Cutty came down that day looking more neatly that he'd had since arriving at the castle. His hair actually appeared to be combed and somewhat clean and his face was washed. It was all probably owing to the fact that it was still early in the morning.

The boy took a seat at a random house table and tucked in to a bowl of his favourite. Pixie Puffs breakfast cereal! He made little crunching sounds as he sat quietly and thought about his plans for the day.

It was early.

Scratch that. It was VERY early.

Bleary eyed, Benzi stumbled into the Great Hall and towards the table with the blue thing hanging above it. He'd learned by now that blue meant Ravenclaw and Ravenclaw was his house. Yesterday, he had woken up too late for breakfast, so today he was extra special early which is why he could barely see the floor.

There was absolutely NO way Benzi would have woken up had it not been for food. The things he did for food. Tie loose and shirt untucked, the eleven year old sat down next to some other kid and stared at his plate for a few seconds before beginning to pile up.

"Pass the milk would ya?" He mumbled, and stifled a yawn.

Absently, Cutty's hand reached out and skooted the milk jar closer to the young boy who'd just sat near him. It was then that he'd recognized him. He was that boy from the boats. The one who had laughed at that ridiculous girl who was trying to tell him off. Cutty suppressed a small snigger. Just the mere thought of the girl's epic tumble made him want to wail out with laughter. "Yer that boy from the boats. The one that laughed at that girl with me. What's yer name?"

There was a part of Huxley that was expecting that there is NO food in the Great Hall. That the feast was just the welcome wagon and reality would settle in the following morning. Little orphans scrubbing the floor, wiping the windows, collecting last nights dishes—that sort of thing.

So it was with carefully concealed surprise that the brunette walks in past the large double doors and eyes the table, plates and breakfast items all lain neatly and ready for use. Her dark gaze falls on the two boys that look to be enjoying the first meal of the day. One looked like he got dressed with his eyes closed, the other looking like he was going to have his picture taken.

Then she eyes the food. They look good, they smell good. But are they actually not rotten edible? Shifty gaze. One of them asked for the milk, the other one hands it over. If neither of them suddenly falls flat into their cereal bowls then she knows its safe to eat.

But for now... shifty looks.

Munching on some toasted bread, Benzi reached for the milk and poured himself a glass and downed it in an instant before pouring himself another glass. The cold liquid helped clear his head a little bit and he felt the sleepiness slowly seep away.

Wonderful.

Turning to the boy who'd spoken, a wicked grin spread across the eleven year old's face as the memory of the boats came to him. That had been super fun and an awesome beginning to his Hogwarts year. "Yeah! Jeez, do you remember the splash she'd made?! Priceless!" Benzi laughed, and popped a sizeable piece of egg into his mouth.

"Benzi.. You?" he managed to spit out, mouth full of food. He heard Mummy's voice in his head telling him not to talk with his mouth full, but she wasn't here to scold him for it. .. Hey, he could definitely get used to this.

"Cutty." He said introducing himself before shoveling a massive amount of the cereal into his mouth and chasing it down with a goblet of green liquid. "She was a riot. I wonder what house she got sorted in, or what her name was." He said getting in a quick surveying of the house tables, but not spotting her. That was going to be important.

"How do you like your house, Benzi?" Cutty couldn't wait to tell him, tell anyone at all that he slept in a dungeon. He was very fond of the idea.


There was an older, brunette girl nearby that Cutty caught a glimpse of with his peripheral vision, which he was using in a rather obvious manner. His eyes shifting to the side and focusing on her for a moment or three. Bet she's gathering intelligence. "And is it just me, or are the girls at this school about ..." He stopped to look like he was thinking because by this time he'd figured out that Ravenclaw was the house of the eggheads and he wanted to appear not-defective. "40% more weirder than they are outside of school?"

So that was Benzi, the other was Cutty. And they were laughing about a girl who fell into the lake. Little boys. They’re all the same anywhere innit?

But she wasn’t here to feel sympathy for the unknown girl or give kids a lecturing on manners. She cared none of that. All she that mattered to her at this hour is that the kids are eating and babbling and still upright. Good.

Casually she reaches out for the same dishes the other kids were eating and started loading these onto her plate. Just as she returned an item she caught the Cutty boy side-eying her. And... what was that, a green stain on his lip? Wince. “Weird girl would like to have the milk jug please. Preferably without any green stuff.”

