You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here

[Charlotte DeLongpré]

Tags; Open

It was always a challenge, forcing her feet to conform to the structure that was required of a heel. Most of all, after a long day that she had spent standing on her feet. Today, she had enjoyed the luxury of her supple brown leather riding boots. A pair that had been broken in many years ago, and over said years had conformed itself perfectly to the arches of her foot. It was one thing that she enjoyed about her job, she was able to wear clothing that was comfortable, and not have to worry about being fashionable since there was nobody to see her. Sadly for her, the attire that she donned during her working hours wasn't acceptable attire for a lady whenever she left the safety of the vault floor. She assumed that she was one of the very few lucky witches who were allowed to come beneath the floor of Gringotts without a key, the fact that she was allowed to go about and attend to all of the Dragons and other beasts that were housed below the great Marble building was a perk. Changing her clothing multiple times a day was just a price that she was going to have to pay. She adored her job, it gave her the freedom over her own life that she so desperately craved. The money wasn't anything to turn her nose up at either. She got to work alone, and in the quiet. She didn't bother anybody, and nobody bothered her, just the way that it should be. Today had been very challenging, one of the Dragons had laid an egg a fortnight ago, and it was almost ready to hatch. Charlie knew that by tomorrow afternoon it would be ready to come out of the fire and back to it's mother for hatching and it's first meal. She had been stoking the fire day in and day out since it had been laid. Personally, she thought that it just should have stayed with it's mother and saved her all of the trouble, but the Goblins didn't want to risk anything happening to it, so she had been saddled with the responsibility. She was going to be overjoyed whenever it was all over. Just like today, whenever the beeping on her watch had gone off, signaling that it was quitting time, she had skipped the entire way back to the water closet that they called her break room. She shouldn't have expected anything glamorous, but being a witch, she had expected something a little nicer than a tiny space with nothing more than a toilet, bench and a cubby for her things.

It was nice to get out of her sweaty work attire though. Bending her leg up to the side of her body, she fastened the strap of her sturdy heels around her foot and looped the little button on the other side through the material. Reaching into her cubby, she extracted her modest dress and wrapped it around her torso, tying the waist band on the right side of her body and letting her nimble fingers fasten the buttons quickly. Once she was covered, she wiggled out of the tights that she had been wearing as pants and folded them neatly. An elf would be sure to come visit her cubby and launder her outfit and polish her boots for her, so that they would be good as new for tomorrows use. Smoothing her dress down her body she pulled on her petticoat and tucked her clutch under her arm. The tram that would take her to the surface was sure to be here at any second. The tiny watch on her wrist informed her of the hour, and sure enough it was time to close up shop and go home. Her dogs would be awaiting her arrival so that they could all go down to the park for the remaining hours until dark fell. Sure, it was very cold outside but Charlie felt confident in the fact that she was going to be able to curl up under an inviting tree with a blanket and a good book. She would be warm enough, and if her dogs got too tired or cold running around they would be more than welcome to join her under the blanket. The sound of air rushing through a small space alerted her that it was time to go. Double checking that she had all of her things she moved forward, ready to board the tram as soon as it stopped, the goblins got awfully angry whenever they were forced to wait for anything. Normally they were kind to her, since they were the ones who employed her, she did her work and was almost always on time. She didn't stay and talk, she didn't make waves, she worked, for her money and then went home. But that didn't always stay their temper.

Sure enough, the small tram rounded the bend and paused just long enough for her to hop on and sit down. It took off with such a speed that she was momentarily afraid she would lose the hat that was keeping her curls down and in place. It had been snowing this morning whenever she had walked to work, and the snow and her hair didn’t mix. She turned into a frizzy mess in a matter of moments, which was why she needed the hat. She held onto it with her free hand as the air started to get thicker closer to the surface, she could hear the sounds of scales and statements being stamped in the main lobby. Her tram passed another heading into the vaults as she was heading out for the day. “Thank you, Nuttrix” she stated to the male goblin who had gone down to get her. Some days, whenever they were frustrated, they would leave her stranded down there for hours. With a deep breath, she moved forward, delighting in the clicking sound that came with her every step as they hit the polished marble on the floor. She had enough coin in her clutch to not need to ask for anything from her vault today, and instead started toward the door. She had her mind set on a course of action for the night. She would stop by the store and pick up a light dinner for her and the pooches, head on home and get them on their leashes. It would only be a very small walk to the park, so after she had packed the lunch and a good blanket or two in a basket, she could be on her way. She just had to get home first.

