[[maybe-another-firewhiskey]]

[Evangeline Malfoy]

It wasn't a Hogsmeade trip or anything...they didn't have them this early in the year. Even so, Evangeline was unsure whether the Hogwarts staff would allow Hogsmeade trips at all because of the standings of the goings on regarding the outbreak of Death Eaters. Shivering slightly, the seventeen year old walked in a straight line down the road, trying to avoid the nervousness that was coming to her now. It was getting dark, it was twilight, and the girl was beginning to notice shadows flitting in the alleyways, the walls shivering, the trees whispering. Dark clouds were floating overhead in the strong winds, and Evie wrapped her arms around her, engulfing herself in a tight hug. It's not like I get hugs, except sometimes from an overexcited Madigan, or from mom and dad when they get drunk. Musing over this, Evangeline decided that, since her parents got drunk a lot during holidays, she got a fair amount of hugs for people her age, and had really nothing to complain about. Except for the fact that I have no friends. But that was a choice I made...it's possible that I could mess with some makeup and colored contacts and look halfway normal, possibly even somewhat decent. The girl shrugged to herself as she mulled these thoughts over in her head. Looking around, femme searched for Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. She needed to pick up some extra parchment for the History of Magic essay they were supposed to write for the following afternoon's class, and she had used all her good parchment up on the Charms homework. This is what I get for being a fantastic writer... She was joking, of course. Evie knew that the only reason she'd run out is because she'd been off in her own little world when she'd been doing that homework, and she'd gone off on a fantastic tangent.

And it would probably happen again unless Evangeline decided to get her act together. The girl got adequiate grades--ie: Outstandings in every subject--but she wasted a lot of time writing things that she didn't need to include, and even though the teachers somehow enjoyed to read these writings, Evie's hand always cramped and hurt for days afterward. So she was sneaking out to Scrivenshaft's on a Sunday evening, cursing herself for not going earlier in the day, or perhaps Saturday during the afternoon hours. They watch us too closely for comfort. Femme thought this often, and she knew that it was for everyone's own safety. I can take care of myself. The eldest Malfoy female was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't see the broom flying toward her, riding upon it some Slytherin student that must have been a fifth or sixth year, perhaps one of Taber's dork-friends. The ones that were so caught up in their own lives that they had no idea what was really going on in the world outside their own. Sounds like me. The male screamed at her some sort of obscenity about her backside and Evie flipped him off before scrabbling out of his way, falling face first onto the pavement. The girl blocked her fall with her arms, but when she looked up, facing a different way, a shop caught her eye. It was adorned with various things that were coloured with sparkling purple and pink, and confetti raged like rain in a downpour. American pop music blared from speakers settled on either side of the door leading inside, and three women smiled out to the world with teeth that blinded anything that got within fify miles of them. Two out of the three girls were blonde, and then rushed over to peel the albino off the ground. She stood stiff as a board as the grabbed her by the arms and dragged her to the shop they worked at, and even though Evangeline tried quite hard to break free, the blondes had arms of steel. Who knew.

Once inside, Evie's eyes widened. The entire place disgusted her, the girl wanted to go retch back to the spot she'd fallen on back outside and retch up her breakfast--she hadn't eaten lunch. Femme shivered and shook her head violently when one of the blondes asked where she wanted to sit. They pulled her deeper into the evil cave and Evangeline almost cried out, she wanted to be anywhere but here. Finally realizing the shop she was in, femora nearly fainted right there on the spot. People can't see me here...I can't be in here...eww, it's got cupids, gold cupids... Evangeline bit the inside of her cheek as she glanced around, nearly tearing up as she was led to a table in the middle of it all. At every little round table, there were two people kissing. At hers, it was just her, sitting alone, except for the gold cupid that seemed to enjoy pelting her with rose petals. The girl decided to ignore the fact that her hair was now adorned with petals and she probably looked like a flower herself. Her pale eyes scanned the enviroment with a downcast expression, and Evie slumped in her seat, bowing her head over her long neck, shoulders pointed to the ground as she stared at her shoes. A couple minutes later one of the waitresses came over and forcefully asked what she would like to order. Femora begrudgingly agreed to having a Firewhiskey--she was of age, after all, and had always been able to hold her liquor. Sitting forward, Evie put her hands on the table, warming them by rubbing them together, and just then she noticed that she might as well be a ghost for how pale she was. The bones in her hands were visible, as were her blue veins, and her fingers were skinny, her wrists thin as well. Her hands looked like skeleton-hands.

