alchemical blurb

[mswoods]

The following day, Sadde has Transfiguration in the morning.

She is all over it at lunch.

"Okay, so, Transfig is just about the coolest thing," she says first thing to the Ravenclaws as soon as she sits at the table.

Comments

[chanuphis]

"There would only have to be one to beat me in a Slytherining fight, and 'keep your head down' isn't necessarily a bad strategy if you can't leave the House or the country."

[mrwoods]

"Terribly good points, you beat me once again, I can't compete with your Slytherin might."

[chanuphis]

"Argh," says Miranda flatly.

[mrwoods]

He laughs.

[pleating]

"It's okay," Karen says, patting Miranda's arm. "You can be a Ravenclaw."

[mrwoods]

"Yeah, they won't even suspect that when we fix Slytherin's reputation together it'll all have been you!"

[chanuphis]

"Argh," Miranda says emphatically to Sadde. "Thank you, Karen."

[mrwoods]

He giggles. "Well, speaking of which, now that the cat's out of the bag, do you have any more useful ideas on how to fix Slytherin?"

[chanuphis]

"Better internal policing. I couldn't put up with the attacks you're getting - I might get fewer because I'm less provocative and I'm not Muggleborn, but it still seemed less likely to be a problem in pretty much any other house. And chasing me away is definitely a symptom of the broader Slytherin problem."

[mrwoods]

"Better internal policing? How would we enforce that? And I'm being a bit more provocative than I otherwise might, actually. Drawing the bullies' attention to myself, because I know I can take it, style of thing."

[chanuphis]

"Have the prefects actually do anything, maybe. Or Slughorn. I don't know what the policy actually is, just that it isn't doing that much."

[mrwoods]

"I wonder if I could form a type of conspiracy with the other firsties. There are way fewer this year than any other year, might be easier to coordinate. And then I'd be King Firstie!"

[chanuphis]

"How would that help?"

[mrwoods]

"Dunno, I just like the idea of being King Firstie," he giggles. "Although actually maybe uniting them for a common cause that is not evil could be useful, to offset the examples of older years when new students join the House."

[chanuphis]

"So this might mostly be useful if you arrange to form a buddy system with next year's firsties. If you don't have another cause in mind."

[mrwoods]

"You mean other than making everyone immortal and possibly releasing a species of slaves?"

[chanuphis]

"I mean other than things you probably can't do yet at age eleven."

[mrwoods]

He pouts. "I don't currently have another cause in mind, but given that I've collected three of them in my first week, I make no promises. Anyway, why would having another cause mess this one up?"

[chanuphis]

"Because you'd be dividing your energy. You need to prioritize."

[mrwoods]

"Oh, sure," he waves his hand dismissively. "I mean, for now my activities are getting really good at Potions, talking to any disgruntled House Elves I might find lying around, and being really incredibly friendly to the other Slytherin firsties all year. I've got some leftover energy still, and since yooooou will be helping me fix Slytherin, that won't even take up that much of my time!" Grin.

[chanuphis]

"I'm not prioritizing it that highly! If I thought that was a priority I'd be in Slytherin!"

[mrwoods]

"Awwwwww," he says, still grinning. "I know that, but even if you just help me a little that's already some stuff off my own plate, yeah? Besides, it's not like you currently have any other projects going on, and no one needs to know you're helping me so your reputation will remain immaculate." He seems really proud of the word 'immaculate.' "Except for the part where you're my friend, but I'm gonna be at least on friendly terms with enough firsties that you won't stand out so much!"

[msmaxwell]

"That's project number four," Willow points out.

[mrwoods]

"It doesn't count!"

[chanuphis]

"It does too count, it's a time and energy sink too, and what makes you think I don't have any projects? They're just quiet and mostly in information gathering stages."