First Year Fears PV Group Locked

Interacting with @Martyna Romero, @Elizabeth Isaacs & @Ruby Cazares

Starlee looked back and saw that the trunk had thwacked Liz on the head. 'Ha, that's just what you deserve.' She stuck her tongue out at Elizabeth as she brought her hand up to her head. Good. She was glad that it hurt. Maybe something would jar that memory into not being so stupid. It wasn't until she looked back up that she saw another girl standing in the door of the compartment, next to where Starlee had thrown out the trunk. She was certainly an older student and was glaring at the three of them with robes that looked quite pristine. 'Oh dear, I hope this isn't one of Liz's friends...' She caught a glimpse of the green on the girl's robes, as well as some strange badge that said 'Prefect.''Hmm... must be a Slithering like Tina had mentioned before. What were they... street smart? Was this girl about to beat them up now if she was Liz's friend? And what the heck is a prefect?' It was then the girl started talking with some sort of authority, but Starlee couldn't care less.

“Mm, what do we have here? Haven't even arrived at Hogwarts and you're already causing trouble… I'll have to keep an eye on you three. Names? I expect an explanation for all… this.” Who in the world did this girl think she was? Before Starlee could respond to her, Elizabeth decided to speak up. She watched as Elizabeth pulled her trunk back in past the other girl, and Starlee let out a sigh of exasperation. Seriously, this girl either couldn't take the hint, or they were in for something bad. She seriously couldn't believe something like this would happen on her first day. Elizabeth then went on this long monologue in some sort of attempt to play the victim, but Starlee could see right through it. This girl had been absolutely rotten to Tina, and she was not going to stand for it.

"I was fully content to just ignore them for the rest of the train ride than then Tina over there threw her jam sandwich at me, look!" Starlee had to try very hard to hold in a giggle as Elizabeth explained the whole jam debacle. I mean... she also knew there was no way Liz simply had plans to ignore them. Oh no. Starlee knew better. All Starlee felt right now was the need to protect Tina from this horrible, horrible person.

She looked over at Tina, who's head seemed to be full of thoughts and emotions as Elizabeth finished her piece, and she then looked to the girl standing in the doorway, still curious as to what the heck they were doing here. Maybe they were trying to play the saviour? They heard a cry in the hall and came to help someone? Well unfortunately it wasn't the one hit in the head that needed the saving... it was her and Tina. It seemed Elizabeth didn't know this girl, so perhaps things would be okay. Maybe Starlee could try to appease them.

Before Starlee could try to plead with the girl for help, Tina blurted out "Racist bitch." Starlee turned to the other girl, trying to hide a look of surprise. She realized now they were both in too deep to stop now and she supposed Tina knew it too. I guess we are pulling out everything we got against Elizabeth. She turned back to Elizabeth and the other girl as Tina continued on, deciding to try and puff up her chest to look more intimidating and trying to stand as tall as she possibly could.

"I'm Martyna. Romero. Or 'Mad Marty' as Elizabeth likes to call me. Anyway, that's the right word, isn't it? Or is there another one for people like that here? I hoped getting hit with your stuff might knock some sense into you, but obviously not," To this, Starlee was nodding along vigorously. She had to show support for her new friend one way or another. She certainly wasn't going to let someone with the same thoughts as her Grandfather ruin her day. "How does it feel like to look down on others like this? Does it make you feel good? Does it? You wouldn't know what it's like to be spat on. Here, let me help you."

To this, Starlee sneered. This girl had it coming. She deserved this. Starlee then looked back up at the older girl and said, "Look, uh... well whatever your name is, we've got this situation covered, thanks, so you can just leave now." Starlee truly felt as if there was nothing more to say to the other girl, and so it was time to turn her attention back to Elizabeth, being purely ignorant of what the prefect might do.

She looked back down at the much shorter Elizabeth, Starlee's eyes dripping with hatred. "If you can't tell, we don't want you here. You are rude, mean, and a pure-blood supremacist... but honestly 'racist bitch' suits you soooooo much better. So how about you walk yourself to the loo and just spend the rest of the train ride crying in there, because, honestly, no one would ever want to be around someone like you." Starlee stepped back and put her hands on her hips and nodded in satisfaction to herself. This should all be over soon.