Evangeline wondered whether she could do a handstand and transfer some of her weight on her torso down her arms and into her hands. Sighing, she sipped the Firewhisky she was so swiftly brought, and decided that the service was good at the very most. The whiskey tasted good, and femme gulped some, coughing slightly, but the waitress had gone and wasn't there to see her. Evie put down her mug and looked around the diner suspiciously...hopefully no one from school was there to see her in such a place. But at a table next to her she noticed a couple of fourth year Ravenclaws making out--they did that at that age?!--next to her, and Evie dropped her gaze and folded some of her long blond hair over her face. Eh. I'm getting out of here after maybe another Firewhiskey.

[Sylvia Bay]

<sup>Maybe it wasn't a good idea for a 16 year old girl to be taking a walk through the village when nighttime was rapidly closing in, especially nowadays, when there were all these stories about the Death Eaters who escaped Azkaban. Rumour was that they were looking for Hogwarts students like her to recruit. Of course the headmaster was trying to stop them, along with everyone else who cared about the students, because so far there was no proof. But with the sinking sun casting long shadows across the village hiding the alleys between houses and shops, it was hard to stop those kind of thoughts from popping into your head. The fact that the streets had already emptied except for one or two people who looked shifty enough that they could have been Death Eaters didn't help much. It wasn't often that things got Sylvia this ruffled. She was tense and kept looking over her shoulder suspiciously. The only reason she was here was because she had broken her last quill during the day and she couldn't just show up at class the next day without one. Rubbing her arms to warm them against the wind, she pulled the bag of quills she had just bought closer to her, as if somebody was going to take it from her. It was going to be a long walk back to the castle. Maybe she would stop somewhere to get a drink before heading out. She changed directions, now heading towards the Three Broomsticks. It was the only decent place to get a good drink in the village, in her opinion. She glanced at the shops as she passed by. Most of them were empty except for the shopkeepers, most of whom were looking tired and bored.

She passed by a particular shop which she avoided at all costs- Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Of all the places on earth, that was one of the last Sylvia would ever go. Alone, at least. She might make an exception for a special person someday... Simply looking at the little shop was enough to make most (single) people gag. It was pink and frilly and filled with people making out. Sylvia glanced inside the window with a disgusted look on her face, and saw something that made her stop. Her lips slowly curved upwards to form a small and nasty smile. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and took a deep breath. A little dramatic, but also a little necessary. The air in the tea shop seemed to be filled with perfume. Sylvia had only been in there once, quite a while ago, and the memories weren't very nice. She had nearly suffocated because the air was so heavy, and her date seemed against letting her breathe anyway. Sylvia entered the store and was immediately approached by a lady who looked like she was wearing far too much make-up. She looked Sylvia over and then asked,
"Meeting someone, dear?" Sylvia gave the lady a sweet smile, the one she always used on adults and replied,
"No, they're already here." The woman nodded and walked away, and Sylvia found the person she was here for sitting at a table by herself- the only single person in the shop. Sylvia headed towards her: Evangeline Malfoy, that albino chick. The ice queen. Sitting there alone in Madam Puddifoot's tea shop. This was the sort of chance that Sylvia couldn't pass by. She approached the pale girl with her nasty smile on her face.

"Got stood up?" She asked. She wasn't afraid- Evangeline was only a year older than her, and since when did being older mean you were better anyway? And so what if she was a Ravenclaw. Sylvia had memorized quite a few hex books over the years, and mastered all of the spells in them.
"No, right? Nobody would ask you out." Sylvia took a seat across from the Ravenclaw, her small smile now a full smirk, waiting to see what the older girl would reply with. Even if her insults didn't work, all Sylvia had to do was spread the word at school and she could get everyone laughing at Evangeline. Maybe even ruin the little reputation she had, as a somewhat cold individual. From the Ice Queen to Cloud Queen? No, that still sounded somewhat cool. Sylvia tried to come up with a good nickname, but she wasn't doing very well so far.</sup>

[Evangeline Malfoy]

