Meeting the roommates... on Crotalus Commons

Heaven Baird

April 05, 2012 2:40 PM

Meeting the roommates... by Heaven Baird

When one of the professors called for Crotali, Heaven headed over immediately only to be introduced to Deputy Headmistress Amelia Pierce who also happened to be the Quidditch Coach. She didn’t play Quidditch herself since she wasn’t really allowed to as she had been told that it was intended as a male sport and only manly women ever joined teams. She hoped that this wouldn’t be held against her since she really wanted to impress all of her professors. It was important to make one known. Otherwise, there was the risk of ending up as some poor unfortunate lost in the crowd never destined to rise in the ranks of pureblood society. No, that wouldn’t due t all, but it was also clear that impressing Amelia Pierce to place her in the right sort of position would be more challenging since they would not be interacting in the same way as if she taught a class.

The new Crotalus would have to give this some thought, but for now it would have to wait, as they moved along towards Crotalus. Not wanting to suffer the embarrassment of getting lost, she paid attention to the landmarks that were pointed out in addition to taking note on some others. One in particular caught her attention and she was busy studying it trying to figure out if it was one thing or another and nearly got behind the group. Scurrying as quickly as she dared without appearing unladylike, she rejoined the group and with some repositioning found herself near the front. She had lost Lucrezia in the shuffle, which was regrettable since the girl was her only friend here, but at least she could say that she had one. Hopefully, when she wrote home about her, mom and dad would be just as thrilled.

Finally, they stopped in front of a hideous portrait of a zombie. Why in the world would anyone want to have a zombie for an entrance? If one wanted to lose weight, this was certainly enough to cause a loss of appetite. She would definitely have to avoid looking at it since she was thin enough as it was. At least, no one would probably try and bother the zombie so the house entrance was safe enough. Still, couldn’t they have put a nice fire-breathing dragon there instead of a disgusting zombie? Oh, and she had to talk to it too? It just seemed wrong to say the word German Shepard to the zombie instead of something like fried brains, but she guessed that was part of the whole safety thing too so others didn’t guess the secret word.

Mentally shrugging, she pushed the whole thing aside in favor of crossing the threshold to the Common room. It was much more plush than she had expected it to be. Though, the red on red with the furniture and walls was a bit much despite the difference in tones. A nice gray pinstripe on the walls would have been nice to give some breakup to the solid and to pull it in better with the carpet and silver trim. She liked the old world furniture though. It was like what they had at their house. Her parents always said that antique furniture was the way to go. It was classically held against the test of time while still retaining functionality and comfort. She had to say she agreed.

A tapping sound averted her attention to a bulletin board. She noted the spot for the password and how it changed every week. Another potential embarrassment if she forgot to look. She would be stuck outside until she got someone to let her in or be forced to go to the Deputy’s office and admit her failure. How would that look when she was attempting to impress the woman? Even if she were a Quidditch Coach. She still had power. Suddenly, it dawned on her. She had introduced herself in the respectable pureblood way, but no respectable pureblood would be coaching Quidditch. But the woman had power clearly since she was Deputy Headmistress. Did her parents know about this? They must and they must want to see how she handled herself with such a touchy situation. She still had to impress the woman while maintaining enough distance to not be associated with such standards. Hmm, tricky, tricky.

As if reading her mind, the Coach suddenly announced that she would provide punishment regardless of families. Thankfully, she never intended to get a detention or have points docked. She was a rule follower. Besides, fighting and disrespect was just a nasty sort of business that she would rather not get involved in. Of course, this just meant that one should only do so in the most seemingly respectful of manners. Her mother always told her that it’s not what you say, but how you say it meaning that it is perfectly fine to insult a person so long as the person doesn’t realize that you have just insulted them. It was a practice that she was working on so she could be a perfect pureblood like her mom. The rest she tuned out on until they could head up to their dorms. She was eager to see what they looked like.

Entering the room, she looked at the bedding options. She didn’t want one that was too close or too far from the window. Windows were nice for letting in natural light, but sometimes, it could cause a glaring blindness depending on where the sun was positioned. She also didn’t want a bed that was too hard since she wouldn’t be able to sleep if it was. She liked the bed to be as soft as possible. After feeling a couple of the beds, she finally found one that was perfect for her. It was as soft as if she were sleeping on a cloud! Claiming the bed, she began unpacking her belongings that had been deposited in the room earlier. Though, she wasn’t sure where she was going to fit everything! Before she tried, however, she threw an outfit onto the bed nearby in case Lucrezia wanted it. She hoped so. It would be absolutely fantastic to talk and share secrets before bed every night.

Hopefully, she would get along with her other roommates just as well. Saying to the nearest girl, “I absolutely love your outfit.” It didn’t really matter if she did or not since it was just a conversation starter. “Where did you get it? I am Heaven Baird of the Connecticut Bairds.” She held out her hand in proper fashion for what was not quite a handshake, but would be more of a brief hand squeeze of acknowledgement.

