(no subject)

[in_the_cracks]

"What necessities do you live by?" There's just enough edge to Telrim's cool tone to hint at her annoyance. As happens more often than she'll admit to her colleagues, the Controller's using the Sign area for personal reasons. She's leaning against the back of an armchair, arms folded. Sitting is for the weak, perhaps. "What facts of life that can't be changed?"

Comments

[in_the_cracks]

"That's a shame. I've always thought traditions are supposed to be about bringing people together. And all those traits are worth fostering, but splitting them apart doesn't seem healthy. I mean, it's not wise to judge people - kids - on one or two traits at the expense of all the rest." She sighs. "I guess that's how you get Slytherins who aren't supposed to be loyal and- uh, Gryffindors who don't use their heads."

Telrim feigns a mildly disturbed look as she follows his hints, then nods in feigned acceptance of his reasoning. "I see. You'd have to send a scout, if anything."

[darker_black]

Regulus nods. "We're sorted at age eleven, and then we have to live with the stereotypes and inter-house rivalries."

"Gryffindors are a bunch of foolish, near-suicidal Quiddich jocks with a tendency to show their supposed bravery - assuming it doesn't really come in a bottle labeled 'firewhiskey' - by bullying Slytherin students who didn't have the sense to form enough allegiances to have adequate backup. And in any altercation, they'll be the ones forgiven and thought the victims, since the Headmaster favors them, and since Slytherins, of course, cannot be trusted."

"Ravenclaw is the house of arrogant know-it-alls, always with their nose in a book. But at least they and the Hufflepuffs are fairly neutral when it comes to the worst of the rivalry. Hufflepuffs are considered naive, weak, and easy to take advantage of, when they're not simply thought of as the 'rejects' that didn't fit anywhere else. And Slytherin..."

"One doesn't make friends in the house of snakes, only allegiances, as those who seek only to further their own ends can't possibly care about anyone but themselves. If there has been a fight and a Slytherin was involved, they probably started it, since of course we're manipulative and can't be trusted. We're treacherous, traitorous, and often evil, expected to end up in Azkaban unless we have the family connections or money to bribe the authorities to turn a blind eye to what horrible monsters we are." This is said with no small amount of sarcasm.

To the last, he simply says, "If anything. I've made certain I don't know the PIN coordinates for my own world, just to remove the temptation. And the portal that delivered me here closed right afterward."

[in_the_cracks]

As she listens, she widens her eyes, letting her seriousness cover the sharp intent with which she analyses his words. This is how his people think. How they choose to set themselves - and one another - apart. And honestly, she doesn't have to pretend that it's an alien way of thought to her.

"That's a cold way to treat people," she says quietly, disapproval giving an edge to her tone. "And I'm not just talking about the Slytherins. I mean, Muggle children find reasons to pick on each other all the time. But at least the stereotypes aren't official."

Hm. Then again, whoever marked Regulus as cunning wasn't wrong. "I suppose it's probably safest," she agrees quietly. You have no idea how much safer. But it's probably best to change the subject to his current home, lest he be too discomfort. "Anyway, I expect you have plenty of other things to keep you busy. Have you seen any of the Black Mages lately?"

[darker_black]

"Yes, and that's what really matters," Regulus says, in regards to it being safer.

"A few times," he says, when asked about the Mages. "It's not so far a trip, after all. Gaia... is a rather small world."

He makes no comment about any other things he might have to keep him busy.

[in_the_cracks]

"All worlds are small once you've learned to fly." Not that she knows too much about that, of course. "How are they all? I keep meaning to visit."

[darker_black]

He does seem to cheer up when the conversation turns to the Mages, especially at the thought of the little ones.

"Still as friendly as ever, though I think the smaller ones are a little taller now. There may be new hatchlings soon, as well. It seems they lay eggs, though I didn't ask too many questions about that."

"They're curious about some of the experiments, as well, not that I can blame them. The Waltzes have been learning magic in yet another world, so they seem to regard that as a perfectly normal source of new spells."