Evangeline sat with her legs crossed under the table and finished the firewhiskey, ordering a waitress over and asking for a second one. She practically ran out of there, the poor woman. She looked barely twenty, if that...perhaps she was just out of school Evie couldn't remember her from any previous years at Hogwarts, however, she may have gone to Beauxbatons or perhaps that Irish school. Oh, what was the name of it? Oh yeah...who cares. When the brunette--possibly the only one that worked there--returned and gave Evangeline the liquor with a shaky hand, the albino glared at her for a moment before taking the glass. She looked absolutely terrified, and Evie's feelings were almost hurt. But she was used to so many people looking at her with those deer-in-headlight eyes...it was that way with nearly every person that the girl had ever met. Even people on the street gave her one glance and hurried away as if she were going to kill them. Stupid fags. Just because someone's appearance is slightly(more than slightly) out of the ordinary doesn't mean that they're any different on the inside. But the thing is...Evangeline was different on the inside. She had a different outlook on life--a more blunt one--than most people. The only exception was possibly her mother, but even she was caught up in so many other things that mattered to her. The only thing that matters to me is me, and no one else. Nothing else. Just me. I don't care if that's selfish, but I think I deserve to be cared about by someone.

The door opened and Evangeline shivered, drawing her bare legs even closer together. The wind was cold and she hunched her shoulders. Femme's white skin was delicate...and it annoyed her to no end. Evie hated the breeze. She would much rather sweat it out in the summer, or have a blanket and look out the window watching the cold outside while being warm inside. That was just the type of person that Evie was, and she doubted that it would ever change. "Meeting someone, dear?" Shivering again, this time because of the woman's voice, the girl gulped some more of the firewhiskey. It burned her throat as it went down, but she paid it no mind. It felt good once it settled in her stomach, and even though the femora was developing a headache--probably a combination of stress and the intoxicating atmosphere of the tea shoppe--she continued to drink. "No, they're already here." Evangeline Malfoy froze midgulp and nearly heaved everything onto the table in front of her. I know that voice. Back stiff, legs rigid, Evie looked up from the disgustingly pink tablecloth and found herself locking eyes with a girl a year younger than herself. It was Sylvia Bay, and she was an outright bitch, no matter what some of the perverted Slytherin guys said. "Got stood up?" Evie looked at the girl coldly, giving her quite a strong dose of the albino-eye. "Like I'd ever think of going anywhere with any guy from school. What about you, haven't you been 'stood up' your whole life? I bet some guy threw you against a wall when you were a kid, that would explain that sickening smile on your face."

Femme spat out the words with a snarl and took another sip of the drink in front of her, eyes burning into Sylvia's. She had spoken way too much already today, she could fill a whole year with the amount of words she'd just said in a cople of sentences. Who cares. I'll do what I want. It's not like this little Slytherin backstabber can do anything about it. "Why don't you just get lost, why are you in a place like this, do you want to take one of these girls' place in a makeout session?" Rolling her eyes, Evangeline rested her cheek on the palm of her hand, elbow already on the table. She wasn't the most polite of people, especially not for the scum of the earth. Ie: Sylvia.

[Sylvia Bay]

<sup>When the 'albino' met her gaze so coldly and fiercely, Sylvia nearly stepped back. It was against her nature to stay when someone like this confronted her, but she was proud enough to not be able to simply leave after starting something like she had. She sneered as she looked over the girl who she had found herself staring at so many times before, and thought like she always had, that she was quite unappealing. Her hair was messy and somewhat lank, and both her hair and eyes had a sort of washed-out look. Her skin was pretty much white, and her eyes fell onto the hands that were clutching the mug of firewhiskey. They were thin and paper coloured, with the veins showing clearly. Sylvia found it quite repulsive to look at, and turned her attention back to Evangeline's face. She had gotten rid of her fear easily, and now she was trying to fight of the disgust. She wanted to go back to sneering/smirking, which was hard to do when you were being insulted like she was. Not that it wasn't anything she hadn't heard before. The insults about her all seemed to be extremely similar, and it got tedious after six years. However, her little comment about the guys at school made her smile. She couldn't believe that any teenage girl could go to school and not like any guy there. Not all of them were jerks, although Sylvia rather preferred the ones who were.

