The Ravenclaw/Slytherin shindig

[MANDA WHERE YOU AT SON]

"Fifth floor, fifth floor..." Mél was singing to herself, swinging her legs off the desk she was seated on. She'd left lunch early, mind stuck on how long it took her to climb to the third floor alone from the ground earlier that day. Just miserable!

Rachel had finally found her classroom for Transfiguration a few minutes after Melaine did, and made up her mind to try to sit as far away from her as possible. She didn't want Mel to expose her about happenings in primary school.

Which, of course, she would... "RACHEL MORENO!?" she exclaimed, jaw dropping.

Oh no. This was not how she wanted things to happen. She took a deep breath, and looked up at Melanie straight in the eye.

"Uh... Mel Astor... right. I didn't know you were a witch."

"Uh huh!" Mél said, nodding. "You neither!"

Rachel cleared her throat, feeling very uncomfortable and awkward.

"So... Mel. How are you?"

"I'm good, I'm good," she answered, nodding. "How about you? Your hair looks nice!"

"Thank you!" said Rachel proudly. She had always loved her nice red hair, even if it was a little thick and wavy. It was pretty. "You look nice too. Pigtails are quite the look."

"They've been bugging me all day!" She tugged on the left one. "My sister would always do them for me unless she was at school; so, it's nothing really new, but now I don't even have Mom to do them, so they look sort of off today..."

"You don't even have to keep your hair up." Rachel suggested. "You can just leave it down with a headband or something like I do. Have you had Professor Snape yet?"

She continued to nod in a manner similar to a parrot. "I did! Last class! He was cool!"

"What!?" Rachel looked shocked. "I don't think so. I think he's a jerk. But you're probably saying that because you're a SLYTHERIN." she snickered slightly at the thought of Mel being in a house like Slytherin. She should have been in Hufflepuff.

"I've decided if I can't beat 'em, I might as well join. Even if they do all look like they want to kill me."

"They want to kill you? That would be horrible to have that target on your back."

"No. Please kill her."

"I was born to be in Gryffindor. I guess it's just that obvious!" she cried.

"But um Mel... I never thought of you being particularly brave." Rachel answered honestly, but still trying to sound polite.

"Then you don't know me at all!" she declared with dignity.

"That's because I don't!" Rachel exclaimed.

"Of course you do! Don't be silly. This isn't a joking... thing!"

"Right... whatever you think. But, I'm very happy in Ravenclaw." Rachel said proudly.

"You seem like the sort of hoity-toity smartie type. Fitting enough!"

"Well you seem like the dense type that should have been in HUFFLEPUFF!"

This was the equivalent of taking a sledgehammer to a very gaudy stained-glass window. Immediately, Mél, the very first trace of a blank appearing on her face, hopped off her desk and took a seat in the desk chair, folding her hands in her lap and staring down.

"...Did I say something mean?" said Rachel after a very long pause.

Mél nodded, making a pithy mewling noise through her nose.