It's My Way or the Highway ((Mirabel))

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme walked along through Hogsmeade with her mother at her side. Tessa Rendel's hand was resting on her daughters shoulder, steering her this way and that. Padme was rather annoyed by this, but she cared for her mother far to much to tell her this. This was the first visit Padme had ever made to Hogsmeade village and she was quite excited. The shops were all new to her, but Tessa had told her all about them. Zonko's Joke shop didn't seem nearly as filled as Tessa had described. Padme wondered why but had no intention to look into it any time soon. "Mother..." Padme said sulkily, telling Tessa that she was getting rather annoyed at being toed around everywhere. She sighed softly as Tessa smiled down at her and released her shoulder. Padme rubbed it ruefully and watched as Tessa went off and into a random shop, probably to bring back old memories. She turned sharply to her left and followed the cobble-stone street, her eyes traveling on the people who were getting in her path. They usual received a glare that could kill. That made them move to Padme's satisfaction. A smirk across her face, the young girl walked though Hogsmeade, glancing at shops here and there. Finally, she reached the end of the road. Near the end, a colorful shops with welcoming posters on it caught Padme's attention. She had found the cause of Zonko's emptiness.

So, this is Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes then, Padme thought rather cheekily as she glanced around the shop. She could barely suppress a look of surprise and admiration for all the little jokes that were held here. She could use one of them against her brother, Jack or maybe to toy with Mack. She might give a small present to Dix too, just for kicks. Padme's smirk widened as she thought of all these things and touched the items she would love to have. Of course, Tessa had forgotten to give Padme some money for her own use. Padme stomped her foot in frustration, causing several meaningful looks to stare at her. The young girl strutted out of the shop, so busy glaring at people that she took no notice of the bell ringing over the door until she ran into something very solid. Looking up, Padme saw a girl about her age, the source of her collision. "You should watch where you're going!" Padme snarled at her, standing up and brushing off her skirt.

[mirabelmeletti]

Mirabel sighed as she once again failed to convince Preston to go away. After she had run off the first time and gotten lost Preston was determined to keep Mirabel in his sights at all times. As she left the Three Broomsticks with Preston in tow she felt a solid form run into her almost knocking her over if Preston had not reached out a hand to steady. Already in a foul mood Mirabel glared at the girl who had run into her.

"I will not be talked to like that especially when some muggle born was too stupid to know to pay attention when a pureblood exits a shop. I'll thank you to leave me alone and carry on your way. I feel I've done enough mingling for one day." Mirabel turned around and looked to Preston. "I wish to find Grandmother and return home at once. Grandmother was right some muggle borns have no right in the wizarding world." she huffed and turned back around to glare at the girl waiting for her to defy her order.

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme laughed a very sour laugh, making sure to stuff it all in the girl's face. "Oh, yes mother, of course I will go leave a filthy mudblood alone for she is done mingling." Padme sneered with another giggle. She raised an eyebrow at the girl curiously but not in a friendly manner. More like she was trying to decide what to do with her. Her words had confused Padme slightly. It sounded like she was saying that Padme was a muggleborn and that she was a pureblood. The thought rattled Padme's insides as she glared coldly at the girl.

"What are you saying, filth? That you consider yourself better than I?" Padme snarled, letting some more giggles consume her words. Even if this girl was a pureblood, which if she was she didn't make much of the title; she was no better than Padme. The young girl smirked at the other, keeping her posture cool and collected.

[mirabelmeletti]

Mirabel glared at the girl as she giggled. She felt Preston tense behind her at the word mudblood. Nothing angered Mirabel more than being called a muggle born and Preston knew it. At the girl's insinuation that she was a mere muggle or even a poor pureblood rattled her.

"I am a Maye. One of the oldest and most powerful wizarding families. I stand to inherit the entire Maye fortune including all titles." Mirabel took a deep breath trying to calm down.

"While I may not be a Slytherin as my grandmother wishes I at least know my place in the world and it is far above you, muggle born. A pureblood is always above a muggle born. If you care to live in this world you should learn your place quickly before you irritate the wrong witch or wizard."

