Closed The American Dance

[Isaac Kain]

Isaac had had enough coffee that morning to keep him up for the rest of the day. Unfortunately for him, coffee had very little effect on the sixth year who had been working hard since the beginning of the year. Since setting his mind on becoming a healer, and feeling as though he was a burden at Hogwarts, the blonde haired boy had transferred away to Ilvermorny, in the hopes he would finally feel like he was home. Hogwarts may have suited some people, but here at the American school, he finally felt as though he may have been around people who understood him, even if he had said goodbye to his sister and a few acquaintances. He'd unsurprisingly been sorted in Pukwudgie, a house for the healers, where he was doing his best now that he had a time to shine. ​

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Isaac had been working hard enough that he didn't feel the guilt when he turned up at the Valentines ball. He wasn't usually one for dances, recalling the dance when he and Sophie had mocked those enjoying themselves at Halloween, but today he wanted to cast his eye around the students in other years. He'd learnt a few friends in his own classes, but with just over a year left of his education he was going to make the most of it. He took a drink from the table, before turning and taking a sip of the sweet liquid, blue eyes cast around the room as he checked out the faces of strangers.​

 

[Katy Miller]

Katy was always a bit conflicted about school dances. It seemed like an excuse for boring couples to show off how happy and boring they were together while the school played bad music and provided even worse food, but Katy also loved dressing up and letting loose a little. She'd decided to go stag for a bit tonight, that way if it was lame, she could bail out without worrying, and if she actually wanted to stay, she didn't have to babysit any of her friends, who were slightly less formal dance inclined. Leaning into the flower theme tonight, Katy straightened her suitably garishly floral jacket before surveying the room and making a beeline for the drink table. It was still a bit dead on the dance floor this early and she was going to need some sustenance if things were going to liven up. Pouring a drink, she spotted a kid she didn't recognize lingering nearby. He seemed to be alone, and Katy felt like she knew at least some of the older students in passing, so she had to wonder when he'd popped up here. "Hey, I don't know you, where'd you come from?" She asked, sliding up next to him and sipping her drink. The idea of there being some new boy she didn't know about around irked her.

 

[Isaac Kain]

After being caught but surprise with a question whilst in the midst of taking a sip of his drink, Isaac began to cough as it went down the wrong hole. After a few seconds he finally got control of himself again, and trying to ignore the flush that had attacked his cheeks, turned to the girl that had spoken to him, “Sorry, hi.” He gave her a small smile in the hopes that she hadn’t been put off by his spluttering. “Yeah, I’m kind of new, I used to go to Hogwarts,” he admitted, trying not to dwell on his experiences there, he was eager after all to make new ones. “I only moved here about 6 months ago.” He couldn’t believe it had already been that long. He glanced up and down, a small nod of appreciation for her dress, but too shy to admit it out loud. ​

 

[Katy Miller]

Katy stifled a laugh at the guy as he sputtered. She didn't mean to startle the poor dude, but it was still a little funny. She gave him a little pat on the shoulder once he finally was able to talk, before giving a quick fist bump after he confirmed her suspicions. "Aha, I thought so," Katy said, glad to know she'd been right. "I feel like I know everyone and I didn't recognize you. I'm Katy," She said cheerily, talking a bit more to try and give the poor guy a longer chance to recover from his coughing fit.
"Wait, like Hogwarts in Scotland? Are you Scottish?" Katy wasn't good at accents, but this guy didn't sound very Scottish, or British or whatever, but after losing two people to the stupid Hogwarts in New Zealand she was starting to wonder if students from there were more common than she'd thought.

 

[Isaac Kain]

Even at Hogwarts he didn’t know what it was like to know everyone. Isaac had been much too anti social to know more than a handful of students. He smiled when she introduced herself, a small nod as he did the same “Isaac,” He want sure why she thought he was Scottish, although his own accent was a mix of both American and New Zealand after spending various amounts of time in both countries. “I went to Hogwarts New Zealand, Ravenclaw,” he added, as though that would give any indication to what he was like. It was still the best house for him there but now he was a Pukwidgie it felt more like home. “I’ve never been to Scotland, although my sister went there at Hogwarts,” Lillith had been out of school before he’d gotten there. “What house are you?” He asked, taking another sip of his drink.​

 

[Katy Miller]

Katy could hardly believe she'd managed to find a kiwi here at school. She'd have to get better and identifying accents for real. She flapped her hand dismissively when Isaac talked about Scotland, taking a moment to swallow the mouthful of punch she'd just taken. "Back up, Hogwarts New Zealand, okay okay," Katy'd assumed Scotland was the more popular school but maybe it wasn't the case so much any more. "Why come to America then, everyone seems to think New Zealand's pretty great," Elliot and Sofia at least seemed to think it was better than being at school here, with her. It was good to know Isaac apparently had his head on straight. "I'm in Thunderbird," She said proudly, striking a little pose before laughing. "What about you? How's your Ilvermorny house sitting compared to the kiwi one?"

