Pieces of the Puzzle on Crotalus Commons

Catherine Raines

June 02, 2005 9:11 PM

Pieces of the Puzzle by Catherine Raines

Catherine broke the Raines seal on the letter that had arrived that morning with one quick movement, grimacing faintly. The snapping sound the wax made as it broke was distinctly satsifying, but it also announced to the whole common room what she was doing. She tossed her hair back over her shoulder in a practiced gesture and unfolded the letter. If the heavy monogrammed parchment wasn't proof enough of who it was from, the handwriting was the final determining factor. Her father had decided to write.

Catherine,

I trust that you are well and have settled into life at Sonora comfortably. I am fully aware that the standards of living are somewhat low, especially since the school allows mudbloods in, but you must put such personal considerations aside. It is your job, Catherine, to carry the Raines name outside of Illinois is a way your esteemed grandfather and I were unable to. The burden of ensuring our place among the Great Families lies on your shoulders as much as on mine, and I am confident that you will find yourself equal to it. Do not disappoint me.

I am working on finding a match for you. You understand, of course, that the lack of a son has always posed a severe problem for me, given that someone must inherit and carry on the name. I have no nephews or young cousins, leaving only you. It is essential that you marry well. Your mother wishes for you to make a match in some Louisiana family she knows, but I doubt that will happen. I would not have you spend your life with an idiot like your mother unless he offered me a much higher price than I have yet been offered for you.

Choose your friends well and your enemies still better, Catherine, or you will not enjoy the consequences. I speak not of what will happen at home-though you would not like that, I assure you-but of your reputation. The day I hear a bad report on your conduct-any association with mudbloods or half-breeds, any foolishness that could alienate us from another, more powerful family-is the day I start believing the rumors about your mother. You know the ones of which I speak. Remember always that you are a Raines because I allow you to be, daughter.

Onward and Upward,

Charles Raines

Catherine stared at the last sentance. Daughter. He had never before acknowledged that she was in fact his daughter, not to her, anyway. She had always been more or less close to her father-as close as he would allow, anyway-but she had never seen this coming. She had always known that the...doubt...about her paternity had presented problems in marrying her off and in acknowledging her heiress. No more, it seemed. He had called her 'daughter'.

She took in the rest of the letter. He would be pleased with her, she thought, when she told him that she was friends with two Howards and a Dupree. He would be even more pleased when she listed her enemies, though the thought of half-breeds in Crotalus would probably send him into fits. There was one name she wasn't going to mention, though. Gwenhwyfar Carey.

That girl was the problem. Gwenhwyfar Carey was in the way. Catherine had seen that from the start. If she could eliminate Gwenhwyfar-utterly destroy the other girl's reputation-then she would hold a guaranteed place among those who would be the most esteemed and hated girls in Sonora in a few years. If she failed, then Gwenhwyfar would take her place. It would not be difficult. Gwenhwyfar's family was one of the Great Families. Thomas Carey, who it was too much to hope was not related to her, was respected wherever he went. And Gwenhwyfar would eventually want back in. All Catherine's instincts told her so. One day, Gwenhwyfar would want back in the fold-possibly sooner than later, if what Catherine had heard that night after the arguement was anything to go by. She had to move fast if she wanted to win, and there had never been anything she wanted more than to win this battle.

The losers were planning something. That much was obvious. She had noticed that cryptic message Asher had left for someone. Not Gwenhwyfar, she was sure. That left only two other people in the House, the two half-breeds: Keaton and Valentine.

She refolded the letter with a jerking movement born of frustration. She could have them if she could only put the pieces together. She could win if she could learn their secrets. There was one way, but she didn't know if she could stoop that far. For now, anyway.

She felt the presence of someone else behind her, though ally or enemy she didn't know. Better to be prepared. The Raines smile was firmly in place before she turned her head to see who it was. "Can I help you?" she asked, sugar sweet. Pretending to be such a dunderhead was an effort, but it might pay off. It had the potential to, anyway.\n\n

0 Catherine Raines Pieces of the Puzzle 66 Catherine Raines 1 5

Nicoletta Dupree

June 02, 2005 9:28 PM

Perhaps, help in solving them? by Nicoletta Dupree

Nicoletta smiled approvingly at Catherine. She was proving to be quite the ally and friend, as well one worthy of noble blood. The smile she gave was proof of that.

