Reactions and Nightmares (open)

Evangeline walked into the common room for the first time that term. Because of some issues with her family she had to stay with them for longer, and was finally allowed to go back to Hogwarts. She saw several people in there already, some she recognised, some she didn't. She usually kept to herself, and wondered whether this was the year to change that.

She walked up to them and took a deep breath. It was uncharacteristic for Evie to get nervous, but around people she always felt odd. A lot of girls usually disliked her because of her veela heritage, but she had learnt to get used to it. "Hey, I'm Evangeline, but you can call me Evie..." she said to the group.

'You must be very brave then, if you have gone immune to your biggest fear. I wonder what the boggart might be thinking then, sensing so little fear. What would it do when you don't fear it at all?' Alexis was itching to ask Karma a thousand questions.
Alexis looked up when a girl introduced herself. 'Hello Evie' she smiled, 'I'm Alexis, you can call me Alex.'

Karma shrugged at Alexis. "I don't think its brave but rather stupid."

"Hi, Evie." Karma said. "I'm Karma, but you, all of you, actually, can call me Candy. And speaking of candy..." Karma pulled out more chocolate frogs, one for each of them. "I never run out. Ever. Never ever." She handed them out, moving toward the edge of the couch so that there was space between them for Evie. "But this is your last free one. Two galleons each, next time."

She smiled at the two girls who had talked to her. "Okay, Alex and Candy... I shall try to remember that. I am really bad with names." she said grinning. She gave a small smile to Candy as she passed her the chocolate frog. "Thank you," she said wondering whether to eat it or not. She wasn't really hungry... Well not for food anyway.

Karma took a sniff before opening her chocolate frog and holding it her hand firmly, even as it struggled. She sniffed again, then scruntinized Evie. What was...?

Her expression cleared and she smirked. "Oh, I get it now. You're part Veela." She shrugged. "Good to know. Now, not to be awkward or anything, but who else isn't completely human? I can smell it on you guys, you know. You don't have to tell me what it is, its none of my business, but I like to know the humans. For protective purposes, you understand." Karma pondered something in the distance before breaking into a grin. "For a house that's supposedly for the Purest of blood, we do seem to have a lot of semi-humans." She said, her smile going crooked. Then it was a full on smirk. "No wonder we're the strongest."

'I'd like to read about them sometimes.' and that odd magic of mine.
Alexis smiled at Karma, 'And what about me, Candy? Have I exhausted my theraputic account?'

Evie gave a bit of a smile. "You only guessed a third of me," she grinned. "One third Veela, one third Wizard, and the other part, I may keep to myself!" she said grinning. Not a lot of people knew that she was even part veela. She looked Candy, wondering how she guessed.

"What are you then?" she asked quite bluntly. Not been rude, but been to the point.

Alexis guessed that Karma had something to with vampires. But am I something other than human? Karma can smell them, right?
"Well, Karma do you sense something from me?"

Iris smiled at the newly arrived girl and ate her frog. "Hi Evie! Iris Frances. Second year." Her eyes widen and replied to the 'sensing' topic of Karma. "So Karma, what do you smell about me? Guess they changed the routine of Slytherins. I'm not really pure, just half. Me? Not all human? Hmmm." She chuckled and commented about their own house. "Strongest? Can't wait to discover if it's true. Good thing not all of the other houses kind of dislike us. Because of what happened long ago you know... And that event had always been some signature of us. I don't get it. But we can always change it for the better." She suddenly became lonely at the thought of being rejected and accused of by the wrong means. Iris removed it from her mind and just gave a compliment on Evie. "Veela? No wonder you're very pretty. Can you do magic without a wand? Sorry if I'm asking too much. Am I? This is my first time to be friends with half-humans. And I can't help it." She didn't ask about Evie transforming into a scary face when angry. Not to be rude of course. Besides, what if she's not that way? She's still half and not pure. And that can be an issue she doesn't want to talk about.

Evie smiled as the girl said she was pretty. "Thank you, and it is quite strange because even though my mum didn't inherit any magic, I have the ability to conjure fire, but that really only happens when I am really angry." she explained. "Also I am quite short tempered, but I don't get that crazy face that my gran does." I said chuckling a bit. "But like I said, I am only a third veela," I said wondering how they would react if they found out what I really was.

