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Post by calister on Nov 30, 2006 0:08:29 GMT -5
"You know I always thought you were a little dense, but this is unbelievable." Ty said laughing slightly. He wasn't the one being narrow minded, if anything it was Drew. "I practically spelled out what I meant and you still don't get it. It's a wonder how you ever even got into Ravenclaw. If anything you are the ones that are so narrow minded that its your way or noway. I mean look at her, she even went as far to yell it out to everyone," waving his hand in Allegra's direction as he said the last part.
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Gail Lawrence
Witch
Leaky Cauldron Waitress
Just looking for something new.
Posts: 274
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Post by Gail Lawrence on Nov 30, 2006 0:12:13 GMT -5
Gail had been eating breakfast for some time now. When the discussion about the letter came up, a few seats away, she had stolen a paper from the person next to her. The letter was short, but it was featured prominently on the op-ed page. Gail read it with a straight face. Though listening closely, she had decided not to get involved, but Allegra’s dramatic statement certainly got her attention. Seeing the situation on the ground deteriorating quickly, Gail headed down the table toward the growing argument.
Finally reaching the group, she heard Callister and Drew exchange some nasty remarks, ones that could turn cruel quickly. She sighed. They both had their points, but Gail wouldn’t be party to an explosion that would spread through Hogwarts like wildfire. Whatever anybody thought, school was a place where you got on or got out. Callister’s last comment showed the argument headed in a bad direction.
Leaning in between Drew and the Slytherin, she said calmly, “Perhaps neither of you is accomplishing as much as you would like here. Right or wrong, this is a ‘politics and religion’ discussion, and I don’t think either of you will change the other’s mind.”
Her voice deepened as she continued, “So maybe you two can agree to disagree on this.” They were silent. “Look, I’m not asking you to make nice. But this is the reason we’ve got the problems we do right now,” she said, looking between them with expectation.
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Post by arianna on Nov 30, 2006 0:16:36 GMT -5
"Ty, can't you just go back to your table?" Arianna questioned, raising an eyebrow at the boy. He really liked to push people and continued to push after they'd already stepped over the edge and fallen to the bottom of the cliff. Arianna was not afraid to hex the boy if he kept at it. "You're not understanding what they're both trying to say and I doubt you'll even try, so stop acting like you do."
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Nov 30, 2006 0:21:19 GMT -5
Agree to disagree... Now that sounded like something that could work... not. It was the exact argument he had given Kay in the library. Few people were willing to take a stand. And when someone tries to speak out, they get shut down. It was the over abundance of fence sitters that were keeping arguments like this alive. This wasn't a difference of opinion here. This was right and wrong... prejudice and tolerance. "Yeah, go talk to Merrickson about that, okay?" he suggested to Gail. That should be fun.
"So why not make a big deal out of it?" Drew asked, turning his attention to Ari and going back to a point she had made earlier. "People make a big deal about their bloodlines all the time. But it's only looked down on when you're part of the majority. God forbid you show a little pride for being a non-minority."
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Gail Lawrence
Witch
Leaky Cauldron Waitress
Just looking for something new.
Posts: 274
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Post by Gail Lawrence on Nov 30, 2006 0:40:56 GMT -5
“Yeah, go talk to Merrickson about that, okay?”
Gail let the tip of her wand peek through her fingers. Ari seemed tense as well. The other girl looked to be appealing to what was left of Callister’s common sense, so she thought she’d try Drew one more time.
She stood up straighter. “Maybe I wasn’t clear. Right now, I don’t care what your blood is. You won’t—neither of you—lead this school into a d— explosion with people fighting the halls. Don’t even agree to disagree for all I care. But you will please, with the intelligence inherent in our House, shut up.”
Gail glanced over at Ari and nodded slightly. Then she subtly pulled her wand father into her hand.
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Nov 30, 2006 0:46:03 GMT -5
"It's the intelligence of my house that demands I speak up," Drew argued back. His voice was calm, but obviously displeased with Gail's wishy-washyness. "It's the dullards and the narrow-minded people of the world that keep hatred alive. Those who want to put a stop to it need to speak up. But if you want to just shut your eyes and pretend it's all roses and rainbows, be my guest, darlin'. I plan on taking a stand and saying something about it."
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Post by arianna on Nov 30, 2006 0:59:54 GMT -5
"Depends on what you mean by 'a big deal'," Arianna replied with a small shrug. She hoped things had calmed down enough that she could eat as she talked, but was currently buttering her toast for the fifth time as she spoke. She was actually feeling a bit uneasy now that Drew was asking for her oppinion. "And where does that put people like me? Yeah, I'm pure, but I'm also partial to Muggles, you know that."
Arianna's eye caught the movement in Gail's hand. Was the girl suggesting hexing Drew? Arianna actually thought it best to let them get their issues out as they currently were. If it moved to physical violence, though, she'd definately do something about that. Even so, she moved her wand out slightly. Gail might get the impression that Arianna was thinking the same as her, but in truth the girl kept her wand in reach to stop the other Ravengirl's spellwork should she try anything.
"If you want to celebrate your bloodline," Arianna contined, "go ahead. But are you going to keep a half-blood out of the party even if he or she is a supportive friend?"
