01 [September 15, 2016: Thursday, Week 2.] 01 [Simmie has had a busy day, but much of it involved making new friends! She met Luke at breakfast and later in history class, and she (re-)met Eliana at the end of transfiguration. And then, instead of abandoning her or (in Eliana's case) being overly mean to her, they explored the grounds after class! They didn't find any magical creatures, though there was a Whomping Willow that they had to steer very clear of.] 01 [After that was dinner, in which they *all* ate at the Hufflepuff table, including Mark, and Simmie got to hang out with Luke's roommates again, though Zan and Eliana spent most of it arguing about whether quidditch is dumb or fun. When Mark asked why they couldn't be both, he started a whole new pile of arguments. Matthew was there, too, though he seemed to be keeping his distance for some reason.] 01 [After that, Simmie didn't really want to go back to her common room. Eliana agreed with the sentiment, so Luke stuck with them and they all worked on homework for a while. Eliana and Luke are both very smart, but Simmie could still help them with their charms homework a bit. So coming into curfew, she's feeling pretty good! Easily the best she's felt since the fight in Transfiguration last week.] 01 [Let's see if it continues. She's stepping into the Gryffindor common room now, which is filled with activity even this late at night.] 01 [Start!] [Fabian and Gideon are sitting off to one side of the room, bent over last-minute Potions homework for tomorrow. Rommy's rolling his eyes at them, but helping anyway.] 06* Simmie is the last of the Gryffindors (at least the first years) to return to the Common Room that night. she's in much better spirits, and she hasn't cried in hours! as she enters, she looks around the room to see if she sees her roommates [Maggie and Zoe are nearby - when Zoe picks the spot she *always* winds up just a little ways away from the group that includes James Potter - but a bit closer to the door. She has her back to it, though, so she doesn't see Simmie enter.] [James has stopped studying and is currently preoccupied by his impression of Professor Slughorn and is lecturing Fabian and Gideon on the proper way to use a pestle] 01 [Most other first years present are clustered closer to James and Co. Students from other years are scattered around the common room as well, although not quite so many as curfew is lessened for later years. Mark is there! He's ribbing a friend of his good naturedly over a game of Exploding Snap.] 01 [Speaking of, another snap goes off, and Maggie starts from her conversation with Zoe. She looks up in the process, and her eyes widen upon seeing who just entered the room.] 01 Simmie! Where've you been? 06* Simmie looks at Maggie and blinks, a bit surprised by the sudden recognition after what seems like ages of being invisible [Zoe looks up at Maggie, startled, and then over her shoulder at Simmie. She huffs disapprovingly. "Probably with that crazy Slytherin girl."] she's not crazy 06* Maggie looks at Zoe, briefly confused, and then Simmie says that and she looks back at her. "She's... not?" 06* Simmie frowns at Zoe. "she's actually quite reasonable. you might actually like her if you..." [Zoe stares at Simmie, drawn into answering despite herself. "Of *course* she is, she attacked James in front of everyone! You saw it!"] she was provoked! James called her a cheater! [Zoe HMPHs loudly and turns away from Simmie. "I don't think I would. But if YOU like her so much, then you should go hang out with HER."] [James stops what he was doing at the mention of his name and looks up] 01 [At James stopping what he was doing, the rest of the first years look over to see what's going on, as well as some of the older students.] [James' friends don't know what caught his attention at first, so they're craning their heads around to try to figure out what's happening.] 06* Simmie glares at Zoe, even though she doesn't remember ever glaring at anyone or anything prior to her time with Eliana. "Maybe I already did!" she yells back at Zoe. [Zoe gapes at Simmie in shock. She didn't actually expect to hear that, and she just stares with no idea how to respond.] 06* Maggie also stares in shock, recoiling a bit. Simmie glaring is scary! [James is watching the exchange closely, and is surprisingly silent, which only furthers the confusion of those around him no doubt] [It does! At least, Gideon and Fabian are certainly confused. Rommy is too, but it's something of a different flavor of confused - more thoughtful than expectant.] 