Playing with the boundaries of normal social conduct -- January 1994

I blush at his thoughtfulness. I have never had someone care this much about me, besides family. Speaking of family, "well I'm sure your house is very loud. Your poor parents!" I remark looking at him with amusement. "Of course you are the better looking twin. And you know, by helping me it makes you all the more attractive. Its what is inside which makes someone beautiful." Then I blushed. I did not just say that he was attractive! Oh Merlin kill me now! I'm going to die of embarrassment!

I felt my own cheeks get a little pink and I tried to play it off. "Oh yeah, family dinners are brilliant," I agreed. We were all a tad mental I think when it came to us Weasleys. I couldn't just ignore the compliment though, that would be rude. "well, shucks," I said, trying to be all cute about it. "You're to kind, Cassie. Especially after you got hit with our prank."

My face was so red that I felt like rudolph. At least we are finally in the other corridor now. The air here smells so much better. I didn't know how to respond to him. I had never been in this type ov situation before. "Um.. Y-you're welc-come. And you have b-been really nice to me." Oh god, my stutter returned, and I don't know if it is possible for me to blush even more, but I feel like I have. He must think im mental...

There were a million jokes running through my mind about how red she was, but I decided not to embarrass her even more.  I stayed quiet - but only for a moment.  Not speaking was not entirely my specialty.  Unless I was in hiding to pull a prank, then I was as quiet as a mouse and no one knew I was around.  I looked down at her.  "Is your stomach feeling any better?" I inquired, knowing that smells did tend to make everyone feel queasy.  Fred and I were so used to different things, hardly anything bothered us anymore.

I was grateful that he didn't tease me. I smile at him, "yeah the smell is mostly gone now. Just the faintest bit of smell on myself, but it will go away after a nice hit bath." I am looking forward to being completely clean and relaxing too.

"Glad to hear," I said genuinely.  I did hate when the pranks went slightly wrong - even if they were still hilarious.  "So, besides being in the wrong place at the wrong time," I said, chuckling slightly at the lame humor, "what else do you enjoying doing?" Even though she was clearly alright and not going to go into another vomiting fit, I was enjoying walking and chatting with her.  So I figured I would stay so long as she would let me tag along.

I was surprised that he actually wanted to talk to me. Me. "Um, well I really like transfiguration, and I have been studying how to become an animagus since Dora told me about it when I was young. I am also into arts and crafts. Boring I know." I turn to him, "so what do you like to do besides pranking Slytherins?" I smirk.

I raised my eyebrows at her.  "An animagus?  What are you looking into becoming?" I asked intrigued.  "And it's not boring at all.  Probably something that keep stress levels low while at school."  And I shrugged.  "My brothers and parents tell me I should be studying for OWLs... I prefer working with Fred and we're creating a few new things.  One day we'd like to own our own shoppe."

"Well, you can't exactly choose what your animagus will be. From what I have studied you have to concentrate on your inner core, and hopefully you will get a feeling for what animal you are. Then it should be a fairly easy process to actually become the animal." I reply. "And yes, art is a good way to destress." I smile. "You just need to find the balance between school and fun" I wink at him. "But I find it very commendable that you and Fred already have an idea of what you want to do when you leave here. Not many do. Let me guess though, a joke shoppe?"

It was fascinating to hear her speak.  "I never knew that about animagi," I said, completely baffled by the fact that one did not choose what they became.  It was something I never really looked into, so I did not entirely know how the entire process worked by any means.  I chuckled when she said needing to find a balance - I was quite lopsided about things, worrying more about products and such than schoolwork.  I nodded.  "Naturally," I said, laughing again.  "I'm not that great with school things -- that's definitely Bill, Perce, and Ginny.  But clearly I'm great with the fun, joking stuff... so why make myself suffer through the stress when my goals are something school doesn't really teach us?"  I sighed, running a hand through my hair.  if only Mum saw it that way.  I looked at her.  "Are you one that has an idea of what you would eventually like to do?  Or are you part of the not many who do?"  I smiled at her.

"Animagi is really interesting. If you would ever want to research about them, I have some books the school doesn't, you are welcome to borrow" I smile. "For you pranks thiugh, you have to put a pot of thought behind them, which you could relate to the theory of spells. And I am assuming you and your brother are the Weasley's behind puking pastels. Doesn't that require a good basis of potions making? I think you are just selling yourself short. You have to be really smart in order to come up with all those pranks. Maybe instead of saying you are bad at school, think of it as the basis for your career. The more you learn, the more you will be able to apply it to your pranks." I said in a hopefully encouraging way. "And I am one of the ones who has no idea what I want to do..."

I chuckled.  "Well, you'd make a fantastic motivational speaker if nothing else," I suggested.  She almost made me want to attempt to study for OWLs, almost.  Of course I would look stuff over and do what I normally did, but I would not go overboard like Bill and Percy had done.  I had a feeling we would end up doing about how Charlie did -- and Charlie is doing brilliant in Romania.

I blush again. "I don't know, public speaking is not really my strong suit. But I have been thinking about maybe becoming a teacher eventually." I smile gently at that, I wasn't sure if I was capable of being a teacher. I'm not exactly the assertive type. "So you're in fifth year? Excited for your O.W.L.'s?" I ask jokingly.

"Well, you nearly made me want to be more proactive about schoolwork," I assured her.  Again... nearly being the keyword.  "But I'm one of the toughest ones around.  And you just have ot put your mind to it... if it's something you really end up wanting to do, you'll be able to do it.  That's my philosophy anyways," I added with a shrug.  I laughed and shook my head.  "I don't know what's worse -- the impending OWLs or my mum and Percy informing me that my study habits need to change rather rapidly if I want to pass any of them.  Don't get me wrong, I'll study... which I'm starting to do now, actually, but I'm trying my best not to stress out."  I shook my head again, just hearing my mum's voice in my head.  "How are you liking your classes?  Which ones did you add on to take with the basic ones?"

"Thats a good philosophy to live by. Very positive. And you have to study the way you feel helps you the best. I'm sure most of your brothers all have different study habits. Everyone learns differently. You just like to study in a way that doesn't induce much stress, whereas I am sure your brother Percy works himself up too much." I smile. "My classes are going good. I like how third years finally get to pick electives as well. I chose Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies."