By the Fireplace ((India))

[Torinasu Mitsuko S4]

Rin stood in her dormitory watching the rainfall outside. She walked to the window and leaned her face against the cool glass, then let out a deep sigh. She was having a rough day, well…week, actually. Suddenly, she felt a brush against her leg and looked down to see Lulu, offering her master a comforting touch. Rin leaned down and stroked the cat’s white fur and gave her a reassuring smile.

“I know you’re worried, but it will be okay,” she replied, “Mom’s probably just busy. She’ll send your cat treats soon.”

Lulu meowed in protest, which made Rin chuckle a little, “I swear you’ve got a worse sweet tooth than I do!”

Lulu hopped on Rin’s bed then curled up in a ball. It was no use trying to talk to her anymore, the cat was way past due for naptime. Rin rolled her eyes and picked up a book she had been reading, before trotting off down to the common room. There were very few students in there; she assumed people were out and about. She was almost glad it was rather empty because it gave her a decent seat by the fire.

She pulled out her pink rimmed reading glasses and opened her book. She was halfway through a chapter, when she took a glance up to notice someone else had entered the common room.

[India Nightingale]

India was, for once, glad that the weekend was fast approaching. Her body was tired from her recent lack of sleep, and she felt grumpiness catch up with her every now and then. Normally she was a light sleeper anyway, absorbing about eight hours of sleep at most, but over the last few days she’d only had about six hours worth, and it was physically starting to take its toll on her. It was the end of a rainy Friday afternoon, and she had just had her last class of Charms. Although it had been, like every lesson India attended, fascinating, and she had made countless notes despite not needing to as it was a casting magic lesson, India was admittedly exhausted, and didn’t even feel up to doing any homework. However, she was heading back to the Common Room with an essay fresh from Professor Flitwick; it was annoying that work was loaded onto her at the most unfortunate of times, but India decided she’d get that Charms essay over and done with before she relaxed. After this she need not work anymore, being the only homework she had been assigned to today; it had been a long time since she had had a well-deserved break, and India honestly looked forward to it.

Walking through the portrait hanging outside the Common Room, India was met with the usual sight that bestowed itself on her whenever she entered the place she could call home since she was eleven. Glaring openly at the fireplace that was burning brightly across the room, India stared around before plonking herself with as much grace as she could muster into the seat furthest from the warm area, where a couple of students were gathered. The Common Room was not particularly full, thankfully, and the noise levels were tolerable. Normally she would have migrated to the Library, but India decided that it was too far away for her to be bothered to make her way over there. The Charms essay was not long, and she didn’t need any textbook references, so she’d survive. Turning from the roaring fire and focusing on the task ahead, India bent her head against the table as she extracted a piece of parchment and some ink and a quill, ready to write a long winded essay about charms.

India was alerted to Devil’s presence when he leapt onto her shoulder from behind, purring softly in greeting beside her ear, tickling her strands of wavy black hair. A smirk lit her lips, and India reached upwards with her free right hand to gently stroke her pet cat behind the ears fondly, not bothering to speak. His shiny black fur was, as usual, wonderfully sleek and soft, and India lost herself in the caressing sensations as she continued to work on her essay, not letting Devil distract her completely. The turquoise-eyed cat watched his mistress work diligently as she perched on her shoulder, only moving occasionally and purring once in a while at India’s loving petting. Devil knew not to disturb India when she was working, especially on a day like today, and left her to it. But he was admittedly bored, and was staring around for something, or someone, to focus his attention on. Devil was a loner primarily, like India, and he wasn’t about to approach anyone with friendly intent despite his mischievous ways, but he needed some sort of distraction to keep his mind occupied.