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

Yelling, yelling, yelling. How tiring. The girl who had been hit by the trunk was the first to speak, initially seeming like the victim in this whole ordeal, but she then said that she was raised to believe that purebloods were superior and that she had voiced that to the other girls. This was setting off all kind of warning bells in her head. Dear god, who thought it was a good idea for a supremacist to express their beliefs on the first day? And she expected Ruby to be sympathetic? Outwardly, her face was as blank as ever, but internally she was facepalming so much that she was pretty sure it would have left a mark had she actually been performing the action.

The girls were blatantly attacking her for believing something different? Damn right they were. Did she expect another outcome? The older Slytherin was about ready to respond but the other students—Tina and Starlee, according to Elizabeth—started speaking up. The one who proceeded to introduce herself as Martyna Romero began with "racist bitch". Fair enough, but really? They wanted to escalate the situation further? She continued with her angry narrative and then spat on her. It wasn't as bad as hitting her with a trunk, but was anyone here sensible and would try to defuse conflict when they encountered it? Had she been like this as a first year?

The remaining girl, who Ruby assumed had to be Starlee, insisted that Ruby should leave and continued being rude to Elizabeth. Yes, Elizabeth had done something very wrong, but how would this help? It wouldn't, and it would just leave a sour taste in everyone's mouths. Ruby sighed. Now it would hopefully be her chance to speak without interruptions. Directing her first comment at Starlee, she began, “No, I don't think I will leave. I'm Ruby Cazares, a prefect of Slytherin. In case you don't know what that is, it means that I am someone who is responsible for enforcing the rules. I can give detentions and I am well acquainted with other prefects who will give harsher punishments than I would, and I have no trouble reporting to the head of whichever house you get sorted into about this whole drama. It would be in your best interest to stop talking to each other now.”

A hint of disdain was audible as she spoke, and there was a certain look in her eyes that warned she could make them stop talking if they continued. Her harsh exterior was intentional, composed a certain way. Some of it was true, some of it was an act. She didn't particularly care about these students, she had no reason to. A Hufflepuff or Gryffindor would be better if they were looking for someone to love them. But despite that, she understood that this experience would be harrowing, possibly for them all. No one liked encountering a "racist bitch", as Martyna had so simply put it. There was some compassion for them there, under the surface. Her job was to discipline students but also to protect them, and they had to know that not all of Hogwarts was like this. And what about Elizabeth? Ruby hoped that it was nurture instead of nature that was making her act like this.

The icy eyes turned on the girl, attention focused just on her. “You will find that blood purists are not welcomed here. Those beliefs are outdated, and frankly I don't blame these girls for attacking you in the slightest. You probably told them that their magic will never be as good as yours and that they don't belong here. That goes against their existence, and those kinds of beliefs will not be received kindly. There aren't many blood purists in the school anymore, not like there used to be a few decades ago. You will get in trouble over and over again if you hold onto those beliefs, and you'll have issues making friends. This isn't coming from a Muggle-born, either. I'm a Slytherin pure-blood, but like many others, I've learned, and I have several friends who don't come from wizarding backgrounds.”

She searched for a hint of remorse or simply a reaction, scanning the girl's face. “Listen, this isn't just about ethics. It's so much harder to reach your goals if you hold beliefs like that, because the professors won't like you and it'll be harder to find allies among the student body. Mummy and Daddy aren't here with you now, your parents won't know if you're not upholding their beliefs during each school day. At Hogwarts, you have a chance to be yourself, not just who your parents want you to be.” That had been the main struggle of Ruby's first year. Nothing she did would ever be good enough for her parents, but she wasn't sure she cared anymore. She excelled in her classes and she had plenty of friends. She was happy in the house that she was meant to be in.

“Whether you want to be a Slytherin or not, it's vital to learn how to shed old skins. It might be in favour of finding something that fits better, or it might just be changing with the times. You have a new start here. Don't waste it. When you get to Hogwarts, I'll be around if you ever need me.” She hoped her little speech was enough. If it wasn't? There were plenty of other staff members who would surely see her beliefs and try to change them over the course of the next seven years. Her gaze drifted to Martyna. “Please stop antagonising her further. What she did was wrong and I want you to know that you have great potential. Don't waste it on petty insults. You already seem to have a friend in Starlee here. If you can't handle Elizabeth's company, then leave, or I'll be separating you three. Be the bigger person, other people can handle her for you. You're not alone.”

And finally, Starlee. “I don't know whether it was you or Martyna who hit her with the trunk, but that's cruel. You could have caused serious damage. Physical violence doesn't help, and while revenge might feel good at the time, it makes things worse in the long term. You're right that people won't want to be around her, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve a chance to change. Just like you might have been raised to not tolerate discrimination based on blood or the colour of someone's skin, Elizabeth has been raised a certain way as well.” Perhaps this wouldn't help any of them and they were all too stubborn to change, but they would eventually learn in the coming years when they grew up a little more.

The trauma from the myriad of family issues that many students at Hogwarts seemed to have, combined with the destructive and dangerous events at the school, made for a volatile and largely scared student body, but it also meant that some students grew up faster and were able to gain some wisdom. These three who started off their year like this needed to know that they weren't alone. Whether they chose to heed her advice or think that she was full of it didn't matter to her, but at least she had tried. “Are we done here? Would it be best for me to separate you?” For a girl who supposedly had a cold heart, she was surprisingly compassionate.

She wouldn't mind sitting somewhere else with Elizabeth, since Starlee and Martyna seemed to have already formed a friendship, but she could also leave the girl alone if she would be too embarrassed for that. She didn't think it was a good idea to leave the trio alone together, though, and would likely have to split them up. Unless they apologised and started over, she feared this compartment would degenerate into chaos once more. Some of her words were hypocritical—she was not a nice person and she often reacted with anger and harmful spells to keep people away if they messed with her. But she wasn't fond of blood supremacy. It was not something she wanted to encounter and the wizarding wars were likely too fresh in many professors' minds and in history, and no one needed eleven year olds running around with a magical wand and destructive beliefs. She had learned to start breaking free from her parents. It had been hard and even painful at times, but she had done it and she felt free at Hogwarts. Perhaps Elizabeth could learn to do the same.

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

Interacting with:@Starlee Kennedy, @Martyna Romero & @Ruby Cazares

Liz's eyes widened at the words "Racist bitch.". Color drained slightly from her face and she looked at Tina. Tina then had the audacity to SPIT on her. This was the final straw. She was about to go full out on this girl when she remembered, oh yeah there's a prefect here. Liz was breathing heavily, pure hatred flaring into her eyes.

Starpee obviously took Tina's side, but didn't know what a prefect was? How stupid could you get? But what did Liz expect from a half-blood. She sighed harshly and pulled out the same hanker chief as earlier and started to run it through her hair, trying to wipe the spit from it. She did this while she listened to the Prefects lecture. The girls words mulled over in her mind as she continued to wipe her hair.

Listening to the other girls also get torn apart was pretty awesome but at the same time not what she wanted. She had heard the part about how revenge is sweet only for a time, but she didn't care. She wanted revenge on the two. She guessed she did have the whole year to get them back. So instead of continuing this pointless interaction with the two she stood up.

She pushed her hanker chief back into her pocket and then stood up, straightening out her shirt and pulling her jacket tightly around her. She looked at the prefect and then at her trunk. She picked the stupid thing up and pushed out the door past the prefect with a soft, "Excuse me.". She turned her head slightly and gave Starpee a glare and then gave Tina a murderous one. "Could you help me find a new compartment?", she asked Ruby finally.

Reducio

I'm so sorry for the shortness and the wait. I am struggling a bit haha.

Interacting with @Ruby Cazares, @Starlee Kennedy & @Elizabeth Isaacs

The situation at hand wasn't great, but Martyna was struggling to think clearly with the rising tension, the mounting chaos, the increasing noise; not to mention the eagerness with which Starlee was egging her on, making her brain buzz with untamed excitement. She could practically feel Liz's self esteem crumbling right in front of her, and although a small sensation in the pit of her stomach told her to stop, told her that she was going too far, the outcome was simply too fantastic and satisfying. She didn't for a moment register the way in which Ruby responded to her behaviour, far to focused on what Elizabeth might be thinking. Was she going to leave, seething with regret? Was she going to be banished from Hogwarts forever? Star's words came sharp and fast daggers, and it felt amazing to have someone defending her so keenly, especially someone she'd just met. They were like some heroic duo out of one of Issy's comic books, and in this story, Elizabeth was the villain without question. The two of them were fighting admirably in the name of justice.

Just like Batman and Robin!

"No, I don't think I will leave."

