"What would you wear?" Remington commented, leaning over the trunk at the end of her bed, chewing on her lip as she scrutinized the clothes piled inside.
"I don't know, Rem." Fay muttered, "Does it matter? There'll only be a few other people there, and none of them are very important-"
"But I'm expected to be some sort of future, super-successful person. How is a person like that supposed to dress?" She gave a huff, pulling out a pair of jeans that she felt suited her particularly well.
Just then, Hermione walked into the dormitory, lugging her book bag. She'd not made it halfway to her bed before Remington had started in.
"Hermione! You're going to Slughorn's thing tonight, right?" She asked quickly.
The other girl slowed slightly, surprised at Rem's urgency. "Yes... why are-"
"What're you gonna wear?" She prompted, her words almost flowing together.
"I was... just going to wear this. Is there- ?" Hermione gave her a strange look, tugging on the hem of her buttoned-up white shirt nervously.
"No, no." Remington said, falling back to lean her spine against the trunk. "I just can't figure out what I want to wear."
"Oh, just wear those jeans and a shirt like Hermione's." Fay groaned, "I'm sure it will scream 'classy, but casual' or something."
Rem snatched up the jeans, "Fat load of help, you were." She said snottily in Fay's direction. Fay just stuck her tongue out at her.
When the time finally came to head to the dungeons, Remington had settled on an outfit, and her and Hermione had met up with Ginny so that the three of them could walk down together.
"Any idea what to expect?" Ginny asked. "I hope he doesn't have pheasant again. I don't really like it much... Particularly cold..."
"We'll probably eat some and he'll spend the remaining time trying to figure out what our connections are like." Hermione suggested.
"I don't think I'm going to enjoy this much at all." Rem commented under her breath.
Ginny gave her a sympathetic look as Hermione pulled the door open in front of them.
To Ginny's credit, it did not turn out to be pheasant, but to Rem's distaste, it was roast lamb. She tried to get out of having to put any on her plate, but her hopes were quickly stifled as Slughorn told those who did not take much of something, whether it be the roast lamb or anything else on the menu, to dig in.
And to add to Remington's displeasure, she ended up seated beside Blaise Zabini. Thankfully, Hermione was on her other side. Slughorn was thoroughly involved in a conversation with Cormac McLaggen, and the remainder of the near-dozen attendees were chatting amongst themselves. Hermione was talking to Ginny at the moment, so Remington was left to lean back in her chair and pick apart a dinner roll in bored silence.
"What landed you here?"
She started slightly, straightening up a bit as she turned her attention on Blaise, who'd spoken to her. She hadn't paid him much mind through the supper; for the most part he was inconspicuous.
"I'm not exactly sure, to be honest." She said, dropping her mangled roll onto her plate. "I can't say whether it was because he thinks I'm a promising student, or because of my father." She gave a weak, half-hearted smile. She hadn't noticed before how sharp his eyes were. Calculating, intelligent. "To think I could have easily avoided getting an invite here." She muttered, leaning her elbow on the table.
He smirked slightly, a different sort of smirk from what she was used to seeing on Draco's face. "Not honored to be a part of the infamous Slug Club?" He inquired.
"Slug Club?" She repeated with raised eyebrows. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"
"I'm afraid not," He said.
She made a face. "Wonderful. I'm a member of a group that's named for a bunch of slimy invertebrates." Slippery and spineless, sounds familiar...
"Not awfully thrilled, myself." Blaise said, glancing to make sure Slughorn couldn't hear them. "But the added prestige or whatnot is helpful."
"I guess," She said, "Though, it's not really making the experience much more enjoyable." It seemed, however, that the majority of the rest of the guests were having an alright time, with the possible exception of the Carrow twins, a pair of underclassman girls who were silent and scowling. But they always were, so it was nothing unusual.
She noticed, though, that between pauses in Ginny and Hermione's conversation, the redheaded girl would glance in Rem and Blaise's direction, apparently having noticed that they were talking. And she was sure not to let Remington get away without questioning her about it on the way back.
"So you're friendly with Zabini, too?" Ginny asked as they walked up to the common room after Slughorn released them.
"That was the first time I'd talked to him." Rem replied.
"Hm." Ginny hummed, not saying anything else.
"Is there a problem with me talking to people from other Houses?" Remington inquired.
"Only Slytherin." Ginny responded. "Honestly, I don't think you understand that Gryffindors and Slytherins hate each other as a generality."
"Obviously, I'm not part of the generality." Rem shrugged. "And Blaise talked to me first, what am I supposed to do? Ignore him?"
Ginny gave a slightly exasperated huff and shrugged as well. "It'd be entertaining to see his reaction, but..." She trailed off, "You're free to do what you like."