#01<Arwen> [September 8, 2016: Thursday, Week 1.  It's still the first week of 
classes, and Eliana finds herself in transfiguration with the Gryffindors (or 
Simmie finds herself in transfiguration with the Slytherins - also a way of 
looking at it).  Either way, Slytherins and Gryffindors are in class, which is 
taught by Professor Sykes, the cheerful and outgoing Hufflepuff Head of House.]
#01<Arwen> [After all the students arrived, Sykes went over the bare basics of 
transfiguration with the students and, to let them try it out, has provided each 
student with a piece of straw that they are to turn into a needle.  It's a 
difficult process, and despite attempting to transfigure the straw for a solid 
twenty minutes now, many students haven't managed to do it yet.]
#01<Arwen> [The room itself is large and airy, overlooking the courtyard, with 
Gryffindors on the right upon walking in (and farther from the door) and Slytherins 
on the left (and closer).  Unfortunately, not everyone is concentrating as hard on 
their assignment as they should be, or perhaps they've already managed it...]
#01<Arwen> [Start!]
#06* Eliana is seated front and as close to center as she could get, which means 
next to the Gryffindor side. She's a little twitchy but has been largely successful 
at ignoring them as she keeps flicking her wand at the straw. Nothing happens, 
which only serves to frustrate her, but this doesn't stop her from trying (again 
and again and again).
<Mae> [Fabian and Gideon are sitting next to each other (as always) a few rows back 
from the front of the classroom.  They're obviously starting to get bored with 
their failure to have any effect on their respective straws, trading quips about 
needles, haystacks, and whether it would be possible to make a needlestack...]
#06* Simmie is seated front and center of the class. She's been raising her hand at 
every opportunity, and trying her best not to wave it, though excitement does 
occasionally get the better of her. The last few times she raised her hand, she was 
asking her own questions. It didn't take her long to manage to change the straw 
into a needle... and she's now picked up a few pieces off the floor and 
#06* Simmie is studying them closely to see which one she wants to try it on next.
<Mae> [Fabian picks his straw after another failed attempt.  "Huh.  I think it got 
a little pointier."  Then he grins and flourishes it at his twin.  "Fear my 
strawneedle!"  Gideon waves his own straw threateningly, and they promptly get into 
a mock-swordfight.]
#06* Simmie seems completely unaware that people are having trouble.
<Mae> [Their friend Rommy, in the meantime, is still trying to get his straw to 
change into a needle.  Without even looking up, he mutters, "Cut it out, guys, I'm 
trying to get this."]
#01<Eliana> [Maggie frowns, still trying to get her straw to needle up.  She 
glances at Simmie to see she's already done it.  "Simmie?" she says to her 
roommate, "how did you get it to work?"]
<Mae> [Professor Sykes is wandering the room observing his students' efforts.  
Occasionally he stops to give energetic pointers on such things as wand angle.  
Zoe, meanwhile, leans forward to listen as Simmie explains to Maggie, since she's 
not getting any results yet either.]
#06* Simmie looks at Maggie and blinks. "oh... um... did you get the slight twist 
of the wrist when you flick?"
<Simmie> its kind of like... um... flicking at an angle... sort of...
#01<Eliana> [Maggie makes an attempt, trying to twist and flick at a much more 
severe angle.  "Like this?"]
<Simmie> no no!  not that severe... more gentle... like writing
<Simmie> [James reaches over and flicks Rommy's ear right as he is doing his flick, 
screwing up the entire process.  "Swish and FLICK!" he calls as he does so]
<Mae> [Zoe watches, biting her lip, then twists around in her seat to look at 
James' straw.  It looks greyer than it ought to, and kind of pointy on the ends.]
#06* Eliana screws up her own swish and flick at James' yell, and she turns to 
glare back at the Gryffindor boys.
<Mae> [Rommy yelps.  "James!"]
<Simmie> [James laughs.  "what?  its all in the intonation!" he says, making 
flicking gestures.]
<Mae> [Rommy rolls his eyes.  "Well if you're so great, how come your needle still 
has a hole down the center instead of in one end?"]
<Simmie> [James holds up his pointed grey piece of straw.  "because it's for sewing 
from the center... duh!"]
<Mae> [Fabian chimes in.  "Because that makes it better!"  And Gideon adds, "Yeah, 
stands to reason, bigger hole is better, right?"]
