high above the highway aisle [maggie]

[Ainsley Rickett]

Ainsley pushed open the door of Flourish and Blotts, happily taking in the scent of her favorite bookshop in the Wizarding world and not caring if she looked strange to anyone who happened to be bored enough to be paying attention to her. It didn't smell quite as nice as her favorite library, because libraries were so much more comfortable to sit and spend time reading in instead of simply finding books to read later on, but that didn't really matter. She hadn't been to Diagon Alley in what seemed like ages, and it was a welcome excuse for getting out of the house and away from her sisters for a few hours. Her father didn't care where she went or what she did, so she could have been off getting wasted for all he knew, but that wasn't really something that she desired to do.

She made her way down one of the main aisles of the shop, halting next to a girl she recognized after a moment of observing her discreetly. She'd seen her around the Gryffindor common room, and she always seemed pretty quiet and reserved. "Hey hey," she began brightly, having no problem with initiating conversation with someone she hadn't spoken more than two words to in the past once she'd recognized them because that was just the way she worked, "how're you? You're in the year above me, yeah?" She kneeled down mid-thought so she could multi-task by talking and scanning the bottom shelf. She moved to stand up straight again when she saw nothing of immediate interest, throwing the other girl a confident smile as she did.

(OOC - hope this is okay!)

[Magdalena Crivelli]

Maggie didn't usually visit Diagon Alley when she was on holiday, but she'd grown bored with the muggles friends and, anyway, they'd all gone on holiday to Europe or Ireland or somewhere else, leaving Maggie all alone in her neighborhood. She'd decided that maybe she'd visit the wizarding world, see if anyone she knew was wondering around, looking to have a good time.

Maybe it was because of the sale sign right outside the door (for 2 galleons, fill a bag with books) or maybe it was because she was so insanely that she'd resorted to read as a pasttime, whatever the reason, Maggie found herself in the book shop. She'd snagged a bag from the front and started a leisurely walk through the shop. By the time she searched the section about animals, Maggie's bag was surprisingly half-full. As she picked up a book about cats (she decided, upon seeing the title of the book, that she was going to go home and adopt a kitten), she was aware of someone sifting through the same section as her... and then, miraculously, speak to her.

It took Maggie a moment, but then she recognized the girl as she gazed at her. She was speechless at first, but eventually she nodded. "Year, sixth year," she replied, stuffing the cat book into her bag. "I'm fantastic - fantastically bored. How are you... I'm sorry, not to sound rude, but what's your name again?"

---

((ooc: it's perfect! outfit! ))

[Ainsley Rickett]

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Ainsley replied, nodding as the other girl told her that she was in sixth year. “I’m going into fifth year. No, it’s not rude at all! I’m Ainsley Rickett – nice to meet you,” she went on, throwing her another smile. It dawned on her that she hadn’t asked the girl her name, but the moment had passed and she didn’t want to make things awkward. If the girl didn’t formally introduce herself on her own, that would just be strange.

“So, why are you bored? What’d you say, again? Fantastically bored?” she echoed, taking another glance at the book shelf in front of her before realizing that it was the aisle about animals and she quite frankly wasn’t all that interested in that sort of thing. “That’s an interesting way to use that adjective. ‘Fantastically.’ I’ve never heard someone use that in a sentence before, so you’re automatically cool. I like you,” she said genuinely.

[Magdalena Crivelli]

Maggie grinned. "Fifth year was a good year for me," she replied, wondering what the other girl was like. Maggie my have seen her around the common room, but it wasn't as if she observed the girl all of the time. "It's nice to meet you, Ainsley. I'm Maggie." She returned Ainsley's smile before turning back to the books on the shelf.

Maggie couldn't help but laugh at the other girls antics. She turned her full attention to the other girl now. "I'm glad that I can at least entertain someone," she said. Then she shrugged. "I dunno. There's just nothing to do where I live. You know? So I decided to come here and see if I could make my life more exciting."

[Ainsley Rickett]

Ainsley looked curiously at her. "Why, what happened during your fifth year, Maggie?" she asked, liking the sound of her name. It was a nice name, she thought. "How were OWLs, if you don't mind me asking? Like, not yours in particular, but just how tough did you find them in general?" Of course, this depended on how well the other girl usually did on exams, but outright asking that would just be rude.

"Yeah, you're pretty entertaining. Why, do other people not find you funny?" she questioned upon hearing Maggie's tone of voice. "Oh, that makes sense. Do you live in a Muggle neighborhood or something? Not saying that those are any less exciting than wizarding ones, but I guess they could be..." She shrugged, not exactly knowing what it would be like to live in such an environment. Her family was still well off after her mother's death because of her father's high-paying job with professional Quidditch, so they'd never moved around much, instead staying in the same home in a small community. They did have a few Muggle neighbors, though, but not many.

