Oh! It's You Again! ((Zach))

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

Growing up in a world that you aren't really a part of can be hard. It can be life altering. It can be terrible, horrible, and just plain out nasty. People who are torn to shreds because of their beliefes or who they are, it's never normal it's never right. Yet, we watch from the sidelines and let it happen. Why? Is it because we don't believe our voice could be heard? Is it because we don't think that our voice is loud enough? That just because we are one person, means no one will pay attention? Well what if that wasn't true? What if we knew that our voice was the loudest there was? And that everyone could hear us and they would all pay attention? What would we do then? I say it's time to find out. We should stick up for ourselves. We aren't little bugs anymore. We're Hufflepuffs. We're stronger than the average person. We're human too!

Ingrid let her blue eyes linger over the first paragraph of an article she was writing. An article that would never be printed. She let out a small sigh as she placed the parchment down in front of her, and reached over for her bottle of water. She was in the library and drinks weren't allowed in case they would ruin the books, but Ingrid hadn't been caught and she was rather thirsty lately. Her blond bangs fell in front of her eyes. She had her hair down again today, with a small clip holding it back some. Her little feet didn't touch the floor, so her legs were swinging back and forth in her mary-janes. She wore her Hogwarts uniform, with her Hufflepuff cloak on over it. She wasn't afraid to show her house-pride. After just a few weeks of being in school, Ingrid saw how the Hufflepuffs were treated and decided to do something about it. Nattie had helped her realise how she needed to be strong, and not weak- because that was what they wanted.

She sighed again, and picked up a book that was next to piles and piles of parchment in arms reach. She opened it to the bookmarked page and began to read about the History of Hogwarts. Ingrid loved how the author wrote. How she felt like she was actually there in the time of Hogwarts first opening. Ingrid wanted to write like that some day. To suck the reader in and make them feel as if they were part of the story, or history of a certain place. That was something Ingrid wanted to work toward doing in her years at Hogwarts. She wanted to share her story with everyone out there. To make everyone know who she was and what she believed was right. Having finished the last sentence of her page, she turned it and began to read again with more depth. She was so into the story she didn't realise someone approaching her. Until they spoke.

[Seth Wright]

Zachary was dead bored. After the first day or so, the castle was beginning to lose it's appeal. What was a charmed ceiling or a moving staircase? He'd seen more impressive magic before. Besides, who wanted to go and look at a bunch of moldy old paintings or wander around the Quidditch pitch alone? It wasn't as if Zachary and Pandora could so any of that together, because they had to keep their friendship a secret, and he didn't have any other friends. Slytherin was probably the worst house to be in if you wanted friends, Zachary decided. They were just too self-concerned, loyal only to what would benefit them personally. He couldn't say he was much different, because he wasn't. And anyway, Zachary didn't want friends, did he? He didn't need them, did he? No, but it would still be nice to have some. He sighed.

He might as well get his homework done. Gathering his school books and some spare parchment, Zachary shuffled out of the boy's dormitory. The library would be the best place to get any work done. The common room was full of fifth years, and Zachary didn't want to bother them. Older Slytherins weren't so nice to the younger ones, but they usually let them alone. Best be safe than sorry, though. The corridors weren't horribly crowded today, which was rather unusual. He got to the library quicker than he'd expected to. His feet, it seemed, had minds of their own as they steered him right through the library entrance and toward the back tables, all of which were full. There was one set a away from the rest with only one person at it. Zachary started toward it when he noticed just who was sitting there.

It was Ingrid Lewis--the Hufflepuff that wanted to be a writer. He couldn't sit with Ingrid! It wasn't anything against the girl, of course. She was nice enough, if a little perky. Nice or no, the fact remained that Ingrid was a Hufflepuff and Zachary was a Slytherin. The others would never let him live it down if he was caught with her. So? You've done it before, haven't you? The little voice in the back of his head chastened him. Zachary sighed. It was the only empty table, and he desperately needed to do his homework. The other Slytherins could boil their heads off. Still, he glanced around, just to be safe. Fortunately, most of the other occupants of the room were Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, with the occasional Hufflepuff. Thank the gods....