06* Simmie glances around, realizing now that all of the first years, and even most of the room has stopped and is looking at her. she also notices that her fists are all balled up and that tears are again starting to well up. [Zoe opens and shuts her mouth a couple times before she manages to say anything. "*Simmie*! Why would you *do* that? She's awful and scary and - "] [James gets up and walks over. "and she's clearly rubbed off on you," he says to Simmie, pointing at her fists. "you going to hit one of us now, too?"] 06* Zoe seems almost as astonished at this as she does at Simmie hanging out with Eliana, and she turns to stare at James now. 06* Simmie stops and blinks. instinctively, her hands unclench. "no! i... i..." she sputters. [James grins. "whatever. you're clearly a sympathizer... not one of us"] 06* Maggie , for her part, is doing her very best to shrink into the background. 06* Zoe 's mouth is open in an "O". Surprised speechless twice in under a minute. 06* Simmie feels the first tear run down her cheek. "NO!" she cries. "No, I'm not!" the waterworks are on... "i'm... i'm not." 01 Simmie... you... you didn't mean that, right? About the, um. About her? [James walks around Simmie, looking her up and down. "yeah... that's it! you are totally one of them. the Sorting Hat was wrong. first time ever. but it was bound to happen eventually..."] 06* Simmie looks at Maggie, briefly. pleadingly. and then at Zoe. and at James. and then to Mark in the back of the room. 06* Zoe looks back at Simmie, clearly conflicted and uncertain. 01 [Mark is there, yes. And the snapping's certainly stopped. He's got an uncharacteristic frown on his face.] [Rommy's watching James with an expression not unlike Zoe's.] 06* Simmie shakes her head, trying to deny the tears or the crying or the fact that Mark is looking at her disapprovingly or the fact that she's even there at all. she looks back to Mark one last time, says softly "i'm sorry" to him, and then runs towards the girls' dormitory and the sanctuary of her room 06* Zoe looks after Simmie, mouth still open in that little "O" of shock, though it's beginning to collapse into an expression of mixed worry and guilt. 06* Maggie just blinks at where Simmie once was. She looks at Zoe for... well, any sort of cue. [Fabian and Gideon watch on, looking satisfied with James' victory. Rommy, on the other hand, looks back down at the Potions homework scattered across the table with an unhappy frown.] [James watches Simmie go and then turns back to his crew and smugly walks back to his chair] 01 [James turns to head back to the other boys, but finds instead a gangly fourth-year boy with reddish-brown hair and a serious expression. His arms are folded, and even though he clearly hasn't finished growing yet, he's already much taller than James Potter.] 06* James looks up at the fourth year. "sorry about that. but i think i sorted it all out. she won't make us look bad anymore." he sticks his hand out. "I'm James Potter, though you probably know that already" 06* Zoe turns to watch as James walks back to his friends, and her eyes widen at this new confrontation. 06* Mark looks down at the hand and pointedly doesn't shake it. "Yeah, I saw your sorting. Still don't know what you're doing in my house, though." [Rommy looks back up, surprised and a little worried as Mark intervenes. He can only see about half of James around the fourth-year's back, but he still winces at James' words. Not that anyone notices, focused as they mostly are on James.] [Gideon and Fabian splutter on the other side of Rommy when some guy insults James, and Rommy grabs them, wide-eyed and shaking his head, as they start to get up.] 06* James opens and closes his hand like he wasn't really trying to shake hands. "beg pardon?" he asks, because clearly what he heard wasn't what was the fourth year actually said. 06* Mark turns his head at the noise to see the other boys, then steps aside and turns a bit so he can see them all. His attention goes back to James, though. "You said that maybe the sorting hat was wrong about her. I think maybe it was wrong about *you*." 01 [If the room was quiet before, it's nearly silent now. Nearly all eyes are trained on Mark, James, and the other boys, with only vague murmurs of conversation.] wait what? didn't you hear me? i'm James Potter. James. Freaking. Potter. 