The Beginning (Madison & Nirek)

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Nirek had just been to visit one of his 'friends' in the hospital wing. For some stupid reason the boy had thought that putting his face so close to an Exploding Snap card would make him look courageous to do so. Nirek understood why a lot of people thought the people of his house were idiots when such feats were happening in to the Common Room.

The nurse had insisted that there would be no permanent damage to his friend's face, but the Exploding Snap cards had been confiscated to prevent further misuse of the items.

Nirek had been more interested in when his 'friend' was going to be back on his feet because the small 'gang' he'd created would be somewhat lacking without Ryan's help. After all, a force could only be a force when there were numbers and a man down was significant in Nirek's current force of three.

Heading down the corridor, somewhat annoyed with the wait for Ryan to leave, Nirek had noted a younger witch whom he'd been wanting to speak to for some time now. A small smirk touched his lips as he made his stride grow to catch up with her.

Madison Bishop had become a potential threat to his cause when he'd seen her with Finley. Madison was popular, and being associated with her... well, the Allen kid could come to be something of an equal to Nirek and he simply couldn't allow the Ravenclaw that. He needed to stay down, stay in the lacking in confidence manner that Nirek had become accustomed to over the last couple of years.

"Hey, you!" Nirek called out, because he knew he could take on a little girl on his own. No need for Ryan and Nick to get involved with such an easy problem. The Gryffindor hurried to catch up with the Slytherin girl and then past her, turning to face the younger witch and stop her in her travels.

"You're Finley's friend, aren't you?" He asked, making himself bigger in the hope to be intimidating towards the witch. In his head, being taller than most people his age helped that. He needed her to confirm it first, then he could make his first move. This plan was good, Nirek was pleased with himself, and it showed, in his eyes, because he liked intimidating people, this was his version of fun.

Guest

It was Friday evening and Madison was walking down the hallway, heading towards the main hall. She had plans to meet up with some 'friends', and while not exactly in the mood for anything social, knew that she needed to keep up the happy façade. In truth, she was missing her sister, despite the fact that they talked almost every day.

A voice startled her out of her thoughts, and, although she had heard it, she ignored it, pretending she was too distracted. It belong to an older boy, Nirek, if she wasn't mistaken. He was a Gryffindor, and Finley's bully. That much she knew, and that was enough for her to hate the guy. He was ruining all her nicely laid out plans, and that had to stop.

As the boy moved to stand in front of her, she came to a stop, allowing him the enjoyment of feeling in charge. Who actually was, however, she wasn't sure. He was bigger than her, that was certain, but he was clearly underestimating who she was and what she was capable of. If that gave her power was yet to be determined; sometimes physical size outweighed cunningness, especially if he had the ability to literally knock her around.

"Excuse me," she said politely, smiling a little up at the boy. She wanted to test the waters, see who and what she was dealing with.

When he asked about Finley, she raised an eyebrow, acting more unfazed than she felt. Size - and her gender - would always be a disadvantage when dealing with older - or sometimes even younger - males. "Why do you want to know? I wasn't aware the people I am or am not friends with was any of your business," she replied calmly, the small smile still on her face.

She let a moment pass, and then added, "Are you friends with Nick?" Nick, she knew, hung around Nirek quite a bit, and while she herself did not truly know the older Slytherin, she had seen him around the common room a few times and struck up casual conversation once or twice before.

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The 'excuse me', Nirek ignored because he wasn't in the mood for such things. The smile was pathetically girly and Nirek's brow furrowed a little. Innocence was not something he liked in people, it screamed they didn't know anything about the world. Not like him - Nirek was adamant that he knew everything there was to know about the world.

When the witch said it wasn't his business as to whether she and Finley were friends, Nirek bristled. Being told no, or any variation of the term, did not sit well with the boy. He gave her a moment to correct herself and then continued. "Actually, it is my business." Nirek corrected the witch, thought his tone was a little chillier than someone who was politely correcting someone.

The question about him and Nick was a stupid one, and the boy shook his head in mild amusement at the Slytherin's apparent stupidity. "Everyone knows that." Nirek told her, though he didn't really need to. Though, that was a lie, Nirek didn't allow people close enough to be his friends, what they believed was the complete opposite.