<Simmie> [James laughs.  "heh... big holes... good one!"]
#06* Eliana went back to trying to needlefy her straw, but at James laughing at a 
joke that doesn't even make any sense, she rolls her eyes. "Shut up," she says, 
turning back to the boys. "Some of us are trying to concentrate."
<Mae> [Fabian and Gideon don't actually notice Eliana.  They're too busy goofing 
off.  Rommy blinks in surprise, then looks vaguely affronted, which is somewhat 
hypocritical since he just said substantially the same thing to his friends not 
five minutes ago.]
<Simmie> [James turns and looks at Eliana.  "pfftt... whatever!"]
<Mae> [Zoe glares at Eliana, then turns back to her not-yet-a-needle with a huff of 
mingled indignation and dismissal.]
#06* Eliana just narrows her eyes at James. "Just stop while you're less behind. 
Your joke didn't even make any *sense*." She goes back to her own not-a-needle.
#01<Eliana> [Maggie, meanwhile, hasn't made any progress, though she has been 
trying to change things up as per Simmie's instructions.  It's hard to tell if it's 
helping or not, as the straw is still straw.]
#06* Simmie has been watching Maggie trying to see if she can figure out what the 
problem is.
<Mae> [Professor Sykes is near the back of the room encouraging Portia in another 
attempt, and has not quite noticed all this byplay yet.  The room always gets a bit 
rowdier when students go to independent practice, after all.]
<Simmie> almost!  a little less smashy with the downstroke... like you were writing 
your name...
<Simmie> [James turns to his gang.  "hear that... while i'm less behind.  from 
someone who can't even get the straw to change color, that's rich!"  he holds up 
his own straw.  "boys!  what color is my straw?"]
<Mae> [Gideon and Fabian finally look up and notice that *something's* going on.  
They give James identical looks of confusion, and say in unison, "Grey."]
<Simmie> [James grins.  "thank you, boys.  i rest my case."  He turns back to the 
conversation with the guys.]
#06* Eliana twitches, then looks back. AGAIN. She's going to get whiplash at this 
rate. "Yeah, and you haven't managed a full successful attempt, have you, hence 
your stupid joke about your factory defect needle. So why don't you shut up and go 
back to trying to get it *right* so the rest of us can do it, too."
<Simmie> [James spins back to Eliana.  "it wasn't a joke.  my needle is better than 
yours.  unless you have one stashed in your pocket or something"]
#06* Eliana goes completely still, hand still on her wand, as she processes what 
James just said.
#06* Simmie watches Maggie's next try. "that's it... now then... very carefully... 
say it..."
<Mae> [Gideon and Fabian glare at Eliana, also in unison.  "Tell her, James."]
#01<Eliana> ["Okay," Maggie says, also ignoring the commotion right behind her.  
She swishes and flicks and intones, and her straw turns metal!  But there's no 
hole, and it's not needle shaped.]
<Simmie> yay!  that's it!  Zoe?  you doing okay?
<Simmie> [James looks at his crew and smiles confidently as he turns back to 
Eliana.  "its not really a secret.  Slytherins cheat.  just get it over with so we 
can all move on"]
<Mae> [Professor Sykes looks up from where he was bent over a desk at the back of 
the room, frowning, and starts to head down the center aisle to the source of the 
increasing disruption.]
<Mae> [Zoe is totally occupied with listening as hard as she can to James' and 
Eliana's argument while pretending to ignore it and shooting Eliana occasional 
glares.  She doesn't even notice Simmie's talking to her right at first.]
<Simmie> Zoe?
#06* Eliana 's eyes flash as she tenses, giving James JUST enough time to think he 
got the last word in before she jumps to her feet, her own wand clattering to the 
floor, and rushes him. Her right hand's already pulled back when she gets there, 
and she punches James Potter square in the face. "I DO NOT!" she screams, right 
after it connects.
#06* Eliana knocks Zoe into her own desk in the process, but Eliana really doesn't 
notice that at all.
<Mae> [Zoe topples out of her chair, mouth open in an O of shock, and flails around 
on the floor, trying to get back up so she can see what's going on.  All around the 
room, students are rising from their chairs, staring.]