06* Zoe 's eyes have somehow managed to get even wider. How many crazy things can even happen in one night, anyway? 01 I don't care who you are. *What* you are is a bully. This isn't a house for bullies - this is a house that stands up to bullying. I'd guess you belong in Slytherin, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't let you in anyway. 06* Mark looks at the other boys. "And what you about you? You think he's right? She was making you guys look bad, so she deserved what she got?" 06* James opens his mouth to say something, then closes it, blinking, then opening his mouth again. [Rommy freezes as attention suddenly turns to him. He looks like a deer in headlights, if he even knows what that means. Fabian and Gideon, on the other hand, are totally ready to back up James - one or the other of them, or maybe both, had already yelled when Mark said James should be in Slytherin. And since Rommy's grip on them has suddenly loosened, they can both get up. "Hey! You can't talk to James like that!" "She probably *did* deserve it if she's hanging out with that crazy Slytherin girl!"] 01 Yeah? You *really* think that someone deserves to be picked on or ignored because of who they decide to hang out with? Or because they were brave enough to say or do what they think is right? [The Weasleys are actually taken aback by this line of reasoning. Rommy just puts his head in his hands.] 01 [Off in the sidelines, Maggie's wrapped her arms around herself. She watches while worrying her lip.] 06* James stammers. "b-but Slytherin?!" is all he can manage 06* Mark glares at James. Everyone is glaring at James today. "That girl didn't decide what house she was sorted into! None of us did! What's *important* is you and everyone else in this house have the qualities that Gryffindor prized! And you might've missed it, but THOSE THINGS are chivalry and bravery and being REALLY AWESOME. NOT CHASING OUR HOUSEMATES AWAY BECAUSE THEY WERE BRAVER THAN YOU ARE." 01 [Mark is understandably distracted what with all of his yelling, but while he does so, someone else enters the common room: Alexis Prewett, in her dark-haired, kind of pudgy, seventh-year glory. Oh, and she's also the head girl. There's that, too.] 01 [She's stopped immediately after stepping in, though. It's not every day you see a fourth year yelling at a first year. Or Mark MacRae yelling at James Potter. Or both.] [Fabian and Gideon stare at Mark. They just can't comprehend this. Their gazes still have the same blank look as they swing around to the only movement in the room as the entrance opens.] 06* James stares blankly at Mark. 06* Zoe also looks over at the head girl entering. She's still shell- shocked and she waits to see what's going to happen *next*. [Rommy picks his head up out of his hands. He's wearing a desperately guilty expression, and his eyes jerk from Mark to Alexis and back again.] 01 [What happens next is this: "Mark?!" Alexis asks, once she picks her jaw up off the floor. The student in question turns and his angry expression disappears into smiles. "Head Girl Alexis Prewett!" he says, cheerfully. "What's up?" The older students in the common room immediately switch to conspicuous chatter.] 06* James glances at Alexis and then back at Mark, realizing that the fourth-year's attention has shifted. seeing this as a time to make an exit, he turns to walk away 01 ["I should ask you that question," Alexis replies. She is very not all smiles. "Why were you yelling at a bunch of first years?"] [Rommy's face pops into a perfect "Oh shit" expression as he hears who the new girl is. Fabian and Gideon's aren't far behind.] 06* Mark grabs James by the arm without even looking, and man, his hands are bigger than expected. And his grip is stronger than expected, too. "Oh, that!" Mark says, cheerfully, "Well!" 01 *This* guy- 06* Mark hauls James up to the front. 01 He and a bunch of other first years have been giving one of their classmates the silent treatment when she's lucky and putting her down when she's not. And then when she went and made friends outside of Gryffindor, they gave her an even harder time. 01 None of the prefects were around, so I decided to explain to them why it's not cool. 01 [Alexis blinks, trying to work through what Mark is saying. "Uh huh." She looks down at James. Everyone's looking down at him today, too. "Is that true?"] 06* James twists uncomfortably under Mark's grasp, and even more under the judging eye of the Head Girl. [Even the Terrible Two aren't saying anything right now. They and Rommy are stock-still, hoping not to catch Alexis' attention.] 