Sylvia tried her best to match the nasty glare she was receiving, but it wasn't quite to the same effect. That didn't bring her down though: it was obviously because she was too pretty to ever look as angry as the Ice Queen did. The Ravenclaw's would-be insults brought back the smirk. They weren't very offensive: what was so wrong about making out in a shop like this? That's what these places were made for. She raised her eyebrows.
"You know, most people would be more curious about why you were here than me," said the Slytherin. It was true: she herself was very curious as to why an albino who said she had no interest in guys would be at Madam Puddifoot's. A waitress passing by saw that Sylvia was empty-handed and approached, and then saw the two girls looked in their hateful glares and stopped, deciding she would maybe come back later. Sylvia broke the glare for a moment to look at the staring waitress meaningfully. The waitress got the message and hurried off, knocking a table and spilling a shaker of salt. It was funny, the couple sitting at the table didn't even seem to notice, they were too busy staring into each others' eyes. Sylvia suddenly realized were she was and sat up, feeling slightly sick to her stomach. Surely her and the albino could finish this somewhere else?

"Ugh," She said, prying her eyes away from all the kissing people. "You know, maybe I will leave..." She said. Her voice was still cold and hateful, but the comment was somewhat absent. She did want to leave, these people were making her sick. How could anyone possibly lock lips for that long? And there was this weird noise every once in a while when the couples pried themselves apart to pant for a few minutes, then dive back in. Sure, if it was her sitting with a guy it would have been different but- hey, weren't those fourth years from Hogwarts? Wasn't 14 a little young to be making out with someone? I mean, they were practically sucking on each others' faces! It looked like they just might come off anytime. Sylvia sighed and looked away, then looked back at the Ravenclaw. She didn't think she could take it anymore. Maybe she could follow the other girl back to Hogwarts and continue their little conversation on the way.
"Look, I'd love to continue this, but not here." She said shortly, standing up. She hoped that Evangeline would follow her, but she doubted she would. People almost never did.</sup>

[Evangeline Malfoy]

Pathetic. So, so pathetic. She has nothing on me. That girl. Pathetic. Sylvia's face was twisted as she listened to Evangeline's words, and she was obviously trying to match the albino's wide-eyed pale glare that was being sent at her, directly at her, with no fade-out effect. And, of course, she was failing miserably. Sylvia, if a Slytherin, had a face that some would consider sweet. But she looked like a rat with that tiny upturned nose of hers. And the blue eye factor was definitely not going her way in this glaring competition. Green was the more envious color, and envy was one of the top of the seven sins, was it not? But Sylvia soon broke the stare-glare that the two girls had been sharing, and Evangeline felt her looking at her hair, her face, her hands...whatever it was that looked abnormal. Which was practically everything about her. And the Slytherin femora was obviously having trouble disguising her disgust at the albinoism sitting before her, but actually managed to hide the fear quite easily and quickly. But not quick enough...the seventeen year old found it a relief to see something like that on the face of a teen opposite herself, because so often she saw it on the younger years, their eyes reflecting with something between distrust and actual hatred. And however much Evie tried to ignore it all, it was difficult. She had to endure it often, so she was used to it, but that didn't mean that it felt good to have herself hated. So Evangeline let a crooked smile take over her face for a moment, just a moment, until she realized that she was in the presense of another, and it fell from her white cheeks like a drop of rain, or a tear. Focusing her pale gaze on Sylvia once more--she's been looking at a cupid gaily tossing flowers over a couple a few tables away--she was surprised to see that the sixth year was smiling.

"You know, most people would be more curious about why you were here than me." Shit. I was hoping she wouldn't realize that I was actually here. Perhaps she's smarter than she normally lets on. Femme ignored the waitress that began to approach her table and waited while the Slytherin girl glared her off. Evangeline finished the second firewhiskey and told herself that she wouldn't order a third incase she got drunk and went back to school that way. She remembered the last time that had happened. She had been in fifth year and she had gone down to the Three Broomsticks, actually managing to convince the waitresses there that she was of age. Perhaps they'd been afraid of her. Anyway, Evangeline had downed seven firewhiskeys and then wobbled off back to school, and then into the Great Hall she'd gone, right in the middle of dinner, and made a scene. She'd made a great deal of noise and--unknowingly to her--flashed the whole school way too much of her upper leg and perhaps more. She'd been carted off to the Ravenclaw girls' dorms and then practically tied to her bedframe to sleep it off. And then, of course, she couldn't sleep and instead threw up. What a pleasant memory. Evangeline Malfoy, the Ice Queen, the Albino Chick, had somehow managed to get whistles from some of the older guys that day and she was disgusted with herself for making such an appearance in front of her peers and especially in front of the professors who at least respected her if not liked her. They're the only ones. When she went home for Christmas break her parents had actually been proud of her. Apparently, Sophronia had done something similarly at one point, but she didn't regret it. Evie didn't even want to know why.

