New Start

[Corrine Lagos]

Corrine was happy to be back in school for the new semester. The break was always nice. Corrine loved spending time eith her family and all of the celebrations that came with the holidays. But towards the end of the break, she always seemed to get stir crazy, eager to return to the fun of Hogwarts castle. It was too bad that classes had to go along with the fun, but she knew she could deal.

Reaching for a bread roll, Corrine smeared some butter on and watched it melt. She took a bite, the warmth making her happy as she looked around at the other Gryffindors. She was seated across from a Gryffindor she didn't know but the spaces beside her were empty. Most people had left to head to other parts of the castle before curfew, but Corrine had been a little late so she was one of the last eating. She didn't mind. It wasn't like she had anything planned for the evening.

 

[Espen Manning]

Espen should not eat at this table, really, but he could not help himself and chat with his sister whenever she was there; classes were mostly crowded with work, trying to follow the lectures that were given or do the assignments given in class. The two barely were able to catch up there, so during breakfast, lunch or dinner had probably been the only opportunity to casually chat with one another without making it into an intervation.

But, as busy as she was, she left in a hurry after munching down a sandwich and Espen was left by himself at the Gryffindor House Table; somewhere he shouldn't be if it wasn't to accompany someone. Nonetheless, he remained unbothered and took a second portion of food; shoving down a few potatos rather quickly as he stared up in the air, towards the magically enhanced ceiling that potrayed a bright blue sky. Fortunately, the weather was nice outside and it made him consider a walk or even a quick jog on the grounds later that day.

The Slytherin, dressed in a grey sweather with some emerald green accents took a bite from a large piece of bread that had gone through a mixture of various sauces he splattered on his plate. Blue orbs gazing over the table, eyeing up a few people that frowned at his presence. "I'm not some Death Eater that's going to send curses flying at your head; the worse I can do is cover you in warts." Of course it was meant as a joke, but who knew how easily some students were offended.<i></i>

 

[Corrine Lagos]

Corrine was always surprised when people took meals apart from their own house. She had noticed the older looking boy seated at their table when she'd arrived, and she knew she didn't recognize him, but she didn't really care. There was plenty of space, and he didn't seem to be causing any issues. He seemed into the conversation he was having with the pretty blonde girl. Corrine had pretty much forgotten about him until she heard him speak loudly some time later. Corrine let out a small snort, laughing at the Gryffindors who looked scandalized by his comment.

She took another look at the boy and then, without thinking too long on it, slid down the table a few seats until she was seated right across from him. She ignored the scowls she was getting from her housemates who probably wanted him gone. "I don't know. Warts sound pretty unpleasant" she said casually, finishing her roll as if they'd been having this conversation all along. Corrine gave him a smile, letting him know she was joking.

 

[Espen Manning]

Despite the Death Eaters being long gone, there was always the rumours that spread throughout the castle and between the students; even though Hogwarts New Zealand was on the other side of the world compared to the one in Scotland, where all of it really went down.

Of course, Espen wasn't the only one being judged for simply being in a house that had so many presumptions and wrongs attached to it; he too, was one to judge plenty of Gryffindors. Presuming them as too brave, too much of a presence to the point they became annoying. He had even caught himself calling his sister somewhat of an attention seeker.

What he hadn't expected after his rather daring comment, was one of the students that truly belonged at the table for Gryffindor to move closer and eventually end up staring straight at him. Feeling slightly uncomfortable with the large piece of bread still in his mouth, Espen hurried himself to break it into little pieces inside of his mouth and make sure to have every little crumb swallowed down before the build blond cleared his throat. "They are." He nodded. "It's a visit to the hospital wing, if you do not know any of the remedies.. most of them involving potions; doubt any student has that particular potion with them." Apart from the facts he squeezed into the sudden conversation, Espen was pretty much putting up the act of the tough guy. He had never used the curse on someone; merely read about it, and maybe flung it at a dummy or a tree to see how it looked.

"Won't you get into trouble for... negotiating with the enemy?" A hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he put the plate aside, but choosing to take some more of the pumpkin juice that there was plenty of set on the table.

 

[Corrine Lagos]

Corrine nodded her head, having seen hers involving warts in action, both in the common room and in Greece. Her mother usually had healing type potions handy, bruise paste and murtlap essence and the like. "Right...and who really wants to waste a day in the hospital wing?" she said as she reached for her glass. Corrine was rather amused by how much the boy seemed to know about this. It made her wonder if he'd ever been on the receiving end of such a hex. After a second, she decided he hadn't. He was large, and in her experience, people tended to not mess with people they thought might abandon their wands for a solid punch.

At his question, Corrine looked around. A sense of unease filled her as she realized that she was getting dirty looks and some students were whispering further down the tanle, though really there was no way of knowing if it was about her. With more bravado than she felt inside, Corrine lifted herself up to give the appearance of confidence. Then she leaned in a little and dropped her voice. "Depends what we're negotiating. I figure if I get you to not send curses flying at their heads or warts covering their body, I'll be ok" she finished conspiratorially. "So, please dont. Because then I might have problems."

 

[Espen Manning]

"Not me, and for their own sake- hopefully neither one of them. The hospital wing must suck." Luckily he had yet to have an accident or anything that would have Espen end up in it. He wasn't planning on having one anytime soon, he heard the medicine tasted terrible and that the beds weren't as nice and comfortable like they were in the houses' their dormitories.