Words:1118
OOC: Just something short to start. And Ideas are welcome.

[Sidney Bulldrocks]

You and me, you know that we,
were always funny in a car crash sort of way.

• It was closing time, and Gringotts was still buzzing with life. Groups of goblins shuffled about its white marble interior, accompanying wizards and witches to their vaults hidden deep beneath the surface. There was a panicked rush to them. Rumors were spreading about the impending war, putting their minds on edge. They wanted nothing more than to protect their riches. And where better to put priceless jewels than a hundred feet underneath solid marble?

The roaring sound of a cart coming to a shrieking stop was enough to draw Sidney’s eyes upward to the passenger within. He fought back a smile upon seeing Charlotte sitting there next to goblin, who was holding a lantern in one of his hands. “It looks like you finally got yourself a boyfriend; though I dare say, you could’ve chosen a better looking one.” This made the goblin hop up in his seat and take a swing at him with the lit lantern. “Watch it there big guy, you may hurt yourself. We wouldn’t want that.”

Although Sidney would hate to admit it, he was happy to see a familiar face. Once the cauldron boiled over (that’s a term, right), he wouldn’t be able to see people regularly. His words were harsh, but he meant them to be taken with a grain of salt. “Oh, run along, you know I didn’t mean to hurt your itty-wittle feelings.” He mocked the goblin, pouting his lip to make it look like he was going to cry. The goblin, not wanting to take any more of this verbal abuse, hopped over the side of the cart, walked up to Mr. Bulldrocks and kicked him.

It took all the strength he could muster not to laugh. “Ouch that really hurt,” he said sarcastically; the goblin didn’t waste any more time and moved off in another direction, ignoring the man all together. “So, Charlotte, are you out putting the last of your families money in the bank?” He asked, turning his attention back to the woman in front of him. “It seems to resemble more a tomb to me."

Out of every Ravenclaw that Sidney knew, Charlotte had always been his favorite. She was intelligent, but wasn’t afraid of confrontation. He had once witnessed her throw a mean left hook – followed by an even meaner looking curse. Dean Harris was sent to Saint Mungo’s after ending up on her bad side. This earned her Sidney’s respect. He favored her style – but had never verbally told her that.

When Charlotte stood up to exit the cart, Sidney moved forward and helped her. His hand touched her arm, skin upon skin. It had been awhile since he had felt someone else’s warmth. It startled something in him, causing butterflies to flutter in his stomach. He instantly dropped his hand to his side, ignoring it. “You know, your face is just as dirty as your tainted blood.” He whispered in close proximity. “It’s quite a shame, really, someone run off and dirtied up your bloodline.”

[Charlotte DeLongpré]

Tags; Sidney

Charlie had hardly been able to get a foot away from the tram whenever she heard a voice like warm gravel hit her ears. Well that was just wonderful, the rain on her proverbial parade. “It looks like you finally got yourself a boyfriend; though I dare say, you could’ve chosen a better looking one.” Her grip on her purse tightened, her voice felt small whenever it left her lips “Please, not today Sidney” Nuttrix the goblin gave her a strange look. As a species, they really didn’t tolerate much flack from anybody, much less wizards. So, she shouldn't have been surprised whenever the tiny body swung at Sidney with the lantern. “Watch it there big guy, you may hurt yourself. We wouldn’t want that.” It almost sounded like the goblin was...growling at Sidney. She wasn't afraid of confrontation, but if she could avoid it, then she would. This was her place of work, she couldn't afford to be on the black list here, literally or metaphorically. She needed this job, and it was something that she loved doing. “Oh, run along, you know I didn’t mean to hurt your itty-wittle feelings.” Whenever the goblin hopped over the side of the cart and started toward Sidney, she followed the thing as closely as she could, not wanting to be seen as having any part of this. She had just wanted to go home, a peaceful night was all that she had wanted. Was that really so much to have asked for? “Please! Sidney leave him be” “Ouch that really hurt,” Turning to Nuttrix her face mimicked how mortified on the inside. “I'm so sorry! Please, ignore him!” Shooting Sidney a pleading look he seemed to back off, at least from the goblin. With a sneer, the tiny creature toddled back to the tram and waited for the next person in line to come down to their vault to get on. She was going to hear about that tomorrow. It wasn't going to end well. At all.