Devil decided to stare at a certain oriental-looking girl sitting by the warm fireplace, a book lying open in her lap. However, instead of reading it as she should be, or had been, she was looking up at him and India with what seemed to be curiosity. Devil stared back without fear, observing the girl’s pink glasses with interest. India didn’t wear glasses, and had never needed to, because she had excellent eyesight, but at times Devil had noticed Duke with his thin black specs, and this girl’s glasses didn’t make him feel any better about spectacles in general. Anything Duke owned had to be bad. Devil didn’t like Duke. Duke was a bad man. But for some strange reason India trusted him; he was the only person she trusted, in fact, besides Devil. Devil was not against Duke because he felt India loved him more, because his mistress, at times, seemed to be infatuated with Duke on an unhealthy level, but because Duke emitted a dangerous, evil aura that Devil was afraid of. It pained the little black cat to see his mistress bonding so well with that bad man, but there was nothing he could do. Leaping off India’s shoulder suddenly, Devil slowly made his way across the Common Room to sit himself by the girl’s legs, peering up with intelligent eyes at her with wonderment. This girl, who seemed to be in third year, didn’t exude the same aura as Duke. In fact, it was a lot nicer than his. Devil relaxed, and concluded that perhaps people with these glasses were maybe not all as bad as Duke.

India was alerted to Devil’s disappearance when her fingers were no longer in contact with soft fur. Blinking with puzzlement, she left her essay to peer around her shoulder, curious to where her cat had gone to now. Maybe he had gotten bored with her petting and had left to entertain himself. It looked the case, as India’s eyes settled on Devil’s small creature figure, sitting by a girl who was reading. He was looking up at the younger girl with interest, and India wondered what had made him react like that. Rolling her eyes with slight amusement, India turned around fully and began to hiss softly across the room, intent on getting her pet to return to her and not bother someone else, lest he attracted unnecessary attention to himself. India didn’t trust her own housemates. Well, she didn’t trust anyone. The oriental-looking girl seemed harmless, but she still didn’t want Devil messing around with strangers without her consent. “Devil. Devil. Come back.” Gesturing at her pet, India tried to maintain a low voice as she made small hand movements, indicating he return to her immediately.

[Torinasu Mitsuko S4]

Claudia entered the room to find that it had been ransacked, her home was in shambles. Nothing seemed to be going right now that she had agreed to help Detective Morningstar. She knew what they were looking for, but did they find it?

Rin was getting to a very climatic part in her book. She remembered the day that she bought it. It was the day before she was to board the Hogwarts Express and her brother, Kuramu, had decided to come home for a while before she left. It was a pleasant memory, because she rarely got to see her brothers since they moved back to Sendai. They were always so busy, but they always tried to make sure to include Rin in their lives.

She smiled at the warm, fuzzy feeling, and made a mental note to send an owl to her brother when she got a chance. Suddenly, she felt another warm fuzzy feeling, but this one was on her leg.

“Not now, Lulu-chan,” she replied, not bothering to look down. But the cat did not stop, “Lu---“

She peered down at the black cat, surprised not to see her little bobtail. She had seen this cat around before, but did not know to whom he belonged. Glancing around the common room, she caught a girl gesturing to the cat and figured that she was the owner.

Rin picked up the black cat and walked over to the unfamiliar girl and then smiled, “Is this your cat?”

[India Nightingale]

India’s eyes widened in surprise and anger as the younger Slytherin proceeded to pick up a struggling Devil and bring him back to her. Standing up and glaring at the oriental girl, India immediately snatched her pet cat back with an overprotective stature and let Devil run up her arm to perch royally on her shoulder once again. He stared at the other girl without disdain, but not with acceptance either, and India copied this. “Don’t touch him.” India hissed quietly as she glowered openly at the younger girl. Running a hand down Devil’s sleek fur, as if making sure he wasn’t hurt by someone else’s touch, India seated herself again with a haughty expression, intent on getting back to her work without such pointless distractions. Picking up the quill which had been abandoned before, India was about to finish off her essay, until she realised the younger girl was still standing beside her. Wondering with irritation what she was doing staring at her work so frankly, India turned around and scowled with impatience at her uninvited company, “What do you want? If you’re waiting for a thank you, then fine, thanks for returning my cat, just don’t assume that you can touch other people’s possessions like that so brazenly. Who do you think you are?”

