Seeing that it was only day two of the school year and none of the classes had begun just yet, Sierra found herself walking back down the dungeon corridor heading for the Slytherin common room. She'd just returned from signing up for Quidditch try-outs, which reminded her that she needed to have a talk with one Lola Jones sometime in the very near future. The girl had tried--quite desperately, mind you--to make friends with Sierra throughout the past two years. Acquaintances was the result, but now--now that Lola was the Slytherin captain--that was all about to change.

Yes, Sierra knew where to place her loyalties, and at the moment, those loyalties needed to be with Lola Jones. A very small grin appeared on her face as she continued her walk down the corridor.

Heading OUT of the common room, Corey whistled to himself, skateboard under his arm. The plan was to head outside, skate a bit, then lay out somewhere and eat food, which he'd pilfer from either the kitchen or the great hall, whichever smelled the most appealing.

Seeing another girl (seriously, they were everywhere, right?) his whistle changed to something mocking, the eye contact made it intentional.

Wist Ebony decided to devote the majority of her free time today to explore Hogwarts. It was a huge task, but that just meant that she needed to start now. Durmstrang had all sorts of secrets, and Hogwarts seemed even bigger!
And so Wist saw a corridor nearby. It was dark and it had that same spooky but awesome fealing that Wist fealt when looking at the corridor to Hecate's office. She entered it and saw two other people in it, both older than her. Were they exploring as well?

Hearing a whistling sound coming from down the corridor, Sierra promptly turned her gaze toward the floor. She wasn't even sure who it was, but the fact that they seemed almost happy made her not even want to bother. The sound of her shoes made soft thuds as she continued down the nearly-empty corridor. She could see the whistler getting closer and closer, and at the last minute, she looked up just in time to dodge getting hit by the object in his hands.

She stopped short and spun around, watching his retreating figure as if she half-expected him to stop and apologize for his board on wheels. Whatever it was. "You know, we do have school brooms," she said aloud. It was her way of telling him to stop and turn around. He'd nearly hit her, for Merlin's sake. She hadn't missed the change in tune of the whistling either.

Sarah was still pretending to be a wannabe explorer.

Dunna, dunna, dunna, dun, dun, DUNNNN!!!! That was totally her theme music.

She looked around, and very nearly smiled. It seemed everything related to the Slytherin's was dank, dark, and creepy. YES! *sarcasm*. At least she was getting used to it.

Although she was still used to more bright and cheery colors, it wasn't so bad. It was nice and quiet in the dungeons, and having the lake so near was pretty awesome.

Also, they had less of a chance of their common room being struck by lightning during a storm. Unlike people who might have common rooms in a tower.

She actually didn't know where any common rooms were, but she supposed they weren't all down in the dungeons.

Corey glanced at the little kid further along in the corridor but other than that didn't much make any sort of acknowledgement, not when there was some girl speaking to him, and not feeding him, as they should.
Corey did stop and he turned sideways. "Yeah? So maybe you oughta grab one and start sweeping missy." He shook one finger. It did seem kinda dusty down this way. "After you're done, might let you cook me some eggs."

You know.

A perfectly acceptable reward for sweeping.

"Sweeping?" Sierra asked. She almost wanted to laugh. "Is that what you think they're for?" Honestly, who opened the floodgates and let all the Muggles in? This one reminded her slightly of the boy she'd met in Diagon Alley. Whoever he was. "I'm not your mother, and in case you haven't heard, the kitchens are closed." Without thinking twice, she added, "The house elves are dead. Well, except two or three of them, and they're on strike."

The boy was standing sideways, which didn't give Sierra a very good view of him, but she hoped he wasn't a Slytherin. Maybe he was a Puffer who'd gotten lost along the way. Or better yet, a Gryffindor, that way his common room would be as far away from hers as possible.

"Noooo, thats what I think you're for." Correction. Corey leaned against the wall, putting the end of his board on the ground and leaning that against his leg.

That was a good thing. The not being his mother. His mum was nuts. So far though, nuts was a good word for this one too. So maybe she WAS like his mother. Horrifying thought.

"I don't really care about elves." He shrugged in that supremely uninterested way that marked him as someone with his own agenda, and a distinct lack of gullibility to boot.

"Who're you anyway? Or dontcha know how to greet your betters?" He needled a bit, looking for entertainment. What would she do, hex him? It'd mean he'd get a chance to try out his er.... new wand, for the first time.

Sierra rolled her eyes. "Where'd you learn the art of comebacks? Muggle school?" she asked. Honestly. He thought she'd get easily agitated by a 'that's what you're for' comment? He'd stopped, though, and so she leaned up against the opposite wall several feet away from him. He was a Slytherin, she could now see. Figures they'd converse in this manner...