She could remember whenever she had very first seen Sidney, he would have been just the man that her family would have wanted her to end up with, he was older than her and he came from a good family. His breeding would have been acceptable addition to her blood line. She might have considered it, once upon a time. Besides, there were more than enough women within her family that he could have had the pick of the litter. Of course, if his family had any influence on him, like most pure blood families did, they wouldn't have allowed him to come anywhere near her family. Not anymore, not with who her mother was. Just because she was a squib, didn't make her any less of a woman in they eyes of her children and husband, but in his day and age, with how the war was waging around them...the fact that she was a squib, well, she might as well have been a mud-blood. No pure-blood family would ever recognize them again. No, her aunts and uncles would have better chances with their children. Because of this, Sidney had regarded her with the exact same treatment as all of the other pure-bloods that she would have grown up with had she not been black listed. She had imagined a conversation between the two of them, where not only they spoke to each other as equals, but had walked away as friends. Yet, like with most things, her romanticized version of truth was always so much better than what had actually happened. Whenever they had had their first conversation, he had insulted her looks, book smarts, as well as her uniform not being hand pressed. He had made it perfectly clear that he thought her nothing more than used goods, and the fact that she had been a Ravenclaw had only added insult to injury. Nobody had ever made her cry more quickly than he had been able to. It was just one of many encounters that she had had with Sidney that resulted her wanting to crawl back into her imaginary world and pretend that everything was alright.

She didn't want to move, she wanted to just stand there until he lost interest and walk away. Certainly he had to be done belittling her, but then again if memory served he had loved making her the object of his ridicule up until the day that he graduated. What a wonderful day that had been, the last three years of her time at Hogwarts had been fairly drama free once he had been gone. It had been so long since she had seen him, she could only hope that he wasn't going to attempt to make up for lost time. “So, Charlotte, are you out putting the last of your families money in the bank?” Of course that would be naive of her to think. She could feel him drawing closer, hear his soft steps on the marble. Taking a big breath she waited for whatever was going to come next. He certainly had wasted no time in insulting her family or their lack of money. Somehow, she felt like he was only getting started. Most other people she could handle, but for some reason, whenever it came to the Bulldrock family, she just couldn't walk away. “It seems to resemble more a tomb to me” Her lip quivered, but she stopped it just as soon as it had started. Forcing her head up high, she started to take a step, only to be stopped by his hand on her elbow. He hadn't ever touched her before, at least, she couldn't remember if he had. Turning her glare on him, his hand dropped fairly quickly. Jerking her arm out of his reach she started her path toward the entrance once again, but he was right on her heels. She wasn't going to get away from him easily, no matter how hard she tried. “You know, your face is just as dirty as your tainted blood.” Out of reflex she brought the back of her hand up to rub at her cheek. Had she really missed a spot on her way up here of was he just attempting to make her feel poorly about herself. Either way, it was working. Inspecting her hand, she didn't see any dirt on it, so she tried for a second pass. This time, a streak of dirt came off of her face and onto her hand. Great, that was just wonderful. Using her other hand to wipe the dirt free, she really needed to get out of here.