"Catherine, we need to talk. Knowing you, I'm sure you have noticed, but that little twit and her so-called friends seem to be up to something," she said in an amused voice. "Of course, we could waste our time trying to spy on them, but I doubt they would be foolish enough to say anything with us around. Although, I could be wrong..."

Nicoletta gave the girl a knowing look, before continuing on in a hushed tone, "Anyways, as I was saying, I have a bit of an idea and would like to run it past you and see what you think. My brother is in a different house and could very easily find out what they were saying. Unfortunately, or perhaps, fortunately, most people seem to overlook him. Although, I can assure you, he is not one to upset."\n\n

0 Nicoletta Dupree Perhaps, help in solving them? 64 Nicoletta Dupree 0 5

Catherine Raines

June 03, 2005 10:12 PM

Perhaps... by Catherine Raines

Catherine's smile met an approving one from Nicoletta as she turned. Good. Nicoletta was on her side, not that of the Loser Crew. True breeding was impossible to fake-or hide. She would find it incredibly funny if the losers tried to put one of their own in as a spy. The results would be disasterous-for the losers, that is.

The words 'we need to talk' rarely meant anything good, but this time it seemed that she was not the one they meant trouble for. Rather, it seemed that the very people Catherine had been thinking about were the ones who were in for it. Excellent.

"I assume 'that little twit' is Madam Redneck," she said. "And I've noticed. The other one we were forced to talk to is the ringleader, I think." If someone was stupid enough to eavesdrop, they could hardly get much from that. "As for the other...a wild card." She gave Nicoletta a look brimming with amusement. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if she tried to sell the others out for a chance to get back in the fold. I doubt she would approach us, though. She'd go for Jordanna or Skyla, since they weren't part of the...conversation that night."

Catherine was slightly surprised when Nicoletta said she had a brother who could find out what the Loser Crew was up to for them. "I see," she said, and she did. This could get...interesting.If, of course, this brother of Nicoletta's was trustworthy. Catherine knew enough about the nature of family loyalty to know that it wouldn't be prudent to ask and she knew enough about Nicoletta to know that she probably wouldn't bring him in if he wasn't. "Are you thinking of having him spy from the shadows or having him become a mole?" She had lowered her voice and she had a cover conversation to raise it in planned if anyone got too close. "If you're thinking of having him try to work from the inside, I may know a perfect way of getting to them." \n\n

0 Catherine Raines Perhaps... 66 Catherine Raines 0 5

Jordanna Howard

June 03, 2005 11:29 PM

perhaps you can fill me in by Jordanna Howard

It was not often that you would find a book in Jordanna's hands. On the other hand, she could be found carrying a mazine or two quite often. And as Jordanna walked into the common room, she carried a brand new copy of "Enchanting Fashions" a magazine with all the latest magical trends and styles.

Flipping through the pages, witches and wizards were posing as they wore the trendiest dress robes money could buy. She was looking forward to an hour or so reading the magazine and choosing all the dress robes she wanted to shop for once Christmas break came around. Or she could ask one of her younger cousins to go and get it for her, it depended on how much she wanted it.

Looking up from the magazine she saw Nicoletta and Catherine chatting. She was sure that they too would love to see the magazine, so she decided that she would go and show it to them. As she approached them, she heard them talking about the losers, apparently they had a run in with them. Honestly, there were so many better things to talk about than them. Like shopping, for instance. Still, she hated to be left out of any conversation, and she had to know all the facts, even if it were about the losers.

"Who, what, where, when, and why?" she asked with a mischievous smile, "Tell me everything. This month's "Enchantig Fashions" just came in, by the way." She felt as if she were forgetting to tell them something. Something important... ah, yes about Skyla. Jordanna was not talking to Skyla for at least the rest of the week, because of the incident during class. She couldn't remember what class, or why though. But it didn't matter, all that mattered that Jordanna was mad at her.

"You should know, I'm not speaking to Skyla, at the moment," added Jordanna, "and I suggest that you do the same."\n\n

0 Jordanna Howard perhaps you can fill me in 65 Jordanna Howard 0 5

Nicoletta

June 05, 2005 6:39 PM

Gladly... by Nicoletta

Nicoletta raised a delicate eyebrow to Jordanna's statement. This actually gave her an idea, a possibly brillant idea, but for it to work, she would have to fill Jordanna in on everything.

