Etiquette and Excellence (Dewei)

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Tea time at Hogwarts was one of Adelina's favorite times of the day. There was nothing so delightful as a good cup of tea. Adelina stepped in and right away she went about the proper etiquette- placing the serviette in her lap, good posture, and careful handling of the tea as she poured. She politely asked one nearby for the sugar and milk and thanked the person when she received it. Etiquette was a big part of who Adelina was. Through her parents' teachings, she constantly practiced good manners, even when she could probably get away with not doing so. This made her a co-captain of the Etiquette Club.

Once all was ready, Adelina sipped her tea, holding the small plate it was on in the other hand. She always thought the House Elves at Hogwarts had a good knack for making tea. This was the common Merlin's Blend, but was not too weak and not too strong. So few could make it just right.

GE DEWEI

[GE DEWEI]

Dewei had been sitting a few tables away from Adelina but had been watching as she displayed true etiquette and mannerisms of tea time. He had never learned such a thing and he found the way she carried herself during tea time very interesting. After a few moments he stood and walked over to her.

"I apologize for bothering you. But I couldn't help but notice how graceful you were with not only drinking your tea, but pouring it and preparing for it as well." he noted. "How do you learn such poise?" he asked her with a raised eyebrow.

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Adelina looked up as the boy approached and smiled at his surprising question. Etiquette had always been more than an art to Adelina. It had just been part of her, something she did as easily as breathing and not even really thinking about it. But she was never inquired about it. Highly interested by the question, she motioned to the empty seat across from her.

"If you wish to join me for tea, I would be delighted to tell you... Dewei isn't it?" she said. "I believe you and I share a few classes."

Once Dewei was to be settled, Adelina started at the beginning.

"Well, I was trained in etiquette from a very, very young age," she said. "So far back that to be perfectly honest with you, I don't recall specific things about the initial lessons outside of what the lessons themselves were of course. I practiced them repeatedly over the years and now they are second nature to me. I can tell you who I learned it from if that might clear things up. My father is Viktor Krum, a well-disciplined student of Durmstrang. My mother is Gabrielle Krum, formerly Delacour, a Beauxbaton alumni trained in proper etiquette from a young age as well. Both passed their lessons onto my siblings and I."

GE DEWEI

[GE DEWEI]

"That would be lovely." Dewei said with a smile before sitting in the empty seat she had motioned to. "Yes, my name is Dewei." he said with a smile. "You are Adelina?" he asked just to make sure.

He was quiet as she explained to him how she learned etiquette and about her parents and the school her father and mother went to. "So you grew up learning it all?" he asked. "That's pretty amazing." he said genuinely appreciative. "THE Viktor Krum? When I was obsessed with Quidditch for awhile I read about him. He seemed to be pretty amazing from the sound of things. Joined the pro teams while still in school." he said.

"If you would not mind, I would really love to learn etiquette from you? Would you be okay with that?" he asked. She intrigued him, and this was his new learning obsession. He found new obsessions from time to time, but always kept up with them, and he thought it could be interesting to learn proper etiquette.

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"Yes, Adelina Krum," she said with a smile. She watched to observe how he went about preparing his tea. "And I wouldn't call my learning amazing. It's really just a tradition in my mum and dad's families being carried down to my siblings and I."

Some times Adelina forgot her father was an international celebrity. To her, Viktor Krum was just her dad. But the fact was the man was still talked about as some sort of god in the Quidditch world.

"That would be him," said Adelina when Dewei asked to confirm Viktor was her dad. "I know he acts a certain way in public, but at home he's a big sweetheart."

Adelina beamed when Dewei asked if she could teach him proper etiquette as she never really instructed anyone before, but at the same time she found it odd.

"I don't wish to be rude, but I find this request strange coming from you," she said. "What I mean by that is that you seem quite polite and well-mannered. What areas are you having trouble in?"

GE DEWEI

[GE DEWEI]

Dewei smiled when Adelina said that it's just a tradition that was passed down to her by her mum and dad's families. "Even so, having it passed down does not necessarily mean you will have a natural ability to something. But you move with such grace for the tea and sit eloquently so it's still amazing to me." he said as he set about with the tea.

"He seems a bit terrifying from what I have heard of him. But you seem kind so I imagine your parents must be as well." he noted.

Dewei smiled shyly. "Thank you, I was raised in a more polite and well-mannered family. However, I know nothing about proper tea ettiquette to be honest with you. At least not proper tea ettiquette from the west." he said.

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"Fair enough, and thank you for the compliment," said Adelina with a smile. "You are quite the gentleman."

Adelina laughed a little about the analysis of her father. She heard that a lot.

"I think like most Quidditch Players, he has a certain public image he likes to display, and yes he is quite fearsome when it comes to competition with other teams," she said. "But he is a wonderful father to my siblings and I. I couldn't ask for a better one."

Adelina listened as Dewei spoke of his issue with proper tea etiquette. She smiled and nodded.

"Very well then, Dewei," she said. "It will be my pleasure to help you learn. I assume you know the basics of course. When asking for and accepting tea, always say please and thank you. I feel you are one to say those words in most situations. So for our first lesson, the proper way to hold a tea cup." She showed him how to hold the handle of the cup as well as to hold the tiny plate it sat on should he accidentally spill some.

GE DEWEI

[GE DEWEI]

Dewei smiled and nodded his head slightly as a bow of respect. "Thank you." he said. "That is a high compliment coming from someone like you who is very well-mannered." he said honestly.

Dewei thought it made a lot of sense that there was a public image that many Quidditch players liked to display but were different at home. Those that played well had fans and the newspaper often printed articles about them so they would want to have a certain image on display but be themselves at home. "I can see why they would want to do that." he said. "They have fans to appease and the newspaper is always writing about scandals and things that ruin reputations for them." he said nodding.

Dewei smiled and was excited about learning proper ettiquette. He bowed his head slightly as a gesture of respect. "Xie Xie...thank you." he said with a smile.

He watched carefully as she demonstrated the proper way to hold the cup and the tiny saucer it sat on and mimicked her movements. "How is this?" he asked her.

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Adelina smiled when Dewei gave her yet more kind words. She could tell this would be a pleasant interaction.

Scandals was one thing Viktor Krum did not have to worry about. He was the last one would accuse of being crooked or shady. He was as highly disciplined now as he was as a student.

"My father loves his fans, but he hardly has to worry about having his reputation ruined," she said. "He's a legend on the Pitch, and usually if any writer tries to create idle rumors about him, it comes back to haunt them. Most have given up. Still, even when they do, he never seems bothered by it at home. He's completely focused on his family."

Adelina watched as Dewei tried the same movements and smiled.

"Very well done, Dewei," she said. "I think you may be a natural and just don't realize it." She did a few more motions while drinking her tea and watched to see how well her "new student" did.

GE DEWEI

[GE DEWEI]

Dewei smiled. "Your father sounds like a great man, and a good father." he said. He had only known him through the sidelines as a quidditch fan of course. So learning this new information he found it to be amazing and thought that Adelina was lucky, but he was sure with how she talked that she already knew that.

Dewei smiled. "Thank you. I didn't think I was doing that well." he admitted honestly. "I look forward to learning more from you and the others in the club." he said bowing his head slightly.

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(Not sure what else to do here, so with the IC Year coming to an end will wrap it up.)

Adelina enjoyed this first lesson with Dewei and looked forward to doing more of them with him. Though she wondered if she would need to do that many more. He was already exceptionally well mannered.

"You are doing very well," she said. "And I know the club will be most delighted to have you aboard."

(End for Adelina)

GE DEWEI