More than just a memory

[Connor Manning]

Winter always felt different to Connor. Now that the snowy blistery months had arrived he had more time to think... and it didn't always result in good things. Mostly, it gave him more things to worry about.

Although Connor was legally an adult in the wizarding world, he still felt like a kid. He relied on his parents for housing, food, clothing and other things, he still had to abide by their rules, and he still attended school here. But after this year was over, all of that would change. Connor was still excited about the change of events, getting Head Boy certainly made his last year at Hogwarts seem worth it.

The seventh year hummed to himself, mulling over a write up sheet of the poster he was going to be hanging up in the Slytherin Commons, informing one and all about needing a few more players in the house team. As Captain, it was his job to organize such things and so far he didn't mind it too much. It was mid-morning, and though he wasn't very hungry, Connor helped himself to some coffee and doughnuts as he sat and looked over the spare bit of parchment advertising the time for the extra tryouts. He made a mental check list, checking off when they were to be held, what time, and all other information.

Connor noticed a figure moving out of the corner of his eye and quickly looked over to see someone. A semi-curious expression crossed his face and he quirked his head to the side, wondering just what it was the person was up to.

[Victoria Simone Valsh]

Victoria had had a very slow morning. She had woken up at around the same time as usual, dressed and packed her bags. It was at that time that she had remembered that she had a huge test after break that she needed to study for. She pulled out the textbooks for her classes after break and stacked them in her arms and left towards the Great Hall for breakfast. She made her way down the stair cases, her books stacked precariously in her arms. When she neared the great hall, someone opened the doors for her.

She walked into the great hall fumbling with her pile of textbooks. She hadn't wanted to go back up to the Ravenclaw tower after break and unfortunately she had all of her classes that required heavy textbooks in the morning. As she was nearing her usual place at her house table, ready to put the pile on one of the benches, the top book started to slide. As if in slow motion, it tumbled off the pile and the rest of the books fell with it. She cursed loudly and bent over to pick them up. She started to pick them up to place them on the bench next to her, shaking her head slowly.

She looked around at the people watching her. The rest of the Ravenclaws had gone back to their conversations, a couple of them saying good morning to her, but no one willing to help her with her textbooks. The Slytherins near her were snickering. Great, just my luck, she thought, of course this would happen now, in front of everybody. She had made it all the way down the multiple staircases without them falling until now.

[Connor Manning]

Had Connor been a bit more mean and rude he probably would have burst out laughing at the scene. He did think it was a bit humorous, sure, but was able to restrain himself from laughter as he looked around to see if anyone else was nominating themselves good samaritan for the day.

No one stepped up for the job, and as Connor felt a bit embarrassed for the girl, he stood from his seat at the Slytherin table and crossed over the Great Hall to help the girl. He took her for a Ravenclaw student as she looked as though she had been attempting to sit down at that specific house table. " Erm, hey, " He greeted with a small encouraging smile, trying to be friendly. He kneeled down and grabbed some books that she hadn't gotten to yet. " You alright? That was a quite a spill your books took. Hope they're not injured too badly. "

He chuckled at his own little joke, trying to be cordial to the girl. She apparently wasn't off on the right foot today.

[Victoria Simone Valsh]

Victoria looked up and smiled at him, taking her books from him. "Yeah, They should be fine." She placed the books awkwardly on the bench. Great, she thought, I just dropped my books and the Head Boy was the person that helped me out. She stood up awkwardly in front of him, blushing slightly. It was a weird feeling for her to be blushing in front of a boy. She was usually really good with talking to guys, but right now, in front of everyone, It was so embarrassing.

She flicked her hair behind her shoulders and said with a bit of a laugh, "Well, that was really graceful." She smiled a little, regaining her confidence. There were only a couple people looking at her now and soon they would be returning to their conversations. Things like this happened all the time and people would forget about them quickly. "I'm Victoria by the way." She said with a light smile. It was nice to know she could smile again without feeling awkward, even though there was still some color on her cheeks.

[Connor Manning]

Connor smiled at the blonde as he straightened and handed over her books, trying to remember her name. Most of the time it was sort of easy to recall the names of other students, but now he couldn't think of anything. She was a Ravenclaw, he figured that much about her, but nothing else came to mind. He quickly glanced over his shoulder to a few of his mates at the Slytherin table, and as he noticed one of them snickering at him he grinned, still finding the scene somewhat comical. The girl probably didn't think it was that funny, but he couldn't help from thinking it himself.

" Aw, don't worry about it. I'm sure everyone will forget it by the afternoon, really. " It could have been worse... she could have had a plate full of food and dropped that instead. All in all, the situation wasn't too terrible.

" Oh, hey. I'm Connor Manning. S'nice to meet you, Victoria. " He smiled in return then looked at the Ravenclaw table, figuring he could sit there, too. " Why don't you grab something to eat? " He was hungry still himself, and he figured she might be as well. After all, that was what people generally went to the Great Hall for.

[Victoria Simone Valsh]

"Nice to meet you too Connor." She sat down at the table and reached for the toast and raspberry jam. She smiled at a couple of her friends and a couple people gave her glares for talking to a Slytherin, but at least she wasn't a Gryffindor, that would have been much, much worse.

"So, you're the Head Boy, right?" Victoria was thinking back to the places she had seen him. Of course she had seen him around, but him being in a different year and house made it so that she never really talked to him. She never had any reason to. "I'll think I've seen you around the castle before."

Now that she thought about it, or rather, saw him up close, she had to admit that he was cute, and, based on the situation, actually a nice guy, especially for a Slytherin. "Do houses really define our personalities?" she said aloud, "I mean, you're a Slytherin and you're actually nice." She took a bite of her toast before pouring herself some pumpkin juice.

[Connor Manning]

He nodded his head in return and took a seat next to her, sending a grin over to a friend at the Slytherin table. Connor had never really sat at the other tables before, he never had a reason to, but he noticed that the Great Hall looked somewhat different from this angle. He looked up to the ceiling in the image of the sky and then back to Victoria as she spoke to him again.

" Me? " He paused a second or so, figuring he was the only one she'd be talking to at that moment. " Yeah, Head Boy. " He smiled slightly, still amused at the fact that he had been chosen out of everyone else. One of those things in life he supposed. " Eh, between patrolling the castle and just hanging out, it's pretty likely that you've seen me around. I think I've seen you... in the library a couple of times. " He said it in a joking manner, playing up the old Ravenclaw stereotype that all they did was hang out in the library. He was serious though, he was pretty sure that he'd seen here in the library before.

' Do houses really define our personalities? '

He paused and cocked his head to the side, a small smile on his face as he heard the compliment. " I think they might a little. I mean... the hat knows us, right? But not all the time. And thanks. "