#01<Eliana> [Maggie starts at the screaming and turns to look at the WHOA WHAT JUST 
HAPPENED.]
#06* Simmie gasps and yelps. "ZOE!"
#01<Eliana> [That makes Maggie switch her attention.  "Zoe!" she cries, an echo of 
Simmie.]
<Simmie> [James manages a muted 'MMMPH!' as Eliana's fist connects!  He wants to 
say more... but OW!  He got punched!  WHO DOES THAT?!]
#06* Eliana stands over James, fists clenched and furious.
<Mae> [James' friends are just as much in shock as everyone else, but they recover 
rather faster, yelling.  Unfortunately none of them can really *get* to Eliana 
quickly, as Gideon and Fabian are behind desks and Rommy's behind James.  That 
looks like it'll be changing fast, though, as the Weasley twins are starting up 
out of their chairs.  Rommy drops to try to help James up.]
#06* Simmie jumps up and rushes to Zoe's side to help her up, looking at Eliana and 
James as she tries to make sense of what just happened.
<Simmie> [James looks up at Eliana, his hand quickly moving to his nose to check it 
out.  he grabs for his wand.  "right!  that's it!" he roars, though somewhat 
nasally as blood gushes from his nose]
<Simmie> [James does, however, seem to be having trouble finding it on the top of 
his desk... but the fumbling about does knock a few things over, and he pricks his 
hand on the rather pointy grey piece of straw, which only makes him even more 
furious]
<Mae> [Portia's gaping from near the back of the room, eyes round as saucers.  She 
doesn't even look aside at Giulia to see what she thinks of all this - she's just 
trying to crane her neck around other students to see.]
#01<Eliana> [Gwen's stood up, trying to see, but from her position it's basically 
impossible.]
<Simmie> [Giulia stands slowly, trying to make sure that she can see the 
conflagration, but not in such a manner as to appear taken by such base 
amusement.]
<Mae> [Even Professor Sykes is in shock, stopping dead in the aisle for a 
heartbeat.]
#06* Eliana lets out a snarling growl of a noise and jumps at James again, knocking 
his wand away the moment he manages to find it. She drops him right back to the 
floor (with her on top) and claws and punches at his face, as *clearly* he has 
fight left in him.
<Simmie> [James continues to fumble about, completely enraged.  Blood is pouring 
from his nose, staining his robes and making his Gryffindor tie not only redder but 
also wetter.  "you..." his comment is quickly cut short by another "MUMPH!" as 
Eliana lands on top of him]
#01<Eliana> Take it back!
#06* Simmie screams... because yeah, there's blood and she sees it now.
<Mae> [Rommy yells again and nearly falls over backwards, since he was right behind 
James.  Gideon, who was closer to the aisle, is coming around his desk, and Fabian 
actually looks ready to go *over* his when Professor Sykes bellows, "ENOUGH!"  His 
voice almost isn't recognizable, it's so different from his earlier cheeriness.  
"EVERYONE BACK IN YOUR SEATS!"  And wonder of wonders, most of the class not 
involved in the melee obeys.]
#01<Eliana> [Maggie's frozen with both hands over her mouth, her eyes huge.  She 
looks at Sykes but uh... it takes her a while to sit back down.]
#06* Simmie blinks. She looks from James and Eliana and then to Sykes a few times 
before looking at Maggie and Zoe, still completely stunned.
#06* Eliana hears the professor, but she punches James one more time for good 
measure before standing up and turning her glare on Sykes. She's in complete 
disarray, and some of the blood from James ended up on her robes. It's certainly on 
her hands.
<Simmie> [James is somewhere between fuming and about to cry.  He struggles to get 
away from Eliana and climb up his desk to his feet]
<Mae> [Professor Sykes is scowling ferociously as he walks up to the culprits.  He 
leans over to James and hauls him to his feet, looking him over.  Then to Eliana.  
"Both of you, in the hall, now.  And ten points from both your houses.  The rest of 
you, back to practicing, and I better not hear so much as a peep out of this 
room that isn't what you're supposed to be practicing."]
#06* Simmie manages to help Zoe back into her desk. her gaze still fixated on 
Eliana and James.
<Mae> [Zoe is likewise still fixated on Eliana and James, which makes getting up a 
little more difficult.]
#06* Eliana nods and wipes her hands on her robes as she goes to pick up her wand. 
