevented me from losing. But I suppose that's just part of the game- losing, I mean."

"But if her feelings do get hurt just because she is losing, that's a bit immature, don't you think? I mean, she's older than I am, and you should be mature enough to realize- before you even come to Hogwarts- that there is no point behind getting upset just because you don't win something. If she's that immature, I'm not sure that I'd want to continue thinking she's pretty. That's not the kind of girl that I'd want to think is pretty."

He shrugged again when Percy asked if he would be comfortable talking to their potions professor about it. "She's one of the younger females, and since so many boys think she's good looking I'm sure that she has had a lot of experience- good and bad- with guys thinking she is pretty and trying to act on it. She seems a logical choice. It might be a bit awkward at first, but I think she might be the best one to ask. It won't hurt to try. If she doesn't want to talk to us about it, we could ask another female professor."

"I just feel like asking one of the older girls would be worse. They might think we are trying to flirt with them. Not that I know much about flirting. From what I gather it's a bunch of giggling and batting eyelashes. I'd rather not giggle at a girl. Giggling is so... demeaning."

"I suppose if you'd not want to talk to her about it, I could and then relay the information to you?" Baxter offered. "It could be incredibly useful information. I don't find the professor particularly attractive. I mean- she's pretty, but it's just illogical to have romantic feelings for a professor twice my age. It wouldn't make any sense. So I don't suppose that it would bother me much to ask."

Percy considered the "feelings" topic for a moment.  Baxter was looking at it in a perfectly logical, purely Ravenclaw sense...but that may have left some holes in the big picture. 

"Maybe you should try letting her win sometime...in a close match, that is.  Maybe?  Just to see how she reacts."

Asking Professor Vallaincourt for advice didn't seem...a horrible idea.  And the more that Baxter talked about it, the more Percy considered her jewels of wisdom to be a sparkling treasure just waiting to be claimed!  This could change both their lives considerably. 

"You have a good point...several actually.  The professors are here to help us...and most of them have always been exceptionally nice to me personally, so...I don't see why teaching us in regards to a social issue should be all that different from a magical one?"

It made sense.  The professors were there to make them more complete wizards and witches...After all, rewarding students for exemplary performance or dealing out various punishments for bad behavior was a way of enforcing the acceptable social norms.

"Giggling?"

Percy blinked and quirked a brow peculiarly at the notion of flirting.  He didn't really recall giggling at any girls before, but...he hadn't exactly had much success either.  Surely he wasn't missing something so peculiar as giggling.

"I  don't think giggling is required...but don't take my word for it."

Back to the professor's advice.

"Pretty?  She's drop dead gorgeous, Baxter!"

The volume and tone of Percy's voice surprised even himself.  He cleared his throat.

"But you're right.  We should seek her out and get this ball rolling, so to speak!"

"I will stop by her office and schedule a time for us to meet with her, if that's alright," Baxter said to Percy. "I'd rather not spring the question on her if she doesn't have the time to devote to it. What is your schedule like?" he asked. "If you can write it down for me then I can make sure that we schedule a meeting that works for all three of us. I'm not sure how long it takes to get advice on how to talk to girls. But if it is directly proportional to how clueless and hopeless we are, then I have no doubt that it will take quite some time."

"And I suppose I will try to let her win and see how it goes, but I feel like it would be cheating her. Still, I suppose it wouldn't hurt me to let her win. It's not like I get offended if I lose, and if I know that I was letting her win then it wouldn't be like really losing..."

Baxter offered Percy an encouraging smile. "I'm sure we'll get it figured out. I'ts part of growing up and everything. Thanks for helping. Like I said- I'll set us up a time to talk to Professor Vaillancourt. If you want, that is. Like I said- I don't mind going alone if you don't feel up to it." And regardless of what Percy said, he didn't find the professor gorgeous. Then again, Baxter was his father's son- and was likely going to end up with his father's taste in women.

"That sounds like a good plan to me, Baxter." 

Percy nodded his approval to Baxter's suggestion...moving to scribble down a note, before handing his freshly handwritten schedule to Baxter.

"It's a pretty open schedule aside from classes actually.  This is rather important, after all.  True...it could take quite some time.  I'm sure we have quite a lot to learn."

It was good to see Baxter being open to suggestions.  Maybe it would help Baxter with the girl in question if he did allow her to win in Wizard's Chess.

"I think that's a good idea, Baxter.  It shouldn't hurt anything to give it a try anyway.   Just don't be...obvious.  I have a feeling that could backfire."

Baxter's enthusiasm made Percy smile.

"I'm more than glad to help!  And...well this venture should hopefully help me out greatly as well!  I'm rather excited about it actually."

Baxter looked at Percy's schedule, then tucked it into one of his school books. He would take it with him when he scheduled a meeting with Professor Vaillancourt. Hopefully with OWLs and NEWTs and other exams she would have the extra time available to help out two teenage boys in desperate need of some advice and guidance. If they didn't figure something out they would never learn how to talk to girls.

He stood up, gathering his books. "I really should get going and finish the last of my homework so that I can get to bed early tonight. I'll let you know after I talk to Professor Vaillancourt, Percy."

"And I'll let you know how it goes- letting her win at wizard's chess. If you're right I'll buy you a butterbeer next time we go to Hogsmeade." With a smile, Baxter headed up the stairs to his dormitory to finish his homework in private- away from the general commotion of the common room, and so that he could write a letter to his mom about his current plans in asking advice about girls. She would be proud of him, and would offer some advice too. Then he could compare what he got from different sources. Brilliant!