Trying to reach an understanding ((Phoebe))

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy was starting the descent down to the Hufflepuff Common Room when she became aware that someone was following her. Not aggressively, but they had been doing it for quite some while not. Not as though they were trying to be intimidating either... just... Ivy didn't know what.

Ivy continued on her way for some while, not indicating that she was aware of the intrusion. So what if someone wanted to follow her? What business of hers was it?

In the end, as she was nearing the Hufflepuff Common Room, she became fed up and gave in at last. She rounded a corridor, stopped, and turned to face the person following her. It was that 4th year Slytherin girl. Ivy remembered the night before, where they hadn't exactly been on the best of terms. Now that Ivy had been reminded of that, she wasn't in the best of moods. She was feeling a bit confrontational at the moment anyway.

She still had to speak to Payton. Maybe she'd do that when she got to the Hufflepuff Common Room. Then she'd go back to her normal self. Hopefully.

"What?" she asked. "Do you still think I hate all Slytherins?"

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe walked out of the Slytherin common room in a nasty mood. She walked up the stairs when she spotted Ivy Tunstall. She watched her walk past her and push through the crowd. Phoebe looked around her and figured she might as well try to talk to her.

Phoebe kept trying to call her name of get her attention but people would get in the way. After a while Phoebe was ready to forget it and just as she turned away when Ivy turned around and talked to her.

Phoebe glared at the girl and decided to hell with her niceness.

"Do you think i hate muggle borns?" She asked the girl.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy narrowed her eyes in thought at the question. She had expected a retort - it was natural to expect a Slytherin to stand up for themselves. It was natural for Ivy to stand up for herself, too. She didn't want to let herself be trodden on.

"Actually, no, I don't think you do," Ivy said, "because if you despised them you wouldn't be standing here having any sort of conversation with me and you wouldn't have come over the other night either. Apart from to insult me. So, no, I don't think you can do."

It was rather bold of Ivy to reply like this - she'd probably get beaten up if she was wrong, at least by some Slytherins she would - but she didn't see why she shouldn't be bold. After all, what else was she supposed to say? It was what she thought, and Ivy couldn't think of anything else to say to this girl.

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe crossed her arms in fron tof her chest and fixed her gaze upon Ivy.

"I did not come over there to insult you. You were the one who was insulting Slytherins. All i was doing was standing up for Slytherin. I was not saying that you were the main people who dissed Slytherin did I?" Phoebe said calmly. She did not wait for Ivy to answer so she went on, "No. I was merely talking in general."

She wanted to add some things but she decided it was not worth saying it. It would only cause more problems then it solved. Phoebe knew Ivy was taking a bold step talking to Phoebe, once a hot headed Slytherin, like that. Only Ivy knew that Phoebe wasn't like all Slytherins... well at least not anymore. Phoebe still a hot headed Slytherin was not as... hot headed as she was before. She had cooled down a little, but at this point she could not help herself.

[Ivy Tunstall]

((Ivy does know that?))

Ivy gazed levelly back at Phoebe. She was not going to be accused of doing things she hadn't done, and she actually felt quite angry at the moment.

"The only Slytherins I insulted last night were the three who tripped Katie over." Ivy said, her eyebrows raised slightly because she disliked being accused. "And I didn't say anything mean about their being Slytherins, just the type of people they were. You were standing up for Slytherin. Fine. I would stand up for Hufflepuff. But last night there wasn't anything for you to stand up against, except for my saying that three little girls in your house had been utterly stupid and spiteful."

Ivy paused, but continued before Phoebe could interrupt. "You ought to be able to see that I'm going to take offense at your implication that I'm making a drama out of nothing, because neither Katie nor I said that they wanted to kill her. But you can't deny that what they did was wrong. it doesn't matter whether they were Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or even Hufflepuff, if you do something like that it's wrong. Whatever the consequences. And it can't be defended."

Ivy was feeling slightly surprised at herself, and she blinked, returning for a moment to normality, conveying the friendly, kind, caring girl she usually was, and then she decided 'what the heck' and carried on defending herself.

[phoebexiong]

((I said that because Ivy knows that Phoebe talks to muggle borns....))

Phoebe shifted inpatiently as she listened to Ivy talk. She clucked her tongue, still holding her gaze on Ivy.

"It was wrong yes no doubt about it. I know that. But, what you may or may not realize is that when you insult one Slytherin you instult the others. And I felt that i needed to say something seeing as I was the only Slytherin at the table. Now if I was not a Slytherin, but say.. a Ravenclaw I am pretty sure I would have heard a nasty comment from one of you or your peers. I was not exaggerating when i said that the girls were trying to kill Katie I was meerly restating what Katie said."

Phoebe watched Ivy carefully. She could have swore she saw her mood change that quickly but just as quickly as Phoebe thought it had changed... it went back to it's angry normal state.

"So what you are saying is... not matter who the person was, say three Gryffindors would have tripped a Slytherin, you would have done the same thing? Some how i do not believe taht to be true. I believe that if it had been a Slytherin no one would have helped her. I suppose no one is that nice to help a Slytherin right? Think about it. If it had been a Slythein would you have helped her or him after you realized they were a Slytherin? Or would you have just walked away?"