She said Please. To the ickle ones. Social skills improvement ftw!

"Cutty.." Benzi repeated the name thoughtfully. "Do you like to cut stuff or something?" he asked, genuinely curious as to how someone came across a name like Cutty. That thought process was cut short though as the topic returned to the girl from the boats and he desperately tried, and failed, to remember where she'd been sorted. He would hardly remember his own sorting was it not for the fact that he hasn't recognised his own name when called.

Uncle Jake would probably find that funny.

"It's good! Lots of smart people and there's this awesome view from my dorm," Benzi stated proudly, feeling the Ravenclaw pride despite being in the house for such a short time. But that was the norm here right? School and house pride? Kids were really into it.

Glancing at the girl, Benzi couldn't help a snort at Cutty's words. "Girls are weird everywhere man.. Here we just have to live with 'em too," Benzi lauged and shook his head, then reached for the milk to pass to the older girl.

"Dunno what green stuff Cutty'a drinking but the milk's all right," he shrugged, wondering what drink was such a weird shade of green, but didnt ask for the fear that it might be medicine or something. Benzi didn't want to know everyone's problems.

"Nah, It's just want m'mam calls me." Not a lie, but not really an answer was his short reply as he was trying to avoid the topic of his full name. Cutty nodded at Benzi's response to how he found his house. He took security in knowing that that was just the sort of thing he would've expected an egghead to say. It was perfect.

"Everyone always thinks that's the way they'll go with pickle juice." He said in a way that was probably meant to be enticing to both Benzi & The Weird girl. "Whatever. More for me." Oh, thank Merlin. He wasn't going to try to get them to try it.

The boy who seemingly got dressed in the dark... belongs to the same house she does, what with the way he talked about the common room. Well he was wearing the obvious uniform but there was something at the back of Huxley’s head that said Ravenclaws weren’t slobs. But eh, the way he was so proud of their common room got the brunette to crack a tiiiiiny smile. Yes their common room is very nice. Very conducive to thinking.

And he assured her the milk wasn’t bad. If theres something the brunette learned of the Claws she’s met thus far, is that they were the congenial sort. She wouldn’t go as far to say that she would trust them, not her nature, but at least they were the sort that takes the edge out of suspicions.

“Thank you.” She replied to the dread-locked boy as she pulled the milk jug towards her. She will let pass whatever the kid implied of her gender for now lest she actually starts agreeing because she was rather curious about “Benzi..... Chemically inspired or is that short for something?”

And speaking of inspired names, she shifts her gaze to young Mr Nice n’ Neat for now. Slytherin. The house she would’ve ended up in had the Hat agreed. “Does your mother have a thing for ships?... or muggle vintage?” Cutty.... like Sark? “Or is it a short form for Cuthbert?”

Eyes on the juice in the goblet “Are you telling us you are drinking the stuff left over in the jar?”

Oh, he didn't like her. He didn't like this Miss Know-it-all one bit. She'd outted him on his name, which was a totally forbidden topic and now she was disrespecting the pickle juice!

Cutty took a BIG dip into his cereal with his spoon and seriously debated catapulting the contents onto her clean shirt. But, he was trying to be less of a barbarian now as was part of his plan. He shot the girl a terrible look, but said nothing as he drank down the last of his pickle juice slowly and deliberately as though it were the most savory thing either of them were ever likely to drink in their lifetimes. He then plopped the cup down rather roughly, wiped his mouth with his sleeve and continued to give the dimpled brunette dirty looks.

"PICKLE juice?!" Benzi startled, eyebrows furrowed as he started more intently at the drink in Cutty's cup. That was new, and something he'd never tried before. Perhaps he should ask for some? Did they serve pickle juice at breakfast here?! Benzi loved his pickes just as much as the next person, but he'd never drank the green water around it before. Mummy always threw it out when she opened the can.

Hmm.

"Cheers," he muttered automatically to the girl and continued to munch on his breakfast before he realised that she was talking to him. "Erm. . . No? It's short for something, but I just go by Benzi all the time. Why d'you think it was chemically inspired?" he asked, using her own words because he really didn't quite understand the question. He WAS however curious about it, and really wanted the topic to stay off his name. He didn't really have much of a problem with Benjamin, but they might remember his sorting and that was something Benzi sort of wanted to keep to himself. It was a funny story and Benzi wanted to use it later to make them think he was super cool.

