**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Part: 10
**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~***~~***~~**~***~***~**
Claudia, Padma, and Cho waited around the torch bracket telling Claudia about all the practices and traditions of Hogwarts.
"Yes, that was the opening banquet," Padma mentioned, arms at her hip, looking annoyed, " ahhg, where are those normally useless prefects when you need them?"
"Just because they have it over you intellectually doesn't mean you should trash them," Cho told her with a grin.
"If they were taught that fashion wins over function and that having perfectly applied make-up was more important that an early start to class, some of them might have some potential, but they'd rather exercise their brains than their thighs."
"Ha, listen to yourself Pads, you sound just like Cloreece, and Bianca!"
"Well, we're three of a kind. I wonder why they didn't skip out on the first year orientation thingy with us."
"Does either Bianca or Cloreece have blonde curly hair with a really low-cut robe," Claudia said, beginning to feel left out of the conversation.
"That'd be Reece, god knows I love her, but some of her stuff is way too,well, you know."
"Uh, yeah. I saw her with that guy with the P around his waist. I guess he was the prefect."
"Oh, all of a sudden she's forgot the rules! I think I better go over them with her when she strolls in arm and arm with that brain that's supposed to be opening the door for me."
Cho leaned over to Claudia, "Rules, literally."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Claudette followed lazily behind the stream of first years heading down a steep wooden staircase. The air was damp and chilly as they climbed downwards but Claudette didn't even notice the first years stumbling for their cloaks. The boy leading them never looked back and continued his quick pace until they reached a heavy brick wall where a portrait hung.
"This week's password is Venom. It is an easy one as I'm sure all of you can associate snakes with venom. Through the door now, let's go."
'Uggh, really, crawling through a hole, really classy,' Claudette thought to herself, as she took a tissue out of her pocket to wipe the dust from the bottom of the hanging.
She swaggered into the common room barely looking at the ornate mantle piece or the many moss coloured leather furnishing's that dotted the richly glossed hard-wood floor. She moved her way over to the north wall glancing at the doors and wondering where her sleeping quarters were. She finally found a golden name tag that read her name. She twisted open the delicate gold door knob, only to have it closed by a thick, square hand. She looked up slowly with her hardened eyes and stared right into the face of a older boy, with piercing blue eyes and light brown hair stare into hers with an equally penetrating gaze.
"Your common room's over there," he said on a low voice, "I think we can make room for her, can't we, boys," he shouted with a flirtatious grin, gesturing to a crowd of older boys who didn't seem to think it a bad idea.
Claudette's cheeks were boodless, as she placed her hand with red polish in the center of his chest and gave him a little shove.
"You sure know how to treat a lady," she called through the closing door as she walked the narrow hall way.
"She's a feisty one, isn't she," the boy called to the hulking boys sitting in a lump of armchairs in front of the fire. "She's perfect for me."
"I think she'd be a challenge for even you, Adrian."
"You think your more up for it, Draco," he said sarcasticly, looking the boy's 5'8" frame up and down.
"Adrian, please, she's ready for me already."
"Oh, you're on, rich boy, your daddy can't fight this one for yah."
Adrian cracked his knuckles and made his way for the seventh year boys dormitory, smiling coldly at the blonde boy in the arm chair.
~*~*~*~**~~**~~**~~*~*~*~*~*~**~~**~~*~
"Claudine, do you know how to play chess?" Ron called out to her.
"Yeah, but I have to warn you, I suck," she said looking down at the old set of chess men on the scratched and dinged board.
Ron's cheeks began to burn.
"It's my grand dad's, it's really old."
"Oh no, it's got character," Claudine tried to recover, she was kind of embarrassed, "Anyways, old chess sets work better for you, there not stubborn and bossy."
This seemed to put him at ease a bit. After he beat Claudine with only losing one pawn he was back to his old self again.
"You play chess like Hermione," Harry said with a laugh, "You two ought to practice playing each other. Mind you, make it a Hogsmeade weekend so I don't have to wait all day for a chair."
"Hey, you don't do well in transfiguration and I don't rub it in your face," Hermione said indignantly.
"Sorry to offend you; your an excellent chess player," Harry said through muffled laughter.
"ooh, you just wait. I'm going o go straight to the library tomorrow morning to sign out a book on chess, and then we'll see who's laughing!"