[Magdalena Crivelli]

"Nothing much, to be honest," Maggie admitted slowly with a shrug. "I guess I just felt cooler because I was a fifth year or something. But the parties are certainly better... and boys become less gross and a lot hotter." She winked. She didn't know if Ainsley liked parties or even boys, but she thought she might as well put it out there. "OWLs? They're alright. I mean... I didn't study much. I never study, though, so I don't know if I'm the best person to ask." She threw the other girl an apologetic smile.

Again, Maggie shrugged and then she laughed. "I don't know! I've never asked them before," she replied and then she nodded. "Yeah... I'm muggle-born. So, yeah... muggle neighborhood. I hate it there, though. Some of the boys are hot and I like snogging the ones with girlfriends because it's funny to watch the girls get into catfights, thinking it was someone else, but was me all along." Maggie paused. "Is that mean?"

[Ainsley Rickett]

"I guess that makes sense," Ainsley acknowledged with a nod, wondering if she would feel any different as a fifth year. She didn't think so - she'd never really felt "cool" at all so there wasn't any way that she'd feel cooler going back to school for a new term in September. "I didn't really notice boys until last year," she admitted without hesitation. Normally she wouldn't talk so openly about herself and her feelings, but Maggie seemed to know what she was talking about, so she didn't see the harm in telling her. 

"That's fine! Why don't you study much, though? Is it just not your thing?" she asked for no particular reason other than curiosity. Ainsley found that everyone had different reasons for not studying - most people just didn't want to do it because it required effort, a lot of others claimed they had much better things they could be doing, and some people just didn't care about their marks. She couldn't imagine a world where studying wouldn't be her main priority over the course of the next few years - well, that and making sure both her sisters stayed out of trouble.

"Oh, okay," she began slowly, taking in the other girl's answer and thinking carefully about how she should reply to it. She'd never heard anyone she'd met properly only a few minutes ago say something like that to someone who was all but a complete stranger, so in a way she felt strangely enlightened that Maggie had chosen to share such information with her. 

"It depends," she went on, keeping her tone neutral because she didn't want to come off as judgmental, "I mean, the guys you do that with must be fairly sketchy in the relationship department if they can so easily ditch their girlfriends and make out with you," she pointed out evenly, "so it could be mean on your part because you initiate it, but if they're those kinds of guys that can never stay loyal to their girlfriends, then they're bound to cheat on them sometime, whether it be with you or the next girl down the block. It's all about intent..." Despite not ever having such problems herself because Ainsley had never kissed a boy, let alone snog another girl's boyfriend, she couldn't help but treat the whole situation as if it were some type of law case that she needed to solve and pronounce a decision on.

[Magdalena Crivelli]

To Maggie, her own explanation made sense. She wasn't fully convince that Ainsley believed her, but it didn't matter much. So long as Maggie believed in what she said, that was all that mattered. A curious look crossed her face. "Is that so?" she asked. "Well, I guarantee you'll notice them even more this year. Do you fancy anyone?" It was bold of her to ask, though bold should have been Maggie's middle name.

The blonde seriously considered the other girl's question. Why didn't she study? Did she really have a plausible excuse? She found herself shrugging once again. "Actually, that's a great question," Maggie admitted with a laugh. "I guess... I guess I just don't know how to study - if that makes sense? I sit there and start reading and five minutes in, I just... I can't concentrate. Maybe it's laziness." She shrugged once more and threw Ainsley a smile.

"I'm not a slut," Maggie said vaguely defensively though the other girl hadn't even alluded to that. "Just to clarify...." She trailed off sheepishly and then listened to what the girl, someone she hardly knew, had rob say about the situation. Maggie nodded, taking it all in and thinking about. She looked at Ainsley with a rather guilty face. "I mean, sometimes I initiate it. Like wear skimpy clothes or swinging my hips a little harder... but then the boys just come up to me." She paused before saying, "I honestly just like to fuck with people. I know that sounds terribly and makes me seem like a sketchy person - and I'm not denying that I could be - but, I dunno... I get so bored sometimes and it's the only thing to do to entertain myself. My dad says I need a hobby," she added, looking somewhat hopeful. "I don't think this was quite the one he had in mind...." She let out a nervous laugh.