She walks out, turning her glare to Potter's friends as she does so, and seemingly 
unaware or at least unaffected by the fact that everyone is staring at her.
<Mae> [Gideon and Fabian flinch back and then try to pretend they didn't.  Rommy, 
perhaps fortunately, was looking at James just then, and so missed the glare.]
#06* Eliana smirks at the double-flinch, and then she's out the door, closing it 
quite firmly behind her. She waits in the hall for Sykes to drag out Potter, arms 
folded.
<Simmie> [Giulia sits back down, her eyes, still transfixed by the combatants.  
She turns to Portia and then to Gwen, each in turn as if giving them permission to 
sit down again.]
#01<Eliana> [Gwen was already seated, and she looks at Giulia and Portia.  She 
*clearly* wants to start talking about this, but not until Sykes is out of the room 
thank you very much.]
<Simmie> [Giulia frowns at Gwen.]
<Simmie> [James slowly follows Sykes out of the room, his head down trying not to 
look any anyone.  to the very observant, tears have begun to flow down his cheeks, 
but he stiffles a few sobs.]
<Mae> [Portia had just started to look back to Giulia for a reaction, having been 
too transfixed herself to do so before.  She catches the look and quickly sits back 
down, but she cranes her neck back around to look at the closed door for a moment.]
#06* Eliana is in the hall, arms folded and leaning against the wall. She looks 
over at Professor Sykes and James Potter as they leave the classroom.
<Mae> [Professor Sykes folds his arms and looks from one combatant to the other 
once the door is firmly shut behind them all.  "James, take yourself to the 
infirmary.  I'll be along to talk to you shortly."]
#06* James wipes his nose on his sleeve, nodding. "okay Professor. but she jumped 
me! that's like expulsion!"
<Mae> [Professor Sykes gives James a stern look.  "You don't get to decide other 
people's punishments, James.  Now.  Go to the infirmary."]
#06* James nods and scowls. "yes, Professor." he shoots a glare at Eliana and then 
turns and walks down the hall towards the infirmary.
#06* Eliana glares back; she's better at it. And then she turns the glare to 
Professor Sykes, who is probably largely unaffected.
<Mae> [Professor Sykes turns to Eliana, still frowning.  His expression doesn't 
change at the glare; it's pretty much expected.  "Well?  What happened?"]
#06* Eliana says, her voice somewhat clipped, "They were being disruptive, and I 
told them to stop. So *he* pointed out that he almost had his straw changed, but it 
wasn't right and I pointed that out, and then he called me a cheater."
#01<Eliana> Actually, he called all Slytherins cheaters, but he meant me.  So I got 
mad.
<Mae> ["So you punched him," the professor says levelly.]
#01<Eliana> Yeah.
#06* Eliana falls silent briefly, and she loses some of the glare. "I was really 
angry. I *never* cheat."
#01<Eliana> Just because I couldn't turn straw into a needle yet...
<Mae> [Professor Sykes' frown grows marginally shallower in response.  "I see.  
Punching someone - especially more than once - is *not* an appropriate reaction to 
being called a cheater, though.  You'll be serving double detentions with me this 
weekend.  For now, go clean yourself up."]
#06* Eliana says with a tone of someone who's heard it all before, "I know. Do you 
want me to go back to class after?"
<Mae> [Sykes shakes his head.  "No.  I'll see you next week."]
#06* Eliana nods. "And you'll let me know where to go for detention?"
<Mae> ["Come here at 9 am Saturday morning.  I'll meet you here."]
#01<Eliana> Okay.
#06* Eliana hesitates briefly before asking, "It's not going to involve saying I'm 
sorry for punching him, is it?"
<Mae> [Sykes frowns some more.  He studies Eliana for a moment before answering, "I 
haven't decided what you'll be doing yet."]
#06* Eliana nods. "Okay. Can we just... not do that. I'm not going to do it. But 
um- I am sorry for messing up class." And then she leaves, hurrying away from him 
and for the closest bathroom she's sure exists.
<Mae> [Professor Sykes frowns after her for a moment, brows drawing down in 
confusion.  Then he wheels around and opens the door to his classroom again, 
causing an abrupt silence as the whispering that sprung up in his absence dies 
instantly and students bend over their desks again.]
