Excuse Me! ((Zachary))

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Leapin' lizards did that paper move fast! Her little feet couldn't even carry her as fast as her piece of parchment was flying away from her. Ingrid was huffing as she raced after the tarnished piece of paper, she didn't want to have to re-do it. That big mean, Slytherin had to knock her things out of her hands...causing the paper to catch the wind and flutter away. Ingrid was thoroughly agitated now. She sighed as it took a sharp right toward the Student Lounge.

"Gah!" Ingrid pushed past a few people. Which was probably an odd sight to see. A small little Hufflepuff first year, shoving past all those gigantic people. She didn't care. She was determined to get that paper back. Ingrid bit her lip and charged forward, racing after it. It finally ducked into the Lounge. As if it were being led by magic. Her blue eyes narrowed and she pushed open the door to find the lounge not completely empty but not entirely full either.

There were a few people milling around, studying, reading, playing wizards chess, or carrying a conversation. Where as others were scheming on their next victim. Which might as well have been Ingrid. She breathed upward, sending a strand of wheat blond hair out of her eyes which were searching for the paper. It was stuck somewhere. In a book. On a table. Next to a boy. A Slytherin boy. The one from Charms. Ingrid let out a frustrated sigh before approaching him, "Excuse me! Can you hand me my paper please?"

[Seth Wright]

"Excuse me! Can you hand me my paper please?"

Zachary jumped and glared up at the voice, quickly pocketing a piece of parchment he'd been scribbling on furiously the moment before. He took a good look at the little girl before him and nearly fell out of his chair. It was the Hufflepuff from charms! The one that was so happy to be in school! He smiled.

"You don't have to ask me. I didn't take it, you know." Well, that came off a little snotty. Zachary shook hia head, defeated. He couldn't be nice, could he? He remembered something his mother, in a moment of extreme frustration after he'd insulted the Minister of Magic at a dinner party, had once said to him, "God forbid one good thing comes out of your mouth!" Boy, was that true.

Anyway, the girl looked pretty frustrated. He pushed the paper towards her a little, fingering the now crumpled parchment in his pocket.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid took her paper and looked over it, making sure it wasn't sullied anymore than it had been. Nope. She folded it and then pocketed it.

"Well, would you have liked me to just...reach over and pluck it out of your book? I don't like when people do that...just decide to touch my things. It gives me this...feeling like no personal privacy..." Ingrid shrugged as she tilted her head at him. Her blond hair falling lazily to the side. It was in a ponytail this time. She liked to wear her hair in different styles. By now, Ingrid was in her jeans and a shirt. She had gotten out of her Hogwarts uniform after she had done all her visiting.

"What are you doing in here anyway? Aren't Slytherin's supposed to be...anti-social? Not that..you're socialising really. You're just...what were you doing?" Ingrid was genuinly curious. What was a boy like him doing in an upbeat place like this without anyone to torment others with? Ingrid crossed her arms and watched him intently.

[Seth Wright]

Zachary raised his eyebrows. It was true, he was rather anti-social, but that wasn't because he was a Slytherin. It was just...the way he was. A quick look at the Hufflepuff girl's clothes and he nearly sneered. She looked like a bleeding muggle! Ugh.

"And aren't Hufflepuff's supposed to be mindless idiots?" He asked snidely, shooting her his best death-glare. He pulled his fist out of his pocket, crumpled parchment clutched in his sweaty palm. Flicking his hair from his eyes, Zachary spread it out, careful to hide anything written from her nosy, prying eyes.

"It's none of your business." He said curtly, scribbling some more. "Go hug a teddy bear, or whatever it is you do."

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid's eyebrows shot up.

"First of all, I don't hug teddy bears. I don't own teddy bears. Second of all; not all Hufflepuff's are mindless idiots. As opposed to those in the Slytherin house. We're actually quite intelligent and...we don't waste our time tormenting others who do nothing but breathe." Ingrid sat down, uninvited but he had her mad now. Ingrid rarely ever got mad. But she was rather edgy today.