Phoebe said tilting her head to the side awaiting Ivy's reply. She could not believe she was having a disagreement... and for what purpose? There was not purpose... but nonetheless Ivy had insulted her as well as the Slytherins wether she realized it or not.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy raised her eyebrows. The girl had taken offense last night because she'd told her about a bunch of nasty little girls who should have known better but didn't. So what if they were in Slytherin? That didn't matter. What mattered was that they hadn't thought and they'd been malicious and spiteful.

Actually, some of what the girl was saying contradicted her argument. Ivy wondered just how sincere she really was, or if being like this was against her character, or what she wanted her character to be like, or something like that. Ivy stopped trying to figure it out. the girl didn't make sense. She really didn't.

"I haven't insulted you except for that I haven't had a disagreement like this in a long, long time." Ivy told Phoebe darkly. "And I don't see why you have to find my reproaching a few nasty little girls for causing another person pain insulting to all Slytherin. It's not my fault what house they're in.

"I wouldn't have cared what house the person was in. They're still a human being, and I tend to try to help other human beings who need my help, no matter who they are, what house they're in. Does it matter?

"I mean, I don't think you listen properly to other people," Ivy continued, getting quite agitated in her anger, "because I've already plainly stated to you that I wouldn't have cared what house either the person I was helping or the people who were ganging up on them were in. And neither Katie nor I ever said anything about the Slytherins wanting to kill her, because they're not stupid and they know not to do that. In fact it was you who first mentioned anything of the kind. Now you go ahead and disbelieve me if you like, but I think you'll find I'm someone who tells the truth."

Ivy stood there glaring at Phoebe, her arms folded across her chest, and then it occured to her how stupid it was that she was even having an argument with someone who clearly didn't want to see her point, and she laughed, bitterly.

"And I don't even know why I'm bothering to stand here arguing about what I would do because I know that I've told the truth about it. And you clearly don't want to accept that I have."

Ivy stopped abruptly, not wanting to go on any further. She didn't want to argue any more. She didn't want to have questions. She didn't want this emnity to go on. She wanted to stop this argument right now and pour out all her troubles to the girl she'd just been arguing with. 'How hypocritical', Ivy told herself angrily.

'Maybe you should just go and have a nice hot bath, hmm, and then go and make yourself all upset over those letters from your mum, yes? What about that?' Ivy's other half said maliciously. Ivy raised her eyebrows, in a way that made her look like she was upset, and then frowned and forced it away.

'I could really do without you right now, you know that?' she insisted.

'Well of course,' came the reply.

[phoebexiong]

"I do listen properly to other people. It's just..." Phoebe said her voice trialing off. She had nothing left worth saying.

Phoebe glared back at Ivy then sighed. It was no use. This arguement was stupid anyway. She didn't want to be the one to be nice to the other girl, it was strictly unlike her but she figured the girl must have been tired of the arguement herself.

"Whatever. If you want to keep arguing me go on... I have nothing else better to do, plus I'm used to people yelling at me for no aparent reason. So whatever you want to do is fine with me." Phoebe said growing annoyed yet exausted.

"If you want to hate me, hate me. If youw ant to think I'm a stupid little spoiled Slytherin who doesn't know what she's talking about, think that. Whatever you do is fine with me." Phoebe said.

She had uncrossed her arms and her face had grown softer. She looked to the left seeing the halls clear. She looked at Ivy again feeling... stupid, alone, and confused.

She sighed as she turned around, ready to go back to the dormitries and either trash the whole place or cry. She walked a little foward slowly... she was trying to decide and she could feel the tears stinging her eyes. Not tears of anger, though. They were tears of confusion and frustration.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy watched the girl and looked away as she saw a wave of emotion pass the otherwise impassive face. It just wasn't her business, and that was what she always did when other people didn't seem to want her to notice.

Ivy said nothing and watched the girl walk away. But she didn't want to leave it like that. It just wasn't ... right. Ivy hurried after the girl.

"Wait," she said, "I don't even know your name."

She didn't know why she said it, but whatever, there wasn't any point trying to figure it out now anyway. She'd said it already.

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe sighed as the girl stopped her and asked her name.

'She stopped me... for my name... how... nice..' Phoebe thought. She stoped at looked at Ivy directly in her eyes.

"I'm Phoebe. Xiong. If you must know." Phoebe said with a sigh. She gave the girl a half smile and continued walking then stopped.

"Is that really all you wanted?" She said as she looked ahead of her instead of behind her at the girl.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy raised her eyebrows. Phoebe was determined not to be friendly, she could see. Maybe she should just turn her back and walk away. But that wasn't the kind of thing that Ivy did. Not even to Slytherins like Phoebe.

"Is that really all you wanted?" Ivy heard the girl say. 'No, that isn't all I wanted. I wanted to tell you... What did I want to tell you again?' These were the thoughts that went through Ivy's mind in the few seconds that she stood there.

"No..." Ivy said, slightly louder than originally intended. "No, it just seemed really stupid to have an argument with you about something so ... stupid."