"Jordanna, you are simply amazing, as you just gave me a wonderful idea," Nicoletta stated with an evil grin. Lowering her tone further, she whispered, "Apparently, the loser crew has a leader, and they are obviously planning something against us. The key point is to find out how. I mentioned to Catherine about my brother. He may be able to find out their plan. Catherine was just about to tell us her idea to get him into the group."

Nicoletta shifted her eyes around them to make sure no one was listening. Of course, if someone was, they could take care of them quickly.

"As for my plan, I don't know why you aren't talking to Skyla, but what if we were talking to Skyla, yet other people thought we weren't, such as the loser crew? They would think they could divide and conquer us. Alas, they would fall right into whatever trap we devised for them."

With a smirk, she finished, "After all, we can't let them think they have any hold over us."\n\n

0 Nicoletta Gladly... 0 Nicoletta 0 5

Catherine

June 08, 2005 10:43 AM

Planning... by Catherine

Catherine nodded when Jordanna joined them. It would have been essential to find Jordanna and fill her in sooner or later, so it was better to do it sooner. Every second they wasted was one the Loser Crew could be using to plan whatever they were planning, which could not be allowed to go on. Girls like them had to be socially perfect, and if they were outwitted by a pair of half-breeds, a girl without any raising, and a redneck, then they obviously were not perfect and everyone would know it.

She listened as Nicoletta quickly filled Jordanna in on the situation with the losers and came up with the idea to use Skyla. "Brilliant," she breathed, pieces of the puzzle beginning to click together in her head. "Have them think that we've decided she's a loser, then make them look stupid. They'd fall for it because we've already decided a girl from another of the old families is a loser-that Gwenhwyfar." Catherine smiled like a cat with a bird. "They made it perfectly clear how they think of us-a bunch of airheads just waiting to stab each other in the back. They wouldn't believe we could cook up something like this."

The carefully constructed mask of sweet stupidity had completely fallen away. Catherine was enjoying herself. "My plan would only get us access to Gwenhwyfar," she said. "But even if she's not the leader, she's thick with the other one who might be. I think what one of them knows, the other knows, but Gwenhwyfar's easier to get to. I think we might be able to fit the two plans together." She stopped to see what they thought. She knew that she would need backup to pull off anything major, so it was better to gauge their responses before she elaborated too far.

\n\n

0 Catherine Planning... 0 Catherine 0 5

Jordanna

June 10, 2005 11:01 PM

sounds good to me by Jordanna

Jordanna smirked when Nicoletta commented that she was 'simply amazing'. Of course she was simply amazing, who would ever doubt that? But something else about what Nicoletta had said bothered her. It sounded as if the losers were unifying and joining forces against them. But Jordanna couldn't see why they were taking out such agression on her, Nicoletta, and Catherine. It wasn't like it was Jordanna's fault they didn't come from good families or have a sense of fashion.

"Why would they think they have any hold on us?" questioned Jordanna, "I know they don't have anything against me. Not unless they've been talking to Jenna, and even she wouldn't say anything unless she could get something good out of it." Jordanna barely understood the way her sister's mind worked, but from what she did know, Jenna wouldn't do anything without a good reason to do it. Jenna did what she could in order to survive the rest of the family, who knew that there was a very good chance that Jenna might become... unacceptable to family standards.

"Sounds good to me," nodded Jordanna, "But we would have to make it in simpler terms for Skyla. She may... slip up. We should just let her go on believing we're not talking her, let her get into their group for awhile, then we can buy her back at Christmas with clothes or something."\n\n

0 Jordanna sounds good to me 0 Jordanna 0 5

Jennifer

June 11, 2005 3:51 AM

Sorry to butt in, but can't resist by Jennifer

Jennifer had been sitting in one of the corners reading when the mob of first year girls had fluttered in and begun making plans. They hadn't seemed to notice her, since she was sitting in the shadows a bit, and that was perfectly fine with her. She had been listening half-heartedly, biting back the urge to laugh, the entire time. Honestly, who did these girls think they were? Now, she wasn't supporting civil war or anything among her housemates, but the way these girls were talking was simply ridiculous.

