When It's Over ((Payton & Dylan))

[Mary Evans]

Well this was it. The end. The very end of Mary’s sixth year. She had just finished up her last exam and was sitting by the fire in the Slytherin common room. Funny how they still had the fire going around the end of June. But then you still needed the fire, it was always so damp and clammy down there. Better than being anywhere else really, though. With the chipper Hufflepuffs by the kitchen, the high and mighty Gryffindors hauled up in their tower… the Ravenclaws were not too bad but Mary still wouldn’t want to share that small little tower with the blood filth they let in. For such smart people the Ravenclaws really didn’t have a clue about muggles and how awful they were. Treacherous ignorant little beasts. No, Mary would much prefer the dungeons where everyone knew their place, everyone knew their blood status and how much that mattered. And everyone knew she was an Evans and that she was a force to be reckoned with.

Soon though everyone would be heading home. A couple days to relax before the exam results came and that was it… just a couple days. Mary had also received a letter informing her that next year she would be taking over the Slytherin Quidditch team proper; something something with Kennedy, she would have to ask him about it later. That would be good, not that she at all minded sharing with Kennedy, she was actually quite flattered when he told her that he was too scared of her to be in charge of her and he would rather co-captain the team than have her as vice. But still, to be in lone control, had it’s appeal. Mary almost half considered calling her team together for a final practice before the end of the year but Mary thought they deserved a good rest after that last match, and besides, who knew who would be back next year? Mary had been on the team too long to believe that people would try out again just because they were good. It was a shame. Seeing the team rise and fall as members came and went, joined and graduated, joined and lost interest was the worst. But next year…

The book in Mary’s hands slipped and she realised she had spent the last 15 minutes staring into the fire and the common room had been slowly filling up around her. People waiting for dinner no doubt, after having been outside enjoying being free of exams finally. Closing the book Mary returned her gaze into the fire…

[Payton Laslie]

it was a little late in the afternoon when payton had come back from the quidditch stadium, angered about Gryffindors Victory Against Ravenclaw, it was funny Really, that Ravenclaw could lose both against Slytherin, which wasn't suprising, and Gryffindor, the pathetic Excuse for Bravery and Loyalty, they where disgusting.....they made him sick with thier false loyalness and power that they maintain and bla bla bla.....They where only false pride. he thought about this as he made his way down from the great hall to the Slytherin common room after pondering these thoughts and eating them away.

Once he said the password the a portrait of Salizar Slytherin and pushed it open, he walked in to the damp and Dreary common room that he spent every night in he saw his new Quidditch Captain that had just admitted him as Reserve Beater for the Slytherin Quidditch Team, he thought that she was the gate to his fun, Quidditch was his life...and she grated him the joy of playing. as he sat down next to her he said "Hello...Mary...I'm Payton Laslie.....you reserve beater...d'you remember me?" he asked, knowing that she would send a stinging comment back at his intrusion on her looking into the fires....

[Mary Evans]

((Hey, I just wanted to remind you to watch your grammar, especially with things like capital letters in the beginning of sentences and with names and what not. As well, don’t forget the time line of our post is at the end of the year, well after the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw match and even after the Slytherin/Hufflepuff match Payton will be playing in. There is no problems with him thinking about it I just wanted to remind you the match would have been played a month or so before and if we talk about the Slytherin match which in real life is coming up in the in-character time it will have already happened. Oh and, yes I realise Payton is a third year, Mary is just being mean.))

Talking, some kid was talking and it broke Mary’s reverie as she was forced to pull her mind away from the fire, away from the summer, away from her upcoming seventh year. Looking over she saw it was the kid, Payton, who had recently joined the Slytherin team and just played his first game with her. He was apparently vying for the beater position alongside her, or better be along side her as she had played nothing but beater since her third year and did not intend to start playing any of those positions her mother considered “better suited for females” at all. Not that her mother wanted her playing them either but… He could have her position when she graduated, if she was good enough, if he was still playing. Goodness her team needed to keep playing. Of course all the teams had done the up and down thing, she just really noticed it with Slytherin while playing with them for three years.

“Well,” Mary drawled to the little boy who just asked if she remembered him, “you are wholly unremarkable from every other second year student in this school. But I suppose as you are on the Slytherin team, you must have some sort of taste and skill. So I believe I will say yes, Payton, I do remember you. Now, what do you want? Or were you just testing my memory? Making sure I am not losing my mind before my NEWT year? That really is very kind but you have no need to fear for me, my memory is clear as ever and my wit is equally sharp.

“Of course, according to Aristotle wit is nothing more than educated insolence but I am not sure I agree. Do you, Payton? Agree that wit is educated insolence? I believe that someone has to have some degree of power over you before you can be insolent towards them. And of course no one has power over me, so according to Aristotle I have no ability to be witty. Does that seem right to you, Payton?” she said with an air of someone assured of their own correctness. To be honest she didn’t care one bit for his opinion, she just wanted to see how he would react, if he deserved his place among Slytherin’s elite athletes. Not that there was any right answer really. But that was the fun of the test, you had to be really very creative to pass. And if you didn’t pass… well then he would learn like the other children who mistook her for their babysitter.