"But, the reason we're here, is you." Nirek told the witch, pushing the point of the conversation back to the one he had intended on having with the Slytherin. "You see, you're popular because we allow you to be." Nirek explained, though who the 'we' was he didn't explain. "And, who you socialise with will always affect that, for better or for worse.

"You can't hang around Finley. He's not one of us." Nirek explained, as simply as he could. Because the power of popular kids would always help raise people up, and Nirek simply couldn't allow the Allen boy that luxury.

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As Nirek tried to sound like a big bad boy, Madison hid a laugh. It was almost humorous how hard he was trying. "Oh, my mistake. Would you like to know when and what I eat, too? Or is it just my friends which you have concerned yourself with?" she asked, innocence tinting her voice, but her eyes were narrowed slightly, indicating her actual position.

Shrugging lightly, she crossed her arms over her chest, an obvious move to show she did not pose a threat - not physically, at least. If he didn't do anything to hurt her now, she was certain she could take him down eventually. How, though, she wasn't sure. Not yet, anyway. She would figure it out - she always found solutions to her problems.

"Everyone knows that."

Looking him straight in the eyes, she smiled a knowing smile. "Exactly," she said, then paused, letting a moment pass before adding, "If you don't like me asking you obvious questions, why would you ask me one?" Another second or so went by, and she concluded, in a tone that showed a little sarcasm as opposed to her previous polite and friendly tone, concluded, "Everyone knows Finley and I are friends."

At the statement of being popular, something inside her brain clicked, and things started to fall into place. She knew now - knew, firstly, why he was there, and secondly, how to take him down. She let him finish, waiting patiently for his little speech to be done, and then she smiled, both because she had been right, and because it was her turn.

And she was very good at playing games.

"Ah, I wasn't aware that you, Nick, and Ryan controlled my group of girls. Of course, my mistake - I should know a gang of three can easily over power my modest standing of ..." She hesitated, tilting her head to the side in a mock thinking posture, then shrugged. "About ten. I forgot the exact number."

Shrugging innocently once more, she blinked once and added, "He's not one of you, that is correct. He's one of mine, and I would appreciate it if you stayed away from my toys and my games. I don't share with strangers." Then, as an after though, she corrected herself with, "Actually, I don't share period; my sister is my only exception."

Making a show of looking the boy up and down slowly, she raised an eyebrow. "And I most certainly hope you are not Melody."

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Nirek was not amused with the witch's response to his statement of her friendship with Finley being her friend. Was she always so insufferable? Perhaps that was why she got on with the Ravenclaw? Nirek thought this through for a moment, the scowl on his features slipping as he thought about it before he came back to the moment.

The 'obviousness' of the situation wasn't helping Nirek's temper either. "It's not obvious. You have no reason to be hanging around with Finley. He's a nobody, why would you have any business with him?" Nirek demanded, not liking the witch's tone with him. Nobody dared act like this normally, so this was grating on Nirek. Quite quickly.

Nor did it help that she was playing the show of numbers. Yes, he had a team of three at present, but that was his inner circle. He simply didn't associate with the outer circle so often because they were still earning their colours, so to speak. Perhaps he was working backward in that respect? That was a thought for later.

But he couldn't help but guffaw at the notion of Finley Allen being part of Madison's group. "You have to be kidding!" Nirek insisted, shaking his head and laughing at Madison openly. "Finley isn't part of any of the cool circles. He's a geek, and it's best he remains there." Nirek told the witch. She was new to this game, he could forgive her for making this mistake.

And the thought of being a girl. Nirek wrinkled his nose. "I'm not a girl." He told Madison, very, very firmly.

Guest

"He's a nobody, why would you have any business with him?"

Inwardly, Madison let out a sigh. It was becoming clearer and clearer to her that this Nirek guy was mostly brawn and not so much brain and that her subtle hinting (and her slightly more blatant statement) had gone unnoticed. Outwardly, she kept her innocent and polite demeanour.

