| Details for The Slytherin Queen and the Head Girl |
| Summary: | Deciding to think outside the box Medusa approaches Morgana with a request and finds an unlikely ally; this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. |
| Date: | 21 October 1938 |
| Location: | Library, Hogwarts |
| Related: | Far From the Maddening Crowd, Lover's Spat? |
| Characters |
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Trying to reconcile being a good friend and her pressing need to do well in her exams this year finds Medusa Malfoy venturing into the dark (okay well it isn't dark) recesses (just a few rows back) of the library after lessons. She has decided to go down the untraveled path of asking help from a member of her own gender. As a rule Medusa generally prefers to seek help from the opposite sex as they tend to like her more, but the time has come to put that all aside and so textbooks in hand the Gorgon presents herself at the study carrel of the Head Girl. "Morgana, I was wondering if I could speak to you?"
Morgana does spend a lot of her freetime in the Library, the little that she has that is. Between her full load of classes, and her Head Girl duties, there isn't much. Though some say she's making busy work for herself, to keep herself busy, but that's mostly a rumor. (Mostly.) So she is a bit surprised that anyone has found their way to the dark recesses of the library to speak with her. Granted, this year she's had that happen more and more, since she is dealing with head girl duties, but it's rare that it isn't a prefect. "Of course Medusa." She says, closing a few open books and clearing a bit of space on the table. "Please, have a seat."
Medusa sets her books down on the cleared space and sits down across from Morgana. "I need some help and I wondered if we might come to a mutually advantageous agreement. As you know, from being in nearly all the same classes, I did not do terribly well on my OWLs and last year I was distracted with," her lips purse, "more personal matters shall we say." Continuing on, Medusa brushes imaginary lint from her robes, "This leaves me in a precarious position. I must do well this year. To that end I have been rounding up personal tutors for my weakest subjects. The problem is, my - to be frank the problem is that people think I have some ulterior motive. I don't, I just want to do well. I'm now stuck because I have lost my potions tutor and also will lose a chance at a defense tutor." Medusa rubs her forehead with her hand. "Kaiden will only help me if I tell my friend's girlfriend to go out with him, with Kaiden that is. I can't do that. So I need your help."
Morgana sets her quill down as Medusa starts to speak, not wanting to look distracted while she's listening. "I can understand being distracted." Morgana says, folding her hands in front of her has she thinks it over. "I would be willing to tutor you, which subject are you needing the most help in?" However the whole, Kaiden and girl friend thing causes her to shake her head and sigh. "Is it bad, that I am counting the days until we are out of here, and I no longer have to worry about who is dating who and why. You shouldn't be asked to do that just to get some academic help."
When Morgana not only agrees with her but also agrees that Kaiden's fee was a bit much Medusa nods her pale head. "I need a tutor for potions and for defense. Lucian is helping me with transfiguration. I'm fairly good with charms and herbology." She tucks her hair behind her ear. "I know you are busy, so I am willing to fit in around your schedule." The Slytherin leans in, "And I'd like to help you somehow. Anything you like. Want a make over? Or me to introduce you to some different boys?" What Medusa does not do is bring up Conall and the fact that he is now dating Gabrielle.
"I can help you with both of those." Morgana says, pulling out a small book that seems to be more of a date book than anything. "Let's see. I believe we have the last potions class of the day on Thursday, so we can probably do a bit of work in there then. Defense… I can do that either Monday afternoons or before dinner. Than again, weekends are usually free, but I won't press of that unless you're wanting extra time to study." As to her offer about boys, Morgana closes her date book with a snap and shakes her head. "I've had my fill of dating. I'll wait until I'm out of here, and deal with men instead of these… boys." There is a very distasteful tone in her voice, but it's obvious where it's directed to.
A diary. Medusa has one of those. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small black book, which she rather oddly kisses before opening. "No boys," she agrees, well agrees for Morgana. Medusa isn't laying off boys and time soon, not with having a decent boyfriend for a change. "I can do both those days." She jots it down in her diary. "I really appreciate this Morgana. I meant what I said, if there is anything I can do for you in return just ask."
"Excellent." Morgana says, opening her book again and jotting down the times, and putting the book back in her satchel. "I am sure that something will pop up sometime this year. Right now I just can't think of anything, but I have had my nose so far in these books since we've been back that I'm honestly not sure what is going on around me." ANd by the way she speaks, it almost sounds like she is enjoying it.
Medusa grins at Morgana, "Thank you. I know not everyone sees me as their favourite person after the fiasco last year." She kisses her diary and puts it away again. "This gives me the freedom to tell Sykes to get lost and means I can apologise to Gerald too."