 

[Isaac Kain]

Isaac supposed quite a few students had gone to Scotland. He knew two himself that had moved across when he left last year. He had his reasons though, and Isaac found himself wanting to explain instead of pushing away this person that had openly come to talk to him. A few years ago he may not have done anything to help himself but it only proved how much Ilvermorny had helped him. “Some of my family live in America,” as far as he knew he had no relatives in the UK, and his Uncle had just started as a professor at this school, “That and I didn’t particularly like Hogwarts. Why go to Scotland when it would be similar?” He said, unsurprised when she mentioned she wasn’t in his house, he hadn’t seen her around. “Does that house help you?” He asked curiously, knowing his did. “I feel like this school focuses more on your abilities and your skills, rather than your personality,” he admitted after a moment. Being in Ravenclaw was quite restrictive, and he always felt like all the students were stereotyped into their houses, so everyone was automatically judged before you knew them.​

 

[Katy Miller]

"No way, mine too," Katy said a bit cheekily when Isaac mentioned having family in the US. "But that's pretty cool, I think it's important everyone get a chance to go explore somewhere that's not home, you know? I'd love to do an exchange program or something, get to see what other schools are like," She nodded, frowning when she considered Isaac's opinion of Hogwarts. With one of her friends and her little cousin both going there, she wasn't overjoyed to hear that Isaac clearly didn't think very highly of it. But maybe it meant there was a chance both Elliot and Sofia would still come to Ilvermorny. "Well I'm glad you finally came to your senses and picked a good school," She said, patting Isaac on the shoulder companionably.

Scratching her cheek thoughtfully, Katy considered her house for a moment. "I guess it helps me? I don't know if I'd be any different if I were in another house, but my housemates are pretty chill," Katy shrugged. Thunderbird suited her just fine, but it wasn't like she would have been any less herself in Wampus or Pukwudgie. "Does Hogwarts really make you all try on the same stinky hat each year though?" She asked, eyes wide.

 

[Isaac Kain]

Isaac didn’t think it particularly surprising that a student in America had an American family, but he smiled politely none the less. “Yeah I guess so,” he couldn’t really imagine Beauxbatons and Durmstrang would work out well for him, but he’d met the Quidditch team from the former during their attendance at his previous school, “Where would you try?”. The sixth year nodded at her comment of picking the right school, it was certainly a welcome change, and probably just what he needed. He flinched however when the younger girl patted his arm, physical affection was not something that came easily to him. Even when dating Sophie it had been a rarity for the pair of them to even hold hands. Trying to ignore it and focus on the student beside him. “Having housemates you get along with great,” he added sincerely, knowing how important it was. He chuckled a little as he recalled his first year sorting, “Oh yeah for sure. Bet that things never been washed,” he joked. It was a surprise Hogwarts wasn’t infested with nits.

 

[Katy Miller]

"Oh, loaded question," Katy said, making a show of thinking about where she'd want to transfer as if she hadn't already spent a lot of time considering it already. "Like, obviously New Zealand is pretty cool, and about as far away from the US as you can get, so there's an appeal. But Mahoutokoro would be awesome, there's gotta be a lot of history there and I bet Japan is super fun to travel," She said, ticking her points off on her fingers. "Maybe you could do a thing where you just change schools every year or something. Or every semester," Katy knew the idea appealed to her but she doubted any school or parent would really go for it.

She laughed gleefully when Isaac mentioned she didn't think the hat at Hogwarts ever got washed. "Ew, gross," Katy scrunched up her face and giggled again. "They couldn't upgrade at any point? Like here's the sorting baseball cap. Sorting beanie. Keep it fresh. Literally." The idea had given her the giggles and Katy could hide a little snort laugh that snuck out while she joked.

 

[Isaac Kain]

Isaac listened as Katy said New Zealand was cool, which was certainly something he could get behind, but he smiled when she spoke of Mahoutokoro. "Apparently they have like, extra years or something too." he was sure he'd read about that somewhere. It wouldn't be too bad though, only that you would have been able to learn magic sooner than the rest of the schools as they started when they were younger. It wasn't a terrible shout to attend a different school every year, although he didn't think many students would have the parents that would appreciate it. "It would make you a heck of a competition by fifth year that's for sure," he added, realising how much knowledge could be gained from doing that, especially if you began the journey in Japan. It wasn't a bad idea.

The Pukwudgie could barely remember the last time he'd heard someone laugh. He'd spent so long with either his head in book studying drama, before moving on and helping those in the hospital wing, that he'd not really had much chance to be around a group for fun. Even when he was on the Quidditch team, they were more absorbed by their victories than having fun with it. "A sorting beanie, are you serious?" he chuckled, imagining Professor Alicastell placing a sorting beanie on the fresh batch of students in the Great Hall. "Where would you even get a mouth on that thing," Something little like that would probably have a very high pitched voice too, that would be amusing trying to get across to all the students that filled the room. "Can you imagine a beanie with a deep old man voice?" he mused, wondering where on earth this conversation was headed. It was great.

 

[Katy Miller]

"Oh man, I wonder if I'd have to be held back a year if I went there, that'd be nuts," She said when Isaac mentioned the students there having extra years. The idea was a little absurd but those Mahoutokoro kids were probably crazy smart. It was pretty cool that Isaac apparently knew a bit about other schools though. "What made you pick Ilvermorny instead of a place like that then? Just your family?" Katy could understand the importance of sticking with your family, but Isaac didn't exactly seem super thrilled about Ilvermorny just yet. "Competition for what? I could take em," She said, though her tone was far from serious. Katy was confident in her abilities, but dueling some Mahoutokoro prodigy would probably be a nightmare. She could probably take one in a footrace or something though.

"Look, it's important to stay up with the times," She said, grinning at Isaac as he kept the joke running. "You're right though, not a lot of real estate for a mouth. Oh! What about one of those hats the guards at Buckingham palace wear? Plenty of room, and can you imagine," Katy was mostly speaking into her hand at this point, trying to control the overwhelming urge to laugh at her own stupid jokes. "It'd have to be a real posh old man voice if you go with the big furry guard hat," She said sagely. "Hello, welcome to Hogwarts." She tried in her best, deepest, english accent. It was terrible and Katy barely finished her sentence before doubling over laughing at how ridiculous it was.