Did one jump up and down, scream for a ghost, and one would appear? Was there anything the muggle film Ghostbusters had taught her? Melanie wasn’t sure it was the most accurate representation of those in the undead realm. But she wanted one! A ghost, that is, she wanted one! Again, how to attract one? One of those house ghosts would do. Any of the many ghosts that littered the school with their spirit would do.

“I knew this would happen,” she muttered to herself. She had known that seeking out a ghost would mean they’d all suddenly go poof; always around when you don’t need one. Not here at all now that she was interested in speaking to one. She had not yet seen sign of the poltergeist, of which she was glad, but she wanted a damn ghost.

She knocked on the wall. “Any ghosts around…?” she asked in a whisper. “Ghosts? Anywhere?” She tip-toed her way down the corridor.

As it so happened, Kyle Baker was also on the lookout for a Hogwarts ghost. He had spoken to Katherine Toussaint, a blonde Slytherin with an apparent penchant for deviousness, about how one should go about accosting the spectres, and she had been only too willing to provide him with the necessary information. Apparently, it was as simple as asking one for an audience, and being sure not to walk through them - apparently it was considered offensive.

Of course, finding one had proven to be slightly tricky. They weren't quite as constantly present as the feast had suggested, and it seemed that when he actually needed one, he had to actively be looking for them. So that was what Kyle had decided to do, when he had a bit of free time in between classes and preparing for an IMPS task that he had absolutely no idea how prepare for.

But he hadn't been exploring the castle for very long before he heard, rather than saw, someone on the very same quest as he was. An Ilvermorny someone, at that.

"Not a ghost, I'm afraid," he said, rounding a corner from an almost-hidden stairwell and coming into view. Hopefully that wouldn't be too startling; Kyle had a habit of accidentally moving around far too quietly and spooking people that weren't expecting to see him. "We share a common goal, Professor Williams." And quite possibly the same motivations too.

Kyle’s sudden appearance made her spin around with her hand gripping her wand in her holster. Her instincts, it seemed, were hard to fight sometimes. “Sneak up on me again, boy, and I might do something one day. Accidentally. And then we’ll both be in trouble. Me - out of a job, and you…” she smirked. “You might be permanently rendered...damaged.” Her tone was cool, icy almost. But the smirk she wore reached the light of her deep, brown eyes. It was an honest warning; she would never willingly harm a student...permanently. “You want a ghost, too?” she asked softly. It didn’t surprise her. Kyle had an interested for History of Magic, history in general.

“So, I just asked for one to appear. But none have so far...perhaps we need to kick it up a notch. I wonder if we need to yell. I do not want to attract that dreaded poltergeist, though.” It would be undesired. Awful. She had little patience for pests, and she might do something she regretted to the poltergeist. She knew enough about them to know how to handle one. “Do you know the names of any of them, Kyle?” she asked with a sly smile.

Oh, oops. He'd gone and spooked yet another unsuspecting victim.

Kyle worked hard to suppress a grin as his professor admonished him. He was not entirely successful, as he could tell that the iciness of her tone did not quite reach her eyes, and so met Professor Williams' smirk with a small, mildly amused smile of his own.

"Got it," Kyle replied, with a nod and a half-salute executed with just the one extended index finger. "No more sneaking." He decided not to try and explain that it was really quite unintentional. Some details just weren't worth getting into.

"Sure do," he went on, looking past his professor and down the hallway, as if by looking, one might appear. Of course, that wasn't how it worked. "Well, I've done some reading--" (of course he had) "--and the one I found the most information about, full name and all, was..." Kyle paused, thought back to the book he had perused recently, and recited, "Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. What a British name, right? 'Mimsy-Porpington'." So pompous, and therefore so typical, in Kyle's mind. "Though mostly people call him 'Nearly Headless Nick', and for good reason. The story of his death is so gruesome." Perhaps inappropriately, Kyle's eyes lit up a little at that part. He was clearly prepared to launch into a retelling of the story, too, right then and there. He always got more talkative when his favourite subjects were involved.

History was so cool. Kyle had no idea how anyone could think it was boring.

It was ironic, in a sense, that Melanie would chide someone for being sneaky, wasn’t it? But we won’t get into that now.

Right now, Melanie was interested in ghost hunting. And what a mouthful of a name! “Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. It is very British, right.” She chuckled. “What makes a British name, though, Kyle? Something that sounds fancy?” Melanie Williams was amused. She didn’t miss the gleam in his eye, either. “How gruesome? I knew people called him Nearly Headless Nick. I wonder how he feels about that…” Something to ask him, then. “The Ravenclaw ghost, too, seems interesting. The Grey Lady.” She seemed eloquent, though she wondered if anyone with the word ‘lady’ in their name sounded eloquent.