SPEAKING OF NAMES THOUGH. "CUTHBERT?! Your name's Cuthbert?!" his face split into a mischievously delighted grin as he turned to Cutty again. "Forget the pickles, your name's CUTHBERT. I.. BWAHAHA. CUTHBERT. How old are you, two hundred and seventy three?!" Benzi guffawed, struggling to not spit out food in the process. Who named their child Cuthbert anyways?

"Better stick with Cutty there, mate." SNORT. He didn't even register the weird silence after the girl's words. CUTHBERT. Ah, that was absolutely PRICELESS.

The sixth year slid into a seat at the table, dumping her bag full of school books onto the seat next to her. She needed lunch after the crazy lessons from the morning. After pouring herself some pumpkin juice, the redhead scooped lots of food onto her plate and started eating, not even noticing who was around to see it. Having finished half of the stuff on her plate, she stopped and pulled out her father's letter again. It still hurt her to read that she truly wasn't a muggleborn but only believed that she was. Finally pushing her plate away, Lily put her head down on the table and closed out the outside world, sobbing about her father's lies.

Taylor twirled into the room, heading straight to the Ravenclaw table. She was starving and she wanted some pumpkin juice. Tay almost went past the crying girl on accident before back-pedaling up. Tay laid a hand on her shoulder and realized that it was Lily. A frown started to grow as she sunk down into the seat next to her and wrapped her arms around Lily. ”What is wrong, Lily? Why are you crying?” Concern was in her voice as she stroked Lily’s hair with one hand and rubbed Lily’s back in the other. She started to hum a lullaby, trying to cheer her best friend up. Whoever made her best friend cry better watch out because she was going to kick their butts despite whoever it is… it could even be a professor and Taylor, even with a threat of getting kicked out, would beat the professor up. No one makes her friend cry. A glare started to form as Tay got a bit anger at whoever the person was. She hissed, ”Who do I need to beat up? I will get them back for making you cry… no one makes my best friend cry…” Her hands balled up into fists, careful that she didn’t hurt Lily in any way.

Ooohhh she must’ve hit the jackpot, because the Slytherin boy looked liked he was going to cut her down with heat vision if he had been half-Kryptonian. Brow goes up as she watches the boy consume the rest of his breakfast—and that peculiar tasting concoction in his goblet. “Cheers!” she says good-naturedly as she raises her milk glass in turn. Of course her smirk was anything but that.

Her gaze shifted to Benzi. Well now there was someone a whole lot more obvious with their reactions. “Now Benzi... we shouldn’t make fun of people’s names. They didn’t pick them out at birth you know.” She said all mature-like, but her mirth was a little hard to hide, specially with her fellow Claw reacting just how she would be had she been alone. “I don’t think Cuthbert is too bad, a bit too stuffy sure. Cutty is.... cute.” She eyed the Slytherin, did he like to be called cute? She had a feeling he didn’t “Cutty Sark though—far more interesting. Its historical. Sure doenst hurt with the tough-guy mystique innit?”

Now onto her fellow Claw. Huxley folded her arms thoughtfully in front of her as she leaned across her elbows. “Well.... I had thought you were going for a cute version of the Muggle vehicle but I don’t think that’s quite your drift.” She said as she eyed him “There is something called Benzene— Muggles derived it from petrol and resin products, used to be very popular with perfumes as its quite aromatic. Of course nowadays it has a far more combustible role in Muggle industry.” Among other things.

She leaned back in her seat and regarded the younglings. Still feeling shy about those names?

Cutty watched Benzi laugh unapologetically at his expense. It would've infuriated Cutty, but you know he'd gotten to that point where he had begun to understand that there was nothing he could do to stop it and he knew that if it weren't happening to him it would be hilarious.

He let out a small resolute sigh as he spoke, "I hate you, Benzi Rider. I just do." But he didn't sound like he meant it.

Cutty's brows furrowed at the remark of cute, but not out of anger or frustration. It was mostly because he was considering whether or not he liked being thought of as cute. His mother, with all of her various improvements had said he was cute, but after having so many said improvements it was becoming somewhat difficult for Cutty to believe her. Besides, he was 11. 'Bout to be 12. He was practically a man now. Though, if indeed he still held possession of cute he wouldn't mind making good use of it.

He didn't know what ...who? Cutty Sark was, but she made it sound quite manly. "You know alot about Muggle things, you." He didn't even ask her name, but he did bother to point at her so that she knew who he was talking to. "Is that like, your favourite subject?"