"Well, then that's one thing we have in common," she said. Honestly, as long as someone served food around here, and they didn't all starve to death, she could care less whether the elves died or moved to Antarctica. "...or maybe the kitchens are closed, because the school's finally decided to wisen up and ship the Puffers back home." It was a thought that had crossed her mind a time or two.

"I'm Sierra," she said, "and yes, I'm aware of how betters should be greeted, but the only other thing I see around here besides myself is a bilge rat that must've gotten washed in with a flood." She sighed. It was a slightly immature comment, but he wasn't acting all that mature either. "...and who are you?"

He shrugged.

Pretty much yes. Corey had attended muggle school while studying extra with a magical tutor, his mum was extremely superstitious and while she didn't outright stop him from learning his magic, she hadn't ever done a thing to encourage him either. She preferred to ignore it all.

"I nearly starved at the feast." He added by way of agreement. Yes it had been a feast, but the food had been slow coming and any good feast had food to eat before the feast started too, bread rolls and things.

"Puffers." He repeated. "Everyone who mentions 'em has only bad things to say." It was an observation. He wasn't one, so at the end of the day, he didn't really care if people were biased against them.

As long as he got fed.

He grinned admiringly at the bilge rat comment, "I'm Corentin. Most people call me Corey though."

Hmm... Just like that, it seemed that they're spiteful words toward one another had turned into some sort of light banter. Sierra shrugged, as well. "Guess we have something else in common then," she said. "I nearly starved before the feast." She didn't add any explanation on that. Admitting that she'd been a one-week runaway was something she'd keep to herself for now. Maybe for forever.

"It's because they're just 'the rest of them'," Sierra explained, or that was the explanation her father had given her. "You got lucky, though. The Snakes won all three cups last school year--House Cup, Quidditch Cup, and Gobstones Cup." Corentin. That was a different sort of name. "Sierra," she said. "Sierra Greingoth."

It was official. Carter was going crazy! He needed his badge back. He was tired of people pointing it out to him that he wasn't really captain without it.

Plus, he needed advice.

Destiny advice.

*shudder* That was a scary thought.

Which just added to Carter's current state of craziness.

Marie walked out of her common room and was heading up to the kitchen level hoping to Find Matty before classes started. Just as she rounded the corner though who should she see but Carter.

Great. Just who she didn't want to see. The boy who blames her for his problems.

Maybe if she just keeps on walking he won't bother her. She wasn't giving him any reason to blame her for anything anymore. If he was looking for Marilyn... or Caroline... he'd have to find them on his own. She wasn't helping him find either of those trolls.

Not bothering to even look at him she just kept on walking. Hopefully he would do the same.

Carter waited. And waited. And waited. But there was no sign of the brunette... or any Slytherin.

Just just when he was going to give up, a she-snake appeared.

Just not the one that he wanted to see.

He groaned inwardly and knew that he had to talk to her. This was the first person he'd since he'd been waiting.

And yes, he needed to see Destiny that badly.

He cleared his throat. "Umm... Hey Marie. You haven't happened to see Destiny today, have you?"

Please say she was on her way out...

And he just couldn't let her go by without saying something to her now could he.

Wait... He was looking for Destiny?

Stopping she turned back to face him. "Yep." And with that she turned around and kept walking.

What?

He only asked if she'd seen Destiny.

Carter blinked. "Really, Marie? Really?" Sure, he hadn't asked where Destiny was... but still.

That was just rude.

No wonder they weren't friends anymore. It was obvious things would never change between the two of them.

"Nevermind. I'm sure I'll find her if I just stalk the potatoes." he said frustrated.

"If you see her, can you tell her I'm looking for her. I need her help with something."

Ehh... he didn't really expect that message to get back to the other she-snake. But... in case it did...

Turning back around Marie glared at Carter. "Yes, really Carter." He asked if she had seen Destiny and she answered him. "If you wanted to know where she was then you should have asked me that instead of asking if I've seen her. I'm NOT a mind reader you know." If she was she would probably never speak to that boy again with some of the things he thought about her.

He needed Destiny's help?

"Why would I want to tell anyone anything for you? The last time I seen you, you were yelling at me and blaming me for your problems Now that you need something though I'm all of a sudden good enough to talk to?." Did she look that stupid or what? She wasn't about to be used by him just because he needed something. "Find someone else to be your messenger owl. I'm not going to do it." He'd probably find some way to blame her if Destiny didn't go running and looking for him when she told her Carter was looking for her.

No, he could find her on his own... but only if he could get into the Slytherin common room.

"Well, would you care to tell me where she is then?" Carter asked. Because Ms. I'm-too-good-for-the-world wouldn't tell him the first time he inquired about Destiny.

Not a mind reader? It would be the next question anyone in the world would ask. It was completely logical.

But no. Marie had to be difficult about it.

"Fine. Don't tell her." he shot back. "And I wasn't blaming you for everything. I was just informing you that your attitude finally got the better of Caroline."