Femme was brought back from her flashback when Sylvia stood up suddenly, looking as if she were about to retch. I don't blame her. I suppose I'm that disgusting. Weakling. "Ugh, you know, maybe I will leave.... Look, I'd love to continue this, but not here." Oh, finally, she's leaving, Evangeline thought, but only half-heartedly. For some reason she felt the need to go along with the Slytherin. It wasn't every day that the Ravenclaw seventh year got a chance to 'spend time' with an actual person, even if that person wasn't someone she really wanted to spend time with. And she wanted to make sure that no one found out that she was getting drunk all alone in Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop like she'd done in the Three Broomsticks two years previous...it wasn't a feeling she would like to recall, having boys stare at her in the halls for the good aspects of her instead of the bad--well, good in some peoples' sick minds--and she usually shied away from attention, good or bad. Evie just wasn't the type of person to have all eyes on her. Okay, whatever. I'll go along with this girl for a few minutes. Not like I have anything better to do. Evangeline stood from her seat and placed a few sickles on the table, no tip. It's not like the waitress was nice. "Oi. What are we even continuing?" The girl's voice was soft spoken as she walked alongside Sylvia who was hurrying out of the tea shop as if she were afraid of it. "Listen. You're not allowed to tell anyone I was in there. Got it? Or I will kill you." If worse comes to worse, I'll give her a taste of what I'll do if she tells. Maybe I'll be nice and simply explain to her what she learned when she was fourteen and saw me take off my skirt during dinnertime.[/color]

[Sylvia Bay]

Sylvia smiled- Evangeline was following her. She didn't know why, and she didn't really care either. A satisfied look settled on her face, but was quickly changed to a bored one when the Ravenclaw caught up with her. She ignored the first question. Sylvia knew that the albino knew exactly what she was talking about. She reached the door to the real world and flung it open eagerly, nearly hitting an innocent passerby in the face. She gave the two girls a nasty look which Sylvia trusted that Evangeline would return, and then hurried off into the darkness. The shadows had grown immensely since Sylvia had entered the cafe. She glanced at her watch. It was getting late. They would be arriving back at Hogwarts in the middle of dinner. Sylvia hoped that the ice queen wouldn't make the big scene she had two years ago. Sylvia stifled a giggle as she thought of it and took a deep breath of crisp, cool, evening air. It was a beautiful night, and the spooky effects of the shadowy alleyways gave the 16 year old a sort of adrenaline rush. The stories buzzed through her brain and she grinned at the menacing world. No way was she going to let herself be bothered by the stories. What would the Death Eaters want with her? She pulled down the sleeves of her sweater which she had rolled up in the tea shop and glanced up and down the street before taking a step towards Hogwarts. Then Evangeline spoke again, saying something that made Sylvia raise her eyebrows and actually pay attention to her for the first time since she had gotten up out of her seat. Sure, the albino probably wasn't actually meant it, but she said it seriously, which was a bad idea: "Listen. You're not allowed to tell anyone I was in there. Got it? Or I will kill you." Sylvia even doubted that she could kill her. But there was always the chance...

"That's really sad," said the Slytherin. Her voice was less hateful now, although it was still cold. "You're willing to break one of the most serious laws in the wizarding world- and the muggle world, actually- to stop me from ruining the little pathetic reputation you have. You realise that breaking that law could get you a lifetime sentence in Azkaban if you got caught? And you almost certainly would. People don't disappear without someone noticing and launching an investigation. And besides, what's so bad about me finding you sitting in a frilly pink tea shop anyway? You were sitting there alone drinking a firewhiskey. Since when is that so serious that you'd have to kill anyone who found out? You know, I think you're overreacting. And besides, since when do you care what other people think? I always thought you were the Ice Queen, sitting in your corner and doung whatever the hell you want, no matter what anyone said. That deserved a certain amount of respect. But now you're letting a sixth year threaten you with the prospect of gossip? Wow, I never would have expected that before today. I was actually expecting a "Screw off, bitch." When I walked in there today. But hey, I guess you're more human than we all thought."