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Nov 30, 2006 1:08:25 GMT -5
"Are you saying I would solely based on the fact that I'm a pure blood?" Drew countered. "And what do you mean 'people like you?' Why do you feel the need to clarify that you're pure blood... but...? Is being pure blooded so diametrically opposite from getting along with muggles that it has to have a but between them?"
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Post by arianna on Nov 30, 2006 1:18:53 GMT -5
"Yes. 'people like me'." Arianna repeated, trying to clarify. With her luck, it would cause more trouble than good, but she couldn't simply shut up and walk out now. "I can't have 'muggle pride' or 'half-blood pride' because I'm neither one, right? But I've spent so much of my life around Muggles and thinking I was a Muggle, that I honestly don't feel the pure-blood pride, either."
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Gail Lawrence
Witch
Leaky Cauldron Waitress
Just looking for something new.
Posts: 274
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Post by Gail Lawrence on Nov 30, 2006 1:23:15 GMT -5
“If you want to celebrate your bloodline, go ahead. But are you going to keep a half-blood out of the party even if he or she is a supportive friend?”
Gail took a deep breath and pulled her wand fully back into her sleeve. The question, though directed at Drew, was clearly intended for her as well. She had gotten caught up in the emotion and stopped being an objective outsider. So caught up in her own thoughts, she barely heard Drew and Ari continue the discussion.
She turned to the boy again. Her voice was quiet, barely audible in the Hall. “There doesn’t have to be a ‘but’.” Her eyes had softened, and she sounded logical again.
The space Allegra had occupied during her stint on the table was still clear. She sat down there and spun to face the other way. Then she plopped down on the other side of Ari from the Head Girl.
The discussion looked ready to continue without her interference, and it seemed calmer than it had before (if only a little). Gail leaned toward Ari a bit and whispered, “Thank you.” She took a new goblet of pumpkin juice with slightly shaking hands and sat back to listen further.
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Nov 30, 2006 1:33:47 GMT -5
"Exactly!" Drew said, finally smiling at Gail before turning back to Ari. "So what makes you different from any other kid who didn't figure out they were magical until they were eleven? What's wrong with saying 'So cool! I just recently found out I'm ridiculously pure!' Why do I feel the need to tell people I'm pure blooded, but I grew up around Muggles? There shouldn't have to be a but. If blood really doesn't matter, we shouldn't have to apologize for who we are."
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Post by arianna on Nov 30, 2006 1:49:49 GMT -5
Arianna smiled weakly at Gail. She hadn't done anything to help....
"When I was eleven, I didn't know I was pure-blooded," Arianna responded a little slowly to Drew. She wasn't sure what he was trying to get at. It was there, she could see it, but she had a feeling she wouldn't ever understand. "I never felt the need to announce I was pure when I DID find out, either."
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Drew Thornton
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training
I didn't do it and you can't prove otherwise...
Posts: 14,114
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Post by Drew Thornton on Nov 30, 2006 2:04:41 GMT -5
"And my sister never felt the need to do it until today," Drew answered, feeling bad for putting Allegra... actually all of the Ravengirls... back on the spot, but needing to in order to make his point. "And what happens? You look at her like she just started speaking parseltongue and Gail comes up with the 'can't we all just get along' ploy to shut the conversation down. If that had been Kellen on the table shouting about how he's the first Wizard in his whole family, my guess is he would have gotten more applause than dirty looks. So why is that? Since when is being from a long line of wizards a bad thing? What's so wrong with having it be a good thing?"
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Post by arianna on Nov 30, 2006 2:23:11 GMT -5
"I wouldn't have applauded," Arianna felt the need to point out, though she felt a bit upset for her reaction to Allegra's earlier words. She couldn't explain why they'd bothered her, though, so she wasn't about to try. "And I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Didn't I say you should be allowed to be who you are without worry? Why does anyone even feel the need to shout this," she pointed to the article again, "to the world, though? Because someone decided it was offensive and made a big deal of it, that's why. If no one ever pointed out the fact that there were muggle-borns and half-bloods and pure-bloods, no one would feel the need to defend themselves against those who do make it a big deal. THAT'S what she should be saying. Not this 'poor me, I can't say I'm proud to be a pure-blood because I'll get in trouble' crap."
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Gail Lawrence
Witch
Leaky Cauldron Waitress
Just looking for something new.
Posts: 274
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Post by Gail Lawrence on Nov 30, 2006 2:29:13 GMT -5
Gail looked up from staring blankly at her goblet. She knew Drew said her name, but it took her a moment to figure out why it came up. By the time she figured it out, Ari had her say as well. She felt like she was tacking on to her response, rather than making her own statement, but this needed to be said.
“Okay, first off, I’m going to apologize for that whole scene a few minutes ago. I didn’t mean to get so out of hand.
“Second, I’m going to say that I came into the conversation ‘cause it looked like you and Callister were getting close to something beyond mere conversation.
Gail hoped she hadn’t made anybody too angry with her little stunt. She felt awful about it, once Ari brought her to her senses.
“Third, being a pureblood is not bad. That being said...” She cut herself off. What was coming next should be reworded before she said it. "That being said, I didn't know about magic until I was 11 either, so I can understand where Ari is coming from." Her voice was progressively quieter throughout the last sentence. Too bad about the rewording.
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