And just like that, Tina's vision of everyday superheroes came crashing down. Even from that quiet, scathing sentence alone, she could tell that Ruby hadn't taken kindly to either of them (or at the very least Starlee). It was clear that in the eyes of Slytherin's prefect, nothing here was completely black and white. At the revelation that Ruby wasn't entirely on their side, the rising temperature in Tina's cheeks became very obvious, the extraordinary confidence that she'd carried herself with before fizzling away as she found herself unexpectedly on the receiving end of Ruby's scolding.

Thankfully, this wouldn't last two long. Starlee's tactlessness with her words might have drawn unnecessary attention to the duo, and labelled them as the wrongdoers in this scenario, but it wasn't enough to distract from any of the shocking statements Liz had made. Whilst the girl seemed to be making more of a show of fixing her hair than actually taking on any of Ruby's extremely valid criticisms, it would have been pretty hard to ignore every word of the girl's lecture. There was just something in her voice that demanded respect, despite the fact that she was only a young girl herself.

Secretly, Tina was pleased with the damage she'd caused to Liz's hair, as well how convincing Ruby sounded. Damn right mummy and daddy weren't here now! Had this Elizabeth a bone of independence in her body? Somehow, Tina thought not; there was simply no way someone as stubbornly evil as her would ever learn to grow. Part of her almost liked it that way - after all, the bad guys always lost, and if Elizabeth was a bad guy, then she and Starlee had to be the good guys.

"Please stop antagonising her further." Tina froze as the cold, piercing gaze of Ruby Cazares fell upon her, shrinking into herself. She was smart enough to realise that it was her turn to face the girl's wrath now. To her surprise, however, the chastising she received was very limited, especially compared to what Liz had been made to put up with. In fact, she even began by complimenting Tina, of all things. "I want you to know that you have great potential." A small smile crept onto her face, but she quickly banished it, trying to seem as sincere as possible. Ruby was being very lenient considering what she'd just done, and Tina didn't want to do anything that would make the girl react differently. "You already seem to have a friend in Starlee here. If you can't handle Elizabeth's company, then leave, or I'll be separating you three. Be the bigger person, other people can handle her for you." The Muggle-born nodded sagely, all the while avoiding Liz's vengeful glare. Ruby was right. She could do better than this. And it was the last thing Ruby said that drove this point home more than anything.

"You're not alone."

It was almost like the girl had taken pity on her in some way. Perhaps she'd witnessed this unfair treatment of Muggle-borns before, and it was something she didn't take kindly to. Starlee, on the other hand, wasn't treated quite as nicely. Ruby still gave her credit where it was due, however, reiterating that yes, no one would want to be around Liz if she continued being, as Tina had so eloquently put, a 'racist bitch'.

"Excuse me." Tina tried not to entertain Elizabeth, steadying herself under the viscous glare she was receiving and only offering a set of narrowed eyes in return. This look in and of itself was enough to discern one thing for certain: payback was coming soon. Who was going to initiate that payback, however? Only time would tell. "Could you help me find a new compartment?" Liz finished, curtly.

"Please do," Tina said, not giving room for Ruby to respond first. She wanted Elizabeth to know just how little she was wanted. Starlee nodded in agreement, of course, although remained silent. It seemed, at least to Tina, that Ruby had done her job of humbling the three of them very well. It was strange, but she felt a comfort in the presence of prefect - a sisterly one. She continued, "I'm going to go get changed into my robes. My school ones - since I am magic and going to magic school, whether you like it or not." With this declaration of her leave out of the way, Tina climbed (with a great degree of clumsiness) up onto the table, unzipping her suitcase and plunging a hand in to fish for them. "I'd appreciate if you to be gone by the time I come back. We were here first, after all." Ah-ha! From within the case, Tina dragged out a pretty grubby set of second hand robes. Triumphant, she hopped off the table, nodding to Ruby as she did, a sign that she understood she was pushing her luck and wouldn't say anything else. Then, she turned to her friend: Starlee. "See you in a bit, Star! Let's share lots of sweets when I get back. And I'll show you my favourite drawing games to pass the time~!"

Her voice was as cheerful as she could manage, which was considerably more so than before. With all that out of the way, Tina slipped out the carriage in front of Liz (pointedly not looking in the girl's direction) and headed off to get changed.

Tina has left the thread.
Permission to G-Mod Starlee agreeing with Tina granted!