At the very least, she needed to put some distance between them, she could still feel the warm spot on her face from where his breath had just been. She took another step, but was stopped by a surge of people directly in front of her, all of them attempting to get out and into the street to go about their lives. Or whatever it was that they needed to do on a day like this. “It’s quite a shame, really, someone run off and dirtied up your bloodline.” Startled by the fact that he was still directly behind her, she was forced to realize that the person who had been standing right up against her, was him. Feeling a little paranoid, she pushed the people in front of her, attempting to make them leave a little faster. She didn't want him that close to her. She would have turned round and slapped him, but there wasn't enough room this close to the entrance. Veering off to the side, she decided to wait a little bit longer until the crowd had thinned out a little bit better. She just assumed that he was going to follow her. Standing closer to the desks that were normally occupied by the goblins, she turned to face him. “Please Sidney, I just want to go home, can we take a rain check on your insults? I've been working all day” She sighed, she took a moment to adjust her dress, and straighten her hat “I've been working all day, and while I know that's a foreign concept to you, I'm just not in the mood”

[Sidney Bulldrocks]

I took it as a threat
You meant it as the doctrine.

• There was a layer of snow on the street outside Diagon Alley. Diamond like icicles hung from the rooftops, glistening in the muted sunlight that crept across the horizon. Sidney could barely see it from where he stood inside Gringotts bank, but the chill could be felt even standing here behind Charlotte. “Fine.” This came out sounding more disappointed than he had intended. “How about I make it up to you over a pint? If we’re lucky, they’ll still have the Christmas brew – you know the one that flashes from red to green as you drink.” It was one of the top selling brews in Diagon Alley during the Christmas Season; it was also sold within Hogsmeade, but in limited quantity.

It had been awhile since Sidney had last drank the unique brew. He missed its taste, quite like he missed the company of the girl closest to him. There were specific reasons why he had chosen to pick on her at Hogwarts. She had been an easy target, pretty and secure, but also feisty. She stood out, and he fancied that. “What do you say? You wanted to relax, and I am now parched.” Those to the front of them were now moving out through the double doorway, and into the cold evening air. It seemed like it was only getting colder out, making him wrap the edges of his cloak around him tightly.

Realizing that Diagon Alley was almost completely vacant, Sid’s hope to acquire the mythic beverage soared. He could barely contain himself like a kid in a candy store. He dropped his hand, and in doing so, brushed his fingers against hers. This caused an awkward silent. His eyes darted from her back into the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. He was despite to get to the bar, claim his seat and drink himself into a post-holiday stupor. It was surely needed after the life changing confrontation with the goblin

“Your friend back there nearly gave me a concussion with that lantern.” He shot a glance back toward the marble stone building. Goblins were now making their way out of the open doors, chatting amongst themselves about work. “I’m surprised you kept a level head back there. You could’ve knocked my lights out like you did Dean Harris.” That happened in his seventh year at Hogwarts. There was a confrontation between her and some big bruiser of a bloke. She knocked him clean to the floor and left him running with a follow-up spell. “I’m surprised they didn’t throw you in Slytherin after that. I swear that sorting hat must be daffy for putting you in Ravenclaw.”

By now they were almost at the Leaky Cauldron. Its warm embrace called out to them through the chilled air. Sidney’s ears ached from the temperature, and his cheeks were the color of freshly picked roses. He couldn’t remember the last time it had been this cold. He shivered a bit as they drew closer to the entrance to the bar by the minute. It was quiet, but that was the best part of being alone. Thoughts and feelings could be processed better within the silent embrace. His breath came out in frozen cloudlike swirls.