It was these kinds of girls that gave purebloods a bad name. From what she could hear, one seemed obsessed with shopping and fashion, which were fine things in small amounts, but it wasn't right when one seemed to think of little else. The other two seemed intelligent enough, but also seemed to be obsessing over social status. Jennifer really wanted to shake them by the shoulders and remind them that they wre only eleven, but resisted the urge.

However, she couldn't help herself when one of them said something about buying back a girl at Christmas with clothes. She chuckled, and then mentally smacked herself on the head. Obviously they would notice her now, and probably get all defensive, or get angry, or something like that. She did reason with herself, though, that if they had wanted secrecy, they shouldn't have been talking about it in a common room, so it was their own fault that someone overheard them, really.\n\n

0 Jennifer Sorry to butt in, but can't resist 0 Jennifer 0 5

Catherine

June 11, 2005 9:02 PM

Lack of impulse control is never a good thing by Catherine

"They don't have anything against us, really," Catherine said in answer to Jordanna's question. "Nothing they could use as decent blackmail material, anyway. We probably have more on them. But they resent us or something-they think we're shallow, fake, and pretty stupid. So they want to make us look that way in front of everyone, or so I think."

She tucked a strand of brown hair over her ear as Jordanna suggested simplifying things for Skyla. "That carries risks of its own," she said musingly. "She might not come back or give us info when she did. But it's probably the be-" She heard what sounded like a laugh from the shadows. "Who's there?" she demanded instinctively before she thought it all the way out. Though she hated to admit it to even herself, there was a part of her that liked to fight face-to-face out in the open. It was a very small part from her Grandfather Robinond, who had been a soldier, and it had an annoying habit of surfacing at the worst possible moments. Such as now. There was nothing for it, though, but to wait until the eavesdropper came forward. \n\n

0 Catherine Lack of impulse control is never a good thing 0 Catherine 0 5

Jennifer

June 21, 2005 3:24 PM

But it's so much fun! by Jennifer

Jennifer grimaced. Yes, she had been caught. All her instincts screamed for her to try to escape, but she mentally smacked them, and walked out of the shadows after putting a bookmark in her book.

While it was true that she never considered herself to be the most intimidating person, in reality the intimidated far more then the intimidating, she knew that she had no reason to be scared of these girls. She was older, she had been in the common room first, and there was no reason for them to look down on her in any way, despite physically. And she couldn't help being as short as she was.

"I'm terribly sorry for disturbing you all," she said politely as soon as she was sure they could see her. "I was reading in here when you came in, and I never really had a chance to show myself before you began talking. I was going to attemtp to avoid the potentially embarrassing situation that we seem to be in right now, but obviously, that idea didn't work." She grinned sheepishly, and decided not to say anyting more about what she heard.

"My name's Jennifer, by the way," she finished off-handedly, seeing no need to divulge the rest of her name. It would make it seem to hard like she was competing, and that was a horrible attitude to begin with. She doubted that the girls would have talked to anyone who actually knew her well, although they might have, so they wouldn't have as much reason to judge her.

From what she heard, they would probably appreciate the fact that she was from the Zucchero and Noire families, but that really was all the more reason not to say anything. They might demand to know, or treat her as though they figured the omision of a last name meant she was somehow inferior, and if that happens, she would happily correct them. As of now, she would merely wait.

She played with the idea of informing them exactly what they were doing wrong, but decided against it also, for the time being. After all, she didn't know if they would appreciate her advice, and there really was no reason to earn herself enemies right off the bat.\n\n

0 Jennifer But it's so much fun! 0 Jennifer 0 5

Catherine

June 24, 2005 10:33 PM

If you really like ending up in situations like this... by Catherine

Catherine gave the eavesdropper a two-second scan and considered exactly how many kinds of an idiot she could call herself. Although the other girl was shorter than her, there was no doubt that she wasn't a first year. Catherine knew everyone in Crotalus first year by sight, and this girl wasn't one of them. While most of her yearmates had picked up on the fact that she wasn't quite as stupid as she liked for people to think that she was, she needed to keep as many people as possible believing the empty-headed little princess was actually her. How much had this second year-Catherine could only assume she was a second year by her height-heard?