Hermione turned on her heal and walked swiftly towards the girl's dorms.
"G'night Herme!" Harry and Ron called behind her.
"Honestly, that girl and the library," Ron said, hand over face.
"Well, I guess I should be getting to bed too," Claudine said through a yawn, "See you in the morning."
"Yep, good night, Claudine," Ron said to her as she rose from her chair and followed Hermione's path to the girl's residence.
~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~***~*~*~**~*~**~
The glass door was beginning to open in the small room that had housed Padma, Claudia and Cho for the past half hour.
"Finally," Padma sighed haughtily, "We've been waiting, for like, ages."
"So sorry, your highness," Said a tall boy with curly blonde hair and blue eyes framed in golden eye-glasses, "but that's what you get for not taking the tour. First years," he called out to the group that was now overflowing the small cubicle, " This weeks password will be, well let's make it Princess Padma, you'll find it easy to remember because she acts like one all the time."
Padma's mouth hung open. She stared at Cloreece who gave her a small shrug in between staring at Sean's cherub lips and thick eye brows.
"The password's will be changed whenever we feel necessary, and you will be notified of the changes. Now in you go."
The torch bracket twisted to reveal a large entry way into a beautiful French yellow common room. Thick velvety, royal blue rugs hugged the pine floors, and a lovely white ivory fireplace was crackling on an angle in the corner. The room was full of Victorian furniture trimmed with golden legs. Every chair had a matching ottoman and the cozy chairs next to the fireplace were already beginning to fill up. The sloped ceiling had exposed rafters coated in ivory to match the fireplace, and the pureness of the white complemented the knotty pine ceiling tiles beautifully.
"Well, I've had enough of this day," Padma sighed dramaticly, "Who does Sean Taford think he is humiliating me like that in front of the first years. I'm just going to bed."
"Padma, where are the dorm rooms?" Claudia felt stupid asking such a dumb question.
"Oh, yeah, um, follow me. I need someone to vent to anyway."
Padma led Claudia to the southern most wall and opened a French door with blue glass. Behind the door was a thin staircase which led up to an oval opening in the wall. Through the opening were four beds surrounded in golden velvet hangings.
Padma walked over to the middle bed, pulled back the hangings and sat down.
"Oh, Claudia, you can have the bed next to mine, that trunk must be yours, I don't recognize it."
"Oh yeah," Claudia smiled, "That's mine." She felt kind of foolish.
"I can't believe Cloreece. Even after he made a fool of me, she continued to worship at his feet. That's a clear violation of rule 23."
"Rule 23--," Claudia was wondering about this rule system Cho had mentioned; sure Padma was a bit dramatic but issuing her friends rules?
"Oh, of course," Padma said sympathetically, "A while back, well, third year, Cloreece, Bianca, Cho, and Angela, made up rules that each of us must follow. Cho's never been to thrilled with the idea, but Angela was her best so she went along with it. You see, we're looking to create a role model society for the younger students, and someday, hope to be immortalized by the clubs continuance throughout the years of Hogwarts."
'Oh my,' Claudia thought to herself, 'a role model society?'
"All we ask that every member go by our rule book. Well, I guess that's not all we ask. We pick the members, it's not like we have a registration night or anything, every member is hand selected by us."
'yeah, every member has to be beautiful and popular,' Claudia thought.
Padma threw Claudia a small leather bound notebook from her bed to Claudia's.
"It's just a rough draft, mind you," she said with an air of superiority, "but it will help you appreciate the sacrifices we've made."
Claudia's fingers wrapped tightly around the flimsy stack of paper. Did this mean she wanted Claudia as a member? Why else would she give Claudia a token of such a 'prestigious' organization?
"Well," Padma said chirpily, pulling her silky duvet cover over her satin night dress, "Nighty, night. I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night, Padma."
Padma grasped her hangings and swung them around the frame of her bed. Claudia heard her breath as she blue out a candle from within her bed. Claudia reached for her hangings.
'Some time alone,' she thought to herself.
She began to open the small notebook. The first page was blank, but the second had the name of the five members written in loopy, glistening pink ink.
All members solemnly swear
to abide by the rules laid
out and agreed upon by the
five original members
Padma Patil
Cho Chang
Bianca Bernham
Cloreece Rydham
and
Angela Kensington
If you accept admittance,
you are bound to your
word by your faith in witch
kind and with repercussions.