[Charlotte DeLongpré]

Tags; Sidney

She didn't want to look at him, she didn't want to be in his company at all. So instead, she chose to focus her eyes on the people walking past, the small throng of people filing out of the double doors. She could catch glimpses of the outside world, and wished that there was anybody, anybody but Sidney that could come and steal her away for whatever purpose. ”Fine” “What?” Turning her head a little bit too quickly she stared up at him with her impossibly green eyes. He was just going to accept defeat like that? He was just going to give in and let her win...was this some sort of game? “How about I make it up to you over a pint? If we’re lucky, they’ll still have the Christmas brew – you know the one that flashes from red to green as you drink.” She felt...flabbergasted, totally blindsided by his sudden, and very strange change of heart. He couldn't possibly mean it. Shaking her head, she laughed a very strange laugh, disbelieving. Shuffling her arms around, she pulled on her coat, and went about tying the sash around her waist while she did so. She should have worn stockings today, she knew it, she could already feel the cold air hitting her bare legs every time that the door opened and a gust snuck in. She knew the drink that he was talking about, and while she normally didn't care for beer of any kind, she did like the way that the colors tended to change. Once her coat was on, she tucked her purse under her arm, and left her arm wrapped around it . “What do you say? You wanted to relax, and I am now parched.” Looking back up at him, her eyes searched for something that might hint that he was lying to her. She wanted to see the good in people, but he had proven to her that he wasn't good time and time again. This, was something that the fantasy version of Sidney might say...

She must be imagining things, which was a plus. Shaking her head she nodded, muttering to herself 'yeah, pint alright'. She felt herself being herded toward the entrance along with the rest of the patrons as the goblins were doing the best to close up shop. Once outside, she found herself squeezing her eyes shut and opening them slowly, waiting for him to dissipate like her fantasy images usually did. Yet, he stood fast. This was, a strange situation. He was just standing there, looking like a normal man. Not like the man who had tormented her throughout her school years or that called her names and insulted her family. Sidney, with his oddly warm brown eyes and crooked nose. Her brow furrowed, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and huddling her coat closer to her body. She really didn't know what to say to him. “Your friend back there nearly gave me a concussion with that lantern.” Her lips parted, but no sound left. It took her a full minute to collect herself “He did no such thing, and you provoked him” She said in defense of her employer. Slowly, she took a step backward down the alley. It was in the direction of both home and the Leaky Cauldron. “I’m surprised you kept a level head back there. You could’ve knocked my lights out like you did Dean Harris.” At the memory, her cheeks flooded with red and she averted her gaze. How could anybody possibly remember that, except for Dean of course, it was something that would likely be imprinted on his brain for the rest of his days. She hadn't really meant to put the poor boy in the hospital, and it was a freak occurrence. However, he had learned his lesson and left her alone since he had returned to school. “That, was an accident” She gushed, brushing her bangs back and behind her ear as she spoke.

“I’m surprised they didn’t throw you in Slytherin after that. I swear that sorting hat must be daffy for putting you in Ravenclaw.” He was being...kind to her and she didn't know how to take it. Of course it was a welcome change but she didn't know how to react to it. At least, he was being his version of nice she supposed “I'm proud to of been in Ravenclaw” She stated defiantly. She didn't even realize that they had been walking, he must have been guiding her without her realizing it. Whenever she looked up and noticed that they were standing under the frozen sign that read 'Leaky Cauldron' she would have thought he had apparated them here if she weren't able to look back and see her own footsteps in the snow. She was shifting her weight from one foot to another quickly, it must have been her nerves from the impossible finally happening. She knew it wasn't the cold bothering her because she adored the cold weather. “Well...I suppose because we're already here...” Turning away from him quickly, she pulled open the door for herself, if she had allowed him to do it, she might have fainted.

[Sidney Bulldrocks]

I never thought my words could cut right through,
leaving open wounds.

• The simple gesture of opening the door was an extraordinary one. Sidney wouldn’t be outclassed that easily. He held out his hand to hold the door for her. “I may not be a proper gentleman, but my mother thought me one thing – ladies first.” He ushered her inside with a smile. It amused him to see how she reacted to his presents. She seemed to be in a sort of trance around him. Was this normal behavior for her? Or was there some deep seeded like for him that she hadn’t come to terms with? He placed the heel of his shoe against the door in further protest for her to enter the warm confines of the bar.