“I wonder where he is likely to hang out. Sir Nicholas? That sounds better than Nearly Headless Nick. And we don’t want to offend the man.” Was a man still a man if he was a dead man? Melanie wondered. A ghost...a person? It was very interesting to her. “Think of the things he has witnessed over the terms.”

Melanie rarely acted like a school girl. But let her meet a ghost, and Kyle might just witness the impossible.

Zoryn Spinnet had spent the last fifty million BAZILLION hours drowning in homework!!! She even stopped actually doing it after a bit, but drawing doodles all over the parchment STILL took SO MUCH TIME.

She came to magic school to have FUN.

Not to have homework.

Sooooooooooooo gosh darn it, Zoryn A. Spinnet would have some fun!! Or so help her, Merlin.

Finding a niiiiiiiiiiiiice empty spot in the middle of the corridor, Zoryn plopped herself down and took out her brand-new-huge-shiny-permanent-ink quill and got to work.

When she was finished, she admired her giant, loopy penmanship for only a few fleeting seconds--as she didn't want to draw attention to the practical joke before she had a chance to execute it--before skipping towards the wall, where she waited for some unsuspecting passerbyers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by as written on the floor

Gullible

Strumming her ukulele, Irene sung as she walked down the corridor. Now she was starting to feel like she was at home. Give her a ukulele and she could have some fun. "I was scared of dentists and the daaaaark... I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations. Oh, all my friends are turning greeeeen," she sang as she walked down the corridor. She wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings at all until she kicked something. Huh?

A SMALL CHILD? SECOND YEAR?

Well not small. Probably the girl was about twelve. "Scamander's Suitcase! Sorry, didn't mean to kick you," she said. She hadn't seen the other girl there. Irene had been so preoccupied with the music and feeling the song, y'know. Then it hit her. What was this girl doing in the middle of the corridor all by herself? Irene Avery was surely suspicious. Whatever she was doing, she wanted in... if it was fun.

"What... What are you doing in the middle of the corridor?"

Zoryn was waiting.

Waiting was Zoryn.

waiting.

Man. Waiting was boring. Zoryn was never gonna wait EVER AGAIN! It was a waste of time. Literally.

Next time, she was gonna choose something that'd have instant gratification. Because waiting SUCKED. With a CAPITAL S. And just then, she heard a faint sound in the distance.... And her ears PERKED all the way up!!! Her first VICTIM! Time to act SUPER INNOCENT. Hehehehehehehe.

Rubbing her hands together, Zoryn waaaaaaaaited happily this time, mind you for her victim to--"HEY!" She squealed! O U C H! "Clearly," she muttered, practically oozing sass out of the small gaps between her teeth.

"Um. Excuse YOU, this is my territory. My school, I can be in any corridor I like!" she proclaimed, straightening her back and lifting her chin. Trying to be as TAAAAALLL as possible here! Not all of us are vertically blessed, okay?!

Anyways, Zoryn A Spinnet was here to have some FUN! That's what she was doing out here in the middle of the corridor. Vague answers aside. "Also, I'll be asking the questions here." Mostly because it was her specialty, but also because this stranger was supposed to be the victim. Victims don't get to ask questions, they only get to be pranked. It's in the rules section 4 subsection B. "Like how come all your friends are turning greeeeeeeeeeeeeen?" Zoryn had payed attention for once in her life, and that is what she heard the older girl singing about. So she wanted to know. Duh.

Also. She'd get to her doodle in a minute.

Irene gave the girl an amused smile. Hah. Well this Hogwartian was sassy and she liked it. The girl was certainly different from others that she had interacted with so far. "Scamander's suitcase... Alright, Miss Feisty. Chill. I don't want to have a tense moment with a Hogwartian not after what happened in the competition stands," she said and shivered at the very thought. Thank goodness for Lachlan Wheeler stepping in. They were here for fun and to get to know people from the other school. This wasn't the Hunger Games people though the first challenge had felt like that with the dementor and all.

"Okay, ask questions." Sure, now she was going to be interrogated. Irene found this very amusing. She was generally bubbly and up for anything but at this moment she was more intrigued by this small girl. She smirked at the girl's question. "I suppose you've never heard the song 'Riptide' by Vance Joy." The smirk now turned into a frown because she thought it sad that the girl had not heard of this incredible song. "I'm singing and my friends aren't turning green. It's probably a metaphor. Green for envy?"

