♫ a-punk

- vampire weekend

"look outside at the raincoats coming, say 'oh'..."

✧

The next morning, Priscilla woke up ready and refreshed after a long night of contemplation. She had the two sickles ready in her pocket to give to Hermione as her entrance fee to S.P.E.W. She also knew exactly how to get at Cho, and she was excited to tell Nitara her plan. She hoped Nitara would love it as much as she did... she also hoped she would be different from the Ilvermorny girls.

Regardless, Cilla was determined and ready to make an effort to put herself out there.

She went down to the Great Hall and stopped in her tracks at a very rare sight as she entered the room. Draco was sitting alone at the Slytherin table, scowling into his plate. She only knew him for a couple of days, but this didn't seem like him at all. Usually, he was surrounded by his goons, bragging and judging other students walking by. In the mood for games despite her very obvious lie about him making quidditch captain yesterday, Priscilla sat down next to him.

"What's on your mind, Malfoy?" she egged with a nudge as she began loading up her plate with potatoes.

"Turns out it was just a joke about making me quidditch captain. Flint wants to have one more season before he graduates."

Priscilla blinked. It's rare there is ever any truth to her lies, but that wasn't really what surprised her. Draco seemed so unlike himself at this moment, usually, he was so confident and cocky, and now he seems so... small.

"Well... whenever someone wrongs me, I think of how to be better and how to get better. How are you going to be better than them?" she asked, wanting to help.

Wait, should she even be helping him? He's called not one but now two of his friends a derogatory term that could easily apply to her and all of her family. He probably would've hated her if she actually told him the truth about her parents.

Draco continued to stare at his eggs for a moment, then his eyes lit up and he looked at her. "I know! I'll make prefect next year. Then they'll have to make me captain!"

Priscilla patted his shoulder. "I have no idea what a prefect actually is, but good luck Malfoy."

He grinned at her then blinked when she got up to walk towards Nitara, plate with potatoes in hand. "Wait, where are you going?"

"Very important business meeting, see ya later!" she called behind her as she ran off towards the table of black and yellow.

✧

"Nitara! I-"

"MAKE WAY, PEOPLE!"

The twins ran past Priscilla and Nitara towards the Goblet of Fire. Looks like the plan to prank Cho would have to wait. The surrounding students clapped and laughed at the boys as they approached the Goblet of Fire, giving high-fives and whistling. They looked like two circus conductors on their way to deliver a stellar performance.

"Oh no," Nitara said under her breath. "This isn't going to end well, knowing these two."

Hermione walked over to the two girls and sighed. Before anything else could happen, Priscilla slipped Hermione the two shillings and winked. Hermione then tucked her S.P.E.W. badge into Cilla's robe pocket.

"Well lads, we did it!" Fred announced proudly to the crowd.

"Cooked it up just this morning," George added.

Hermione crossed her arms with a smug smile. "It's not going to woOOrkk," she said in a sing-songy tone.

"Oh yeah? And why's that Granger?"

"You see this?" she gestured to the circle around the goblet, "this is an age line. Dumbledore drew it himself."

"So?"

"So, a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by something as pathetically dimwitted such as an age potion."

Nitara and Priscilla looked at Granger proudly. "Damn," they said in unison.

"See that's why it's so brilliant."

"Because it's so pathetically dim-witted!"

Fred winked at Priscilla before the two made their way to stand next to the Goblet. She bit her lip and turned away hoping no one had noticed, but Nitara was staring at her mouth wide open. 

The twins shook the potion in their hands and interlocked their arms.

"Ready Fred?"

"Ready George!"

"Bottoms up!"

The two drank it and hopped into the age line. When it seemed to work, everyone started cheering, but Hermione still wasn't impressed. The twins put their names in the goblet but were instantly thrown back by a bright blue light. When they got up, they both had grey hair and long ugly beards.

"You said it would work!" Fred yelled, tackling his brother.

"Don't worry, Fred, you look just as handsome as ever at 80! You're giving Dumbledaddy a run for his money," she yelled over the commotion and the fight on the floor. She turned back towards the girls, who were both looking at the twins unamused. "You should've put money on that, Hermione," Priscilla joked.

✧

Nitara was apprehensive of the plan at first, but after a little convincing, she was in. Priscilla didn't leave out a single detail, the plan was meticulous and perfect. Nothing could go wrong.

They would strike that night at dinner. During dessert, to be specific. Priscilla just had to run back to her room to grab what they needed.

She prayed Nitara was as ready as she claimed she would be. She seemed so perfect, so straight-edge... But Cilla saw that look in her eyes.

Nitara had just as much mischief in her as she did.

✧

Draco and a few others were complaining about how Professor Grubbly-Plank showed them Bowtruckles that day in Care of Magical Creatures. Cilla sat there, eating her dinner silently as they yelled and yelled about Grubbly-Plank's worts and bad teaching habits. Pansy sat across from her wearing a similar expression of distaste.