A more personal problem that was never far from Catherine's mind sprang to the forefront, even more worrisome than whether or not the second year had heard them plotting: how much about Lila Raines and Nick O'Treman did she know? It had been a scandal when Catherine was born after her supposedly barren mother had an affair with the mudblood gardener. Fortunately for her, there had been another scandal around the same time-some divorce-that had resulted in Charles Raines being able to do enough damage control that Catherine's legitimacy wasn't denied out of hand. She had been lucky so far, but new people were people who might know the rumors, believe them, and shatter Catherine's glass palace to bits.

The latest in a long line of threats to Catherine's status soon revealed half of her name. Catherine couldn't recall the last time she had wanted someone else to shove her aside and take control of the situation, but she would have paid Jordanna or Nicoletta to do it now. It would damage her image, but not as much as her name had the potential to. When no rescue came, she nodded cooly to the other girl. "My pleasure...Jennifer." She put the tiniest stress on the name, as if she were suggesting she knew there was some shady reason why she wasn't able to address the other girl as Miss Somebody. Of course there wasn't, not as far as she knew, but it could rattle Jennifer. Catherine was all too familiar with the rules of this game. Girls in Illinois had been playing it against her for as long as she could remember and losing. She took a leaf from Jennifer's book. "You may call me Catherine." There had to be more than one pureblood named Catherine with a Midwestern accent. The only way she could be identified as herself was if Jennifer had observed her before or if Jennifer happened to be incredibly familiar with the standard look of the Robinond family and noticed that Catherine looked like one of them.

When no one stepped in again, she continued. Maybe she could control this situation. "There was, of course, a way we could have avoided this, ah, potentially embarrassing situation," she said, attatching a faint note of sarcasm to the quote. "All you had to do was leave quietly. I assure you that we wouldn't have minded if you didn't stop to say hello." She would have said or noticed after the 'minded' as a reference to the other girl possibly not being worth notice, but that could make her and her friends look worse than they already did in terms of lack of caution and common sense. Now she had to see what the potential threat had to say.\n\n

0 Catherine If you really like ending up in situations like this... 0 Catherine 0 5

Jennifer

June 26, 2005 5:19 PM

Hey, y'all were just <i>asking</i> for someone to do this by Jennifer

Jennifer raised her eyebrows slightly at Catherine. Now, she knew what she was doing, Jennifer had to give her that. And had the proper amount of scorn in everything she did, scorn and superiority. Jennifer might not approve of people like that, but this girl pulled it off well.

"Well, I could have, now that I think about it. However, I am actually rather glad I didn't. After all, you three," she met each one's eyes briefly, "seem to have forgotten a lesson that was probably drilled into your heads since birth. Well, that is, if you're actually of a family with any consequence whatsoever." She knew she shouldn't have made the slur, but, Merlin, these three were annoying her.

"Since you apparently have forgotten, let me give you a refresher course. When discussing the downfall of anyone else, never talk about it where there is any chance someone else can hear. Be glad it was me that was sitting back there, and not one of those girls you're plotting against."

She was quiet for a moment, scrutinizing the other girl. There was something familiar about her, somehow. She thought back to when her mother tried to teach her all the big Pureblood families' names, and major attributes, and it hit her. "You're a Raines, aren't you, Catherine?" She asked quietly.

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

0 Jennifer Hey, y'all were just <i>asking</i> for someone to do this 0 Jennifer 0 5

Catherine

June 26, 2005 10:49 PM

Funny, I don't seem to recall us asking anyone for anything by Catherine

The world swayed oddly for a moment as all the blood rushed from Catherine's head when Jennifer asked her cryptic question. She knew. Every other fact flew straight out of her head as she struggled not to faint. The confounded self-righteous eavesdropper knew everything, and she was going to tell. She was not going to faint, she wasn't going to give this-this Jennifer the satisfaction of seeing her faint. She realized dimly that her hands were shaking like she had taken a fever and she knew that there were probably sheets of parchment with more color in them than her face. She was no better than Gwenhwyfar Carey, letting her emotions take hold of her like this in a moment of stress.