Was she following?

Who knew. Irene hoped so.

"Before you ask any more questions, I'd like to know your name. Introductions are nice generally. I'm Irene Avey, IMPS Competitor. Fifth Year Pukwudgie. And you are?"

Whoever this Scamander was (she wasn't taking CoMC yet and hardly payed attention in HoM), Zoryn had little to no interest in their suitcase. Well... If it was put in front of her she maybe would have had more than a little interest in it, but since there was no suitcase... NO INTEREST! "That's Princess Feisty, to you!" Miss made her sound all boring like an adult. And Zoryn A. Spinnet was a lot of things, but she was not boring and she was not an adult (yet, at least)!

"..... Uh, Who?" This Advance Joy guy was definitely not someone Zoryn knew, but if he didn't really mean that his friends were green then he probably shouldn't sing about it. 'Cause some people might think his friends actually ARE green. And then he'd start up a whole ruckus for absolutely nothing!!! "Oh. Well if your friends aren't turning green you probably shouldn't say they are. it'll confuse people," the older girl should probably taking notes.

You're welcome.

Zoryn beamed and batted her eyelashes at the girl, 'cause she was helpful AND cute. SEE? Wait a minute. Irene-Green-Friend-Singing-Girl say WHAT?!?!?!

"HAHAHAHAHHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAHHHAH!!! PUKE-WEDGIE!!!!"

Zoryn doubled over in laughter, clutching her stomach-NO! ROLLING ON THE FLOOR in a fit of giggles!!! Puke-wedgie!!! Man, and she thought Hogwarts houses had dumb names. This was the best thing she heard ALL WEEK!!!! NO, MONTH!!!

Still working off her residual giggles, she slowly got up from the floor. Still she made a big show of her laughter, slapping her knee as she had seen being done in movies. "I'm-ehehe-Zoryn Spinnet, fun-enthusiast. hehehe. Second year."

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA PUKE WEDGIE!!!!!!!!

HEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHE

This girl was certainly a Princess if not a piece of work.....

She didn't know who she would rather deal with Valerie Gray or Miss Princess here. Hmm.... She'd take a dementor next time. But perhaps this was all just an act? She paused, glancing at the girl and trying to determine why she was being so brazen. Irene held her tongue and stopped herself from responding back to the girl. She was young. She'd let her be young. One day she'd learn or not. She strummed her ukulele, trying to put her frustration into song. Yes, that was better.

Calmer, she was.

Now.

WHAT?

Irene just stood still with widened eyes. WHAT. Why was the girl laughing? Was it something she had said? Ohhh... Everything clicked. Something must have been funny with her house name.

Instead of getting upset at this child, Irene just blinked momentarily before laughing a little "Yeah, yeah... I know what you're thinking. Puke-wedgie." She had heard that before. Many a time. She smiled. "Heard that before." This girl struck her as if she was up to no good. The laughing, the aggressive questions... She was hiding something.... Definitely.

"So what are you doing out here, Zoryn? All alone? Causing trouble?"

Ah man. That was SO good.

Zoryn laughed off the last few giggles, before returning to her usual, somewhat-composed state. What a time to be alive. "How the heck does your sorting hat keep a straight face when he's announcing your house!?" The second year was sure that even their sour hat would crack a smile at the name 'pukewedgie'. It was like basic science. You can't not laugh at that. It was unequivocally funny. Like fart sounds. Or sneezing pandas.

"Oh, me?" She responded to the suspicious questioning with batting of her lashes. Whoooooo, Zoryn A. Spinnet? Suuuuuuuuuuper innocent. She's an angel.

*GASP!*

"OHMYGOSH!! LOOK, someone wrote gullible on the floor!!!" She made a big show of fein-surprise, pointing to her written work on the ground.

Feigning calmness was going well. She didn't know how long this would last. So far she had LOVED everyone she had met but this girl..... This girl was young.

"With many years of practice. Do you know what a Pukwudgie is?" she asked. Irene assumed that the young girl had no idea as she was making fun of such an important part of Illvermorny's heritage. It was rather rude yet still Irene would not show her true thoughts. She knew how to mask them around strangers.

