A gift too many Open

Rose looked around the peculiar crowd. Honestly, all they were missing was a Slytherin to recreate the House colours. They all seemed to be first years and all of them had an I-don't-know-what-to-do-please-help aura.

She didn't know what to do, especially with all the people. Mind you, Rose didn't really mind the company, but it was her nature that awkwardness and really bad small talk were basically all she ever gave out.

"Hello," the Hufflepuff originally in the washroom said.

"H-Hello. Sorry, for..um...interrupting you guys. Uh," Rose pointed at the bats.

"Those are pretty cool," Rose stuttered awkwardly. She cringed at her stupid attempt to talk. Maybe not talking was for the best. However, Rose seemed to think that it was too late to back out, so she continued. I mean, what more harm would come?

Rose reached out her hand, half trying to hide its minor shaking in plain sight.

"I-I'm Rose. Rose Morgan. Nice, to meet you guys..." She smiled. Or tried to.

Someone shook her hand and took it back after. Her hand tugged at her robe and looked at the bats made of cloth.

"Oh my! Those look adorable! Did you make them?" Rose had a feeling that the Hufflepuff girl holding them wanted to join in the conversation. Or whatever this...thing was called.

Rose reflected on what she had done. It wasn't quite as scary talking to new people anymore. What had changed?

Belatedly he would realize exactly what Logan had done and why. When that happened he'd feel overwhelmingly thankful and probably seek the Hufflepuff out just to thank for her actions when this was all over but for now...for now, the treacherous part of his brain, the one that was undoubtedly a bit mean sometimes in it's humor was cackling because really?

This entire situation was like a bad joke.

And distantly, he knew the others were talking. Knew that he should say something, like introducing himself but in the end the words that came out were very different than a greetings or an awkward hello.

"Two huffs, a raven and grif walk into a room..." he hummed, the corners of his lip curled slightly betraying the amusement despite his bored tone of voice.

"All we need now is a final member to Slyther in and we're set." He half expected to be hit upside the head like back home by Bea, because honestly, his brain had horrible timing when it came to anything funny. Although he didn't show any remorse for the bad joke, instead giving Logan an expectant look, "you could at least pity laugh."

He turned his gaze back to Ravenclaw, nodding to her,"Pleasure Rose, I'm Elsian and you..." he eyed the newly arrived huff, trailing off slightly, "well I suppose I can just call you Huffpuff if you don't want to give a name." he teased.

Logan looked at Elsian with a scowl on her face as she held the stuffed animals in her arms. She had originally thought Elsian would make a good friend, but clearly his attitude was changing quickly.

"Be nice Elsian or no one is going to want to be your friend," she snapped at him. She wasn't afraid to tell him off, seeing as he was being rather rude to the other two students in the washroom. She was taught to defend people even if she didn't know them, so that was what she was doing.

Logan used her shoulder to brush a few more strands of hair out of her face, making sure to not drop anymore of the little stuffed animals in her arms. Even thought Elsian was being rude, she didn't want to ruin the little animals he had spent so much time trying to make by hand. He had even offered her one, but she hadn't been able to respond before the two other students came in.

The brunette decided then and there that even though the Gryffindor was being rather rude, she wasn't going to let it slip that he was the one that made the stuffed animals. Being taught her manners, she wasn't going to embarrass the boy, even if his attitude was absolutely horribl.

"I am Logan Baird," she introduced, "and if you don't want to tell us your name, you don't have too." She turned her head towards Elsian and gave him a pointed looked when she said the last part, making sure he knew that he was not on her good side right at this point.

Stunned, Rose looked to her right, where the Hufflepuff was standing with sympathy. She didn't deserve the cruelty Elsian gave her. Rose knew. She had been treated this way before.

Rose's anger bubbled up inside and she snapped.

"Excuse me for saying this, but that's no way to treat someone," Rose huffed.

"We've all had a time when we didn't want to talk. Me, you, and her. Especially me. I've always been treated differently because I was 'the shy girl'. I've been called mute. Of course, I wasn't, I'm just an introvert. I like to do everything you like, except talking. So please, don't make fun of others if you don't even know them."