[Ainsley Rickett]

Ainsley shrugged, not looking at all put off by Maggie's question. It was quite predictable for her to have asked it, and besides, she didn't mind telling the truth. "Not really, no," she responded evenly, "I just find them attractive. Fancying guys actually takes effort and having to know enough about them, and for the majority of the school year I just don't have time for that sort of thing..." She nodded at Maggie's next response. "That happens to a lot of people, I think," she told her casually with a smile, "it's not really a big deal. So what do you do in your spare time at school, then?"

She paused for a moment, taking in the other girl's comment about being a slut. She hadn't even thought that about her, let alone said it - not to mention that she didn't really think that way about anyone, but she could understand why she would be defensive about the whole thing. No one wanted to own up to being in the wrong, Ainsley thought, so she was surprised when Maggie admitted that she was possibly a terrible person - Ainsley didn't believe that to be true, of course. While snogging someone else's boyfriend was indeed questionable, that on its own couldn't describe your character. Everyone made mistakes, didn't they?

"No, see, that's where I think you're wrong - I don't think anyone is a slut, to be honest with you. I sincerely don't think that 'slut' is an accurate term for people who have differing sexual behaviors than others," she replied, also sounding a bit defensive although she'd never been called a slut herself. "It's like an insult, but it doesn't really make sense to me when girls get called sluts for what they do but if a guy does the same, there's high chances that they're probably going to get called a hero. You know what I mean?" she checked to see if Maggie was following her logic before going on. "Maybe you should try reading?" she suggested, glancing into the other girl's bag that was almost full of books on animals, "it seems boring when you have to read stupid stuff, but once you get into reading about things you're actually interested in, it could turn into a hobby..."

[Magdalena Crivelli]

Observing the younger girl, and taking in everything she was saying, Maggie was wondering why on earth the poor soul had been placed into Gryffindor house. She sounded more like a Ravenclaw, or maybe even a Hufflepuff. An amused smile reached her lips. "You gotta relax a little, chica," Maggie said, making a bold move to bump Ainsley's hip with her own. "I bet a bunch of guys fancy you. You should try to give them the time of day."

She leaned against the bookshelf now, folded her arms across her chest and sighed. She finally shrugged. "I don't know," Maggie admitted to the question posed at her. "I like pulling pranks... goofing off, that sort of stuff. I figure that I only have one life, so I might as well live it to the fullest before I get too old. 'Sides, anything can happen...." Her voice trailed off and she attempted to give Ainsley a small smile.

Maggie's smile easily widened as the younger girl talked about sluts - girl sluts and male sluts. She was one smart cookie, that was for sure. "You're so right," she agreed, bobbing her head. "It's the whole double standard thing. It's good that you're so young, yet you get it." She made a distasteful face when Ainsley mentioned reading. But she glanced quickly over the book titles anyway before bringing her gaze back to the other girl. "You got any suggestions? I wouldn't know where to begin!"

[Ainsley Rickett]

Ainsley smiled at Maggie, finding her words and actions to be quite genuine for someone she’d only properly met a few minutes ago. She was usually skeptical of strangers, even if they happened to be people who went to the same school as her, until she got to know them a bit better, but with the older girl standing nearby it felt like she almost knew her really well already. “If you say so. I guess I could try,” she responded, “people are always telling me to relax. I don’t think there’s a bunch of guys that fancy me, but thanks anyways – you’re lovely.” She nodded at Maggie’s next words. “There’s nothing wrong with that,” she shrugged right back at her, throwing her another smile, “if it’s something you enjoy and it’s not hurting anyone, then why not? I agree with you – about living life to the fullest. You’ve only got so much time,” she reflected, trying not too look too solemn upon recalling how unfortunately short her mother’s life had gotten cut.

“Thank you – for agreeing, I mean. And I’m not that much younger than you,” she pointed out, “I just turned fifteen back in May, but you’re only sixteen. Not that much of a difference.” She took in the other girl’s expression at the mention of books in stride, not letting it discourage her efforts in the least. “No, no, trust me,” she began enthusiastically, her passion for reading showing through as she got excited at the prospect of getting Maggie to read more often, “you’ll like it a lot more once we’re done here. Hmm,” she began thoughtfully, moving swiftly through the aisle they were in and hoping Maggie would follow her. She carefully picked out a few books based on how interesting they looked from their spines – there were a few on Muggle pets and a couple of others on basic creatures in the wizarding world, the latter of which she’d read herself a couple of years ago and handed them to the other girl immediately. “Those'll work if you’re interested in animals, of course, but there’s tons of other selections that you could choose from. Just name a topic and we can find the aisle for it.”