<Mae> [Fabian and Gideon are frowning at their straws sullenly.  Rommy looks more 
anxious, and casts occasional glances back at the door, though he twitches and 
faces forward again when the professor walks through it right when he's doing 
that.]
#01<Eliana> [Maggie turns forward from talking to Zoe and just now actually 
realizes she half-transformed her straw into a needle.  She fights the urge to let 
out a little gasp of delight.]
#06* Simmie stops talking to Zoe as the door opens and turns back to the front of 
the class. she starts trying to organize the things on her desk including the two 
needles she's created.
<Mae> [Class continues in a rather subdued fashion until it's time for dismissal.  
The professor rises from where he was sitting behind his desk and says quietly, 
"All right, everyone, put away your wands and pack up.  Read through the end of 
Chapter One in your books for next class, please.  Rommy, will you please pack up 
James' things and bring them to him?  And..."  He scans the room looking for a 
Slytherin girl and his eye lights on Giulia near the back.  "Giulia, will you do 
the same for Eliana?"]
<Mae> [Rommy nods, keeping his eyes down.  "Yes, Professor Sykes."]
<Simmie> [Giulia looks at Professor Sykes, nods and smiles brightly.  "Yes, 
Professor."  When he stops looking, she turns to Gwen and raises an eyebrow as she 
waves dismissively towards Eliana's books, assigning that duty to her.]
#06* Gwen blinks, confused. "What?"
<Mae> [This exchange is lost in the general shuffle of chairs being pushed back and 
parchment being rolled up.]
<Simmie> [Giulia frowns.  "Fine!" she says in a huff.]
#01<Gwen> What?
#06* Gwen stands as Giulia does. "Giulia, are you okay?"
<Simmie> [Giulia collects her things, still scowling.  "what do you think?"]
#06* Gwen just stands there, sort of lost. "... No?" she ventures.
<Mae> [Portia watches, similarly confused, but doesn't want to say anything to make 
Giulia mad at *her*.]
<Simmie> [Giulia stops picking her things up, looks at Gwen and takes a deep 
breath.  Her mannerisms change.  "our *roommate* just clawed someone's eyes out and 
now i have to take her stuff back.  you know what she's like.  i'm going to get 
attacked.  i was hoping i didn't have to do it by myself, but whatever... promise 
you will bring me my stuff in the infirmary.  and my pillow.  i doubt the ones 
there are as soft"]
#06* Gwen blinks, then says in a feeble attempt to help Giulia feel better, "I... 
um, I- I'm sure she's not *that* bad. Most of the time. She didn't seem so bad 
before, just kind of... stand offish."
<Simmie> [Giulia, starts looking visibly upset.  "you know how mad she got at me 
the other night... she's probably just looking for an excuse to get me now, anyway.  
and i..." she puts the back of her hand to her mouth, muffling whatever else she 
was saying with a pre-crying gasp]
#06* Gwen bites her lip, and she looks at Portia.
<Mae> [Portia lip-bites too, and leans forward to pat Giulia on the back, a little 
awkwardly.  "It'll be okay, Giulia.  We'll both go with you, right?"  She looks to 
Gwen.]
<Simmie> [Giulia tries to recover.  "its okay... but please promise you will visit 
me when you can."  She picks up her stuff and walks to Eliana's desk.]
#06* Gwen watches Giulia move, clearly torn, then says, "I can take them."
#01<Gwen> I mean... she wasn't mad at *me*, right?  It should be okay.
<Simmie> [Giulia stops and turns her head back to look at Gwen.  "no... i can't ask 
you to put yourself at such risk.  you have such pretty eyes, too.  like mine"]
#06* Gwen blushes a little. "No, really, it's okay." She goes to pick up Eliana's 
things for her.
<Simmie> [Giulia smiles warmly.  "really?  you're sooo sweet... i'm sure she won't 
hurt you either."]
#06* Gwen nods, shoving Eliana's possessions into her backpack. "Yeah, it's fine. 
I'll see you guys later?"
<Simmie> [Giulia nods.  "of course!  we'll save you a seat!"]
#06* Gwen smiles, brightening. "Thanks!" She hefts Eliana's stuff - and her own - 
and heads out for the dungeons. If she hurries, maybe she can drop her stuff off 
while Eliana isn't there.
#01<Gwen> [End!]