It was that thought that gave her just enough rope to grab onto, which was coincidentally the exact same amount she would need to hang herself as well. She tossed her head, a bold, saucy gesture, and gave Jennifer the look down her nose that her mother gave unruly house-elves. It did no good on them, since they knew that Lila was too much of a soft-hearted fool to ever actually punish them, but Catherine had mastered it and it worked better for her. She wouldn't lay a hand on the repulsive things personally, but she had no qualms about complaining to her father.

"Yes," she said, loud and bold with defiance. Fear and anger were still driving her instead of calculation and contempt for the lower orders. She had to get a grip. "I am a Raines, daughter of Charles Raines. To correct any assumption of yours that my friends are from lesser families, this is Jordanna Howard and this is Nicoletta Dupree." She still had enough sense to try to steer the topic away from her. She quickly lost it in another wave of something like panic. "Who are you, Jennifer? Another piece of half-blood rabble or some random piece of pureblood trash? I've noticed that the standards of admittance into this House have been lowered since my father's day." The stress on the word 'father' was as unintentional as the questions. She was all but inviting the other girl to announce her secret for the world to hear, but Jennifer had backed her into a corner, according to her defintion of it. When she was cornered, she lashed out.It never occured to her that she could be reading too much into what Jennifer had said; her family's...odd domestic arrangements were not a topic she was rational on.

She wished she had her wand in her hand. It might not do much good against an older student, but it would have been comforting. Her back stiffened and her chin went up without her realizing it.If this Jennifer who lacked a surname was going to ruin her, if Jordanna and Nicoletta were going to ditch her, then she wouldn't cry and try to wheedle her way back in or into the Losers. No, she would make them rue the day they crossed Catherine Elizabeth Raines. That it made no sense to make them regret crossing someone who might not even exist never crossed her mind. She refused to consider the possibility that she might not be Catherine Raines, just as she always had and always would until the day her mother told her flat-out that she was, in fact, no better than Keaton and Valentine in terms of blood. \n\n

0 Catherine Funny, I don't seem to recall us asking anyone for anything 0 Catherine 0 5

Jennifer

June 27, 2005 4:34 PM

Not all requests are verbal by Jennifer

Jennifer chuckled quietly. Obviously, Catherine thought that she had some sort of blackmail on her. Jennifer actually didn't, but even if she had, she wouldn't have used it. She had never seen herself as that kind of person, and hoped that others hadn't, either.

"Pleased to meet you, Jordanna, Nicoletta," she said, nodding to the other girls, and then returned to Catherine's hints that she was from some unimportant family. "Hardly, Catherine," she said simply.

"Since you insist on knowing for some reason, probably because you want to defend your superiority, my full name is Jennifer Noire Zucchero. I was just wondering, since you looked familiar. I think our fathers may be aquainted. If yours was in this house, maybe that's where they knew each other.

"So I highly doubt that you'll be able to find anything "pureblood trashy" about either side of my family," although I most certainly could, she thought to herself.

"Anyway, I apologize for eavesdropping on your conversation, however unintentionally. And I also apologize for going all superior on you a moment ago. However, I do hope that you would keep in mind to try to keep these kind of things quieter. Although I don't think I would support any kind of inter-house fighting, it wouldn't do for the entire school to know about it. After all, our house does have a reputation to uphold."

She pushed a bit of loose hair behind her ear, and contemplated the other girls. Now would probably be a good time to leave, but she had to admit, she was curious. And this girl seemed like she could be a good person, or kind, if you got past the desperate attempt to remain above. Jennifer hoped she had begun that, by apologizing. She knew she had been in the wrong somewhat, but the girls did need reminding on house status, and that simple rule of thumb. \n\n

0 Jennifer Not all requests are verbal 0 Jennifer 0 5

Catherine

July 01, 2005 8:49 PM

Sad but true...pity I lack the wit to make a rebuttal by Catherine

Catherine had to fight an impulse to physically shake information Jennifer never even knew she had out of her when the older girl laughed again. The next impulse she had to push down was one to create a diversion and run as fast as her feet could carry her back to Illinois when she heard the words Noire Zucchero. Of course, going near her father after insulting a person with that name might not be the best idea she ever had, either. She winced internally as she remembered what he had said about doing anything foolish that might alienate the Raines' from a more powerful family. Jennifer hadn't just listed one such family, but two.It put her in an awkward position, having to choose between possibly annoying the other two first years with their old money names or possibly making an enemy out of the old money daughter of one of her father's friends.