[Payton Laslie]

Payton was startled by her response "Well, there is never a right answer for that but I would say wit is just an act to be performed by those seeking entertainment and the ability to look high and mighty" He spat at his captain, he never really liked Slytherins that treated him small just because he was a lowerclassmen to them "Unless of course you belive in the ability to create wit out of thin air....that isn't impossible of course" He said intently looking to mary for a Response of hate or Friend ship, but he didn't expect anything nice from her

[Dylan Caoimhe]

He opened the huge oak doors that led to the Entrance Hall, and began making his way to the Common Room in order to wash for dinner. He had just been out in the grounds by the Black Lake, having a rather interesting but enjoyable conversation with India Nightingale, a fellow Slytherin. Now that he had some sense of what she was really like, he regretted not speaking or having had any contact with her before today. But, that's kind of how it was with Dylan. When he came into a ''good thing,'' it was always a bit too late. He supposed he had all of next year to get to know her better though, so, no need thinking about it.

His footsteps echoed off the walls as he made his way down the stone steps and into Dungeons. Honestly, he hated that. It gave an unnecessary ''effect,'' like being down here was scarier than it really was, especially when you were making your way to Potions. It made you feel you were taking your last steps before you were to be devoured by the greasy- haired monster that was Professor Snape, but of course, Dylan never really feared his Head of House; just found him a bit odd and slightly overbearing sometimes. He didn't see why people thought being down here was frightening. He didn't see why people thought Slytherins were frightening. Most of them were a bunch of wimps and prats, hiding behind their ''blood status.''

Dylan entered the Common Room and was heading straight for the dormitories when he heard:

"Unless of course you believe in the ability to create wit out of thin air....that isn't impossible of course."

Recognizing that loud, pompous voice, he turned to see Payton Laslie, the newest member of the Slytherin Quidditch team, who had his mind set on becoming a beater. Unfortunately enough, the positions were already filled. Dylan held one, which he really had no intention of giving up, and Mary Evans, their team captain, held the other.

As much as Dylan wanted to see exactly who Laslie was talking to, he turned away and began to move but not before noticing unmistakable red hair over the back of a chair. ''No way,'' Dylan said grinning and disbelieving, walking over and around to see exactly who it was. Lo and behold, it was Mary, looking pleasantly annoyed. ''Ah man.'' Dylan held his fist to his lips, trying to cover his smile and stifle his laugh. Mary was one of the few friends Dylan had made this school year, and new she had put up with just as much as Dylan did, which wasn't a lot. Straightening up, he went from Payton and looked Mary in the eyes. ''Having fun?"

[Mary Evans]

Well, Payton had some answer for her… but of course it was plain dribble and Mary just looked at him like he had some head issues. He didn’t really address the issue at all, did he? Just let his tongue flap like the child he was. Mary had her eyebrow raised at the boy as he spoke as though she wasn’t buying whatever it was he was trying to sell; himself it would seem. When he finished she gave a little “humph” non-committal sound and turned back to the fire, wondering if he would catch the hint that she had nothing more to say, she wouldn’t dignify his words with a response.

As Mary was being pleasantly haughty someone else decided to join their party; Dylan peeked around the corner. Mary could have almost smiled at his reaction, she didn’t because she was too busy being proud, but she could have. “Having fun?” he asked her and Mary took a moment to turn the question around in her mind… there were several possible answers here. Being sarcastic Mary flashed him a brilliant smile; “Me? I am having a blast. Aren’t kiddy parties just the cat’s pyjamas? I mean you learn so many new and interesting things, it’s fantastic. Would you care to pull up a chair? I can swear you won’t regret the decision.”

If he was going to laugh then the least he could do was let her in on it really. It was like community service really, if Mary was in trouble, being lectured by a child, then someone had to come bail her out. Dylan volunteered. Besides, this could turn out interesting, the three beaters chatting with no quidditch in sight.

[Payton Laslie]

As Payton was speaking to his team captain a he heard a voice forming the words "having fun?" most likely directed at Mary, but after he barged in mary didn't seem to unhappy by the rude entry of someone uninvited, to this payton said "I'm sorry, but I don't remember inviting you here Caoimhe, so what do you want?" he waited for an answer as he pulled out a flask of pumpkin juice from his school bag that he'd left sitting beside himself and drank out of it, then stashed it back in his bag and waited for an answer from someone.

[Dylan Caoimhe]

Dylan smiled at Mary's response. ''Well, in that case,'' he said sitting in a chair beside her, smile still intact. It was all Dylan could do to keep from laughing. He went to speak, but before he could, Payton spoke, and apparently his knickers were in knot because of Dylan's interruption. ''Oh, I don't want anything. I just walked in, and as I was heading to the dorm to wash for dinner, I heard what you said about 'wit,' and I just knew I had to come over. Especially when I saw you were speaking to our captain here,'' he said lightly nudging Mary's arm with his elbow. ''See, Mary doesn't just lounge around socializing with any old body, as don't I. So, I thought apparently you guys are having one hell of a thought provoking, mentally stimulating conversation. I mean, look at Mary. She seems lost in thought, and obviously because of something you said. I want to be mind blown too, and we haven't ever really had a conversation before have we Laslie?'' Dylan was indeed hungry, but found he was slowly forgetting about food. ''Come on Mary,'' Dylan said once again nudging her arm, still trying not to laugh. ''Share your thoughts.''

[Payton Laslie]

Payton sneered deeply at Dylan, they were mocking him, he knew it, and he never liked being mocked "You know I wear this tie for a reason" he said pointing to his green and silver tie "it represents cunning, something which you seem to have nothing of" he spat "you should be wearing a hufflepuff tie, you are smearing Slytherin's great name" he said sneering "you two might be friends but that doesn't mean you can just barge into a conversation unasked, its called manners Caoimhe, try them out" and with that he pulled out a history of magic essay and started writing it out on a clipboard he had