06* Zoe is also trying to stay out of the blast zone, shrinking down in her seat. Given that the head girl is practically RIGHT NEXT TO HER, this is a bit hard. Fortunately, Alexis doesn't seem to be paying any attention to her. 06* James can't bring himself to look Alexis in the eye, and the indignation quickly subsides into spoiled child whining. "it wasn't just me!" he protests 01 [Alexis frowns, and she looks past Mark and James to frown at the other boys for a bit.] 06* Mark continues: "Sorry if you think that was out of line." He doesn't sound sorry at all. "I just figured it was my duty as an older student to set a good example." That's obviously not it, or not all of it. [Rommy flinches and looks down at his toes. The Weasleys flinch and look away, but then they look back to James.] 01 [Alexis looks back at James briefly, then turns her attention to the first year girls present.] 06* James looks to the other first years, hoping someone else would jump up to help out, but seeing none, hangs his head. 06* Zoe shrinks back in her seat, looking up at Alexis with big eyes. She looks near tears. 01 [Maggie makes a tiny sound and curls in on herself some more. Alexis frowns a bit, then focuses on Mark again. "Make sure they don't go anywhere. Is the girl in question still in the tower?"] 01 Yup! Her name's Simmie. I think she went to her room. 01 [Alexis nods. "I'll be back soon," she says to James in specific and the first years in general before she heads for the girls' dorms.] [Meanwhile, Simmie did indeed go to her room. directly. she didn't even bother to turn on any of the lamps or light any candles. instead, she is laying there in the dark, curled up tightly, a death grip on Mr. Bear and her face buried in her pillow. Her cat is laying next to her, purring comfortingly (though it doesn't seem to help) and keeping watch – probably the only sound, besides uncontrollable sobbing, that can be heard in the room] 06* Alexis stops outside of the door and listens for a bit. This must be her room. She knocks on the door. "Simmie?" 06* Simmie doesn't answer. she's not ready to deal with someone else coming to add to her misery right now. 06* Simmie just sobs. 06* Alexis frowns, then tries the doorknob. 06* Simmie clutches the pillow even tighter, wishing she knew how to bar the door magically, or at least lock it. though it is a bit late for that, really... the door is already opening 06* Alexis opens the door and steps in, closing it behind her and shutting the room in darkness. That's okay, though, because her wand is in her hand and with a wordless Lumos there's enough light for her to see the sobbing girl on the bed. "Simmie?" she asks again. 06* Simmie doesn't move. "i'm sorry," she sobs into her pillow. "what more do you want me to say?" (or at least that's what she intends to say... between more sobs and the muffled words that can escape the pillow's dampening comfort) 06* Alexis shakes her head. She walks over to the lantern closest to Simmie's bed and taps it on with her wand, then extinguishes her lighting charm and sits next to her. [Simmie's cat, however, gets up and jumps down to take a look at the visitor. Once convinced that Alexis isn't much of a threat, she rubs against Alexis's leg a few times as if giving permission] 06* Alexis bends over and picks up Simmie's cat, putting it on her lap. "You're a large thing," she says to her as she scritches her behind the ears. [Lady Alice purrs in agreement] 06* Alexis just pets the cat and lets Simmie cry herself to the point where she can see who's actually sitting next to her. 06* Simmie lifts her head briefly to look at who is sitting on her bed. her hair is a mess and has fallen over her puffy, red eyes. seeing Alexis she hastily tries to brush the hair out of her eyes and wipe her tearstained cheeks. she even tries to stifle the sobs, but it’s hard. and she's also a bit worried about what is going to happen next. 06* Alexis smiles at Simmie. "Rough day?" 06* Simmie nods silently, again trying to wipe her face and move hair away from her eyes. 06* Alexis jabs her wand at a nearby dresser. "Accio kerchiefs," she says, and the kerchiefs lying there fly over and into her free hand. She hands them to Simmie. 