Post tryout hunger for a fourteen year old boy was insane. He could eat a Hippogriff. But he'll settle for the steaks and chickens served. Which were actually incredibly wonderful to eat after the 'food' they were forced to settle for last term.

Tugging at his shirt, rippling it to create a breeze upon his chest to cool himself down, Aidan plopped down at the very beginning of the table, right near the Great Hall's doors. He tugged every protein source within reach toward him and plopped over-sized portions on his plate. Then, without bothering with silverware, he dug in.

Shoving the rubbish magazine in his back picket, Ascanius walked into the Great Hall looking for one person in particular. Pen had told him not to worry...that it was a gossip rag...but the problem was he did worry. The fifth year worried a lot and only about two things: heights and his girlfriend. And he needed to sort this out.

With this in mind, he scanned the hall for the Ravenclaw table. It didn't take him long to find the head that he was searching for. He was one of the only Ravenclaws at the table.

Sliding in right next to him, Ascanius wasted no time and dropped the article on his plate, "We gotta talk." Yeah.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fanficfanatict

Shoving the rubbish magazine in his back picket, Ascanius walked into the Great Hall looking for one person in particular. Pen had told him not to worry...that it was a gossip rag...but the problem was he did worry. The fifth year worried a lot and only about two things: heights and his girlfriend. And he needed to sort this out.

With this in mind, he scanned the hall for the Ravenclaw table. It didn't take him long to find the head that he was searching for. He was one of the only Ravenclaws at the table.

Sliding in right next to him, Ascanius wasted no time and dropped the article on his plate, "We gotta talk." Yeah.

He was only halfway through his chicken leg when the interruption came. First, Aidan blinked at his plate, which was covered with some paper. Then...his eyes slid to who dropped it there.

His body immediately tensed. Last time he was this close to Stark...he thought he was about to be punched in the face. And the older boy didn't seem any happier now than then.

Aidan nudged the paper off his plate with his wrist so he wouldn't get it dirty (although it probably already was) to put his food down. He quickly picked up his napkin, wiped his hands, chewed, and swallowed, afraid of taking too long and testing Stark's patience and making things worse than they probably already were. And Aidan had no idea what he did this time. Things hadn't changed with him, nor had his thoughts on the matter. But they weren't worse. He hadn't acted on anything.

"Okay," he said after clearing his throat. He ran a tongue over his teeth to wipe off any food debris. "What about? Whats that?" he nodded at the paper. Wasn't gonna touch it, though. Nope. Could be cursed or something.

He tried not to look Aidan straight in the face on account of the fact that his head wasn't exactly in it right now. Ascanius hadn't come here to pick a fight so avoiding looking at him was the best solution. All he wanted was answers and then he'd go. No harm, no foul. The fifth year just had to know if the gossip rag was right.

S'not like he wasn't surprised or anything though, yeah? He had more then his fair share of hunches about this whole situation. It set his teeth on edge just thinking about it, but now that it was in the open he could just ask him. Earlier he had to go through the stupid niceties of insinuation. Yeah, to hell with that now.

Finally looking at him, he set his jaw to not lose his temper and said calmly, "That article...is it true?" And Stone didn't need to play games with him. They both knew exactly what he was talking about, right? Everyone had read that article. And the one on Santa, which was fascinating.

Seriously, though. Could he just answer. He didn't wanna be here any longer then he needed, yeah?

Quote:

Originally Posted by fanficfanatict

He tried not to look Aidan straight in the face on account of the fact that his head wasn't exactly in it right now. Ascanius hadn't come here to pick a fight so avoiding looking at him was the best solution. All he wanted was answers and then he'd go. No harm, no foul. The fifth year just had to know if the gossip rag was right.

S'not like he wasn't surprised or anything though, yeah? He had more then his fair share of hunches about this whole situation. It set his teeth on edge just thinking about it, but now that it was in the open he could just ask him. Earlier he had to go through the stupid niceties of insinuation. Yeah, to hell with that now.

Finally looking at him, he set his jaw to not lose his temper and said calmly, "That article...is it true?" And Stone didn't need to play games with him. They both knew exactly what he was talking about, right? Everyone had read that article. And the one on Santa, which was fascinating.

Seriously, though. Could he just answer. He didn't wanna be here any longer then he needed, yeah?

That article?