India hadn’t yelled at a younger student like that for a while now. The last time she had talked to a student below her year was a third year girl named Katya, but India had treated her with slightly more respect than usual because Katya had felt like a peer to her, despite her age. India had to grudgingly admit that she hadn’t been harsh enough on her, so she was taking out her old ways on this innocent oriental girl. India didn’t know her, being just another face in the crowd at Hogwarts in her house, and she had an inkling that this little thing was less than a Slytherin than most. That smile which exuded kindness, the sweet gesture of returning her cat. India almost shook her head with a leering expression. That girl couldn’t possibly survive in such an environment. Sometimes the Sorting Hat befuddled India a lot; the weirdest people were sorted into the worst houses that never suited them, but they were usually rare cases. How had this younger girl even survived the last two and a half years? India had concluded she was a third year long ago, but the innocence reflected in her eyes made India feel like she was graced with the presence of a naïve ten year old.

“Not everyone likes a kind gesture. You should know better, being a Slytherin.” India sneered again, until she realised she’d gone on quite a bit. One needed to know the extent of exerting control over someone else. Clamping her mouth shut, India sent another cold glance at the younger girl, as if she wasn’t worthy to be even acknowledged, before returning to her work with a frustrated grunt. Realising that she was wasting her time on this random stranger too much, and pushing down any sympathy that she had originally reserved for the younger Slytherin, India got back to work, hoping for no more distractions.

[Torinasu Mitsuko S4]

A normal person would have been offended. A normal person would have been hurt. A normal Slytherin would have told this girl to shut her mouth. But Rin was neither a normal Slytherin nor a normal person. She was used to the scoffs and the sneers whenever she tried to do something nice, and at first, like a normal person, it bothered her. But now, as she stood before this older girl, it washed right over her. She never let her smile falter and she certainly was not going to be rude. This was a typical encounter she usually had with her Slytherin housemates. To her, this was normal.

“I have a cat of my own, and I understand that you would not want strangers to pick him up,” she tilted her head to one side, “But, I suppose it did no harm.”

For a normal person, this would be the end of the conversation and Rin should have retreated back to her seat. But…

“I’ve been in Slytherin for three years…I know people don’t like it sometimes when others do nice things,” she replied, “But sometimes…people need a little reassurance that the whole world is not against them, you know?”

She cast her glance around the room at some of the others. She knew she was an anomaly, and yes, sometimes it did bother her, but most of the time, she felt like it was a good thing she was different. She wanted people to know that just because she was a Slytherin that it did not make her just like the majority of them.

“My name is Rin, by the way,” she added, “Rin Mitsuko.”

She usually did not add her last name when she introduced herself. She felt that by saying she was a Mitsuko, made it sound like she was showing off. For some strange reason this time, she felt the need to impress this girl. Most of the wizarding community knew her mother, and certainly her father. Even her brothers were starting to make a name for themselves. Maybe by adding her surname, it would give her a bit of an edge.

[India Nightingale]

India eyed the chatty third year with disregarding annoyance. What on earth was she going on about now? Muttering on about random stuff that she was completely not interested in. Typical. How did this girl get into Slytherin with such a friendly attitude? No wonder she didn’t seem to have any friends. Listening idly at what the girl was saying, India realised her guess that she was a third year was correct. Well, India had had been in this school for five years, and she knew well enough that people didn’t do nice things in Slytherin. It just wasn’t right. India didn’t stick to being mean because she had to and her house was something that defined her, but because she naturally was who she was. So were the rest of the people in her house, but some were arrogantly nasty, whilst others were more spiteful. India blamed her personality on anger and distrust, but somewhere within her she knew that wasn’t it. There was more than could meet the eye when it came to her, and even she wasn’t sure about her malicious side. Not that she’d ever openly admit that. Confidence and pride were the key to survival around here.

