Hush? HUSH? Cutty's already large eyes grew as he feigned an expression that very clearly said Can you believe this impossible woman??? Hushing me when I haven't even said anything??? His hand gestured out and he looked from snake to snake as if trying to gain their support. This ended with him shaking his head and going back to Dante's water. It was at about that time when the tiny striped head and small nosed MEWer had made her appearance.

"Congratulations, Whitty! It's a kitten." Cutty had not ever seen a cat with the markings such as the one Ruby produced from her jumper. It was a cream and tan stripe. Maybe it was partially kneazle. Alexa told him they were smart and a worthwhile pet if Cutty had ever thought of getting a pet. He had thought of getting himself a little animal companion, but calling it a pet wouldn't be entirely accurate and much magical experimentation would be performed upon it. Cutty felt this would ruin the purposes of having an animal as intelligent as a kneazle, but it would've worked for Ruby and Grayson.

Maybe they could train it to do Ruby's NEWTs. They had a year.

"Merlin Grayson! Yer gehrlfriend joost gave yer a kitten and here yer are shamelessly invitin' me oop ter yer summer loov cabin! Yer utterly ruthless!" He smiled as if it all were such a very good thing. He'd probably take up Grayson's offer too, although between Cutty & Ruby it probably would not have ended in the way Grayson (or any adjusted human being for that matter) thought it would.





"Comme Ci Comme Ça. The important thing was I took them." Cutty liked learning, but in terms of trying to impress anyone with his smarts, he'd rather keep what he knew to himself. Unless it was giving Agatha Hapgood private tutelage. He thought about the bloody nose she'd given him the last time they tried that. Good times. Good times. "Got any tips to survive 6th year?"





See, Adi Rehman was perfect. He didn't trip out or lose his mind or outright reject. He just drew his line letting Cutty know how far was too far. "Yet somehow yer never fail." The Slyth laughed and resumed his seat. "Oh, loads of new things! Me dad brought me these snapping turtles made owtoff chocolate from Québec. They really snap onto yer tongue and they're meant to stay there so yer don't choke or lose em when you're on yer broom 'n stuff. I'll let yer try one fer free if yer gimme yer opinion on 'em." Adi's endorsement was helpful too should he like them. He had all those wee little puffs behind him Adi did. He'd make a good head boy.
"I'm trying owtta new thing too. I want to extend credit to soom of the older students. A sortoff buy now pay later. What do yew think, Rehman?"





Ah, his housemates knew him so well. "Yer opinion. Tell me how they are. If you experience any malfunctions, if the quality of chocolate used was good. I haven't priced these guys yet and I want to make certain I sell 'em fer what they're worth."





Dot. Dot was full of compliments. And her frustration was music to his ears. Did she know? He wiggled his bum in his seat when she commented about setting his pants on fire. Dot Wojack-Gusey, does your mother know you talk to boys like that? He did not say it, though. She was a redhead.

A redhead who was madly in love with him. Cutty didn't even blame her.

It was an interesting reaction from Rorie to Dot and Dot to Puck for that matter. Slytherins may or may not be loyal. In Cutty's experience it all depended, really. So if it wasn't loyalty, what was it? Some kinda previous beef? Or perhaps a little friend-to-friend obligation? He'd seen Rorie do worse tough and so perhaps there was some level of hesitation. His disgusting ego, being what it was, figured that Rorie was only holding back to impress him. To show him how not troublesome she could be so that he'd agree to be her pseudoboyfie and Damien would come crawling back. He was touched.

"I'm very distinct in my raspberry eating. I like to savor the flavour." He confirmed before turning his head and kissing Puck's cheek. Platonically of course. At her explaining of how Cutty and Puck operated to the young Charlotte.





Caleb had probably told Ethan his name. There was really only one person who ever used it and it was Fern. Ethan was nothing like Fern. So it was strange to hear the lesser used name coming from that voice. The next thing he knew his cousin had grabbed his face and was making kissy faces at him. He made kissy faces back, because that was what you do. "Well, we do coom from a long-line of pureblood wizards." Eww. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.




Ew.



What happened to Hugo's little kid voice? Oh, right. He grew up and it went away. Damn. It was one of Cutty's favourite pastimes to walk in on tiny whispering in the green-lit common room. Ah, well. They all had to grow up sometime. "Hi, Hugo." He greeted the now...What was he? Twelve? Thirteen? Cutty soon found himself throwing away the number of years Hugo had been on the planet and made what I might call a rash decision to just treat him and the others as if they were already adults of 26 years.

"Did yer know the MOL dropped down by 6 this morning before we left London? I wonder where it'll be at by next week." Adult conversations. Aww yisss.



The book hit with the usual thick and heavy sound books make when they hit solid wood surfaces and Cutty looked up to see Hughbert. "Hughbert." He said greeting the rare but carefully placed snake. He always seemed to be there at a perfect time. Like when the usual common room gatherings needed a bit of a laugh. There'd be Hughbert. And his book. "Whatchyer readin'?"







Cutty caught the look given to him by the lil approaching Ravenclaw girl. She was apparently selling something. Pet rocks! It had been a while since Cutty had visited Flamsteed in his office and he saw the pet rock. Pebbles. Taking a poster he looked it over and saw their price tag. Free. Pebbles must've had babies. It was a crazy non-sensical thought which was then said out loud.

"Pebbles must've had babies." He turned the poster in his hand this way and that. "I'll take a thousand." How many rocks would there have been? "Do you offer sitting services? Or are you just the vendor?"




And there was little Brook. She was observant that one. So observant that it made Cutty wonder if she knew when he wore undapants and when he didn't. That thought, though did not make him feel vulnerable. No, it inspired him. Brooklyn. Eagle-eye Andrews. She would make a great house informant. If only she could be convinced to open up. Secrecy was her game but surely she wanted something. All snakes had ambition...but what if hers was to take any and all secrets to the grave.

"Have a good summer, Andrews?" He greeted her, deciding it was time to get to know her better.