To push buttons or not? she wondered internally. If there was one thing that Madison was not, it was a coward - she was most certainly not afraid of crossing any lines. In fact, she probably enjoyed toying with what people perceived to be their breaking point the most, seeing what worked and what didn't. It was almost like figuring out the chords to a song, or playing by ear; it was a challenge to find which strings to pluck or which keys to press to create the best masterpiece.

"Nobody is anybody until someone makes them one," she replied, slowing down her speech so that it would be a tad bit clearer, now that she knew she wasn't dealing with anyone who had much brains. "Besides, if it wasn't obvious, how would you even know if we were friends or not?"

She smiled once more, raised one shoulder in a half-shrug, and added, "I don't mix business with pleasure." What this meant was up to the boy to interpret, and she had phrased it to be as such; what he got from her statement would give her more insight into who he was and what made him tick.

"Finley isn't part of any of the cool circles. He's a geek, and it's best he remains there."

It was almost too easy.

"Now now, Nirek," she chided, almost as though talking to a younger year misbehaving rather than someone bigger than her. Imitating the tone she heard adults used when explaining basic concepts to children, she said, "Please use your ears. I never said he was part of my gang. I said that he was mine. As for what he is or isn't, Finn is whatever I want."

"I'm not a girl."

On the tip of her tongue was a comeback about him and certain male body parts that he may or may not have, but she bit it down. It was not the right time for it. She wanted to toe with the line, not cross it; it was one thing to push buttons, but she was not going to infuriate any actions that would result in injuries.

Instead, she shrugged. "I am," she replied, glancing down momentarily at her own body.

Then, almost as though she was switching topic, she lightly asked, "Do you know what girls do?" Without waiting for an answer, she provided it on her own. "We play with dolls. We play dress up. We play 'house'." A smirk played on her lips. "And I can assure you, I play a very good game."

Taking a chance, she shrugged, turned around, and started to walk away. Without so much as glancing over her shoulder, she called back, "And if you're any good with those brains of yours, you'll know exactly what I mean. Keep talking all you want, I'm getting bored. I think I'll go find my doll now."

Keeping her steps slow enough for him to very easily catch up, but not so slow that it was obvious she was lagging behind, she walked towards ... towards wherever she was heading; she wasn't sure, but that was not the point.

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Nirek was not impressed with the fact Madison had slowed down to speak to him. Did she think he was stupid? Nirek bristled as she spoke. "And we aren't going to make him anybody, either." Nirek growled back at the witch, because she didn't seem to understand the system. When people didn't understand then it grew dangerous. Their groups could be overthrown with nerds and geeks alike, and he wouldn't allow it.

But the comment on business, that made Nirek stop for a moment, thinking over what she'd said but not managing to comprehend quite what she meant. It probably showed on his brow too, because Nirek had never been very good at hiding the confusion people instilled in him with complex ideas. The idea of the stuttering idiot being her toy made Nirek's confusion grow for a moment. What could Madison possibly want with him?

Nirek, unfortunately, forgot about the questions as she mentioned being a girl. Well, he could see that, he wasn't stupid. The idea of playing with dolls and playing house made Nirek frown. What was this girl on about?

She was turning away though, and Nirek wasn't going to stand for that. Hurrying after her, Nirek fell in to step beside her. "What do you mean by this game?" Nirek asked, wanting to understand. "Your doll... is Finley? You think you can play with him?" He asked, because he didn't think the stuttering mess of a Ravenclaw was stupid enough to fall for such a game.

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"And we aren't going to make him anybody, either."

"You, I, we.. You keep changing your pronouns. First it was 'my gang' and 'your gang' and now it's us?" she quipped back, raising an eyebrow at him. "You do what you like with your people, and I'll do what I want with mine."

As she heard footsteps behind her, she smirked to herself. When he finally got what she meant, she turned to look at him momentarily, the smirk wide and a smug look playing on her expression. "I mean just that - I am good at playing games of most kinds, be it dress up or make belief, or anything in between."