Sylvia gave her a little sneering smile and turned back to walk to Hogwarts. She had no idea what that big speech was implying. It had just been the first thing she had thought of. And besides, it made her sound smart, right? All those references to the laws and stuff? She wasn't sure what she thought about it. She had never pretended to be so unnaffected by the world like Evangeline did, so she was allowed to get worked up about people knowing things about her. But the Ice Queen had always been that quiet girl who only ever glared at people. She never cared what anyone did. It was somewhat satisfying to know that she had affected her in some way that others hadn't been able to.

[Evangeline Malfoy]

"That's really sad. You're willing to break one of the most serious laws in the wizarding world- and the muggle world, actually- to stop me from ruining the little pathetic reputation you have. You realise that breaking that law could get you a lifetime sentence in Azkaban if you got caught? And you almost certainly would. People don't disappear without someone noticing and launching an investigation. And besides, what's so bad about me finding you sitting in a frilly pink tea shop anyway? You were sitting there alone drinking a firewhiskey. Since when is that so serious that you'd have to kill anyone who found out? You know, I think you're overreacting. And besides, since when do you care what other people think? I always thought you were the Ice Queen, sitting in your corner and doung whatever the hell you want, no matter what anyone said. That deserved a certain amount of respect. But now you're letting a sixth year threaten you with the prospect of gossip? Wow, I never would have expected that before today. I was actually expecting a 'screw off, bitch' when I walked in there today. But hey, I guess you're more human than we all thought." Evangeline blinked. The speech that Sylvia had let wander into the cold autumn air hung between the two girls like some sort of ghost. Something that could still be understood, that could still offer knowledge...but something that everyone knew didn't matter anymore. She actually thinks I care what people think. What a misunderstood little snot...'I guess you're more human than we thought'...oh, what lies. Evangeline was human, sure, but not in the sense that Sylvia had been talking about. She was talking about Evie being 'normal'. Whatever I am, I'm not normal. Even if that's what she thinks.

Sylvia was trying to act like a Slytherin again. Evangeline knew that, honestly, she was, and she was one inside as well, but the girl was obviously trying to hard and the smile looked forced and it made her face look like she'd forgotten to eat her entire life.--sickly. Then again, Evie looked quite sickly too, though not in the same way. Her skin was white, not gray, and her cheek bones were high with the skin stretched over them, not laying low on her face with the skin drooping underneath like she was sucking on the inside of her cheek, the shadows so big they could be black in correct lighting. No. Evangeline had a unique look, but she didn't look dead. "I am human. Just not in the regular way," femme said simply, choosing her words with precision. She wouldn't want to mess up her sentences. She was already talking way too much, and if she said things that didn't matter, she would just be wasting her breath. "And I suppose you're not used to getting threats? Ah, that's right. Slytherins are usually the ones wasting their time with that sort of useless meaningless talk. Well, that's what I get for growing up with Theron as my twin brother and the most famous Death Eater in the world as my grandfather." Yes. Lucius Malfoy. And though I am not proud of that fact, it is true, and that truth makes people either fear or respect my family. Or both. Femme looked away from Sylvia. Truly, the girl was an eyesore to the Ice Queen...especially because her eyes were blue. There is definitely something corrupt in this world when a Slytherin has eyes like that. Though...what about my stupid brother? Earth is an idiot. Rolling her own, Evangeline took up a slouching stance and watched her feet travel slowly.

Evie had always thought herself of someone who could do what she liked and no one would care, and if they did care it wasn't because they cared about her. She was a black cat all alone in her world, and she moved silently, with that pale glare in her eyes. Some people would feel sorry for her, but not for long. The few moments when one did not know Evie's true self--or what they thought was her true self--were precious, and then...she chased them all away. Some people thought she was blind, with the way her pupils were pale like the rest of her eye. Sophronia, Evangeline's mother, had had pale irises, but her pupils had been normal. Black. No one in the Malfoy family nor the Carrington family--her mother's family--had ever had eyes like that. It was definitely odd, and the mediwizards and witches at St. Mungo's had been unable to explain the phenomonon when the Malfoy parents had come asking about their eldest daughter's appearance. 'It's jusy the way of the world.' When Evie had first been called the Ice Queen at school, Sophronia had told her that she was the Ice Queen because of how light she was compared to her brother. The girl had been slightly insulted, because she'd thought that her mother had meant that Theron had darker eyes and darker hair and darker skin, and therefore he couldn't have been the Ice King if people had wanted to tease him. 'At least they can't call you the Dark Queen, honey.' Sighing, Evie knew that her mother spoke the truth. We are alike in so many ways. "I don't have friends because that's the way I want it," femora said suddenly, bringing herself back to the present.