06* Simmie takes them gingerly, still holding the pillow and Mr. Bear and completely unsure what to say. 06* Simmie finally manages a very squeaky, "thank you" 06* Alexis tucks her wand away. "You're welcome. So, why're you up here by yourself?" 06* Simmie starts a few times to speak, but has trouble, at least at first. finally she takes a deep breath and says softly, "because it is after curfew and i can't leave the tower" 06* Simmie blots her eyes and then adds "nobody wants me here" 01 Why do you think that? because they told me 06* Simmie is clearly trying to hold it together so she can answer as she says that last bit 01 Your classmates? Which ones? 06* Simmie sits up, letting go of the pillow (but not Mr. Bear). "James," she says softly. 01 James Potter? I walked in on Mark MacRae talking to him. 06* Simmie starts to tear up again. "Mark is upset with me too" i let him down 06* Simmie looks away. 06* Alexis looks at Simmie like she's crazy. "Are you kidding?" she asks, disbelief clear in her voice. "He was giving those first years the lecture of their lives." 06* Simmie turns back and blinks. "really?" she squeaks. 06* Alexis hehs softly, looking away towards the door. "Yeah. I didn't think he had it in him. Shows me, I guess." She looks back at Simmie. "So what happened that led up to this? I heard that there was a fight involving James Potter, but your name wasn't mentioned." James said Eliana cheated, but she didn't. 06* Alexis nods, letting Simmie go on. so then in Astronomy, James, Gideon, Fabian and Rommy were having problems with their star charts and Eliana said that they had their charts upside down and they did. they said she didn't know what she was talking about, but she did and so i told them that she was right and then... and then... 01 They were mean to you? 06* Simmie begins to cry again. "they left me all alone!" she wails. "for days!" 06* Alexis doesn't mention that she thinks there's more to this, as it's *extremely odd* for someone who dislikes someone else as much as Eliana and James apparently do to genuinely help the other. 06* Simmie buries her head in her pillow again and falls back onto the bed 06* Alexis instead says, "They ignored you." 06* Simmie nods and sobs 06* Alexis reaches over, but her hand hovers in the air. She's not really sure what to do on that front. 01 You were very brave, standing up for her like that. It's a good thing, but it's hard sometimes. 06* Simmie looks up, her hair again having fallen back in front of her eyes 06* Alexis lowers her hand to the cat on her lap, rubbing it on the head. "That's one of the harder parts about being in this house. Sometimes doing the right thing doesn't make you popular, because other people are short-sighted." 01 But *I'm* proud of you, and I know Mark is, too. And I think that eventually, some of your other classmates will come around. really? 06* Simmie bites her lip. "you are proud of me?" 06* Alexis smiles. "Sure. Mark wouldn't stick up for someone he doesn't believe in. And between you and me, he's a total doof, but he's also a pretty good judge of character." 06* Simmie nods. 01 So here's what's going to happen. We're going to sit here and talk for a while until you cheer up or want me to leave. We could play with your purr monster of a cat, talk about stuff, work on magic, whatever you want. 01 After that, I'll go talk to the other first years and see if I can get this sorted out. And then if any of them give you trouble later, you come to me, okay? 06* Alexis doesn't mention that during this whole time they'll stew in their guilt. 06* Simmie sits up again and wipes her eyes. she sets Mr. Bear next to her. "i am already done with my assignments," she says softly. "and i don't think i'm supposed to work ahead" 06* Alexis blinks. "Says who? Work ahead all you want." really? 01 Yeah, really. As long as you do what you have to do for your classes and don't break any rules, there's nothing wrong with it. 06* Simmie nods. "oh. okay," she says. "but what if you finish before the class is over?" 01 In class you're supposed to focus on that class. But this is free time. Did you really finish all of your homework? 06* Simmie nods and points to her desk where the needle and the assignment from today are sitting. 06* Alexis gives it a cursory glance. Good enough. "Okay." Pause, then she grins. "Want to learn some simple charms?" okay! 06* Alexis and pushes Lady Alice gently from her lap so she can get to her wand again. "Okay. So this is the charm I used to light up my wand when I came in here..." 01 [End!]