Karma sniffed thoughtfully throughout their conversation, cataloging the scents in her mind until she came up with species.

"Well, Evie, you smell kinda like Vampyre to me. That's what I am, too, but not fully either." She smiled at the girl. "Veela and Vampyre is a really dangerous combination, for a boy, that is." she giggled.

"Iris, there's something... off... about your scent. Like maybe you're part Seer or something. I can't really tell, it's more of an aura thing than a smell thing." Karma wrinkled her nose. "I hate not knowing fully. It bothers me."

Karma then sighed. "Sadly, I still have no idea what you are, Alexis, if anything. It's hard to tell, with Evie's scent being so strong."

She sat back on the couch and lounged, a truly Slytherin smirk curling her features. "So, was I right?"

Alexis returned Karma's smirk, 'I wouldn't know, now would I?' Though she was disappointed.
She had hoped Karma would know something she couldn't find out. She wanted to know about her magic,yet she was scared of what she'd find out.

Evie frowned a bit, how had this girl guessed what she was in a few minutes, when it had taken herself a good few years. She was starting to dislike the idea of actually talking to people her age. "Your good, I have to admit that."

She smiled again when she said my scent was strong. "Says you? You all smell delicious!" she smirked, only joking. Evie decided that she would have to become friends with Candy, and it didn't seem hard, they did have a lot in common.

Karma grinned. "I suppose so." She smirked. Suddenly, she felt her New conscience kick in. It coiled inside her and spread from nerve to nerve in a split second, changing her entire demenor from companionship to supierority. Her voice took on a different tone, from one of childish joy at finding new friends to one of cool sureness. Her features smoothed over until it was expressionless.

"Now, I know that this isn't really necessary, but you guys aren't going to tell anyone anything about us other not being human, agreed? It'll just make things more difficult." She reached into her pocket and pulled out some Red Vines, putting one in her mouth, hanging out like an impromptu cigar. It looked quite impressive.

"I don't want to have to rip out throats because everyone suddenly knows my secrets, you know?" Her words were punctuated by her ripping the rest of the Red Vine off. She twirled it between her fingers as she chewed it, thoughtfully. "I mean, I'm not one to spill secrets, but it would be very... inconvenient... if people were afraid of me. How would I sell candy then?" She smirked. "It does not bode well to be constantly watched in fear. People see only what they want to see, I'm sure you all understand." Karma glanced at each of her housemates in turn. "I mean, we could all be very beneficial together, a Sisterhood, if you will."

All at once it was gone, leaving Karma feeling drained and hollow. She swayed before putting her head in her hands. "A sisterhood..." She said weakly. "Could help us with Family issues, and the things that come from just not being human. We could depend on each other." She looked at them again, raw emotion in her voice and eyes. "We can help each other through it. We'd be closer than friends... what do you say?"

Alexis raised her eyebrow at Karma's change in demeanor.
'Of course Candy, I don't go about spilling people's secrets. And we could help each other. Though Evie doesn't like people figuring her out so fast, eh?' She smiled at Evie teasingly.
Then she frowned, 'But I've no idea if I'm different or my magic makes me different. I guess I need to do some research. Are you guys with me?' she asked, a little bit of hope in her voice.

Iris sort of giggled at the idea about her. She was surprised for Karma to know her deepest secret. "Yeah. You're right. Long story. Thanks. It's alright to not go any further." She chuckled and added. "Well Alex, you are perfectly normal. I always wonder how it is to be one. You know, without something bothering you all the time." A thought suddenly struck Iris and interrupted the discussion. "Speaking of Seer. I remembered..." She immediately got up from the couch and took something from the pocket on her robe. It was the herbal tea pack Sophia gave to her after their meeting a while ago. She held it out and offered invitingly with a smile. "Any of you want one? It reduces nightmares. I know someone in here needs it. Hey wait! I can read minds? Not all but... just glimpses. I thought I was seeing dreams only? Weird. Have to tell my mentor. Oh no. What would I be?" She became worried at the possibility. I am getting more strange. "I'm good at keeping secrets and you did know mine. Just to be safe. Trust me." She raised her bare arm and made that thoughtful look.