'These girls really do have high hopes,' Claudia thought to herself. Still, she couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be on the inside. These girls obviously had the reputations to be considered in this school.
Claudia turned the page; she couldn't help it. Part of her knew it was pathetic, but the other part wanted to know; what would it take.
Rule No. 1:
No member shall be granted leave
from the group mutually or otherwise.
Only under extreme circumstances will
a member ever be able to annul their ties
with the group.
Rule No. 2:
No member shall ever be considered
fashionably immature or socially
incompetent, before acceptance or
afterward.
Rule No. 3:
No member shall ever
There was a pounding of footsteps coming from the hallway.
'This must be the girls,' Claudia thought as she stuffed the book into a cubby and blew out her candle. She really didn't feel like talking.
They were in the room now. Claudia could hear their graceful footsteps next to her.
"Is Padma asleep," a harsh, whispery voice asked.
"I think so," said someone from in the darkness, "Why, did you want to talk to her or something, Reece."
"God, no," the voice sounded more relaxed now, "She's going to be all bent at me for that incident with Sean."
"Tell me about it," said the other girl's voice, "Did you see the look on her face when she came storming up here with that Claire girl. She's going to be pissed in the morning."
"She's just jealous," said the other girl. She had an incredibly nasty tone, "Everyone knows that she's wanted Sean since day one, but he was never interested in mindless garbage like her."
"Ouch," said the other girl mockingly, "Are you going to make nice with her in the morning or is this bad attitude going to continue."
"hmmp, I'll just make up some BS about me not realizing the way she felt and that I'm sorry," the girl said, "Besides, I owe the old girl a lot."
"I need some sleep," said the other girl, "You'll wake me up in the morning, right?"
"Yeah, whatever."
"Good night."
"Night."
Claudia pulled her covers up to her neck. She had a feeling she really didn't want to hear that conversation.
'Poor Padma,' Claudia thought, 'That girl sounded heinous. With friends like that who needs enemies?'
Claudia drifted into an uneasy sleep. She had a feeling the next morning was not going to be pleasant.
~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~
Part: 10
**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~***~~***~~**~***~***~**
Claudia, Padma, and Cho waited around the torch bracket telling Claudia about all the practices and traditions of Hogwarts.
"Yes, that was the opening banquet," Padma mentioned, arms at her hip, looking annoyed, " ahhg, where are those normally useless prefects when you need them?"
"Just because they have it over you intellectually doesn't mean you should trash them," Cho told her with a grin.
"If they were taught that fashion wins over function and that having perfectly applied make-up was more important that an early start to class, some of them might have some potential, but they'd rather exercise their brains than their thighs."
"Ha, listen to yourself Pads, you sound just like Cloreece, and Bianca!"
"Well, we're three of a kind. I wonder why they didn't skip out on the first year orientation thingy with us."
"Does either Bianca or Cloreece have blonde curly hair with a really low-cut robe," Claudia said, beginning to feel left out of the conversation.
"That'd be Reece, god knows I love her, but some of her stuff is way too,well, you know."
"Uh, yeah. I saw her with that guy with the P around his waist. I guess he was the prefect."
"Oh, all of a sudden she's forgot the rules! I think I better go over them with her when she strolls in arm and arm with that brain that's supposed to be opening the door for me."
Cho leaned over to Claudia, "Rules, literally."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Claudette followed lazily behind the stream of first years heading down a steep wooden staircase. The air was damp and chilly as they climbed downwards but Claudette didn't even notice the first years stumbling for their cloaks. The boy leading them never looked back and continued his quick pace until they reached a heavy brick wall where a portrait hung.
"This week's password is Venom. It is an easy one as I'm sure all of you can associate snakes with venom. Through the door now, let's go."
'Uggh, really, crawling through a hole, really classy,' Claudette thought to herself, as she took a tissue out of her pocket to wipe the dust from the bottom of the hanging.
She swaggered into the common room barely looking at the ornate mantle piece or the many moss coloured leather furnishing's that dotted the richly glossed hard-wood floor. She moved her way over to the north wall glancing at the doors and wondering where her sleeping quarters were. She finally found a golden name tag that read her name. She twisted open the delicate gold door knob, only to have it closed by a thick, square hand. She looked up slowly with her hardened eyes and stared right into the face of a older boy, with piercing blue eyes and light brown hair stare into hers with an equally penetrating gaze.
