Quote:
Originally Posted by
The1HBIC 
He was going to make an effort to show her a good time? Really? Now Marie really couldn't get the smile off her face. "I like the sound of that." she said. "Surprises are good, just as long as they aren't like the ones I've been getting lately." No, she did not want any more bad news surprises. She has had enough of those to last her a lifetime.
She started to walk with him when he stopped to wait for her. Yes, going to the Room of Requirement was definitely going to be more fun than standing there in the dungeon corridor. Not that she was complaining about that. She would stand out in the rain with him if he wanted her too. "Well let me see, could it be because you're smarter than what you let on? Wait, you argued with the sorting hat?" How had she missed that? Oh right, it probably happened when she was getting her heart broken by Carter... again.
Oh my Merlin, he was so cute when he grinned like that. "Well James S. Wilkes, you can call me anytime you want Marie J. Salazar. There's only one of me too." she said as she gave him a little wink.
As they walked her mind started to wander a bit wondering what the Room of Requirement was going to look like when they walked in.
"Fun for me too if you keep smiling like that." James answered, leading the way more confidently now. He knew they were heading to the seventh floor. Once they got there Marie could show him exactly where the Room of Requirement was, and he could see first hand how to... you know,
activate the room.
"I'm not
that smart. I just remember things from books." A partially true statement. Honestly he was likely the smartest in his year as well as the year above. And James didn't hold out much hope for the seventh years either, when it came right down to it. He was quick-minded, he understood things almost immediately. He was inquisitive, intuitive, and yet logical. He was also good with his wand and magic generally came easy to him. Non-verbals? No sweat. But if people started expecting things from him? Pshhh. No thank you. He'd been modulating his achievements for years now, though it was harder at Hogwarts not to be obvious about his knowledge. It had been what had amounted to his second year that he'd dedicated himself to being completely quotidian. Unremarkable. When his tutor at the time, who'd not lasted much longer due to Jimmy driving the fellow away, had told his parents that he was of the opinion that James would be well able to take his OWLs early if they modified his study program. Had he done it, James reflected, that would have meant he'd be done with school by now. Considering he was at Hogwarts and there were all these pretty girls everywhere? Not an appealing thought.
He looked at Marie and a sheepish grin overtook his face. "Yeah I did argue with the hat. Then... I kind of stomped on it. Its probably going to have a vendetta against future Wilkeses everywhere." He announced somewhat modestly. Heh. How awesome was it that he had an enemy in a hat? As in, the hat and not some person who happened to be wearing a hat and also happened to be an enemy. Err.
"I'm beginning to think that one is enough, and probably gonna take up most of my time. Can't imagine how my imagination would cope with two of ya, Marie." He grinned at her again and started up the stairs.