"I find it amusing, that Slytherins tend to torture others...just because they have no lives." She tilted her head and grinned, "Of course...you don't seem to be the torturing type. I mean, after all, your insults aren't that sharp and your wit doesn't dazzle me." Ingrid sank down in the chair, her arms crossed. What would Sita say if she saw Ingrid this way? Was school already wearing her down or was she changing attitudes because of how she was being treated?

She didn't want to think about it. Ingrid sighed and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face before looking away. She had noticed he had covered his piece of parchment; "I wasn't going to look at it by the way. I'm a more considerate person than that. If you don't want me to know something then I am okay with that...not all Hufflepuffs are nosey either."

[Seth Wright]

Zachary's face darkened. "Don't you ever....I don't enjoy tortuuring people, you mudblood!" It was the wit comment that got to him. He was always getting that at home. He didn't need it at school, too. And especially not from a Hufflepuff! He didn't move his hand from the parchment, either. It was as if Zachary doubted the girl's word, but it was personal and he didn't want anyone reading it.

She was really getting to him. He was letting her. Forcing himself to calm, Zachary said, "And we have got lives, for your information. We don't torture people either." He rethought it for a minute and then added, "Well, sometimes we do, but usually because we're provoked."

He hated that stereotype. Just as the Gryffindors weren't all brave and impulsive, or Ravenclaws extremely clever, or the Hufflepuffs as brainless duffers, the Slytherins weren't really as bad as they were made out to be. Sure, there were some rather unpleasant ones, but most of them were just mean because no one was ever nice to them. What were they supposed to do, lie down and let the Gryffindors insult them and their families? Even the professors were somewhat prejudiced, if only subconsciously.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid shrugged.

Most would cringe at the word he used. It didn't bother her. But she didn't belive it either. Ingrid drew a circle on the table top before even considering her answer.

"Yes. I'm muggle born. Yes. I am not pure. But I can tell you something right now, it doesn't bother me." She told him, looking him directly in the eye. He was getting under her skin. Why was she letting him? Ingrid rolled her eyes and stopped drawing the circle. Normally she was so upbeat, so...happy. Today she was tired and worn out. And this conversation was making her even more worn out. But she was too tired to get up and walk away.

"Have you ever thought, that maybe we wouldn't provoke you if we weren't afraid of you? I mean...come on. You guys don't necessarily send out a 'muggle friendly' vibe. Not as much as others do..." Ingrid added in lightly. It was true. No matter how friendly she had been to Slytherins, they always turned her back on them. How were the houses to unite if they couldn't even speak civilly toward one another?

[Seth Wright]

Zachary returned the shrug.

"Well, have you ever thought that maybe if you'd just take a good look at us once in a while, you might think differently? I mean, you lot just look at us and automatically think we're junior Death Eaters, or something." Okay, so maybe he was sort of a "junior Death Eater", but that was beside the point, wasn't it?

Zachary stared right back at her, unflinching. He didn't really care what she thought. At least, he thought he didn't. Zachary groaned. Maybe he did.

And the pureblood thing...He didn't care what blood someone was, as long as they were from Earth. It just seemed to be a nice insult, even if the girl didn't seem affected. Too bad. It might have made him feel better if he wasn't the only one that was hurt. He was like that.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

"Not all of us...some of us are human enough to get to know someone before judging them.." Ingrid told him snappily. She hated when people thought she judged them off the bat. She liked to get to knwo people. She didn't look at him and see a future death eater. In fact...if he was a future death eater...he didn't show it. He was talking to her. Which was one thing that counted against him in his house. She knew of a few Slytherins who would rather die then talk to her.

"I suppose you look at other Hufflepuffs and see future teddy bear makers?" She asked with a raise of her eyebrow. She would be extremely insulted if he did. Ingrid wasn't going to grow up to be a teddy bear maker. She was going to be a writer. And a good one. She wanted to be a journalist...someone who travelled the world and wrote things for a distinguished paper. Maybe someone who worked for the Daily Prophet.

That or become an actress.

Either worked.

[Seth Wright]

Zachary flashed her a grin, despite himself. She was much more witty than he'd ever thought a Hufflepuff could be. Actually, he didn't mind talking to her, even if it might mean being alienated by his house. But he was already alienated, wasn't he? "No, I don't see future teddybear makers." He admitted, wiping the grin off.

He really shouldn't have snapped at her like that, Zachary thought to himself. Oh, screw it, she got what she deserved. Still, she was talking to him, wasn't she? That had to count for something.

He brushed his hair from his eyes yet again and leaned casually on his elbows. "What about Slytherins? Do you see us all as future Death Eaters?" Zachary asked. He couldn't help grinning again. He was asking a Hufflepuff what she thought of his house! His brother would kill him.

He wanted to know what she thought, to tell the truth. Zachary knew he'd be a Death Eater. There was no help for it. It was that or die. He chose life. Slytherin self-preservation, he supposed. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be a follower of the Dark Lord. If he had his choice, Zachary thought, he'd write a book. A great long book. The story he'd been writing in his head for ages. The one his step-father had burned when he'd put it on paper. If he had his choice, he'd have nothing to do with family honor. Screw it all.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid grinned and shrugged, "Not all of you. Some of you who like to pick on us...and others...maybe. Potentially. But I think most of you...are just trying to belong. Though I have no right to say that..." She told him as she caught her mistake. That probably sounded very conceited of her, and she didn't mean it to be. She bit her bottom lip.

"Stereotypes are horrible things...and I try not to let them get to me. But I mean, those who back them up aren't that good are they? Those who actually fullfill the stereotype of a Slytherin, or a Gryffindor. Doesn't help much does it?" Ingrid sighed as she sank further down in her seat. He was interesting to talk to. And it was then she realised she didn't know his name. Ingrid let shock wash over her before cooly saying; "We have been talking all this time...I don't know your name. I'm Ingrid..."

Almost gave him her last name. But she figured they wouldn't have another conversation after this, so why give him her last name? So he could tell others to hurt her? Ingrid was a bit paranoid with that. She didn't want to hide from the world, let alone others- but she didn't exactly want to get hurt everytime she passed someone in the halls.

[Seth Wright]

She had a point, Zachary thought. Loathe as he was to admit it, the girl was right. Geez. "Zacharias Grey." He said stiffly, scowling. Gods, how he hated the name "Zacharias"! "Call me Zachary." It came off kind of stand-offish, but that was the best he could do. "I have an aunt named Ingrid." He informed the Hufflepuff, still scowling. "I hate her." Great, now he was being rude.

It made him think of one time at a dinner party, he'd insulted the Minister of Magic to his face and his mother, frustrated and humiliated to the extreme, had pulled him aside, slapped him and hissed, "God forbid, one good thing can't come out of your mouth!" How very right she was....

"I don't hate you." Zachary added quickly. "I mean, Aunt Ingrid's an arse, but..." Good gods, how thick could he get? And where was this coming from anyway? It was if he'd contracted a horrible case of word vomit.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid grinned, "What if I had an uncle named Zacharias that I hated? I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I held it against you..." She giggled and tilted her head to the side as he seemed to continue to talk. Her grin grew wider before saying.

"I know what you mean. If you want you can call me Ing, or Ingy. It's loads easier to say than Ingrid...and well...since you have an aunt you hate by the name of Ingrid, maybe Ing or Ingy will suit me better." She shrugged and looked away as if she were thinking about something. She wasn't. Well she was. But nothing important. Slowly she turned back to look at him..

"Anyone ever call you Zach? It's much easier to say then Zachary, even if Zachary was shorter than Zacharias. Which by the way, I don't have an uncle named. I don't have any uncles actually. Both my parents are only childs. I on the other hand have, 6 brothers and sisters. So I am far from being an only child. Are you an only child? You don't seem to be the only child type...you don't seem to be...too spoiled. Especially since you come from a pure blood family."