Slowly, Zachary made his way to Ingrid's table, plastering on a scowl. He might as well look a little reluctant, so no one got the wrong idea. Ingrid was writing something. Zachary watched as she set her quill down and drank from a bottle of water. Were they allowed water in the library? It wasn't important. He came up behind her, glaring at her blonde head. Clearing his throat, Zachary hissed, "Can I sit here? All the other tables are full." He raised his eyebrows questioningly and waved a small hand around to prove his point. "I shouldn't be too long. It's just homework." He held up his books, the scowl fading. When asking for something, it was probably best to pretend to be pretending to friendly, if that made any sense.

((sorry it took so long to reply. i've been really busy with school stuff.))

[Ingrid Lewis H4]

((Oh, it's no problem at all. I figured as much. ))

She was so into her story, she didn't realise someone approaching her. Until they spoke, "Can I sit here? All the other tables are full." Ingrid didn't even look up. She recognized the voice. Without looking up from her book, Ingrid said; "If there are no other bodies occupying these other chairs around me, I have no objections to you joining me. If they are occupied, then I suggest you return to your common room." Ingrid bit her bottom lip as she finished speaking and continued to read. She wasn't even paying attention enough to know if he was taking the seat. Ingrid's reply hadn't been the sweetest it could be- but any intelligent person would see that there were empty seats and she didn't mind who sat with her, it wasn't like she was going to be socializing much anyway. Besides that fact, Zachary probably was only asking to sit there to do his homework, as he had made clear- he wouldn't want to be caught dead with a Hufflepuff. It was rather bad for his image.

That was what made Ingrid very mad, she hated how everyone was so worried about what other people thought. This was why Ingrid poured her heart and soul into her writings. She didn't care what people thought when they read her things. If they didn't like her opinions, that was their problem and not her's so she wasn't going to worry about it. She said what she thought and how she felt. That's all that mattered. It was now that Ingrid let her eyes look up to the boy who had asked to sit at her table. She let a small smile cross her face and she set her book down before saying; "Honestly, I thought you were smarter than that. If no one else was sitting here- you could have easily just sat down and I wouldn't have even noticed it. But instead, you asked. How gentlemanly of you. I didn't know Slytherins possessed such kindness." She sent him another smile that said she was only kidding before she picked up her book again and placed it in her book bag. She crossed her arms on the table and looked at him, her feet swinging back and forth.

"So," She said slowly, drawing out the 'o', "What do you have for homework? If it's any of the classes we have together, I could possibly help you considering I have finished it all." Ingrid wasn't trying to brag or rub it in his face or anything of the sort. She was simply putting a true statement out in the open and wondering if he would like som eassitance. If he declined, she would understand and go back to her article that would never be published. If he accepted, she would help him as best she could. That's who Ingrid was, and sometimes it came across that she was bragging but she never really was.

[Seth Wright]

Zachary nodded and sat down. "Slytherins are born with good manners." He explained, sounding a bit exhasperated. "We just don't always chose to employ them at school. " He glanced disdainfully at the textbooks, eyebrows knitted together. Zachary loathed homework. Loathed it with a passion. He'd much rather spend his time doing something useful, but of course he couldn't. He had to keep his grades up or Mum and Lucan would be more than half-disapointed. He frowned. "I can't really remember it all, actually. Did we have homework in Transifguration? I think we did in Charms, but I can't be sure. And what about Herbology? I wasn't paying much attention in there." Wasn't paying attention because he'd been passin notes to Pandora, but that could just as well remain unspoken. Ingrid didn't need to know that.

Zachary sighed. He had a horrible memory when it came to things like homework. He was funny that way. His mind was a steel trap when it came to an interesting book or something someone said ages ago, but when it came to school Zachary was a disaster. He could never remember homework assignments, even when he wrote them, and information for tests took forever to learn, despite the fact that he took all the notes and did the work. The only class he had any idea what he was doing in was Potions. That wasn't such a difficult class yet. But then, they had only just started with the basics. Zachary was certain it would get more difficult as the year progressed, and then he would be in for it. It didn't help that Snape was so intimidating.

"And I'm not so sure if I had any potions homework, or Charms. I really can't think of anything. I thought I had Charms homework, but I haven't got it written down or anything so I'm not sure. Do you know what the work was?" He continued on, looking only slightly anxious. Ingrid just had to know what they were doing in class. She was more excited about school than anyone he'd ever met before. It would be nearly impossible for her to be as clueless as he was. At least, that was what he hoped. If not, he could always ask Pandora sometime, or maybe--if he worked up the courage--Ariane.