“Perhaps.” India spared the oriental girl a word as she scribbled continuously on her piece of parchment, not willing to let this third year take up all her time. Distractions were unnecessary, but if she wanted to ramble on, India would let her. She wasn’t paying attention, and she couldn’t be bothered to shoo her away. India was reminded of bees buzzing irritatedly in her ear, but this little creature seemed more friendly than malevolent. And that was beginning not only to annoy her, but also scare her slightly. “But I don’t need reassurance that the whole world isn’t against me. I know the whole world is against me. Perhaps you’ll learn that one day. Naïve children…” India snorted in low tones, still not casting an eye over to the Slytherin. She wasn’t really afraid of starting a fight with this girl. She was younger, and was much too innocent and nice to hurt India. Although appearances didn’t tell you everything, she felt this black haired individual was as transparent as glass.

“Do you enjoy distracting people from their work?” India suddenly spoke up after the girl had introduced herself, an unhidden sneer in her voice. She finally turned around to face the little terror with a rather annoyed and angry expression, “If you thought yourself worthy of my attention, then you need to rewind and realise that you are not good enough for me. No one is. This house is filled with weirdos, and you’re the weirdest of them all. I’ve been here five years and I haven’t met a misfit like you. You seriously don’t fit in.” Shaking her head furiously with and maintaining her menacing rant, India found herself calming down a little at the still-innocent look on Rin’s face, but continued nevertheless because she wasn’t about to back down to a girl like her. “I’m not interested, okay? I don’t like company, Mitsuko, especially not friendly company, and this Charms essay isn’t going to finish itself. First you touch my cat, then you hit my nerves. Good going, girl, that’ll get you somewhere. You don’t want to face my wrath, trust me. I’m being easy enough on you already.” Blowing a strand of dark hair that had fallen into her eyes away, India sent a final glare at Rin before ignoring her once again. Perhaps she’d leave her alone now. India could only hope so.

[Torinasu Mitsuko S4]

Rin watched India the way a curious child watched a hungry wolf with a thorn in its side. She would have been slightly scared, but for some reason she believed that this girl was not going to bring harm to her. Rin was fairly good at reading people (or so she thought) and was convinced that deep down, there was a friendly person itching to be heard. Maybe Rin was not supposed to awaken this lost kind soul, but then again, maybe she was. After all, cats just don’t come up to her and turn her attention to something or someone. She felt she was meant to meet this girl today. Or…maybe it was her own cruelty to put herself through such an ordeal. For three years she has been trying to make friends within her own house, and for three years, she had all but failed. She wondered why she just did not give up, and succumb to the nasty behavior that she should possess as a Slytherin.

“But I don’t need reassurance that the whole world isn’t against me. I know the whole world is against me. Perhaps you’ll learn that one day. Naïve children…”

The words that the girl spoke made Rin feel a whole new feeling. She was not angry for this Slytherin’s harshness and curt tone. Or scared. She pitied her. How could she go through her whole life thinking the world was against her? It must have been awful! Why was she feeling sorry for herself when this girl may have lived a hard life? Even if she did not have every Slytherin idolizing her and rushing to make friends with her, she had other friends, she had her family…she had a wonderful life. But this girl, to think that the whole world was against her…Rin could not imagine what she had been through to even think that.

“I did not mean to disturb your…” Rin paused, “Did you say Charms?”

Of course, never mind that this girl had insulted her and probably threatened her, but Rin was determined in her mission. After all, she was rather good at Charms. Not exactly perfect, but she did have an A in the class. Professor Flitwick said she a bit of a knack for it.

“Maybe I can help you, Professor Flitwick says that I one of his better students and is thinking about putting me in a higher level class,” she shrugged with a self-satisfied look on her face. “Unless you want to do it all by yourself.”

She looked down at her paper and already caught a few mistakes, but said nothing more.

[India Nightingale]

India merely stared in defiant anger and irritation as Rin offered to help her. Was she hearing things? A third year student was asking to help her? India for one was no a person who readily accepted help, especially not from someone younger than her. Her pride was perhaps had placed her in Slytherin, rather than her condescending attitude. And secondly, India knew she was good; very good, in fact. Her homework nearly always gained full marks, and she worked her mind off all the time; it was the only thing in life she enjoyed. India ddin't read, play sports, draw, sing, or anything that was even minorly extracurricular, besides loving the feeling of soaring into the air on a broom, the feeling of being on top of the world, there was nothing else India liked more than engrossing herself in the numb world of education. She gained fantastic marks which she was extremely proud of, and it made her feel... good. There weren't many things in India's life that made her feel good. She was not thin enough, she was a replica of Skye, and she wasn't a nice person - far from it. The only good thing she even mildly excelled at in her mind was in education, and so she threw herself at it. And now this girl was questioning her abilities?!