Across the Hall, Priscilla made eye contact with Nitara and gave a slight smile. She was sitting next to Cedric at the Hufflepuff table, having an animated conversation. It made Priscilla feel happy for her friend, Cedric hadn't looked over to Cho the whole meal. Cilla could only imagine it must've felt like old times for Nini.

As the main course was swept from the table and the desserts arrived on the conveyor, Priscilla watched the Ravenclaw table closely.

With a flick of her wrist under the table, Priscilla made a blue lollipop fall onto Cho's plate at the precise time. A couple of other lollypops fell as well on the plates of Cho's friends.

Priscilla noticed that Cho loved her sweets on the Hogwarts Express.

Cho didn't pay attention and put the disguised Acid Pop in her mouth. Nitara covered her face with her hands upon the sight of Cho with the lollipop, and Cilla couldn't help but smirk, knowing what was to come.

"Agh!!!"

The hall turned towards Cho as she swatted at her mouth, squealing and crying. Her friends started yelling too as the Acid Pops worked their magic, boring holes into the girl's tongues. Students began to laugh at the ridiculous scene, making it even more embarrassing.

Cedric stood up immediately but right on queue, Nitara pulled him back down. The girls had already run out of the Great Hall, screaming and grabbing onto their tongues for dear life. Laughter ensued from all four tables, even Cedric chuckled at the ridiculous scene.

Rolling his eyes, Draco turned back to the table to see Priscilla smirking at the Ravenclaw girls as they disappeared up the stairs to the hospital wing.

Fred noticed too from the Gryffindor table.

"Looks like we got some competition, Georgie."

"Looks like it, Fred," he replied grimly.

✧

Priscilla and Nitara were waiting with Cedric outside of the hospital wing to see how Cho was doing. Madame Pomfrey didn't take long to restore Cho's tongue back to normal, and when she and her friends came out of the big doors, Cho looked absolutely stunned.

"Are you okay?" Cedric asked.

Cho shrugged sadly and walked past them with her friends.

"How did an acid pop get onto the dessert table?" Cedric asked.

Priscilla shrugged. "Must've been the Weasley twins. They're always up to something." Nitara snorted behind her at the joke.

As they made their way down the stairs from the Hospital Wing, Priscilla and Nitara hung back. Cedric had his hands in his pockets and Cho was looking anywhere but at him, likely extremely embarrassed by what happened.

The two girls linked pinkie fingers under their robes as they walked, trying to conceal their smiles.

"What's next?" Nitara whispered. "That was amazing."

"I got some ideas," Cilla replied with a wink.

✧

♫ these days

- wallows

"i need to know if you're feeling it or I'm wasting my time..."

✧

Cho never caught on that Nitara and Priscilla planted the Acid Pop at the Ravenclaw table. The two girls weren't expecting Cedric to stop talking to Cho altogether because of the incident, but it was worth it to have a little fun.

Even if it didn't make a huge difference, Nitara was on cloud nine. Something had awakened in her that evening in the Great Hall, something mischievous and wonderful. Priscilla felt the two grow closer more and more every day.

While it was an amazing feeling to feel such a connection with Nitara, there was still a voice in the back of Cilla's head telling her it wouldn't last; telling her that Nitara will turn out like the rest of the Ilvermorny girls and turn her back on her.

The first weekend of the year had finally graced Hogwarts. Cedric and Priscilla had plans to go over charms, and it was an obvious choice to let Nitara tag along. They sat out by the Black Lake under the September sun, the autumn breeze already settling in. Plenty of other students had the same idea, hanging around the grounds in small groups enjoying the sun before the unforgiving Scottish weather kicked in.

Priscilla was in her comfy Ilvermorny sweater and some jeans with her blonde locks pulled up into a ponytail. She kept her wand tucked into her sleeve during the demonstrations.

Cedric was wearing his Hufflepuff captain's quidditch jumper, leaving his prefect's badge back in his dormitory. According to him, he was "off duty" on weekends.

Nitara made the mistake of wearing a spaghetti strap tank top with some shorts. She was shivering on the ground while she watched Priscilla start her lesson.

"Where's Cho today, Cedric?" Priscilla asked innocently. Nitara's eyes went wide.

He rolled up his sleeves. "I, uh, didn't invite her. I wanted to see you guys today," he explained.

Nitara covered her mouth as to not give herself away.

Priscilla changed the subject, she could tell Cedric didn't want to talk about Cho right now. "Okay, then. Wandless magic has to come naturally, you have to be confident in yourself and what you're doing," Priscilla began.

He nodded with a shy smile, causing Nitara to smile fondly in return from where she sat on the grass.

"Let's practice something easy," she suggested. She grabbed her quill from her book bag and snapped it in half. Holding it out in her palm to Cedric, she gestured for him to have a go at Reparo.

"Do I need to say the charm?" he asked.

Cilla shook her head no. "Just go for it."

He held his hand out and gave it a go, but it didn't work. Nothing happened. His smile faded a bit but he tried again. Still nothing.

Nitara stood up from where she sat and walked over to try.