'So you dream glimpses of the future, right?' Alexis asked Iris. 'And you read peoples minds? Like what? Their thoughts? Or memories? Or future?' Alexis was very excited. It was like a riddle.

"Vivid and very clear dreams. Probably every time I sleep. Ever since I was young." Iris reflected back to when she cried a thousand times in her mother's arms because of her frightful dream. "It was tough. This mind-reading thing is new so I don't know much. I just sensed that someone in here needs this tea. But I don't know who it is. It's all blur. Someone is encountering the same things I do. Like having nightmares. She's scared. I only realized now. Really. It came up suddenly and here it is." She sat again - still holding the package and grinned at Alexis being excited in her thoughts. "Future? More often. I hate those nightmares to happen real. The past I can see sometimes." Iris added and sighed. She confessed her deepest secret to her newly-met friends. Well except Alex of course. She wondered if her gift is rather a blessing than an unfortunate one.

'Well, I guess I could use your tea.' Alexis smiled at Iris. 'Being a seer is a great responsibility. It maybe useful if you use it right. My gift has something to do with plants. But don't know for sure. I only saw it once. And I's- I's obliviated after that.'

Iris nodded lazily. "Yeah, grab some. So it's you. I think there's another one needing it." She looked around with narrow eyes, more like waiting for someone to stand up. "Obliviate?! Yourself?! Really? Why Lex! That's... that's super cool having gift on plants! And I thought you do great in Herbology because of the things you said back on those days." She exclaimed and acted shockingly.

'No no Iris. It's nothing cool and pleasant like that. Nor it has anything to do with herbology.' Alexis gave her a sad smile. Then she straightened up, serious. 'All right, let me elaborate. But its a deep-seated secret of mine and like Karma said, we'll keep each others' secrets and take them seriously. None of us will like it, if they are spilled.' She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
'I's four when it happened. My parents were working on something in India. It was beautiful and peaceful there. My older brother, Charlie was ten, I think. I mistook his broomstick as my toy broomstick and crashed into a tree, breaking it into pieces. As a revenge, he locked me up into a cupboard with a boggart. I don't remember what it was, but I was beyond angry when I managed to come out.
And then it happened. The- the trees sort of came animated. Creeper came out and seized him, choking... I had no control on my temper... He-he was turning blue. He'd have died that day if mum didn't come home that moment. She couldn't cut of the creepers, she had to stun me to stop.' her voice shook, trapped in the memory.
'Charlie refused to speak to me after that. we had to leave India. He told mum that my eyes were blazing, like Avada Kedavra. I's into a panic for weaks, so my mum had to obliviate me. I- I guess the charm broke in the class when I got angry.' she all but whispered.

Iris set her eyes with real concern and comforted Alex - turning sorry and seem to be sad like her friend. "Merlin. I'm so sorry, Alex. I really am. Let's just forget all about it and feel better soon. Things can be worse when we talk about it. But it's over now. Nothing to worry about. I'll keep it safe like I said. Promise. I didn't know. Oh my." She patted Alex's shoulder and stared into the burning fire, shock hunting her down. She felt sort of heavy and sleepy indeed. They all need to rest in peace after the day. She looked for something close to them and eventually grabbed a goblet. She headed for the fireplace and sat right in front - the sadness of what they've all been through clearly shown. She whispered, "Aguamenti" and the goblet was full of water. She lit out a small torch slowly over it from the fire with her wand - making the liquid warm. Iris opened the pack of what has been left then took out one and placed it in the goblet. She set it aside and turned up to the others who were obviously reflecting after their share of life experiences. More of like sad ones. She grabbed the tea solution and sat beside Alex. "Here. You go first. Guess you need it more than me. I get used to it all the time." She blew the goblet and offered it to Alex. "I'll make some more for you two Evie and Karma if you need one. I'll be the last to drink it." Iris smiled shyly - avoiding to stutter after the encounter of how the stories melted her heart inside.

Karma looked at Alexis and Iris as they went through their conversation, still talking. Still normal. Most people wouldn't be so cool when she went from one conscience to the other.

Still feeling kind of drained, she sat up, glancing at Ev. "So, Sisterhood, yeah?" She asked.