Jenna couldn't believe it, she just couldn't believe it. Jordanna actually thought she could convince their father to get her a new mattress and her own personal house elf. She knew her sister was a brat, but she thought Jordanna would be more realistic. Father was very fond of commanding the house elves, Jenna could not see him giving up even one. Pushing a strand of light brown hair behind her ear (one of the habits one gets from being around Jordanna) she walked right up to her to tell her so.
"Jordie, do you honestly think our father would give up one of his precious house elves. Be serious, he'll probably just give you some spell to fix it up on your own," said Jenna, sitting herself on a nearby red armchair.
Jordanna was sitting lazily in one of the big red armchairs, paper and quill in hand. She was going to write home and tell Daddy just what a dump this place really was. She knew he would get her what she wanted, whatever she wanted. She had him totally wrapped around her dainty little finger, he did what she said.
"Jenna, Jenna, Jenna, my poor, simple, unfashionable sister, don't you realize what's right in front of your face? Our dearest, darlingest daddy would give me whatever I wanted," she said saccharinely, with a big, fake grin.
Jenna's blood boiled, and gripped the arms of the armchair and said cooly, "While you may be the favored out of us two, he would never give up a fine mattress like that, or a house elf. Think of the money that would cost. That's what Father will be thinking about."
"You know nothing of what Father is like. You hardly spend anytime with him. Besides, if he did give me a spell to use, at least I could perform it- squiblette," Jordanna folded her arms and raised her eyebrow challengingly.
"Jordanna, Jordanna, Jordanna," said Jenna mockingly, "You shouldn't be using such words if you don't know what they mean. If I were a squib, I wouldn't be here to tell everyone your little secret, now would I?" and with that, Jenna got up and left.
"Squiblette," Jordanna muttered darkly, "She'll get what's coming to her." And with that, she picked up her fluffy orange quill and began writing.
Dearest, Darlingest Daddy,
As you must have figured out, I am now a member of Crotalus House. I am writing to inform you that
She stopped as something interrupted her and asked expectantly, "What do you want?"\n\n
Can't see the forest for the trees
by Asher Tallow
Asher wasn't one for accidentally listening in. She preferred to all out eavesdrop when gathering her information. Having grown up in a house where the only way to pull her weight was to blackmail, bribe, or threaten (how else does an only daughter survive with four brothers?), she knew the many crooks and cranies necessary to successfully spy on the opposition- which was exactly what she was currently endeavoring to do. Of course, should one of the Howard sisters decide to round the chair she was crouched behind, her game would most definitely be up.
Asher stayed, bent low to the ground, her hands pressed to the floor as support against accidentally tipping forward as she strained to hear the two sisters talk. It seemed the older one- the nicer one, her brain added- was trying to dissuade the other- the bratty one, her brain needed not to add- from writing a letter to their father. She bit back a snicker when the reasons for the letter writing came out. Poor, pampered Jordanna's mattress wasn't fluffy enough, apparently. That and the brat desperately needed her own personal little slave to order about. Asher gave a mental snort; from what she had already observed, Jordanna needn't request a house elf from home. The girl could probably snap her fingers and get her cousin to do all the extra labor.
Asher's ears perked up in attention as the exchange grew to an end. Jenna said something about a secret- a secret involving Jordanna, and if Asher knew anything, it was that when lines were being drawn, the more dirt you knew on the enemy, the better. Secrets, especially the family kind, were the best kind of dirt out there. She waited until Jenna had definitely left the room before standing up and announcing her presence.
The obscenely orange quill in Jordanna's hand went flat on her paper, and Asher settled herself in the seat opposite, content to have gained the girl's full attention.
"For a pureblood, you sure are acting stupidly," she said in response to Jordanna's question. "Why waste time writing a letter requesting for a mattress when you could just charm it yourself? And you scoff at the Muggleborns acting ignorantly; you're not exactly a stellar example of the wizarding's sharpest, are you?"
Asher neatly unfolded the cuffs on her shirt sleeves and smoothed out the wrinkles. "You really should consider the sort of example you're setting for your house. I mean, honestly, if you're going to act superior, you might as well make a passable attempt at the part. You are in Crotalus, after all."\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
0Asher TallowCan't see the forest for the trees1466Asher Tallow05
Who did this Asher Tallow think she was, lecturing Jordanna about virtues while she was eavesdropping on other's obviously personal converstations. That was so hypocritical. And why listen to a person who didn't even listen to themself?
"First of all," she began cooly, "You do not charm a mattress to change the feathers- you transfigure them. And doing such a mass transfiguration isn't in our textbooks, and I am not going to go to the library to figure it out," she needn't mention that even after tutoring, transfiguration was a weakness of hers, "So it's much easier to ask Daddy. Before you start lecturing me on ignorance- try practicing what you preach. It makes you more believable. You aren't exactly acting the part yourself, crouching on the floor and listening to other people's conversation's like that and befriending muggleborns. Your lowlife mannerisms aren't exactly good for the rest of the house, now are they? So now that I've wasted my breath lecturing you about your hypocrite ways, I am going to go back to my letter."
And that's just what she did. She started scribbling a few sentences about Catherine and Nicoletta, and a complaint about the insane boy from flying lessons, and the impossible astronomy "teacher". Best show Daddy how much she was going through for her education before asking for some consolation presents. \n\n
0Jordanna Howardpractice what you preach65Jordanna Howard05
*rolls eyes* Never claimed to <i>not</i> be sneaky
by Asher Tallow
Asher flicked at her sleeve again, a spare thread tickling at her bare skin. The scratch of quill on parchment sounded pleasantly in the common room, and there was a slight flush to Asher's cheek in response to the firm retort Jordanna had shot at her. The flush was not due to embarrassment, however. Oh no...it was due to something else entirely. Her jaw trembled, and the faint rattle of her teeth could be heard as she just barely kept her laughter in check. Of all the things...Jordanna was a trip and a half.
"It's called a comfort charm," she said, the humor plain in her voice. "You don't have to transfigure the feathers- who'd go through all that trouble? And apparently you missed the part where I was making fun of you and the great house of Crotalus." She snapped the thread clear off. "Besides, I haven't the faintest idea what I'm doing in Crotalus. Which house is it where you don't have to deal with snobs and sneaking around is normal for eleven year olds? 'Cause I wouldn't mind a transfer, honestly."
With that, she stood up, smoothing down her skirt and making note get warmer socks. "However, I'm sure there are other foul plots afoot that need spying, so I'll leave you to your letter writing. Have fun with that, Howard."\n\n
0Asher Tallow*rolls eyes* Never claimed to <i>not</i> be sneaky1466Asher Tallow05
admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery
by Jordanna Howard
Asher really was dense. Charms were handy and all, but it would feel so fake to be lying on that cheap mattress comfortably. No, Jordanna would settle for no less than the best. And as for the great house of Crotalus, it couldn't possibly be so great if people like her were allowed to be in it. Why defend something that Asher was apart of?
"Fine, you go sneak in the dirt where you belong," she said, annoyed, "Some of us don't have to feed off other's lives for things to do." And with that, she went back to scribbling down more of her letter. It was very long, and very diplomatic. It said that she was trying her hardest to succeed, of course, but there were things that were impairing her ability to do that. By the time she signed her name, she was almost proud of the letter. Daddy would have to send more than a spell in response to that. \n\n
0Jordanna Howardadmitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery65Jordanna Howard05