Teach Me to Be You

She was the epitome of effervescence and more often than not, Athena hated Pricilla for it. The insistent happiness that no one could dampen despite numerous attempts to try was the scourge of Athena’s existence at times. Whether she liked it or not, she’d grown up with Pricilla and a small part of her did love the Hufflepuff-Slytherin cross breed that they had lounging around in their chilly dungeon common room, it was just a shame they weren’t more alike. Somehow they’d bonded over the years, whether it was because of duty or because maybe they did actually like each other. Athena wasn’t even sure anymore, she was just vaguely grateful for Pricilla’s company; only when it suited though, mind you.

The problem with Pricilla was that she was a lot more intuitive than people gave her credit for. That was why when Pricilla enquired as to what she’d been up to, choosing a few more colourful words, Athena paled. She was still recovering from the little party they’d thrown and so as a result her defences had yet to be hauled back up, leaving her ultimately very vulnerable to Pricilla among others. Athena just thanked Merlin her Occlumency was in peak condition, not that she was aware of anyone else with the mental abilities she possessed. Damien would be in the process of mastering it soon enough once she began to instruct him. One would hope he wouldn’t turn on his instructor; otherwise there would be hell to pay.

“Good evening, Damien,” Athena murmured, giving the younger Slytherin a small smile. She then directed her eyes to the blonde bombshell before her who was determined to find out what she’d been up to that evening; or rather, who she’d ‘done’ that evening. “Magician, you are not.” Athena quipped with mirth in her eyes. She’d confide in Pricilla later, she was sure; much later, if Athena had her way. Pricilla had a habit of being insistent, though. Once she’d set her mind to something it was nearly impossible to shake her off. It didn’t matter how long it took, eventually Athena was going to cave in and Pricilla knew this. “Later.” Athena promised quietly.

Then the music began to play, echoing what Athena had been dancing to earlier. It seemed amazing that not twenty minutes ago she’d been wrapped up in someone’s arms being taught the proper way to dance. Now she was here, plunged into the ice cold Pureblood regime, and she felt a million miles away. Athena smoothed out the skirt of the dress her school clothes had been transfigured into and looked up when she felt Kendall’s presence behind her. Athena sighed mentally and weighed up her options before turning her head slightly towards him. “Not that it concerns you.” She responded coldly. “But yes, I suppose I have been rather busy. Are you content now?”

Cilla's response to having Athena enter the room was conventionally Cilla. Kendall, however, paid a lot of attention to the conversation, as much as he wanted not to. His ears perked at the question of who Athena was doing. It seemed as if Cilla, the one who seemed the least astute of them, had picked up on an information that he was really, really concerned about. A part of him had began to fume. Kendall chewed bitterly on that thought, before Cilla came back with Tobias in tow. Then he smirked, and greeted the other boy. Unlike the boys in the clique, Tobias was probably the quietest. Kendall had thought him easy and weaker, at first, but decided that empty vessels tend to make the most noise, usually; so Tobias was hiding something, he believed.

By this time, Kendall was a little too into his annoyance at Athena's plans, as suggested by Cilla, to bother with the others, for awhile. He wanted to know something, anything, as if he was looking for a sign that she was doing something he would not approve of, not that he had the right to. He had tricked himself into believing that he should have the right. His question for Athena had been meant to sound casual, but it was loaded with his suspicions. Kendall watched her cold response, and felt his blood turn cold too. The violent part of him, the one he had never shown, was inching him to grab her and to squeeze an answer out of her. If it had its way, perhaps he would already have directed something violent, not that he had the right, and not that he would allow it. He still had rationality and sanity etched in him, even when the threat of losing control presented itself.

Instead, Kendall continued to look at Athena. "I am very content with myself, of course. It just ... surprises me that you say it doesn't concern me." Kendall ran his fingers through his hair, trying to curb his frustration. "Can't a friend care? After all, " he tried to stifle imploration in his look and his voice. "We haven't really talked since school term began." He pronounced. "Of course it concerns me, Thea." Perhaps it was his fault, for not making the effort. Yet, Kendall did not want to blame himself. He was, after all, confused about her. He had chosen the many rather than the one. Old habits die hard.

Damien did not know what to make of Kendall's response to his greeting of Athena. It was obvious, of course, the way he had thrown out more respect for her. He, however, did not know if Kendall was sincere about his remark. Damien merely paused and offered a tiny smile back at the girl when she replied him politely. He could content himself with that, it was progress, from not knowing her personally at all, previously. And then Cilla went on a bit of a bubble-high, like she always did. Damien watched her and wondered now why he had liked her. Was it for the fact that she was attractive, or that she was an older Slytherin girl, he could not decide. He merely remembered how his ego had suffered from the experience with her, and she looked unfazed about what she had done to him.