Mirabel continued glaring at the girl waiting for her next comment. Muggle borns should wait to be approached by a witch of her status and she would not stand to be treated as if she were a muggle born as well. She was raised to expect better than that.

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme forced herself to cease all laughter, her honey-brown eyes fixed on the girl with a bright intensity. So, this girl was a Maye? Padme had heard of that family before. They went back a long way according to Tessa. Padme kept the smirk planted on her face, although her brain was still trying to work out the girl. If she was a Maye, that meant that she was either a halfblood, or a pureblood. She wasn't sure what had happened to the Maye line, she wasn't sure if the last Maye married a muggle or someone else that had impure blood. She narrowed her eyes so that they were slits.

"You're a Maye, are you? Well, let me tell you this: Money isn't everything. Blood is and so is that of attitude toward others." Padme was burning up on the inside. This girl was going to inherit an entire fortune! Padme, however, was going to have to work to get to that great level. She had been brought up to think that money wasn't everything, that someone can live a happy life without money. Sure, the Rendel family had money, but not as much as the should. How was life supposed to be great when people boasted about their money? Padme didn't let the smirk fall from her lips. She wouldn't let this girl know that she was one of the poorer purebloods. No, never would she.

"I'm Padme Rendel. I'm sure you've heard of the name Rendel before if you know much about purebloods and their names." Padme said coldly, glad that she could say her name but not be pestered about her money. After all, the Rendel name truly didn't belong with her, it belonged with her brother Jack and her real father, Roger Rendel. Ever since Roger had left Tessa with nothing and had kicked her out of the house, they had had nothing. But, Tessa had worked hard to become happy, had married again, and had started a new life without Roger Rendel. Padme held her chin up all the higher, for she was proud of her mother. Very proud.

"Above me?" Padme said incredulously, with another laugh that wasn't quite real. "I believe you need to go to St. Mungo's hospital. They could help that brain of yours, you know. I may not know you, but at the moment I don't believe you are any better than me." she sneered harshly. "What is your name? I mean, I know that your last name may be Maye, but what is your first? I wish to know who I'm talking to, so I can always remember them in the near future."

[mirabelmeletti]

Mirabel smirked and her anger left her. So the muggle decided to do some research on pureblood families. It was a shame Mirabel's grandmother was friends with Roger Rendel.

"A Rendel you say?" Mirabel asked still smirking, "And you expect me to believe that? Come along Preston I see Grandmother. I have no wish to further degrade myself by talking to this simpleton." Preston bowed but before they could leave Mirabel turned back to the girl, "I suggest the next time you decide to steal a pureblood name you make sure they have a daughter. There is only one heir to the Rendel family and it is certainly not you."

Mirabel turned her back on the girl and headed toward her grandmother and brother with Preston a few steps behind her. "Mira," Aedan began, "what's wrong?"

"Some petty girl believed herself to be a Rendel. She called me a mudblood. I want to go home Grandmother." she demanded.

"Of course child we'll leave now. I'll owl the Rendel's once we're at home to see if the know anything about this." Mirabel's grandmother put a comforting arm around her shoulders and guided Mirabel toward the limousine. Aedan grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She smiled up at her brother. The girl had been right about one thing, money wasn't everything, but Mirabel had already known that.

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme raised an eyebrow as her anger flared again. This time, however, it was at herself. She had forgotten that no one new that there was a second Rendel, Padme. Even Roger Rendel didn't know, and Jack and Padme had intended to leave it that way. Now, this girl thought she a fraud, a mudblood trying to say that she was indeed a pureblood. She glared at herself in a nearby mirror before moving away from it and out of the shop. The girl was no where in sight. Tessa came out of the nearest shop looking completely happy. Padme didn't have the heart to tell her what had just happened. She knew that the girl, who was a Maye, might have contact with the Roger, for the Rendels were an old wizarding family. Padme sighed, and walked away with her mother, all shopping excitement gone.