[Seth Wright]

Zachary cocked an eyebrow. Six brothers and sisters?! That was quite a lot of children. "I s'pose if you wanted to hold it against me, I wouldn't mind, but I won't hold my aun'ts shortcomings against you. Just so you know." He explained.

He snorted. So, he didn't sound spoiled, did he? Was that ever the truth! His mother would rather die than spoil "Zacharias". "I've got an older brother named Mason." He said shortly. "He's sixteen. Slytherin sixth year." Zachary scowled again. "He thinks he's my father, or something. Always bossing me around."

It was true. Mason was strict with his younger brother. They were both bastards together, so they looked out for one another, but Mason seemed to take that a bit too far sometimes. "He thinks he can be the next minister of magic, or something, only better. He's real ambitious, Mason is." Zachary bit his lip. "I've never been called "Zach" before, but I s'pose you can call me that if you want. I'm not picky, long as it's not Zacharias. That's a prick's name." His pale face flushed. Where in the world had that come from?

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

"Good...I wouldn't want to be hated because of a relative. Lord knows if I hated people because they had the same name as one of my relatives, I would hate about half the school." Ingrid situated herself in her seat...trying to get comfortable it would seem she would be here a bit. She wasn't complaining, she was rather enjoying his company- but she still did have a few things to do. He talked about his older brother, and Ingrid wanted to talk about all her siblings. Lord did she have a lot to say about Jason! But, she bit her tongue and decided to just talk about Janine.

Except she didn't. Whenever she wanted to talk about Janine, she ended up missing her. She ended up missing the mini-Ingrid who followed her everywhere, but couldn't follow her to Hogwarts. She missed how quiet she was until they were out of the house, alone, walking the streets of Mossley. She missed the little munchkin who was so calm until you gave her chocoalte then seemed to bubble alive and hop around more than Ingrid ever had. God, how she missed her family. She missed going down to the table in the mornings and eating with her mother- while recieving her messages from the important peoples of the muggle world. Even if they were fake.

Ingrid shook her head, as if to shake herself from her reverie, and looked at Zach with a small timid smile; "You're lucky. Only one brother. I have two brothers, and four sisters. You want one of mine? I will give you Jason. He's not exactly Hufflepuff material. He's very much Slytherin. Makes mummy cry every night. He's not a very good person, Jason isn't. It's quite sad. He and I used to be very close. Until he was caught...doing something bad. Then he stopped talking to me." Ingrid bit her bottom lip as if she were holding back tears. She wasn't. Much.

[Seth Wright]

Zachary nodded as she spoke. Jason sounded a bit like Mason in some ways. He had changed too. "Yeah, Mace changed as well. He used to be so great. He'd make me laugh when...stuff happened. And he told brilliant stories! We didn't have a fireplace in our room and it was always so cold in the winter. Mace made up this game where we were exploring the Artcic, searching for Blast-Ended Skrewts. I don't even think they're from there, but that's what he said. It always warmed up after that, if only for a bit." He smiled at the memory, Mason jumping on a bed, claiming to have sited a Skrewt. (They usually turned out to be stray socks.)

"He changed, though. He got older and he went to school. Now, it's like he's trying to make himself the boss. He wants to be in charge of everything and he gets so mad when he realizes that he's not. We don't play Arctic Explorers anymore, either." He said bitterly. He understood how Ingrid felt. It was the same way he'd felt when Mason started drinking and yelling with his friends, or when he got so mad once, he beat his little brother up. Yep, he definately knew how that felt.

Zachary rubbed his arm ruefully, staring at Ingrid. "I'm sorry about your brother. And your mum. It's not so nice when sod like that happens to people." That was an understatement if he'd ever heard one! It was like somehting the Minister might say. That was a frightening thought. He was sounding like Fudge. Gross.

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Ingrid listened with interest as he talked about a game him and his brother played. She liked the sound of it. It seemed like something Ingrid would play. Although, she wouldn't admit to it. Her parents and Sally mostly, started to tell her she needed to grow up. But she didn't want to. She was still five years old at heart. It wasn't her fault she felt like hopping around and being over exuberant. She just wanted to spread the joy she had inside, around.