Espen had the urge to call the students out, to freakin' stand up and make them shut it. But he had no right, the girl in front of him had to share a common room with them; the last thing Espen wanted to do was to give her a hard time among her fellow house members. "Nothing to worry about, they are just.. jerks. My sister is one of you guys, she knows that I'm not bad news- even if I didn't have any star grades the first three years that I've been here- but I'm doing better." Shrugging his shoulders, Espen tried to ignore the whispering and the pointing at the two of them. "They should be glad that I just ate, I wouldn't be as nice on an empty stomach." He said as he pressed his teeth together, his jawline clenching as his blue eyes averted from the girl in front of him only momentarily to glance at the Slytherin table. Perhaps he should.. leave her to be.

 

[Corrine Lagos]

Corrine kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to agree that they were jerks, but it was rather rude of them to be whispering and even pointing. He was just a Slytherin, after all. And sure, maybe he should have been eating his meal at his own common room table, but he'd been sitting with his sister. Corrine found it sweet that he had done so. Corrine had a sister who was only a few years older, and she could not imagine her sister ever doing the same. They were such different people that they didn't spend any more time together than they needed to, or else their conversations devolved into arguments.

"What year are you in?" she asked, eyebrows furrowing, figuring the boy had transferred in because surely he wasn't a third or fourth year. He was way too tall and looked way older than all the boys she knew from her classes. At his final comment, Corrine laughed. "Is this you being nice and friendly?" she asked, giving him a poke. He was being nice enough to her but not so much towards the other Gryffindors.

 

[Espen Manning]

The thought still lingered his mind whether he should get up and move his ass to the table that was assigned to his own house. But then again, he was not getting the girl in front of him in any trouble; he did as promised, not swinging around hexes that would awfully hurt the students and probably result into the bunch including Espen himself ending up having to attend detention or any other form of punishment for reckless behaviour.

Neither would he leave this very table for the sake of some bratty Gryffindors that clung to the childish rivalry between their houses for the sake of having something to live for, like a second sportsteam that would cheer for any setback that Slytherin encountered if Quidditch was not around for them.

Neither would she allow him to leave so soon, pulled back into a conversation with the question she posed; Espen leta white teethed smile creep back onto his features. "Fourth. You ??" Immediately asking her own, back to her. "Yeah- and this is on a good day. But I promise you, I'm not mean on purpose." Only when the people he would fire at annoyed him, tried to do him dirty or were purposely provoking him.<i></i>

 

[Corrine Lagos]

"Third" she replied easily, surprised to learn he was only a year older. It made sense though since she knew Evelyn was a fourth year. Corrine giggled at what he said next, wondering what a bad day was like. She probably didn't want to know. She let her hand fall from her mouth to her ear, brushing her hair behind it.

Glancing down, Corrine realized that she was lingering over an empty plate. She supposed it was because this had been an entertaining conversation, but she was running out of things to say and figured she'd better cut it short while she was still ahead. "Well, I'm, I better get going. I, uh, need to get to my room. I promised my roommates I'd help them with something" she said, hoping that sounded believeable. She didn't really have any plans, but lingering seemed awkward.

 

[Espen Manning]

"Only a year apart, you do sound and act very mature." Probably more mature than he was, now that he was thinking about it. Then again, Espen's demeanour could easily shift from childish to mature, from kind to angry.. he was probably a bit bad with emotions; his first three years at Hogwarts hadn't been the easier, he was catching up now and things were luckily a bit... better.

Her excuse was definitely not solid, but it was an excuse Espen used all the time as well. It could easily be linked to their studies; the busy schedule and all that. They had to be excused every now and then, to lock yourself in your dorm and read up on the theory you had to know for your exams. "I understand. You can probably catch me some other day, defending off those housemates of yours that are convinced I'm part of the Death Eater house." He chuckled. "Didn't catch your name, though- mine's Espen." Manning was self-explained, Evelyn was a rather flamboyant student that made sure the people would recognize her and know who she was.

 

[Corrine Lagos]

Corrine blushed slightly at being called mature. At least, she hoped it was a compliment and not his way of calling her boring. She didn't think he was. He hadn't seemed 9verly bored or in a rush to get away from her. She wasn't really in a rush to get away either, but it seemed the best thing to do. If she lingered any longer, people were liable to start rumors about her, and Corrine wasn't sure she needed that in her life.

Making a move to get up, Corrine paused when the older boy spoke again. She let out a chuckle as he mentioned them possibly meeting again. As he introduced himself, Corrine was surprised they'd made it this far in their conversation without having done so. "I look forward to it, Espen. I'm Corrine" she grinned as she made to stand up. "Well, have a good night" she said before turning and heading out of the room.

 

[Espen Manning]

Corrine. That was her name, luckily he was clever enough to ask for it before he would be left by himself at the Gryffindor House table. Neither did he want to have something like what happened at the Yule Ball, where he left without ever asking for Rose's name. Of course, he knew her name now; but that did not mean he should repeat his own stupidity.

"Nice to meet you, Corrine. See you around." He nodded with a light smile tugging at his lips, watching her leave and leaving him to eat the remnants of his food that was still lingering on his plate. Covered in sauces, pieces of bread and some meat and vegetables. A peaceful dinner it would not be, since the Gryffindors only seemed to be more intrigued or scared now that the Slytherin was left by himself.

---

Fin.​

---

---