She nodded slowly, but to which of the two questions he had provided she did not indicate. Then, after another short silence, said, "Indeed he is. Congratulations for finally getting it." The last part of her speech was sarcastic, and by this point she didn't care. He was intrigued by her statement and she figured she could get away with a little rudeness.

"I don't think - I am," she said simply, then stopped abruptly and spun to look directly at him. "And I do not appreciate people who ruin my games. Now, the way I see it, we can either work together and form an allegiance, or you can go on your merry little way and leave me and my toys alone."

She shrugged lightly, smiled, and asked casually, "So, which would it be? Think carefully but not too hard - once you choose there's no going back either way."

Guest

Madison Bishop, Nirek had decided, was not a nice person. Though to be the head of such a group normally meant that you weren't the nicest of person, you were simply respected. Feared, perhaps. Of course, there could be a nice element in the set up, but Nirek was quickly learning that Madison was not one of those people.

And he liked that.

"No need for the sarcasm, Bishop." Nirek fired back as she mock congratulated him. He wasn't interested in such shows from the witch opposite him, truth be told. But he would deal with her if he had to. If it was to his benefit.

"Work together?" Nirek scoffed, shaking his head at the Slytherin. Not because their houses were rivals, oh no, they simply had different goals. Madison's technique was vastly undoing what he was setting out to do, and that couldn't happen. "How can we work together when you seem to want to build him up, hmm? You're working against me!" Nirek told her, using the same tone she had used with him, the one where he could talk down.

"Besides, I was here first, so you can think again if you think I'm just going to leave Finley alone. He's my game, not yours." Nirek told her, though the idea of a 'game' had only sprung up because Madison had called it such. To him, it was just something to pass the time - the bet this year was who could get Finley to wet himself first, humiliating him in front of the school, but as of yet they'd been unsuccessful.

Guest

"How can we work together when you seem to want to build him up, hmm? You're working against me!"

She didn't answer, not at first, letting him continue. He still didn't fully get it, didn't see or understand where she was coming from and what she was doing. Truth be told, it frustrated her, because Nirek was someone who could have been a very good help, if not for the fact that it was very quickly becoming apparent he had no future plans.

That, and he was ruining her fun, undoing all her hard work, reducing her effort to nothing. It had to be stopped, somehow, some way.

"Is he?" she asked, faking interest in her voice. "What's your plan, then? Your end goal? Your progress chart? What steps are you planning on taking? What steps have you already taken? How much have you invested into this game of yours? Have you studied your target? Do you know where he hangs out? What he likes to eat. Who his closest friends are?"

She paused for a moment, but only to take in a breath, then, arms still crossed, went on. "Have you tested his buttons? Do you know which to press to get him to open up to you so that you know his secrets? Do you know what his weak points are? Do you know where his strengths lie? Have you taken time to understand how his brain works? How he reacts under pressure? What affects his anxiety the most? What gives him confidence? What tears him down?"

Stopping here, although she could have gone on for quite a while, she smiled a shy smile at the older boy, and then reached up and swept a strand of hair out from her face, tucking it neatly behind her ear. She bit her lower lip, then brought both hands behind her back in a relaxed position and moved one of her legs forward, leaning in with it so that she was closer to Nirek. She let her eyes travel over his face and tilted her head slightly to the side in such a way that her hair would fall and partially cover her face.

She blinked twice, slowly, then stepped back and regained her previous posture at once, standing straight with her arms crossed tightly over her chest, and the smile had turned into a smirk. "That would have Finn turning red. Combined with a light touch to the arm and a quiet whisper of 'needing help', he has been giving me tuition ever since, not that I actually need it."

With a shrug, she turned away from Nirek and continued walking once again. "If you don't want to work together, that's more than okay with me; I seem to be doing perfectly well on my own. If, however, you want to know things about Finley, I suggest you follow me and pay very close attention to what I just said. He may have been your game, but I'll do more damage in twenty minutes than you could ever dream of doing in years because I've studied him."

» Putting People Back in Their Place (Nirek and Madison)
» The Beginning of Training (Finley)
» Jokes On Us (Nirek)
» Nirek Kapoor
» Another, or Perhaps New, Beginning (Start of Term Feast - open to students and professors alike)