"Excuse me," India started off calm and in control, but really she just wanted to scream at this imbecile. A light sneer was evident in her voice, but it wavered slightly, threatening to grow worse as she spoke, "But I don't think I need any help from you. Even if I had trouble with my homework I wouldn't ask anybody for help, especially not some naive third year. Ever heard of pride? That's something I have." India eyeballed Rin scathingly before glancing down to read over the last paragraph she had written. Noticing she had written something wrong, India rolled her eyes before crossing it out and correcting the mistakes. This Rin girl was proving more difficult to handle than she seemed, and India had no doubt it was because she was being distracted that she was starting to slip up. India was always top, there was no such thing as bottom place. She would simply not allow it, and if this girl was going to ruin her work, then she would have to go. Now. "You're real persistent, aren't you? Well, go find someone who's interested in you, Rin." India scoffed with blatant glare. "Perhaps you should get some friends. Seems like you don't have any."

[Torinasu Mitsuko S4]

Rin all but laughed in India’s face, but that would have been rude and disrespectful, and she was not raised that way. Instead she mainly smiled innocently and put her hands behind her back. She was starting to get the hint that this girl did not want to be friends. Well, at least not yet. Maybe in time it would change, but for now…she would let this wolf lie with the thorn in her side.

“I suppose I should say ‘I apologize,’ for trying to help you,” she replied casually, “I see you have it under control. As for me not having friends…”

She should have said something mean and nasty, that probably would have satisfied this fifth-year girl. But, that was not in her nature.

“Well…I suppose you’re right I don’t have many Slytherin friends,” she replied admittedly, “But don’t be mistaken…I do have friends. But, I’m sure you know better than I.”

She looked down pityingly at her, wondering if this girl was the one without friends. Had they been outside of the common room, wouldn’t it be Rin who would be with a friend and her Slytherin housemate who would be alone? In her mind, she believed this to be true. She offered India a new smile---one of pity.

“I’ll leave you to your studies, if that is what you truly want, Miss India,” she replied.

[India Nightingale]

“Apologise? Don’t bother.” India rolled her eyes as she continued on the almost completed essay. “Apologies don’t mean anything to me.” Hearing Devil mew softly by her ear, India seemed to understand what he was trying to convey, as she neglected her writing for a moment before grabbing her kitten and gently depositing him on the ground. “See you later, Dev.” India smiled a little as she watched the black tuft of fur prance away jovially. He seemed to be in a good mood; a better one than India was feeling right now anyway. Replacing her scowl on her face, she turned back to her parchment, aware the Slytherin was still talking behind her. This girl didn’t know when to stop. Dear God. India could only roll her eyes over and over again with irritation. Some children were very unrelenting nowadays, but India had to admit she was like that too. Stubborn, headstrong, proud. Though she wasn’t as friendly as Rin. ”I’m nothing like her.” India’s scowl merely deepened as her random thoughts escalated. Her shoulder felt cold and bare with Devil’s warm presence, his soft fur gently brushing against her cheek. Devil had always been a reassuring existence in her life. “You wouldn’t have any Slytherin friends with your attitude.” India snorted suddenly as she cottoned back onto Rin’s flow of conversation. So maybe she’d let her distract her for a while longer. India couldn’t help but want to be sidetracked. How strange.