"Your common room's over there," he said on a low voice, "I think we can make room for her, can't we, boys," he shouted with a flirtatious grin, gesturing to a crowd of older boys who didn't seem to think it a bad idea.
Claudette's cheeks were boodless, as she placed her hand with red polish in the center of his chest and gave him a little shove.
"You sure know how to treat a lady," she called through the closing door as she walked the narrow hall way.
"She's a feisty one, isn't she," the boy called to the hulking boys sitting in a lump of armchairs in front of the fire. "She's perfect for me."
"I think she'd be a challenge for even you, Adrian."
"You think your more up for it, Draco," he said sarcasticly, looking the boy's 5'8" frame up and down.
"Adrian, please, she's ready for me already."
"Oh, you're on, rich boy, your daddy can't fight this one for yah."
Adrian cracked his knuckles and made his way for the seventh year boys dormitory, smiling coldly at the blonde boy in the arm chair.
~*~*~*~**~~**~~**~~*~*~*~*~*~**~~**~~*~
"Claudine, do you know how to play chess?" Ron called out to her.
"Yeah, but I have to warn you, I suck," she said looking down at the old set of chess men on the scratched and dinged board.
Ron's cheeks began to burn.
"It's my grand dad's, it's really old."
"Oh no, it's got character," Claudine tried to recover, she was kind of embarrassed, "Anyways, old chess sets work better for you, there not stubborn and bossy."
This seemed to put him at ease a bit. After he beat Claudine with only losing one pawn he was back to his old self again.
"You play chess like Hermione," Harry said with a laugh, "You two ought to practice playing each other. Mind you, make it a Hogsmeade weekend so I don't have to wait all day for a chair."
"Hey, you don't do well in transfiguration and I don't rub it in your face," Hermione said indignantly.
"Sorry to offend you; your an excellent chess player," Harry said through muffled laughter.
"ooh, you just wait. I'm going o go straight to the library tomorrow morning to sign out a book on chess, and then we'll see who's laughing!"
Hermione turned on her heal and walked swiftly towards the girl's dorms.
"G'night Herme!" Harry and Ron called behind her.
"Honestly, that girl and the library," Ron said, hand over face.
"Well, I guess I should be getting to bed too," Claudine said through a yawn, "See you in the morning."
"Yep, good night, Claudine," Ron said to her as she rose from her chair and followed Hermione's path to the girl's residence.
~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~***~*~*~**~*~**~
The glass door was beginning to open in the small room that had housed Padma, Claudia and Cho for the past half hour.
"Finally," Padma sighed haughtily, "We've been waiting, for like, ages."
"So sorry, your highness," Said a tall boy with curly blonde hair and blue eyes framed in golden eye-glasses, "but that's what you get for not taking the tour. First years," he called out to the group that was now overflowing the small cubicle, " This weeks password will be, well let's make it Princess Padma, you'll find it easy to remember because she acts like one all the time."
Padma's mouth hung open. She stared at Cloreece who gave her a small shrug in between staring at Sean's cherub lips and thick eye brows.
"The password's will be changed whenever we feel necessary, and you will be notified of the changes. Now in you go."
The torch bracket twisted to reveal a large entry way into a beautiful French yellow common room. Thick velvety, royal blue rugs hugged the pine floors, and a lovely white ivory fireplace was crackling on an angle in the corner. The room was full of Victorian furniture trimmed with golden legs. Every chair had a matching ottoman and the cozy chairs next to the fireplace were already beginning to fill up. The sloped ceiling had exposed rafters coated in ivory to match the fireplace, and the pureness of the white complemented the knotty pine ceiling tiles beautifully.
"Well, I've had enough of this day," Padma sighed dramaticly, "Who does Sean Taford think he is humiliating me like that in front of the first years. I'm just going to bed."
"Padma, where are the dorm rooms?" Claudia felt stupid asking such a dumb question.
"Oh, yeah, um, follow me. I need someone to vent to anyway."
Padma led Claudia to the southern most wall and opened a French door with blue glass. Behind the door was a thin staircase which led up to an oval opening in the wall. Through the opening were four beds surrounded in golden velvet hangings.