0 Heaven Baird Meeting the roommates... 229 Heaven Baird 1 5

Lucrezia Renaldi

April 10, 2012 5:06 PM

Yey! by Lucrezia Renaldi

Lucrezia had a blast talking to Heaven during the feast, and she was quite certain they were going to be the best of friends. The girl was Pureblood and nice and polite. There was nothing that could be said against her, and she was sure her Great-Grandfather would approve of her new friend. She knew that other respectable girls and boys were in her year, and she couldn’t wait to meet them all. The Italian happily finished her meal in the company of Heaven. She was a really nice girl.

An adult came for them, and Lucrezia was happy to note that the color of her skin was returning to its normal pretty olive tone. She smiled and listened dutifully to what the Deputy Head was telling them. She didn’t want to get lost the next time she had to come to her commons, and she didn’t want to depend on anyone to do so. She made a mental note of everything she had heard and seen on the way to the Crotalus common room.

On the walk to the commons she had stayed near Heaven, not feeling quite secure by her own, though a smile had been on her face all the way. Being at school was proving to be more fun than she had actually thought, even when her Head of House was an undesirable. She had been taught everything about the Pierce family, especially because members of it were at school. Lucrezia was under strict orders to be civil and nice to every one of them, not matter their status. Amelia Pierce, regardless of her awful status, was still an authority figure, and thus needed to be respected. However, that didn’t mean that by birth and status Lucrezia was inferior to her. No, she was better, something that would need to be established by manners and attitude.

Once Deputy Head Pierce finished with her speech, the Italian looked around the common room in interest and lost sight of Heaven. Her eyes looked around and found the door that went to the room she would share with Heaven and others. She skipped into it and finally saw her friend.

She thanked her for separating a bed for her besides her. She gracefully laid Heaven’s clothes on top of the other girl’s bed before starting to unpack some of her things. Her school uniform and toiletries to start with, since she was tired to unpack her whole trunk. Tonight was just about the essentials.

She looked up when Heaven introduced herself to a new arrival, “Hi. I am Lucrezia Renaldi, from the Renaldi family in Italy and the Randolph family from Massachusetts.” There is sounded more formal and intimidating. “You are indeed wearing a lovely dress,” she smiled the friendliest smile she could muster, which was something quite enticing. Lucrezia was very friendly.

0 Lucrezia Renaldi Yey! 231 Lucrezia Renaldi 0 5

Carrie O'Malley

April 18, 2012 2:57 AM

Such an honor...for you, of course. by Carrie O'Malley

So far, Carrie was not all that happy to be sorted in Crotalus. Not only was Ryan in here and the Head of House was probably one of the most notoriously disreputable there was, but now it turned out that their common room was behind the portrait of a disgusting zombie? Ew! Why would anyone even hang such a thing up? Especially for a House that was supposed to be classy and respectable. Carrie expected something a little bit better. Especially now that she was in this house. She did, after all, deserve the very best and so far, she hadn't been receiving it.

And where did Miss Pierce get off saying everyone was in equal in this House? That simply was not true . Carrie was superior to all, especially Ryan and that disgusting filthy mudblood she'd had the misfortune of eating with. How in Merlin's name had Solomon Bensalem ended up in Crotalus? It was supposed to be all purebloods.

It was probably just because Miss Pierce was surrounded by so many of her betters. Carrie almost pitied the woman. She'd had a chance to be respectable and blown it, probably because she'd played Quidditch and liked other women. It happened sometimes though that an inferior type of person was born to decent parents who deserved better. Just look at what her mother had given birth to before her!

Now Carrie had entered her room, the decor was acceptable, though she would have preferred pink to red and much more closet space, but five beds? Really? Did they honestly expect her to room with others? Was this whole thing some kind of sick joke? Perhaps Uncle Seth's idea or Ryan's-no, wait, her brother was way too stupid to think of that-but her uncle or Arabella...or even Sophie.

Of course, Carrie was perfectly content with the idea of befriending other respectable people, but sharing a room? That was unacceptable. Especially when Ryan had his own. Of course, maybe that was so he couldn't contaminate anyone else but still, Carrie deserved her own space.

Before she could say anything about it though, one of the other girls introduced herself as Heaven Baird and complimented Carrie's outfit, followed by a second girl who introduced herself as Lucrezia Renaldi and echoed the first's compliment. Baird. Renaldi. Lucrezia also mentioned connections to the Stratfords. Good pureblood families. Not like that... filth Carrie had been subjected to at dinner.

She scanned the other two girls, happy to see that they were both reasonably attractive-it would never do to associate with ugly people after all, even purebloods-but similar looking, though Lucrezia was more olive skinned. Still Carrie knew she was more attractive and that her blonde hair would make her stand out. "I am Carrie O'Malley, of the Colorado O'Malleys. Thank you for the compliment." Some manners, she supposed, were necessary in this situation. "I only wear the very finest of course. My mother's personal seamstress made it, just for me. She only does clothing for me and my mother."

11 Carrie O'Malley Such an honor...for you, of course. 230 Carrie O'Malley 0 5