She sighed; "Whatever Jason does, Mark makes up for it. He's the oldest. And well...the most successful, the most respectful, and all the other good junk an oldest son should be," she giggled at who she was, "I just tend to cause a lot of trouble. I'm very mischevious. I don't get mad. I get even. Everyone in my family knows that."

((Sorry so short...I have to go...))

[Seth Wright]

Seth smirked. "How very Slytherin." Beleive it or no, he was actually enjoying this conversation with Ingrid. She was less of what he'd always imagined a Hufflepuff would be than he thought. That was good. "Me, I get in trouble a bit at home. Mostly small stuff. I play pranks at school though. That's one of thr reasons I got expelled from my primary school." He bit his lip. Oh, Merlin, he hadn't meant to say that. Now she'd think he was some kind of criminal or something.

He smiled nervously and peered back at the parchment, brain working furiously. Why in the world did je care so much about what Ingrid thought? She was just a girl. He didn't like girls yet, did he? Weren't they supposed to have germs or something? Cooties was what they callled them in primary school. Zachary frowned. Was he going to get ill or something? He didn't feel ill, did he? Maybe it was just a story. Zachary hoped so, anyway.

And besides, Mace never got ill and he's always been with loads of girls. Kissed them too. But maybe you had to take some kind of immunization potion or something. 'Don't be thick.' Said a little voice in the back of his head. 'Of course you won't get ill from talking to girl, you prat. It's just a rumor.' Boy, did he feel stupid. He had to be the biggest prat in the world to have beleived that sod. Smiling at Ingrid, Zachary asked, "So, what's your favorite candy, mine's Chocolate Ghouls."

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Her eyes got wide as suddent interest washed over her, "You were expelled? What did you do? It must have been a huge prank to get expelled from school. What did you do? Blow it up?" Ingrid grinned wickedly at that thought, but quickly shook her head to get the image out of her head. She looked back at Zach...he seemed to be thinking something. She took this time to think as well. Her mind wandered off.

Most Slytherins she had met were cruel to her. Pandora and Padme were only two of them. He, however, was slightly nice to her. She wasn't complaining, but she wondered what others would think. Ingrid wasn't usually the person to worry about what other people thought of her...but this school had changed Ingrid a little. She sighed and tucked her hair, which had fallen out of its ponytail, behind her ear. He seemed to be thinking about something very hard...until he broke the silence. With a candy question?

"Candy? I like...hm...I like...chocolate frogs! And licorice wands! And...and...and...Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans!" Ingrid answered with enthusiasm. She smiled and seemed to bounce in her seat, but she caught herself and laughed at her childishness. She was eleven for goodness sakes! She should act her age! But...she liked acting 5. It made her happier...but there were times when Ingrid knew to be serious. Like now...

[Seth Wright]

Zachary returned her smile half-heartedly. He wasn't sure what to say anymore. It wasn't exactly a prank what got him expelled, now, was it? He sighed. There were two choices:

1. Tell Ingrid why'd he'd gotten expelled. (She'd probably never talk to him again)

2. Make something up (But everything he came up with was so far-fetched!)

"It wasn't really my fault I got expelled...." He began. Well, that was at least half the truth. Technically it wasn't his fault, because they couldn't prove he'd done anything wrong. "....But that's not what I mean. It's just. It was a boarding school, like here, and there was this other boy who...er...bothered me. So I pranked him and they expelled me, saying I'd already built up enough of a record and that was the last straw. So, I was homeschooled from then on. Mum almost didn't trust me to come here, but Mason was here and she knows that he, at least, can control me." He smiled briefly, finished with the monologue.

"Chocolate Frogs are good, as well. I like almost all candies." He liked that Ingrid was so enthusiastic and childish. It was such a contrast to the normal doom and gloom of Slytherin. All the Slytherins were beyond their years, Zachary included. Technically, he was eleven (twelve in two weeks), but mentally he was going on fifteen, or something like that. Kids grew up fast in pureblood society.