And now it was getting the better of him too.

She didn't come down this way very often, the dungeons were not very appealing in comparison to her gardens. But there were things that needed to be done. If no one else was going to take care of it then she would.

At the top of the stairs, on the way down to the dungeons, Seren waved her wand and fixed the plaque she was holding to the wall- making sure it was perfectly central of course.

Standing back she admired her handy work. The students wouldn't be able to miss it.

Next, she conjured a wooden box and placed that on the floor beneath the sign. It was filled with bright House coloured gloves.

Right... now what else did she need to get done today?
Without a second thought, Seren turned on her heal and turned toward the Great Hall, some food would be nice.

Yeah? Corey could understand that. He got hungry all the time and his mum, while she had food in the cupboards most of the time, was at her wits end with him and his constant need to eat. Three square meals a day just wasn't enough. His legs ached all the damned time too.

"Yeah? I'm okay with that. Being elite and all." And underestimated too, probably. "Not bad. Bet the other houses didn't much like that. Did everything start in the negatives then too? I mean, house points are pretty crazy. I guess taking them away is easier for the professors than giving a detention." Lazy right? Thats what he'd do too. Probably. He tapped his skateboard with his fingertips thoughtfully.

"Greingoth? Like the Senior Undersecretary?" Sure he was muggleborn, but he wasn't completely oblivious to current events. Best to keep informed and all. "You been here since your first year then?"


Well. What a nice example of how weird the professors were. Corey eyed the sign from where he was, made a derisive sound and eyed Sierra. Seriously?

Like muggle candid camera and all. He wasn't gonna do what a sign said, just because it was there.

Though, that box of gloves.... he wondered if those might have a use. He grinned to himself.

Bentley had only been gone a few minutes, she'd gotten herself a peice of toast and was about to head back out to the greenhouses when she figured she should check to make sure the rules were being followed. Rules were rules.

Reaching the top of the stairs leading to the dungeons, she noticed that the box appeared to have been untouched. Glancing around she saw that a Slytherin boy had noticed the sign.

He could read couldn't he?

It was a rule... and rules were made to be followed.

Using a louder than normal tone (because that was the rule) Seren questioned why the boy wasn't wearing gloves yet.
"You there, young Slytherin, what's you're name? and why are you not wearing green gloves?" She picked up a pair and took it to him.

Honestly... KIDS!

He didn't look familiar at all. But he looked too old to be a first year. Seren swept this thought from her mind, there was every possibility that the boy just didn't show up to Herbology... ever.

"Miss Greingoth you too!" she exclaimed, summoning another pair.

Aiden was strolling at the dungeons corridor when she saw Bentley handing over pairs of green gloves to Sierra and a presumably a Slytherin boy she doesn't know. She has always been enjoying strolling at the chilly, quiet and somewhat creepy dungeon corridor. It makes her feel calm.

She approaches the group and looks at the poster. Scream our lungs out? Incident? Does it have something to do with LaFay's storeroom got set on fire last term? Fishy... She shrugs her head with her arms crossed together.

The sound of footsteps alerted Seren to a presence behind her. Why were they not yelling?

Turning, she came face to face with a not very impressed looking Aiden.

"Miss Heartnett, shouldn't you be yelling to signify your approach?" she asked loudly gesturing to the sign. And gloves?! Why wasn't she wearing them?!

Merciful Merlin!

Sierra gestured toward the boy in a 'See, that's exactly what I'm talking about' sort of way. "Elite is one way to look at it," she said. "Slytherin, they say, can lead you on the path to greatness. They're right, too." Whoever it was who said it. Salazar himself, maybe? She shook her head. "There's usually some negatives at the feast, yeah... It's just not always us." More specifically, her. She couldn't speak for Bunbury. That girl was off her rocker in more ways than one.

"There was a..." How should she say this? "...slight misunderstanding at the feast, and that's how we ended up in the negatives." She skipped the part about how she had been part of the misunderstanding. She added a nonchalant shrug to that. "Greingoth, that's the one. First my mother and now my father, though I don't claim to be on the best of terms with my mother these days." Long story. "I live with my father."



At first she hadn't noticed the professor, and if she had, she wouldn't have thought anything of it. Professors walked the corridors all the time, and Sierra really wasn't the kind to stop and have idle talk with any of them. It wasn't until Corey looked away that Sierra turned her attention to the box. A box. Meh. Whatever. Something was being hung on the wall, as well, but she guessed it was just a notice for class or something.

She was just about to turn her attention back to Corey when she heard her name being called--quite loudly, mind you. Dear Merlin! She was right here--not halfway across the world! "...me, too?" She questioned. "I don't have Herbology today, though..." Because, that was the reason for the sudden need for green gloves, right? No, Professor Bentley. We will not spent our free time helping your clean the greenhouses... She stared at the gloves as they were summoned forward. Erm...