Ivy stood there looking anxiously at Phoebe's back. 'Come on, turn round, turn round, turn round...' she willed her silently, why she wasn't sure, of course. Was she ever sure?

Since Phoebe was still not turning round, Ivy decided to go further.
"I don't think that you're stupid and I don't think you're spoilt. And I really can't hate someone who I don't know."

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe could tell by the sound of Ivy's replies that she didn't want her to leave yet despite their differences. Phoebe turned around and flipped her hair over her shoulder. She smirked.

"Okay, I'll admit. I am a little spoiled." She said with a small hint of a smile. She walked over towards Ivy a little more.

"You want to know someone you hate? I find that odd because you would usually dispise someone even without knowing them at all... what makes you change your mind about me?" Phoebe asked Ivy with her arms crossed over her chest. She couldn't help it. She was a Slytherin after all and she was not going to turn all soft just because a girl who would otherwise be her enemy seemed like she needed someone to talk to. Then again Phoebe decided not to come on too strong that way. After all Phoebe wanted to make peace... not war.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Phoebe still wasn't being exactly... pleasant. And although Ivy didn't feel like arguing, she wasn't going to be walked all over because of it.

"You're making statements about me when you don't know me," Ivy said. "I don't usually despise people without knowing them; it's only when I come to know their faults better when I get to know them a little better that I would actually strongly dislike them. I don't want to hate anyone, in actual fact. And I hardly know you, so I can't exactly hate you."

Ivy hadn't changed her mind. She still thought that Phoebe had been unreasonable and she still thought that she had been justified to stand up for herself. Just her state of... thinking... had changed. She didn't want to have an argument any more. She wasn't feeling confrontational any more. She was feeling more defensive now, but she wanted to give in and tell Phoebe everything. But she couldn't do that...

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe sighed. She didn't know why she was acting like this... well she did but she wanted it to stop.

"Do you want me to drop it? To stop it for a while?" Phoebe asked Ivy hoping she would understand what she was talking about. She paused.

"I mean, do you want me to stop acting so much like a Slytherin? I mean i can tell that you may need a friend right now... I know I'm not your best option but..." Phoebe said with a shurg. She looked at the girl awaiting her reply.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy looked at Phoebe in puzzlement, not quite sure what she meant. What did she mean by 'drop' it? Was she just putting on the unpleasantness? And if so, why? Was that the only way she could get on with the rest of her house? Was that what she thought a Slytherin should be like? Surely all Slytherins were different to some degree. Some weren't very pleasant, but there were others that were most of the time.

"I could certainly do with a friend right now," Ivy said slowly, with a bitter smile. "But I'm not going to tell you what you should be like 'cos it's not my place. I mean... you're your own person," Ivy corrected quickly, feeling that otherwise it might be taken as she was inferior because she was a Muggleborn.

"I just need someone to talk to," Ivy admitted, looking down at the stone floor. 'Why are you even telling her this stuff?' she asked herself, but there was no answer and she dismissed the thought. There was no point probing her feelings. They weren't yielding any answers.

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe smiled a little at Ivy. It wasn't so much a smile... but it wasn't a smirk.

"You can talk to me. I seem to be able to understand things more than you know. I'm sorry I can be such a... well.. I'm sorry I can be so unpleasent at times. It's jsut I'm very... i don't know the right world but I'm very whatever about people and what they say about me." Phoebe said with a sigh. She looked around her and Ivy.

"Do you want to talk here... or somewhere else. I promise I won't tell anyone what you say. I'll even tell you things about myself to be fair." Phoebe said.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy smiled shyly at Phoebe, feeling very unsure. Did Phoebe bite? Why was she, as a Slytherin, even condescending to talk to Ivy, a Muggle-Born?

"I don't know," said Ivy, tears stinging in her eyes. she blinked them away angrily. "I don't know." she said again, although she wasn't even sure what she didn't know.

Ivy looked at Phoebe, the pain undisguised in her eyes. She didn't know what Phoebe would say. She wanted to tell her everything, but were her secrets safe? She wanted to tell Phoebe even the stuff she hadn't told Kiyla... it was so stupid.

[phoebexiong]

Phoebe looked at Ivy. She could tell Ivy was having second thoughts about talking to her. Phoebe sighed. She knew Ivy probably didn't want to be bothered with her.

"Look, it's okay if you dont' want to talk about it... at all." Phoebe said softly to the girl. She smiled a little.

[Ivy Tunstall]

Ivy rubbed her eyes. Here was the Slytherin girl she had just been arguing with being perfectly nice and supportive to her. Wasn't that a little weird? Ivy couldn't work it out. She was confused and tired. Why did she want to tell Phoebe? What did she want to tell Phoebe?

"I don't know..." she said, at a loss for anything else to say. Well, what was she expected to say? She'd been left to find her own way to conduct herself, trying to be polite and not offend anyone. She'd been left without any guidance - her father would never criticise her.

"Look, I..." she started, but was unable to finish. She could never say what she was trying to say. That irritated her most of the time, but right now it just made her more upset. The tears threatened again.