There was a low hum and buzz to the voices that intermingled inside. Sidney couldn’t hear one conversation apart from his own. He followed closely behind Charlotte, never letting her out of his sight. “I hope they have the Yule time brew still. I missed it this year, been busy selling real estate for the Harpers.” There were a dozen people within the Leaky Cauldron, none of which were sipping on the legendary brew. This caused his hopes to plummet faster than Donavan Kingsley, the worst Quidditch player to ever grace the sport.

It was a nice change of temperature inside the place. His cheeks were no longer rosy, and the ache in his ears had become milder. He placed his hand on Charlotte lower back and guided her to the bar. There, he took his seat, and leaned across the bar to get the bartender’s attention. “Oi! What can I get you two?” The bartender asked, wiping down a cup with a dirty dishrag. “Do you happen to still have the Yule time special?” Sidney replied. “You’re in luck, mate, taps almost out, but I have enough for the two of yous.” The man grinned through missing teeth, opening a tap and filling up the two glass mugs of Yule brew.

The Yule Time Special blinked from a dull green to a vibrant red, then back again. “It’s not my usual pick. That would be aged bourbon – but I can settle for this.” He raised his glass and downed a mouthful of the special brew. It was just how he remembered it tasting. There was a spice to it that he couldn’t place. Was it cinnamon? No. That was in there, yes, but it wasn’t what he tasted. He placed the mug back down and turned to Charlotte; his eyes were softer now than they had been back at the bank.

“You would’ve made for the perfect Slytherin. Hell, you may have even found friends that are taller than three feet.” He was referring to the Goblins that she happened to work for. “You cannot honestly tell me that you enjoy where you work, who you work with and how the money you make.” He nursed the brew for all it was worth. Sidney disliked his job, but it paid for his expenses and he had a little left over for a drink or two at the pub. “I loathe my job. It’s horrible finding the perfect client for the perfect house. How the bloody hell was I supposed to know the roof was going to collapse and crush their cage of Cornish pixies – and by the way – who the hell keeps a cage of Cornish pixies in their house?”

Sidney needed someone to vent to – and Charlotte was the perfect candidate for it. She would sit there and listen, too scared to actually tell anyone about this later. He downed another mouthful of the magical brew. “I swear, I never make the right decisions.” He paused for a brief moment. “And now with this war on the horizon - I’m frightened that maybe I will mess that up too. That I will pick the wrong side.” He was just making small talk, but in a way he was spilling out his soul to Charlotte. “What are you going to do when the cauldron boils over and you’re forced to pick a side? ”

[Charlotte DeLongpré]

Tags; Sidney

The fact that his hand jutted out and blocked her from opening the door of her own accord was a little strange. She wasn't sure if it was because it was just so out of character for him, or that he didn't think that she was strong enough to open the door for herself. Her thoughts on the matter were very conflicted. Her brow furrowed and her warm honey tinted green eyes turned up to look at her, wanting to know what it was exactly that brought about this sudden mood change on his part. “I may not be a proper gentleman, but my mother thought me one thing – ladies first.” She was too bewildered to say anything in response to him. Instead, she moved forward into the building and out of the cold winds. She didn't know what he was playing at, so she needed to make sure that her guard was up the entire time that she was in his presence. That much was very obvious. Skeptical, she looked over her shoulder at him as he chose a seat for them. She moved deeper into the warm throng of bodies, and over to the open table that he was herding her toward. She felt not dissimilar to a sheep with the way he was guiding her. She didn't like it, she was her own woman and she could be a very proud individual, she didn't like being told what to do. Most of all not from him. “I hope they have the Yule time brew still. I missed it this year, been busy selling real estate for the Harpers.” While she was mildly interested to know in just what real estate he was moving, she didn't say a word. She didn't know what he had been doing with his life since he had graduated. In fact, it was almost like he had fallen off of the map all together. Her parents hadn't made any note of him or his family. Not that she should have been surprised, they didn't tell her very much as it was.