Suddenly, a memory came to her. She was back in the school playground, in England. The school children had pelted her with little pebbles and had written on her desk, calling her stupid and mute. Rose told herself to hold her tears until she got home. she cried herself to sleep that night. She skipped the TV dinner her mother had prepared for her and cried until she couldn't cry anymore. She hated herself. Why didn't she just speak? Why was it so hard for her? It disgusted her that even a conversation would make her face go up in flames.

Her eyes had been welling up and she didn't even realize it. She used her robe's sleeve to pat her eyes dry.

"Look, I'm sorry Elsian, I normally don't rash out like this, but I just can't stand by watching someone getting made fun of."

Rose chuckled emotionlessly. "It's funny really, isn't it. I got angry over such a tiny thing like this," she shrugged.

"You look like you're a great guy Elsian, don't get me wrong, but maybe...next time don't make fun of anyone. It doesn't make anyone look cool." Rose smiled, looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry," She apologized and ran outside the washroom, accidentally leaving her book inside.

[quote]He sighed under his breath, not really all too sure what he'd done to make the other so angry. Then again he didn't really understand most of the people here. Was what he said really that bad? His mother spoke to their family and friends like that all the time! In public no less. Tending to wander off in your own thoughts with company however? That was very rude so he wondered if Logan had noticed and that's why she was upset so suddenly. It was what he got scolded about the most often with his uncle so it made sense.

Deciding to back off a bit he shrugged, offering an apology to the other girls.

"Sorry, that's the bad nights sleep talking. That was rude of me." it was a lie and he wasn't actually sure if it was as rude as Logan seemed to dub his actions but apologizing seemed a safe bet. He didn't mean to make the other feel bad after all.

Seeing the conversation focused between the girls he took the moment to stuff the toys he'd been holding into his robe, now that he only had three to hold they fit just fine in his robes pockets he'd sewn his first days here. Briefly, he played with the idea of leaving but when Logan gave him a sharp look that resembled Beas angry one...well, he'd seen that look many times before and he'd always gotten yelled at when it was thrown his way. Obviously she wasn't yelling now but if he left now he didn't doubt that Logan could hunt him down to hit him upside the head and yell at him for being rude.

At least that was his original thoughts until the raven lashed out at him. Frowning he picked up the left over book, eyeing where the girl had run off.

Jogging to the entrance he paused sticking his head back in to eye Logan, "you can yell at me later for running off," he offered giving a weak smile, "and you," he eyed Huffpuff as he'd deemed in his head, "I'm sure it would have been wonderful talking but obviously I'm not very good company today and it seems I need to go and apologize...again."

Maya didn’t know what to say. She felt awkward once she had stepped inside. Like she wasn’t supposed to be there. She was never usually shy or quiet, but for some strange reason, she just couldn’t get any words out.

The Gryffindor boy tried to lighten up the situation by trying to tell a joke. It wasn’t very funny, and Maya gave a pity smile to the boy so he didn’t feel too bad about it. It was more like the start of a joke, but not the full thing, so maybe that’s why it wasn’t funny. The boy's eyes trailed over to Maya, as she still hadn’t said anything. She couldn’t even mutter out her name.

Seriously, what was wrong with her today?

She could always snapback with a snarky remark or some sarcastic comment, but for some reason, she just couldn’t today.

The boy called Maya ‘Hufflepuff’ since he didn’t know her name, which was fine by her. It wasn't rude, and Maya never took offence, so she just shrugged her shoulders. After all, what else would they call her if she couldn’t even mutter out her name?

The other two, however, didn’t seem too happy with the boy. The other Hufflepuff girl told him to be nice and introduced herself as Logan. The Ravenclaw girl who introduced herself as Rose also snapped at him. After looking embarrassed, she then quickly apologized and ran out of the washroom, leaving a book behind. What was going on? Maya only came in to see where the voices were coming from. She bent down and picked up the Ravenclaw's book so it wouldn't get dirty.

The boy, Elsian, sighed under his breath. Maya looked up at him. He apologized, but although she still didn’t think it was that rude, she couldn’t get a word in with the other two girls standing up for her. Elsian took the book Maya was holding and jogged up to the entrance of the washroom. He said something to Logan about yelling at him later, which made Maya assume that they were already friends and knew each other.

He then glanced at Maya, saying that he didn't have good company today, and apologized again.

“Wait,” Maya said, finally getting out a word.

“I’m Maya. And don’t worry about it. You don’t have to apologize, Gryff,” she said, shortening the house to form a sort of nickname