...Okay. Aidan's gaze shifted back to the paper he'd moved. It was an article? It....wasn't cursed? No? Okay. He picked it up. "Give me a minute?" he asked Ascanius before turning his attention fully to the article.

It only took a few seconds for his neck to start turning red, then his ears, then his whole face. And he could feel it, too. He knew he was red. So he couldn't lie now, could he? It would be obvious. "Yes," he said, not looking up at the Slytherin. "Well...I don't know about Lottie, but...the rest..." Yes. The rest is true.

He won't admit it to anyone else.

...Was he going to get punched now?

Even though he had a ridiculous hunch that the article's contents were true it didn't mean it was any easier hearing it from the source. It also didn't help that he became a violent red colour at the article. Ascanius didn't even wanna think about what was going on in Stone's head. Some things were better left alone.

Rubbing at his face, he nodded and leaned his elbows on table to relax his shoulders, which were visibly tense. At the mention of Lottie the fifth year just waved him off. Yeah, he wasn't here about Lottie's business. If he wanted to pry and know about that he'd just ask her. S'not that he was the type of friend to do that anyway.

No, he was here for one reason and for something else he didn't know. Well, he had his answer...and he still felt like crap. This was unexpected.

"Yeah?" he repeated aloud to himself, "huh......okay."

Now what? He didn't want to punch him in the face, which was so UN-Essex like. Ascanius just felt cruddy. So he shared, "That doesn't make me feel any better. Knowing that." Worse if possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fanficfanatict

Even though he had a ridiculous hunch that the article's contents were true it didn't mean it was any easier hearing it from the source. It also didn't help that he became a violent red colour at the article. Ascanius didn't even wanna think about what was going on in Stone's head. Some things were better left alone.

Rubbing at his face, he nodded and leaned his elbows on table to relax his shoulders, which were visibly tense. At the mention of Lottie the fifth year just waved him off. Yeah, he wasn't here about Lottie's business. If he wanted to pry and know about that he'd just ask her. S'not that he was the type of friend to do that anyway.

No, he was here for one reason and for something else he didn't know. Well, he had his answer...and he still felt like crap. This was unexpected.

"Yeah?" he repeated aloud to himself, "huh......okay."

Now what? He didn't want to punch him in the face, which was so UN-Essex like. Ascanius just felt cruddy. So he shared, "That doesn't make me feel any better. Knowing that." Worse if possible.

He was waiting for that punch, you know? He'll continue waiting for it. Long after Ascanius leaves, even. Maybe Stark was one of those 'I'll get you when you least expect it' people. But Aidan will be waiting for it. It was sure to come eventually. If he was almost socked for Stark thinking he liked Penelope, it was definitely coming now he knew for sure.

Though, Stark acting the way he was now was just as unsettling. "It...It's not like it changes anything," he said, "You're still with her and...I have nothing on you....Lottie'll be glad to go on about that." So, Ascanius should feel better? Ascanius shouldn't even feel bad. Aidan was less of a threat to his relationship with Penelope than a flobberworm.

Still giggling over his name, Benzi was completely unfazed by Cutty's - s'cuse me, CUTHBERT'S - remarks, and elbowed him in the ribs. "S'all right there mate, one day I'm sure the name'll suit you," cue chuckle.

Hehe.



Benzi didn't appreciate that TONE that she was using and opened him mouth to TELL her so, when he caught her expression. Nahh, this girl looked like she was just barely holding herself together therefore instead of agreeing with her, Benzi just winked. YEAH, HE knew she wanted to laugh. She really didn't need to be all Mummy-like about it. GIGGLE!SNORT.

"Er... There's a car called 'Benzi'? That would be FANTASTIC," Benzi's eyes widened as the possibilities came to him, everything from finding this car to one day buying it and boasting that it was HIS car because IT HAD HIS NAME mwahahaha.

But then the girl continued to go one and Benzi refocused. At least, he TRIED, but she started going on about Benz-something that wasn't his name and he got very confused because she used big words. "Wha's s'all 'at mean?" Benzi slurred his words on purpose - something Mummy absolutely HATED - because he figured if he was looking dumb he might as well go all out. "You still goin' on about the Benzi car?" BENZI CAR. COULD THEY SEE THE ENDLESS AWESOMENESS OF THIS?!!?

"Wha'ss your name then?" because older Ravenclaw kinda cool girl was super long and he couldn't say it to her face.