Padma walked over to the middle bed, pulled back the hangings and sat down.
"Oh, Claudia, you can have the bed next to mine, that trunk must be yours, I don't recognize it."
"Oh yeah," Claudia smiled, "That's mine." She felt kind of foolish.
"I can't believe Cloreece. Even after he made a fool of me, she continued to worship at his feet. That's a clear violation of rule 23."
"Rule 23--," Claudia was wondering about this rule system Cho had mentioned; sure Padma was a bit dramatic but issuing her friends rules?
"Oh, of course," Padma said sympathetically, "A while back, well, third year, Cloreece, Bianca, Cho, and Angela, made up rules that each of us must follow. Cho's never been to thrilled with the idea, but Angela was her best so she went along with it. You see, we're looking to create a role model society for the younger students, and someday, hope to be immortalized by the clubs continuance throughout the years of Hogwarts."
'Oh my,' Claudia thought to herself, 'a role model society?'
"All we ask that every member go by our rule book. Well, I guess that's not all we ask. We pick the members, it's not like we have a registration night or anything, every member is hand selected by us."
'yeah, every member has to be beautiful and popular,' Claudia thought.
Padma threw Claudia a small leather bound notebook from her bed to Claudia's.
"It's just a rough draft, mind you," she said with an air of superiority, "but it will help you appreciate the sacrifices we've made."
Claudia's fingers wrapped tightly around the flimsy stack of paper. Did this mean she wanted Claudia as a member? Why else would she give Claudia a token of such a 'prestigious' organization?
"Well," Padma said chirpily, pulling her silky duvet cover over her satin night dress, "Nighty, night. I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night, Padma."
Padma grasped her hangings and swung them around the frame of her bed. Claudia heard her breath as she blue out a candle from within her bed. Claudia reached for her hangings.
'Some time alone,' she thought to herself.
She began to open the small notebook. The first page was blank, but the second had the name of the five members written in loopy, glistening pink ink.
All members solemnly swear
to abide by the rules laid
out and agreed upon by the
five original members
Padma Patil
Cho Chang
Bianca Bernham
Cloreece Rydham
and
Angela Kensington
If you accept admittance,
you are bound to your
word by your faith in witch
kind and with repercussions.
'These girls really do have high hopes,' Claudia thought to herself. Still, she couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be on the inside. These girls obviously had the reputations to be considered in this school.
Claudia turned the page; she couldn't help it. Part of her knew it was pathetic, but the other part wanted to know; what would it take.
Rule No. 1:
No member shall be granted leave
from the group mutually or otherwise.
Only under extreme circumstances will
a member ever be able to annul their ties
with the group.
Rule No. 2:
No member shall ever be considered
fashionably immature or socially
incompetent, before acceptance or
afterward.
Rule No. 3:
No member shall ever
There was a pounding of footsteps coming from the hallway.
'This must be the girls,' Claudia thought as she stuffed the book into a cubby and blew out her candle. She really didn't feel like talking.
They were in the room now. Claudia could hear their graceful footsteps next to her.
"Is Padma asleep," a harsh, whispery voice asked.
"I think so," said someone from in the darkness, "Why, did you want to talk to her or something, Reece."
"God, no," the voice sounded more relaxed now, "She's going to be all bent at me for that incident with Sean."
"Tell me about it," said the other girl's voice, "Did you see the look on her face when she came storming up here with that Claire girl. She's going to be pissed in the morning."
"She's just jealous," said the other girl. She had an incredibly nasty tone, "Everyone knows that she's wanted Sean since day one, but he was never interested in mindless garbage like her."
"Ouch," said the other girl mockingly, "Are you going to make nice with her in the morning or is this bad attitude going to continue."
"hmmp, I'll just make up some BS about me not realizing the way she felt and that I'm sorry," the girl said, "Besides, I owe the old girl a lot."
"I need some sleep," said the other girl, "You'll wake me up in the morning, right?"
"Yeah, whatever."
"Good night."
"Night."
Claudia pulled her covers up to her neck. She had a feeling she really didn't want to hear that conversation.
'Poor Padma,' Claudia thought, 'That girl sounded heinous. With friends like that who needs enemies?'
Claudia drifted into an uneasy sleep. She had a feeling the next morning was not going to be pleasant.
~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~