As she pondered the dilemma, a voice spoke in her head, a familiar but unplaceable voice with a matching accent. Sometimes, Catkin, bending your stiff neck a little gets better results than slappin' someone across the face. Who had said that? Good advice, anyway, and she'd take it. She inclined her head a little, though it did nothing to hide the sudden glow of red in her cheeks and forehead. She could never hide it when she was embarrassed; her blushing always gave her away.

"I apologize for any insult I may have given you," she said, a little stiffly. "Any friend of my father's and their families are entitled to my respect, and I didn't give it. The House image must be maintained regardless of what may or may not be the actualities of the situation." Way to go, Cat, she berated herself. You sound about as pleasant as Aunt India at a wedding. Her Aunt India, the gossip who had kicked off that blasted scandal eleven years earlier, was a shrew of an old maid who loved nothing better than to make everyone miserable at weddings with the possible exception of pushing Catherine's buttons. She had both jobs down to arts. Clasping her hands tight together, Catherine tried to work out how to start over and prayed there was some way to save her social life from this mishap.Though she didn't know it, her expression conveyed it all perfectly.

She had really put her foot in her mouth this time. So much for Crotalus caution and Raines diplomacy. There was no way to discreetly say 'you're right I'm wrong' in these circumstances that she could think of, but she didn't know if she could do enough damage control after saying it openly. After all, she had set herself up to fall from the first day. Who was she, a girl whose money only went back to her grandfather, to try to befriend girls like these? Her father was respected in pureblood circles, but even he would, grudgingly, admit that some of those circles would slam the door in his face if he wasn't married to a Robinond girl. On the all-important father's side, she was only two generations from the pureblood trash she looked down her nose at.

She wanted to excuse herself and go hide out in one of her usual haunts around the Labyrinth, but that would be the worst thing she could do politically.No, she would have to weather out the storm and hope that her boat didn't spring another leak before she could get the others stopped up. Why didn't anyone say anything?

OOC: Sorry for the wait, I've had connection issues. Side note-Catherine's father's in his late forties and if Jennifer's father or anyone else knew him in school, they probably thought he was a bit pathetic, since he was the devoted sycophant of anyone who would let "Little Charley" tag along behind him/her. He quit that in the later part of his sixth year when his older brother was disowned and he became known for being extremely arrogant.

\n\n

0 Catherine Sad but true...pity I lack the wit to make a rebuttal 0 Catherine 0 5

Nicoletta Dupree

July 01, 2005 11:06 PM

But there are other who could... by Nicoletta Dupree

Nicoletta had stood quietly enough, allowing Catherine to take the reins with Jennifer. She had patiently waited, gathering information about who this girl was. She didn't know the name Zucchero, but judging by Catherine's reaction, it was one of importance, and therefore, Jennifer deserved some respect.

After Catherine's poor attempt at apologizing, Nicoletta put on her most sincere face and saddled up to Jennifer. With a touch of submission in her voice, she said, "Of course, you are most right about the House image, however, one cannot expect another to lay down quietly when someone is plotting against that one. It would simply be disgraceful to be proven weaker to someone that associates with the wrong sort."

Slightly pausing, Nicoletta gave Jennifer a meaningful look, before continuing, "But do be assured, we believe that anything that happens in the House should stay in the House. After all, the less people that know, the better, for all of our reputations..."

Surely, Jennifer would know that it would hurt everyone in the House, if this little war were to get out. It was also part of the reason, she wanted to put the Loser crew in their place so quickly before things got out of hand.

OOC: Sorry, I haven't been here. I just started a new job.\n\n

0 Nicoletta Dupree But there are other who could... 64 Nicoletta Dupree 0 5

Jennifer

July 07, 2005 12:17 PM

Really? by Jennifer

Jennifer nodded at Nicoletta's assurance that nothing would go outside of the two circles. That was all well and good. THen, she looked at what she was doing, and shruddered inwardly. She was beginning to act a bit like the other pureblood fanatics, those like these girls, and her mother's family.

There wasn't anything wrong with people who acted like that, they could be exceptionally nice, like these girls seemed to have the potential to be. However, Jennifer liked all her other friends, and she didn't want to become so obsessed with her blood that she couldn't focus on anythign else.