She got it on the first go.

"Woah!" Priscilla said with a smile. "That was amazing, Nini!"

Cedric looked a little crestfallen, so Cilla broke the quill in half again for him. "It's all in the wrist, Cedric. I didn't get it the first time either. Try again."

On his second try, he got it. The girls cheered and clapped for him with praise. He rubbed the back of his neck, a little shy from all the attention, but that didn't stop them.

"Want to try Incendio? Let's keep the ball rolling!" Priscilla suggested.

"Incendio me next, I'm freezing my arse off over here," Nitara joked.

The girls watched as Cedric grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. He was wearing a white shirt underneath his quidditch jumper, but that didn't stop his abs from peeking out from underneath as he took off his jumper. Nitara's eyes went wide.

"Here, Nini," he offered. She thanked him quietly with her head down and put it on. Suddenly very quiet, she sat back down in the grass and wrapped her arms around her chest.

Priscilla tried not to give away a smile, but Nitara was giving herself away enough as it is. Thankfully, Cedric didn't seem to notice. He was already grabbing a piece of parchment to practice lighting on fire.

✧

By the time the sun started setting, Cedric and Nitara were able to do a handful of wandless charms, and Priscilla remembered how to do basic charms with her wand... after a lot of cursing.

"I'm telling you, it's easier without a fucking wand," she pouted. "You'll see what I mean once you've practiced more."

Cedric ruffled her ponytail, making Nitara laugh. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Cilla."

"That's what that asshole Snape said to me the other day! I called him out for hitting George on the head. I didn't know this school was still stuck in the stone ages," she complained.

"At least you haven't had to suffer his detention," Nitara pointed out. "I heard they're God awful."

"Seriously? At Ilvermorny detention was just doing lines. You wrote more lines the more you got in trouble," Priscilla explained.

Cedric chuckled, "So I'm guessing you've written a whole novel by now?"

"Cedric!!" Priscilla smacked him on the arm and Nitara backed her up by giving him a playful push.

"I'm not an idiot, I knew you guys pranked Cho and her friends," he admitted.

"Oh," Nitara said, guilt overwhelming her.

"No, don't worry," he reassured, grabbing her shoulders, "I thought it was funny, honestly. Next time you guys want to hang out with me, though, don't punch a hole in someone's tongue, okay?"

That made Priscilla laugh. "You got a deal, Diggory. C'mon, let's head in for dinner, I'm starving."

Cedric went ahead while the Nitara hung back to wait for Priscilla as she packed her bag.

"You like him," Cilla said nonchalantly.

"What?! Who? How? What?!" she stammered.

Cilla laughed. "I won't tell anyone, don't worry."

Nitara crossed her arms with a pout which quickly turned into a smirk as she looked over at Cedric as he walked away. "I thought about it a lot this summer. We've been friends for years now, and puberty did him... well, it did him good. I can't help it, I figure if we work so well as mates maybe we could become..." 

"Dates?" Cilla tried, making a pun.

"Ewww, but yes," Nitara replied, her face twisting in disgust at the pun.

The girls shared a laugh and started walking back to the castle.

"While we're on the subject..." Nitara looked at her friend and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Nope, don't start."

"C'mon!! You must think some of these guys are cute," Nitara egged.

Cilla pushed her away jokingly. "I'm not telling!"

"Is it Draco?" It was clear Nitara was trying to get that question off her chest.

Priscilla shook her head. "He's just a friend, I think. I don't know. I don't like how he treats you and Hermione."

"Should we do something about it?" Nitara asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

Priscilla shook her head. "Not yet. I'm waiting for the perfect moment with that one."

"Okay, so not Malfoy. Who else?" Nitara asked, not letting the subject die.

"Hm..." Priscilla put her eyebrows together, pretending to be in deep thought. "Cedric -"

"WHAT?"

"I'm kidding, you should've seen your face!"

"PRISCILLA! Alright fine, what about Fred? You guys flirt more than you let on. I think he fancies you," Nitara replied.

Cilla began to double over laughing with no explanation, making Nitara confused. "Fancy!!" she choked out in between laughs. "Your words are so funny here!"

✧

As they entered the castle, the twins were standing outside the Great Hall as if they had been waiting there for a while. When Fred saw the girls walk in, he waved them over.

"Hello ladies," he greeted. "Priscilla, how about we start potions lessons tomorrow?"

Nitara jumped at the suggestion. "OOH, are you forming a study group? Can I come? Snape's essay sounds dreadful, I don't know where to start, and it's the least you can do after giving Cilla a bludger to the head..."

Fred blinked, unsure of what to say. "Um, actually -"

"That sounds like a great idea! George, why don't you come too?" Priscilla offered.

"Brilliant!"

Fred sighed. "The more the merrier, I suppose."

Priscilla and Nitara walked past them, making their way to dinner. "Meet you in the library tomorrow?"

"See you!" George called with a smile and a wave. He looked at his brother, who looked anything but happy. "What?"