“Yeah, you’re right. I do know better than you.” Turning her head to glare Rin in the eyes, India spoke carefully but clearly, her expression cold and remorseless, “Friends aren’t worth having. They go and stab you in the back once you’ve turned your head. Betrayal is just round the corner. Don’t be so naïve as to think they’re so trustworthy, so believable, because they’re not. At the end of the day, they’re human beings. Evil runs through their blood, each and every single one of us. So go entertain yourself with these friends of yours. One day you might realise they’re not as great as you think they are. They also just get in the way, make you weak. There’s a reason I don’t have any ‘friends’, and I think I cope fantastically without them hindering me.” India’s voice had been reduced to a light sneer, mostly muttering to herself as she turned away to stare blankly at her essay, still absorbed in her own words, “Go live your life, Rin Mitsuko. Perhaps then you’ll see that no one, and I mean, no one, is your friend. In this world, we’re all alone. You just don’t know it yet.”

India suddenly gave a malicious chuckle, throwing her head back in her seat as she stared at the ceiling of the Common Room, “Let me guess. You’re giving me a pitying glance. Don’t, please. I honestly don’t need your pity, and I don’t need your godly knowledge and philosophy on friends and love either. I’ve heard it all before, you’re just like everyone else. It drives me insane, you people with your stupid theories. I like being alone. It suits me perfectly.” India’s words were dry in her mouth, though no one knew that. She had said these exact words over and over again to so many different people. India felt that she didn’t care. Felt like loneliness was quite nice. She wouldn’t be hurt by those things that called themselves humans. But always, when she talked about it, when she sneered at the notion of “friends”, a weird, empty feeling welled into her chest. She couldn’t stop it, it was just there. Swallowing it down with an annoyed inner expression, India whirled around again to glare at Rin when she uttered her name, barely registering the fact that she had finally just offered to leave her. “How the hell do you know my name?” India demanded angrily, hiding any surprise that came with it. She knew many people probably were aware of her name, but this girl had just randomly brought it up without her even introducing herself.

[Torinasu Mitsuko S4]

Rin smiled inside, she knew that India would react this way. If she really wanted the third-year to leave, she would have simply said so. Perhaps, she was itching for some conversation just when Rin came over. It was a fascinating thought, but one that Rin held onto with both hands. Why did she even want to talk to such a girl, someone who obviously did not want to make friends with her? Did she really think that she could change her mind and even become her friend? They were nothing alike, although maybe they were more alike than either girl could understand.

She raised an eyebrow at India’s realization on the concept of friends. She mentally clicked her tongue the way her mother did when her children said something untrue. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “If friends are not worth having, whom do you go to when you need someone to talk to? Whom do you share a laugh with? Whom do you fight with over something trivial and then laugh about how silly you were acting? Of course, not all of the people you make friends with are going to be your friends forever, but some will. How can you just write off friendship for the few that are not willing to be there for you? Can you honestly say that you are willing to give up a friend that will be there for you no matter what? That one friend that would die for you?” Rin cast her glance to the black kitten, “I can hardly think that you are willing to give up friendship entirely. Maybe you are not as alone as you wish to think you are. But if this is true, then so be it. I will not try and change your mind.”

Her mother had always said, “let a sleeping dog lie.” She never really understood the expression until now. If India was set in her ways, then who was she to demand that she change? Rin returned her kind glance back to India and smiled innocently, “So what about my attitude would you recommend that I change?” The question was a silly one, because Rin liked who she was. She had no real intention of changing at all. But she was curious to know what India would recommend for her.

“As for your name…” she replied simply, “it’s written on your paper.”

[India Nightingale]

India took a deep breath as she listened to Rin preaching on and on, and wondered if she was really a third year. She sounded childlike and innocent on one hand, yet so mature and certain on the other. India was no doubt angry at Rin for her words, yet she didn’t want to waste time flaring up at her. It was such a waste of her time. As the Slytherin prattled on knowingly, India diligently, but irritably completed the last sentence of her Charms essay. Finally. Coldly and unemotionally, India turned back to Rin, choosing to place her language carefully. Her voice was soft, yet clear as ice. India didn’t like wasting words. “Those are easy questions for me. I do not need anyone to talk to. I do not laugh with anyone. I fight people, but I do not fight friendlily with anyone. There is no one. That is why I can write off friendship so easily, Mitsuko. I can honestly, honestly say that no one in this world will be there for me, no matter what, and no one would ever want to die for me. No one.”