"While that is a wise strategy, to strike first, it also makes one look like they are the villain. However, weaker is a strange word. Sometimes, it appears stronger if one is attacked, but chooses to rise above that provoction and carry on strongly. That makes those who attacked first look horrible, and gives the ones who didn't attack at all sympathy from the undecided, if it were to leak out somehow. THings have a way of doing that."

She winced as she said that. It sounded like she was implying that she was going to leak it, something she would never do. It was merely a warning, since there is always someone who can't keep their mouths shut. She decided to amend her statement with, "However, I don't know the whole story, so I couldn't advise you on what would be the best course of action." Perhaps they'd figure out that she really was curious, and tell her what was going on.

Then, a complete change of topic entered her head. SHe was still half thinking about the letter that she had received, and so, when the girls seemed to be digesting her words, asked, "So, do any of you three play quidditch? I know it's a bit of a topic change, but I'm the new captain, and the team still has a few slots to fill. After all, house image would also suffer if we didn't have a respectable team." She grinned slightly.

These girls didn't seem to bad after all, and perhaps she could manage to both fill out the team and perhaps become friends with them, in a way. That would appease her mother more than words could possibly say.\n\n

0 Jennifer Really? 0 Jennifer 0 5

Nicoletta

July 07, 2005 2:18 PM

Really by Nicoletta

Nicoletta thought for a moment, turning the various ideas in her head. On one hand, it could be dangerous to let Jennifer know anything, but on the other, she was a second year, and could be quite useful.

As she listened to Jennifer talking about attacking first, she gave a slight frown. She had never been planning on attacking them first, merely, knowing what they were up to, so she and her friends were not caught unawares. Although, it was not a bad idea to make oneself look better than them by not attacking at all.

Before she could bring this up, Jennifer abruptly changed the subject to Quidditch. When Nicoletta heard these words, she pasted a fake grin on her face. She hated Quidditch, but Jennifer had a point, which was something she really liked about the girl. She shed new light on things. Playing Quidditch would not be something she necessarily enjoyed, but she could ride a broom, and it would prove useful.

Nicoletta placed her thoughts together, before replying with, "While I was not planning on attacking them first, merely, finding out what they were planning against us, in order to act accordingly when they did attack, you bring up an excellent point. It would make us look much better not to attack back, although, we should still be prepared to come off looking good, which is why we should still know what they are up to."

"Another excellent point you bring up is Quidditch. It would be wonderful to have the best House team, and would give others a different sense of us that would be beneficial, to not only us, but our House," she finished with a sly grin.

'Yes, it most certainly would be a powerful move,' she thought. Continuing, she finished with, "Count me in for Quidditch. When and where should I try out for you?"

Nicoletta only hoped Catherine and Jordanna would see the brillance in this political move, thereby not shunning her, like Jordanna was with Skyla.\n\n

0 Nicoletta Really 0 Nicoletta 0 5

Jennifer

July 28, 2005 2:49 PM

How very strange by Jennifer

OOC- Sorry about the long wait. I've been out of town for a while.

Jennifer nodded slightly as Nicoletta explained exactly what they were planning to do. Nicoletta and Catherine both seemed like many of the purebloods she knew back in England. While it was true that Jennifer had disliked a great many of those, she had the feeling that these two at least, and possibly Jordanna, weren't all that bad, once you got past the slightly snobbish behavior.

She was also very pleased that at least one of them would try for quidditch. She had no idea about the talent of any of them, but a whole team had to be better than one only partially filled, after all.

"Well, there's been a sign up sheet by the door for a few weeks," she informed Nicoletta. "You can go sign up there with your name, position, and whatnot. Once I have at least seven players, I'll call a tryout, if we can get more then seven people. So, how about you two?" she asked, looking from Nicoletta to Jordanna and Catherine. "Any quidditch skill or enjoyment from you guys?"

She really did hope that at least one of the others decided to try out two. Although she wasn't in a position to critize, as she had never seen most of the people who signed up fly, she had a feeling at least one wasn't going to know what to do, and she prefered to have backup ready, just in case. \n\n

0 Jennifer How very strange 0 Jennifer 0 5