She felt her body tense and jump a little in surprise whenever his hand found it's way to her lower back. It was innocent enough for a normal person to do such a thing, but for him to do it...there had to be another reason, something that he wasn't telling her. No doubt she was just playing into some little game that he was playing. She wasn't a toy and would have none of it. Her kindness could only stretch so far. She could feel the familiar ripple starting under her skin, and it had nothing to do with the cold or the rapid introduction of heat to her limbs. In fact, she wasn't entirely certain what had sparked the change but there was no way for her to stop it. She could feel her skin darkening into a more prominent tan, her normally chestnut locks were turning a deep shade of cherry oak. She was defensive, she didn't want to be made to look a fool in front of all of these people. Not again. He might have gotten away with it while they were school aged children, but she was an adult now. He needed to treat her as such. He directed them away from the table she had chosen and toward the bar where there were two empty stools. Deciding to go along with this just long enough until she could excuse herself and get home like she had originally planned she stepped up onto the stool she assumed was designated for her and placed her clutch on the bar top. No need to unbutton her coat, she wasn't going to be here long enough for that. “Oi! What can I get you two?” No, she wasn't going to sit here and have a drink with this man. He didn't deserve it. Pursing her lips and folding her hands neatly in her lap she waited. She stared, rather rudely as Sidney ordered drinks despite the fact that she was obviously not enjoying herself.

“It’s not my usual pick. That would be aged bourbon – but I can settle for this.” A frothing mug of rapidly color changing lager was placed in front of her, and she felt her stomach to a flip. She wasn't a huge fan of drinking and even much less this early in the day. She hated to be improper but this whole meeting was highly unorthodox. Why was he being so open? Why in the world would be choosing to spend his free time with her whenever he could be off tormenting somebody else. “You would’ve made for the perfect Slytherin. Hell, you may have even found friends that are taller than three feet. You cannot honestly tell me that you enjoy where you work, who you work with and how the money you make.” Her hair was darkening very slowly to an even darker shade of brown the more angry she got. She wasn't going to be able to told her tongue much longer. The nerve that he had. She was more than proud of her house. Slytherin's always thought that anybody outside of their house wasn't worth their time, like they were somehow superior. Little did they know that everybody else in the world tended to despise the arrogant lot of them. How he managed to insult both her personality, her work and her status all in two single sentences she wouldn't ever understand. It was exactly why she wanted to be home alone rather than spend any more time here with him. Her pink lips parted to speak, but he was already prattling on about something else. “I loathe my job. It’s horrible finding the perfect client for the perfect house. How the bloody hell was I supposed to know the roof was going to collapse and crush their cage of Cornish pixies – and by the way – who the hell keeps a cage of Cornish pixies in their house?” She had literally no idea who he was talking about or why he should think that she would find it an amusing anecdote. Her irritation was growing with every syllable that he uttered. This was just so like him, step in and ruin her whole day.

He was talking to her like they were friends, whenever they were the farthest thing from it. Finally, she turned her head to look at him, noting that his drink was already half way consumed. She pushed her mug in his direction as she had no intentions of drinking it herself. If she didn't know better, she would think that he was speaking the truth like he actually wanted her to listen. No, that wasn't possible. The only motive that a slime like him could have would be to attempt to lower her guard to hurt her even more down the line. It was obvious he didn't want her to speak. “I swear, I never make the right decisions. And now with this war on the horizon - I’m frightened that maybe I will mess that up too.” Her ears perked up, and her hair was starting to revert to it's original color. What was he talking about? What side was he on? Was she involved with this whole silly war? If so then he really was as stupid as he looked. Why would he be telling her this? “That I will pick the wrong side. What are you going to do when the cauldron boils over and you’re forced to pick a side? ” He had finally stopped rambling. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her dress where it was sitting on her knees. She shook her head, no way was she going to discuss something so personal with him. “I don't know what you are playing at Sidney, but I'm not going to have this discussion with you” it was the truth, she wasn't going to be played by him, even if he did seem more sincere than he normally did. She just couldn't believe that he was being genuine. “Why did you drag me here?” She shifted to look him in the eyes “I really don't have the time for your insults today, and since you have already insulted every possible aspect of my life, I don't see what else we can have to talk about” She was tempted to throw the drink in his face for dramatic effect, but so far she had refrained.