"Because that's the way it should be." Shrugging, Evie brushed off the fact that Sylvia was beginning to bother her. 'Beginning'? She's always bothered you!! But it was for different reasons now. Evangeline didn't know why she was telling this insignificant sixth year what her life was truly like...she would gossip it all over the school. 'Extra, extra! Evangeline Malfoy ACTUALLY CARES!' "And that's why I'm different. Why I'm, in your words, 'not human'. Because I like my 'pathetic little reputation', and I don't want things to change." I don't like change.

[Sylvia Bay]

<sup>There was a bench on the side of the road, abandoned now but probably used frequently during the day by people resting after a long walk, or just taking a break to read the paper. Sure enough, there was a crumpled Daily Prophet stuffed under the bench, gently tugged by the wind every once in a while. Instead of going around the bench, Sylvia stepped onto it and kept walking as if nothing was there. She half listened to what Evangeline said. She knew it was mostly insults, so she wasn't very concerned. she didn't care what Evangeline thought of her either. She was just the creepy weird chick who happened to be in a position Sylvia could use against her. She didn't have to talk to her. In a way she was doing the other girl a favour. If you go too long without interacting with someone else you go a little coocoo. Maybe Sylvia was too late. The girl was certainly weird enough to be crazy: she hardly ever talked to anyone, she never even seemed to make an effort to get people to like her, and she never seemed to make an effort to make herself look better. Even people who didn't care about their looks, didn't they still want to look respectable? There must be some sort of shampoo that could fix the way her hair looked. And if she really wanted to look less scary, why not put in some of those muggle coloured contacts, or even use magic? Sylvia couldn't understand it. Before she had sort of felt sorry for the girl, but the sympathy seemed to have drained while they were taking. "I am human. Just not in the regular way," Sylvia snorted.
"I never said you weren't human. I said you were more human than we thought. Everyone's figured out the 'not in a regular way' part of it, why do you think everyone's staring at you all the time?"

Sylvia was also started to get irritated now. "You know, blaming the way you are on your family doesn't change anything." She said. Now she was thinking of her family- if you could call it that. Now, when she went home during the summers, it was just her. Sitting alone in the cheapest apartment her dad could get. He worked all year. Not that he minded, he had chosen to. He had given up on his life, which made it hard for Sylvia to continue hers. It didn't bother her, oh no. She hated her father. But she hated her mother more. How could she just leave them? And James... She didn't hate James. How could she? He had been through so much more than her. He had gone to a muggle school where the kids bullied him. When their mother left, he was old enough to understand the yelling. He couldn't help being messed up. But he was still always smile. It was a sad smile, that was faded and made him look even more sad. Of course he had left. She would have left too if she hadn't been going to Hogwarts. Sylvia blinked and realised that a tear was rolling down her cheek. God damn that Ravenclaw! She was furious. She wiped the tear away and turned to face the girl she was walking with.

"If you don't want friends, why are you following me?" She asked, almost yelling. "You may like your reputation, but I don't. Just leave me alone." The outburst probably seemed random to the Ravenclaw, but Sylvia didn't care. She didn't run off like she wanted to either. She... Well, she didn't want to be alone. She glanced at the albino hatefully. Why did people always have to be like that? It was bad enough that she had made her cry, but she hadn't even meant to. She sighed, wishing that she wasn't human. No more of this stupid crying. She looked up at the castle, which didn't seem to be any closer than it had been. She closed her eyes and walked blindly for a few minutes, but after almost tripping over a rock she opened them again and walked beside the Ravenclaw, who was probably protesting this, fuming and sulky. There was a sort of angry pout on her face like a spoiled child who had just been yelled at. It seemed that her mood had changed dramatically since when she had walked into the stupid tea shop.</sup>

[Evangeline Malfoy]

[Nehnnhhhshhfsl....I have no muse for Evie, I seem to have run out...-tips bottle of muse upside down and just gets some dust in the face- Mrr. In a bit I'll see if I've gathered enough to reply here, otay?]