The noise in the room was already a little more than usual, given how it seemed like it was the peak hour of the Common Room. And then Kendall had to ask for some music and a party, which made Damien a little put off about the guy. He tried to prevent himself from rolling his eyes at the raised volume of the room. Cilla came back with Tobias soon, and Damien really did allow his eyes to roll. After all, she had moved on to Tobias after him. Damien was sure he will never like Tobias. Kendall had stood up and walked to Athena, which made Damien a little uncomfortable, them talking close together, and him feeling a little odd in his place. Slowly, he stood up and walked over to Piper instead. Without asking, he sat next to her, although maintaining a distance, like he always does.

"Well, how're you?" He asked, hoping she could hear over the slight din in the Common Room. Damien thought about the last time at Knockturn Alley, he had truly been amused at the lie he had put up, though shocked to find out what he had learnt from her. She had been pissy in return, which annoyed him. Still, he thought, it wouldn't hurt to talk to her. After all, she was a Slytherin. With the amount of prejudice he harboured against people from other Houses, he really needed to make friends with his own. Or else, he would be forever, seeing that Georgia was usually busy with hers, despite being his best friend.

Of course Athena should have known better than to have promised to inform Pricilla of the night’s activities with Kendall looming beside her. For a moment she’d allowed herself to forget his presence and it was to her dismay that she realised he was still there, that fact being identified when he spoke once more. Athena could have slapped Damien when he scuttled away to talk to Piper. She didn’t want to have to deal with Kendall by her lonesome if he was going to be irritating. It was nice that he cared, sure, but it wasn’t any of his business. It wasn’t his place to question what she got up to - he didn’t have that right, just as she didn’t have the right to question his nightly activities; though it wasn’t as if Athena didn’t already know.

Later, Athena was sure Pricilla would make her admit to her dismay with regards to the rumours that swirled with his name attached. Athena had refused to let any of it affect her in a negative manner. She instead chose to rise above it but in doing so it made her feel all the more frustrated. It was that frustration and exasperation that Craig had picked up on that afternoon and that was what had led to him inviting Athena to the party. He’d said she’d needed to unwind, let go of her inhibitions a little. She had done so successfully but it seemed as if ten minutes back in the common room was undoing all of his good work. Though there was one thing the tiring Slytherin conversation couldn’t rob her of -- the way her lips still burned from the stolen kiss.

Athena rolled her eyes at Kendall. “You’re concerned about what I get up to when you’re the one that reeks of sex. Nice, real nice.” Athena exhaled, a wry smile taking her lips upwards a little, before leaning down and pulling her shoes off of her feet once more. She wriggled her toes and stood the shoes up before stepping over them and almost sashaying over to where the younger girls had gathered by the radio. Each one had a pair of saucer sized puppy-dog eyes in a hope to get the attention of one dark haired Rookwood heir. Athena could have and would have been snide and told them that few had a chance considering the odds that were against them but she was more interested in the radio.

Licking her lips absent mindedly, Athena took the wand from the hand of the girl with strawberry blonde ringlets by her temples. She gave the girl a quick, warming smile and began to rotate her wrist over the top of the radio, teasing the frequency in search of a better music station. When a better, far more stomachable song blared through the speakers, Athena handed the wand back to the girl and gave her another smile. The dark haired Slytherin flexed her fingers and snapped them a few times, allowing little flames to ignite and rid her wand arm of the uncomfortable feeling of channelling magic through a foreign wand.

Dancing wasn’t easy without a partner and as Athena looked around she found that she was in dire need of one. Although it would have no doubt placated Kendall, she would have rather continued provoking him than doing anything else. However she had something better in mind and, spying a group of huddled first years, Athena decided she’d rope someone else into dancing with her. So, after a flashing a smirk in Kendall’s direction, Athena hopped lightly across the room towards where the eleven year olds had gathered. She took the hand of the nearest one and hauled him from his seat, a light laugh passing her lips as she did so. She released him and took one of the girl’s by hand. She tossed the blonde towards the boy and smiled teasingly at him when he fumbled with trying to catch the girl.

One by one, Athena dragged out and paired up the little first years that had been pining for the chance to get up and dance but didn’t for fear of enraging Kendall’s rabid groupies. The last one was Athena’s lucky charm, she decided. Tucked up behind a potions book well beyond his estimated capability was a little green eyed, freckled lad with scarlet lips and a mop of sooty hair. At the sight of him Athena couldn’t help but smile. It was a little private smile just for him and once she’d taken the book from his hand she lifted him up and pulled him out to where the other little one’s were dancing.

She was sure they got tinier and tinier every year and this one was particularly small; small to the point where picking him up wasn’t a problem at all -- so she did. Athena hoisted him up on her waist, allowing his right hand to fall to her shoulder. She took his left hand with his, lacing his fingers with her own, and began to twirl around the room amongst the children that were all awkwardly pacing back and forth with one another, their hold reminiscent to the way she had been taught to dance as a child. At the sight of them, Athena couldn’t help but laugh. It was a way to unwind, by indulging the children as she did. She had a soft spot for them, though why she could never be quite sure. Perhaps it was her calling at the end of the day; and wasn’t that appropriate considering everything?