Processing the Differences PV Wren C. Finished

[font=Monotype Corsiva]W ren knew going into the owlery would be cold at this time of year, but as she needed to owl a letter to her mom she didn't really care. She knew an owl being in the house would probably scare her mom almost into a heart-attack, but Wren hoped she would get over it, as Wren was owling her Christmas letter.

Being eleven and muggle born Christmas was one of the most exiting times of the year. Wren loved all the holiday lights, all the Christmas trees decorated in the windows, and pretty much everything about it in general. Especially receiving gifts.

Mailing letters by owls was a bit new to Wren because she was a muggle born and had only learned about the wizarding world about a month before her eleventh birthday. She was shocked to learn that the magic her parents had been so adamant about saying it was not real, actually was! She had been elated to learn she would become part of the world of the magical creatures. Now her parents on the other hand, had not been to thrilled, but they had come around to it. They as well as she were still getting used to this.

As Wren walked into the owlery she saw a boy, with red hair, and a steady grin on his face. She decided she would go introduce herself.
"Hey! My name's Wren! What's yours!" [/font]

Jack, who had been lost in thought, immediately whipped around at the sound of approaching footsteps. He was surprised to be greeted so amicably by such a cheerful girl. Innocent nativity seemed to radiate from her so strongly that he thought she almost glowed with it. She looked like the sort of person who was sweet enough to give someone a cavity.

In spite of his thoughts, the redhead was practiced in the art of concealing the usual giveaways of body language and did his best to return the newcomer's hearty introduction with a warm smile. "A wren in an Owlery? Better be careful; they might decide they're hungry," he teased. "My name's Jack. What are you doing up here, Wren?"

He glanced around at the birds roosting. "I mean, I'm guessing you're either here to see the owls or to send something. But I'm a nosy kind of fellow. Assuming it's the latter, what are you mailing out?" His gaze scanned her up and down for clues in an attempt to answer his own question before she had a chance to do so instead. "Gifts for the holidays? Something for your family?"

Come to think of it, he hadn't written to his own parents yet. It was still really weird to him writing with a quill and ink instead of typing stuff up on a computer. However, there was also something rather satisfying about it and he wondered idly what his parents would have thought of the idea of getting mail from him regularly by owl.

Interacting with: @Wren Caster

"Is that what they call it here? 'Owling'? Really?" Scratching his head, he glanced back at the birds. "I guess that makes sense...kinda..."

He turned his head abruptly as she addressed him again, curious about her precursory words, before his lips split into a broad smile. "It's probably because I'm a muggle-born that I don't understand why someone would take offense. But wow, you're sharp. I'm impressed you worked that out."

And he meant it, too, which was rare, because genuine compliments were not something he gave lightly to others. Perhaps he had underestimated her and he had been too hasty to judge from the inital impression she had given him.

He listened to her gush about presents, hands in his pockets to conceal them from the drafty tower breezes, amused by her strong enthusiasm. "Heh, don't be sorry. That's hardly rambling. At least not compared to how I go on," he added with a wink. "It's good to have something to look forward to. I think most people enjoy presents. But if you'll indulge my nosiness a little more...what did you ask her to get you?"

Walking a little from one pane-less window to the next, Jack took note of the views, trying to make out what landmarks he recognized on the school grounds from their vantage point.

"...So...since you obviously know enough already to warn me not to get offended," the Slytherin spoke up again after a minute or two, "Why is it so bad to have muggle blood anyway? If anything, I'd think it'd be offended to be called out as a pureblood. I mean, when you think about it, they must have a ton of inbreeding in their family lines. I don't envy them."

Interacting with @Wren Caster

Clothes? That was what she wanted from her mother? He was a little surprised, but he supposed everyone each had their own tastes. "Do you really like your house, then?" he asked, curious. Jack supposed some people felt more loyalty or pride toward their house than others. Was there anyone that resented having been sorted into the house they were, though? Or did the hat make sure one was satisfied with their house before announcing it officially?

He'd heard that the hat chose based on one's own values, so even if someone seemed like a bookworm, if they valued bravery more deep down, then they would be sorted into Gryffindor. Who knew, though? He still wasn't all that certain about the houses, their values and qualities, and how strongly their members adhered to or exhibited them.

"That's cool. Sounds like a pretty reasonable request. Most kids I know would have probably asked for way more expensive or impractical things," Jack chuckled.

A good way of thinking? The compliment appealed to the redhead more than he'd thought it would have. "Wow, they only start learning at this age? Wonder what they do up until then. Sounds like they could be getting into a whole lot of trouble." He felt sorry thinking for the moms and dads who had to deal with such magical offspring prior to their coming of age to go to school.

But he still felt somewhat confused by Wren's words. "I know you're saying why you think it's good, but I still don't get why other people think it's something to get offended over." Scratching his head, he tried to contemplate this. "All I can guess is it's like dogs where purebreds are more valued than mutts, but people aren't dogs. And if a witch and a wizard are both muggle-born but have a magical kid, couldn't they technically say they're starting a new pureblood line?"