Morgana shrugs her shoulders. "You've never done anything to personally wrong me, so I don't have any reason to hold anything against you." She says as she moves more of her work out of the way, setting it aside for now. "Please do. Any wrong doing to a Hufflepuff male is okay in my book." There is a ghost of a smirk on her lips before she gets back to business. "Where in potions are you having trouble?"
Medusa laughs, "The seventh year Hufflepuff boys do seem to be a pain in the arse." She flips open her potions book. "What we did in class today was alright, we did fairly well with it. My real problem is just the memorisation. I'm better with the practical things. Give me the ingredients and if I make something enough times I can do it without a thought but ask me to write an essay on it and I choke."
"I blame it on fumes leaking from the kitchen and into the boys dorm room." Morgana says dryly before she nods her head. "I am sure we can find some way around it. So you have the application part down, that's usually where people have the trouble." Morgana says thoughtfully. "We'll figure something out. Now what about Defense?" Morgana says, jotting down a few notes.
The Malfoy girl shrugs a slender shoulder, "The same really. I have good wand work, am complimented on it. I can hold my own in a duel, but the history behind the spells or why one is better than another in a certain situation - all of that flies out of my head the minute I start to write. I usually get a good introduction but then ramble because I lose myself." Medusa chews on her bottom lip. "I know I will never be a top student, but I don't want to embarrass my family."
"Well that does make it easier then, if your wand work is fine than we can study anywhere. Should I focus on the things that will most likely be on the NEWTs then? Or would you like to learn more for use outside of school?" Hearing her reasoning, Morgana nods her head. "I can understand that. Is there anything specific you wanted to do after you're finished here?"
Medusa looks around to see if anyone else is eavesdropping and seeing no one she leans over to murmur quietly, "I'm going to open a business with a friend. I'm very good with managing things, money, people, connections." Sitting back up she says, "But lately people keep telling me I should know how to defend myself from dementors too. My focus is to do well on my NEWTs anything else is extra."
Morgana watches her check for eavesdroppers, and decides to lean in a bit. Secrets are secrets after all. "What sort of business? If I may ask." She says, showing that her interest is piqued. "It's not a bad idea. Even as far out as we all are here, and how protective this castle is, something is going on out there. My grandparents are on edge about it, so I don't blame your friends saying that to you either."
"You know what I do here? How I help people get information and meet other interested parties." Medusa makes light of her extensive social network within Hogwarts. "I want to do that after school, but on a bigger scale. I know so many people because of my family. And I think I can make it work." She shifts a little on her chair. "It ties in with something Douglas wants to do. We've never told anyone else. It's a bit of a pie in the sky, Morgana. So officially we are still looking for Ministry jobs." She looks over at the other girl. "What about you? What do you want to do?"
"True, you do seem to be quite good at it." Morganna says thoughtfully. "Well I have no one to tell such secrets too, so your secret is safe. Though I don't think I have any help I can offer you there." She responds before leaning back in her chair. "It's good to have a back up plan though, just in case. I'm planning on becoming an Unspeakable. Granted, I don't know what it takes to become one because everything is hush hush about it, but I'm going to give it a shot."
Medusa's mouth twitches with humour, "One supposes if everyone knew then they wouldn't be able to be called Unspeakables. My mother is an Oblivator, what she does is fairly hush-hush, but nothing quite like that." She looks at Morgana, sizing the Head Girl up. "If anyone could do it, you could. You have a way with things Morgana. It is hard to put your finger on what that way is. With me it's easy enough. People fear the reputation. Same as it is with Briar, people love her because she's so gushingly," Medusa mimics Briar's American accent, "Oh my gosh, that was so amazing! You're the best, kid."
Morgana smirks and nods her head. "Exactly." Morgana with an amused tone. "Though I don't know what sort of way I have with things. I"d say mysterious but that is entirely too cheesy." When Briar is mentioned, it takes a lot of effort to not roll her eyes. "I don't know that I would call it gushing." Morgana says quietly. "Than again she may just be as demented as the rest of them in Hufflepuff." She says, flicking her fingers in the air as a dismissive gesture. "And you do that accent way too well."
"Kaiden and I used to make fun of her a lot," admits Medusa. She picks up her piles of books as she rises to her feet. "Doug and I often have lunch with Thaddeus." Thaddeus Cornfoot the lovable gay 7th year Ravenclaw. "You should sit with us." She smiles over at Morgana, "I'll let you get on with stuff, see you in class if not at lunch, yeah?"
"Used to being the key word?" Morgana comments with a raise of a brow. When she gets the lunch invitation she thinks it over for a second. It takes her that second to place who Thaddeus is before she nods her head. "That would be lovely. I will see you then. Or in class." As Medusa gathers her things, Morgana returns to her books, picking her homework back up again.