Yeah, this girl was definetly not innocent. Irene could see that. In fact, Zoryn reminded her of herself when she was about nine or ten. Irene had gone through a bad pranking phase. Heck. She still enjoyed pranking people and causing mischief.... but at Hogwarts? She had to be on her best behavior. That's what Professor Williams had told her. And she had already danced on the table which was essentially strike one. She couldn't really afford any more strikes when she represented Illvermorny in this amazing competition. Shucks.

And then the girl batted her eyelids again. When the girl asked her to look at the floor to see if gullible was written, Irene laughed and turned away. "Yeah no thanks. Also heard this one before, kid," and then she moved to the other side of the corridor to strum her ukulele.

She was NOT YOUNG. She was TWELVE and THREE QUARTERS, thank you very much.

The second year gave the foreign student a skeptical look. Not that she didn't believe her or anything... But there is no way that the name puke-wedgie would lose it's funny. Even after loads of practice. Maybe their sorting at at Ilvermorny was even MORE sour than the Hogwart's one. That was the only way. "OMG, it's the surname of one of your founders?!?!?!" HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA !!!!! That sent Zoryn into hysterics all over again.

Wooooooooo, man. This was GREAT. She was having the time of her LIFE!

And it only got better when the older girl walked away in disbelief, sending Zoryn into EVEN GRANDER laughter this time!! "HEHEHEHEHEHE," man, she was having a BALL!! That was exactly the reaction Zoryn was looking for. "No, really! It's there, look!!!" She was GREAT at this!!!

Irene frowned at the small girl. Merlin. Where these students really silly that they didn't know about other Wizarding Schools? She placed her ukulele down. With a flick of her wand, she summoned a thick book on Illvermorny's history. Catching it with her hands, Irene turned to the girl and cleared her throat. Education time. "Pukwudgie is not a surname of one of our founders thank you very much. We're creative." No slight against Hogwarts. It's just that Hogwarts had already taken the founders name as Hogwarts houses. "Pukwudgie is a two to three foot human from Wapanog mythology. They are fiercely independent creatures. The House itself favors Healers and heart." Glancing up at the young girl, she decided that it was time to stop the lecture.

She glanced down at the ground and saw the word there and just rolled her eyes momentarily. "Why?" she asked. Why would the girl waste time doing such a silly thing? Sure it was sorta funny.... but still....

Why?

..... A book?

Way to make a fun day not fun within the span of two seconds, stranger. Zoryn was ALREADY bored out of her mind. "Thanks, Professor," she responded, her voice laced with sarcasm. "How come you need the book? Don't you KNOW your own house's history?" 'Cause Zoryn didn't pay attention to HoM (like, EVER), but even she knew why her house was called Gryffindor and who got into it. Man, and she thought first years were supposed to be dumb. HA!

Quality education must not be a thing at Irene's school.

And speaking of quality education and wit beyond measure....

Zoryn wore a giddy grin on her face. HEhehehehe. Wasn't it GENIUS!?! Zoryn was hoping for some praise, but instead she was met with a question she didn't exactly know how to answer. "Because," she stated matter-of-factly. "Why not?"

It was the best she could do.

Irene paused, not knowing how to respond. Newt's suitcase. This girl was REALLY PUSHING SOME BUTTONS. Little minx. Hmph. She closed the book and sent it away.

"I know it... mostly. I just want to make sure I don't misquote anything," explained Irene. Besides, she had bigger worries to deal with compared to remembering details about her house. Like this competition and surviving it. And making sure that her friends survived it too.

She just stared at the Gryffindor know it all girl. Why not? "A fair answer i guess," said Irene with a shrug of her shoulders before she refocused on her ukulele. She started playing her song again when she stopped suddenly. "What do you do around here for fun?"

Pushing buttons was what Zoryn was BEST at. It was her among her many talents-- others of which included getting things she wanted and being able to burp the entire alphabet.

"Right," suuuuuper believable.

The second year gave the older girl a satisfied smile. She was quite happy with herself. Mhm. She had to stop herself from letting out an audible groan as the girl went back to her ukulele. Definitely the world's ugliest sounding instrument. "Loads of stuff," she nodded.

Fun was her middle name!!! Uh. Okay. Amari was her middle name, BUT fun was probably a close second!!!!

"Mostly I go find Théo and see if he wants to have an adventure... Or I'll go find a Professor and ask 'em lots of questions," that was probably her FAVORITE thing to do. "Oooooooooooooor just follow someone around ALL DAY 'till they notice." That was also typically very fun.

Zoryn was SO GOOD at fun.

.... "What do you do at Ilverhomney?" Huh. The school had a strange name. She never realized.