When Wren mentioned the muggle-born club, Jack grinned. "That's a cute idea, but I don't know..." Stroking his chin, he considered the implications and possible consequences of making such a club. "First of all, what would people do in it? Talk about muggle things? If everyone in it is muggle-born, everyone would already know everything about the muggle world. Unless you mean other students who are clueless about our world can come to us to learn. Like for advice and help with muggle studies or just to find out how our world works since they're likely to have to interact with muggles on a regular basis someday."

He'd just answered his own question. Well, that was embarrassing. "Okay, never mind that...but you have to think about what might happen if you make something like that," Jack continued, a note of warning in his voice. "If people really have something against those who are muggle-born, our club could end up being a huge target for them." He supposed there was the idea that there was strength in numbers, but their club wasn't going to be together all the time. Certain members might be able to get picked off outside of club hours.

"Making the club would just draw attention to us and advertise haters to challenge us. It'd be like if the purebloods made a pureblood club. We'd seem like we were elitists or something." As he talked, though, he paced, and more solutions popped up to each of his conceived issues. "Then again...I guess it kind of is like they have their own elitist club already, if they all know each other and their names are so famous in the wizarding world that they use them to get what they want..."

The more he tried to find reasons it was a bad idea, the more Jack began to like it, too. If it were to cause controversy among the students, all the better. He would have loved to take on any muggle-born hater in an argument of reason. He would simply logic them into defeat. His grin slowly broadening into something of a more sly nature, Jack remarked, "You know what, Wren? Maybe you're right. I think we should start a muggle-born club. Where do we begin?"

Interacting with @Wren Caster

"I guess so," Jack acknowledged when Wren asked if he felt like he deserved his house and if it fit his personality. "I'm not brave like Gryffindors, I don't believe in having friends like Hufflepuffs, and unlike Ravenclaws, I like to use my intelligence to accomplish things. But I don't think I like my house as much as you like yours if you go so far to ask for Christmas presents matching your house colors," he chuckled, amused.

"It's good you like it, though. Actually, I'm a little surprised because I would have thought that people of like minds would be too similar in personality and clash more than get along...but I guess it it's their core values they share, then it's not really a problem, since they can be diverse in other ways." The redhead sneered at Wren. "And didn't I just say that's not rambling? I asked, so I wanted to know. You have nothing to apologize for."

When Wren spoke of not having met anyone who was openly against muggle-born people, Jack laughed. "Believe me, they're out there," he told her. "The first person I talked to after I got sorted called me a mudblood. I didn't know what it meant, of course, but just goes to show you there are still people who discriminate." He spread his arms, shrugging.

"Then again, might just be because I'm in Slytherin and Salazar had that thing about valuing purebloods and all. But you know what? I think we should use that to our advantage. In fact, I think that's why the Sorting Hat put me in Slytherin even though I'm muggle-born and Salazar himself probably would have rejected me."

Though he asked Wren where they would begin with starting a club, the girl seemed silent. Did she know? "Uh...Caster?" he said, waving a hand in front of her face. "Were you serious about this club thing? Because if you think it's too much trouble, you can say so know. It seems like it'd be a lot of work, so it would take some commitment if you really want to make one. Do you know what we should do or where we should go? Who we should talk to, maybe...?"

Interacting with @Jack Burnett

[font=Monotype Corsiva][/font]

Sorry it took me so long to respond!

Interacting with @Wren Caster

(No worries! Sorry my reply took a while, too!)

"Alright," the Slytherin answered, glad Wren seemed more confident in her ability to make the club work than he did. "You seem more the social butterfly type than I am anyway, so I'll just stick to more of the, uh...organizing and technical side of things."

If Wren gathered members, Jack could keep track with a list, fill out whatever necessary paperwork they needed to, and hand it over to her to give to whatever professor or other staff member required it. He wasn't sure where they would have their meetings, but Wren didn't seem troubled by those details, so he assumed she had somewhere in mind.

Even if she didn't and the whole plan never really came together, it was no skin off Jack's back. He didn't really count on there being a lot of people wanting to join the club and that would have suited him just fine since he wasn't much of a people-person. If it did get popular, though, he could just stay behind the scenes and let Wren be the face of the club.

To his surprise, the funny Gryffindor girl had changed the subject to owls and their beauty next. She hurriedly apologized for getting off-track, though, and Jack smirked a little, wondering just how effective she would be at managing a club.

"Sure. I'll write something up and let you know," he told her, figuring it probably wouldn't be that difficult to track down a girl named 'Wren Caster'. "Yeah, whether in class or in the library, we can talk it over some more later." He raised a hand in farewell as she said her goodbyes.

"Later, Caster," Jack told her with a light smile. This would turn out to be interesting indeed...