India paused for a second, digesting her own words. They were true. It was what she had been telling herself for more of her life. “I did not give up on friendship. Friendship gave up on me. That’s what life does to you. Give up on you until you are all alone in the world.” India sneered under her breath, and snorted unfeelingly at Rin’s remark, “Oh, I am alone, Rin. Everyone is alone. You, me, these people. All of us.” India gazed swiftly round the room, her eyes darting from one familiar face to another. These people meant nothing to her, and she meant nothing to them. If she disappeared today, went and died and faded into the darkness, no one would notice. No one. “No one will ever really understand you. It’s true when people preach about our uniqueness. Because of this distinctiveness we all have, we can never be the same, and in being so, we can never truly understand one another. Alone in our feelings. Alone in our lives.”

A bitter smirk graced India’s scornful face as she continued pitilessly, “So now, don’t even try to change my mind. I’m older than you, I’ve seen things you’d never imagine. Every person is different, so just leave me to my own lonely world. I’m happy where I am. My recommendation? Why would you want me, you’d never listen or believe me!” India gave a short, sharp bark of sour laughter, “You want my recommendation? Fine. I say that if you want to keep struggling with existence, then do so at your own peril. If you want to love so freely, then go ahead. If you want to die for people you love, then so be it. Just don’t ever say someone didn’t warn you when someone turns and stabs you in the back.” India clamped her mouth shut when she finished her little speech, and stood up abruptly, shoving her pieces of parchment into her arms uncaringly. She merely ignored Rin’s remark about how she knew her name, knowing she’d probably make an absolute fool of herself before her; India refused to be made to feel stupid by a third year girl in Slytherin who didn’t act like a Slytherin. She managed to contain her anger and irritation when she finally bit out a harsh sentence, signalling her want to leave this pointless conversation.

“Be careful in life, Rin Mitsuko.” India muttered as she swallowed her pride, her rage, her annoyance. All those ugly emotions that churned within her, screaming for release. Instead, her sadness, her grief, her regret were starting to envelope her tired body, and she let it wash over her for only a moment. “Pain is the essence of life. And that’s the truth.” Holding Rin’s gaze for only a second, India’s intense eyes boring relentlessly into the younger girl’s as if she wanted her to understand, she quickly broke it and wiped up the miserable mess of emotions to leave a clean slate as she turned and left the Common Room, throwing the memory of their accidental conversation right out of the window.

((I’m sorry that you had to wait for so long. I also hope you don’t mind that I’m ending the thread. I feel that this has come to a sensible conclusion. You can have the last post here, if you want. If ever you want another post with India or my other characters, please feel free to PM me or post up an OWL. I think Harmony would love to be your friend once I get back into posting, because I’m planning on moving her up a year, and she’s very friendly and indiscriminate against Slytherins. She doesn’t have any close friends, and Mineko, her Japanese friend, has left the site, so I’d love to get her some pals. She currently has an open thread, so I'll send you the link if you want. Thank you for posting with me!))

[Torinasu Mitsuko S4]

Rin bit her lip sadly when she watched India leave. Her heart went out to the older girl and it pained her to see someone who had given up on humanity so early. She sighed and walked quietly back up the stairs to her room.

Plopping down on the bed, she thought of the conversation that had just occured. Was India right, and was she the one who needed to be pitied? It was a lot to think about at once and it hurt Rin deep inside her heart. She thought about this for a little while, before deciding to dismiss it. One day, she knew, India and she would see eye to eye and perhaps understand eachother. However, she would not know when that day would come.

She moved her cat to the end of the bed (much to his distaste) and laid down on her side, staring at the wall.

"I'm not naive am I...just because I love so freely," she whispered to no one in particular. The conversation with the fifth-year Slytherin had made her see herself in a new way, but rather or not she decided to change...would be remained to be seen.

((OOC: *looks around* I'm hiding from the Homework Demons and the Housework Goblins... No I don't mind ending the thread, I think we left it on an interesting note to pursue later I think Rin and Harmony would be good friends!! When I come back from my working vacation, we'll have to work something out!!!))