March 25th, 1888 - Slytherin Table, Great Hall

Everything seemed to be going wrong in Sweetie's life. Her brother had confirmed that he wished that she hadn't existed, she was avoiding her sisters for fear that they would try to force Handsome and herself to talk things out (which would only end badly), and her ex-friends were a forever living nightmare that she couldn't seem to wake from. But alas, she had to deal with all of this madness and still work on her studies. How was she supposed to focus on school when she couldn't even take time for a breath of relief? It simply couldn't be done.

Having her book with her at the table at breakfast, having been crying for half the evening in the bathroom of her dormitory and having no time for getting much homework done, she was determined to finish it before any of her classes. Getting high grades was her priority. After all, even if it wasn't a husband to help her fully leave the household of her brother, the very least she could do after graduating was getting the job of an Unspeakable. That way she could be out of the house for most of the day, which meant no time with her brother at all.

As a result of focusing fully on her homework, she had not touched a bit of her food. It had started to become a habit of hers, she wasn't eating much these days. Partly from stress, but also partly from not really paying much mind to such a detail. With so much else on her mind, food was not her main concern. But today, she had not touched a single thing on her plate. Glancing up briefly, she gave a little sigh. Giving up on any thought of eating, she got up and turned, running right into another student. Having been so distracted, she dropped back into her seat. Blinking momentarily, she slowly looked at the individual in shock.

Now, normally Sweetie was a bit well known for getting mad, even with a simple huff and glare, but this year it was different. Especially as the months went by. Unless it was when she was already deeply upset, or it was Handsome in general, she was growing less effected by things that seemed to just happen. Simply staring in slight shock of what happened, it took her a good minute or so to process what just happened, with her mind in such a stressed fog as it is. After what felt like too long, she took a deep breath, stood up, and sighed. "I'm sorry, I should be more careful getting up." She stated.

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Ernie Nuffer

  

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Magic by Lady!

Wanna be there for Sweetie during her post-election slump?

Ernie was not a friendly sort of student, and that unfriendliness was multiplied when faces with obstacles — people usually — that he had no desire to be around. Such was Sweetie Whitledge, one of his fellow Slytherin fifth years who had a reputation of being snobby and unfriendly herself. While many might believe that two unfriendly people would be the most likely candidates to get along, that was not true of Ernie, a boy who preferred solitude over unpleasant company.

When Miss Whitledge ran into him, he didn't even hesitate to respond without listening to her tone or words or even examine her expression. "You're just awful," he grouched, staring down at his robes that were now stained with the sauce from his breakfast. "Could you be any clumsier? Do you know how hard it is to get stains out of this?" he rambled, trying his best to wipe off the clumpy mess. While students such as Miss Whitledge could afford new robes if hers were unwearable, he'd be forced to continue wearing these.

  

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set by Stef <333

Last year, she would be so offended, so defensive (Miss Emerald Weasley and Sweetie's own brother could confirm that), but now she just sat, taking the yelling with a slight flinch. After so much worse being thrown her way recently, this should be nothing, but she already felt like she was breaking apart. This just only added to it. Not even trying to defend herself from his verbal attack, she just watched.

Hearing him yell just reminded her of summer, of Handsome yelling at her after the misunderstanding with Miss Backus. Of Handsome yelling at her after she had left the house, going to their aunt and uncle's home in hopes that they could both heal from some much needed distance. "I know I'm awful. My own brother wishes that I was never born." She mumbled. It was quite unlikely for the angry boy before her to hear, but he might, if he had stopped to take a breath between yells.

A bit of thought, and she decided that she might be able to help. "If you want, I could send for new robes for you, so you don't have to worry about the stains." She offered softly. Hopefully, that would stop the yelling. She couldn't really deal with the yelling.

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Magic by Lady!

Wanna be there for Sweetie during her post-election slump?

In the Ernie-est way possible, Ernie scowled at Miss Whitledge. Her? Send him new robes? Who did she think he was? "I'm not one of your charity cases, Miss Whitledge. Use that kindness on literally anyone else," he snapped, grabbing another napkin off the Slytherin table. Just the insinuation that he needed one of his classmates supplying him with his clothing was insulting; he wasn't useless, nor was he a lost cause. He (or his family in this case) would provide for himself, or he would walk through the halls in the nude until he was expelled.

  

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set by Stef <333

Now Sweetie did frown. She wasn't going to take being accused of something. That was one thing that she wasn't going to be pushed around about. Her brother did it enough to her, her ex-friends teased her with such things. She was not standing for this. "You are not a charity. I made a mistake, and was trying to fix it, instead of being rude and leaving you to handle the mess yourself. If you made a mistake, you would also be expected to fix it in some way. I can not change what has happened, but I can at least try to fix the problem I made, and that was all I was trying to do." She stated. Of course, she didn't make the connection between that and her own brother, especially since she still felt that he was at fault and should be the one to truly fix things.

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Magic by Lady!

Wanna be there for Sweetie during her post-election slump?

Ernie was quick to zone out of Miss Whitledge's robotic rambling; all he wanted was for his robes to be fixed. Signaling for her to be quiet with a wave, Ernie drew his wand from his pocket. He would have cast a cleaning spell, but he was very aware of his disastrous wand work and didn't want to cause any further damage. That's when he returned his attention to Miss Whitledge, eyeing the spot where he assumed she kept her own wand.

"If you truly want to be of use, be a doll and use a cleaning spell on it — it's much less work than sending for new ones," he instructed, tugging the fabric taut so she could see the extent of the spotting.

  

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set by Stef <333

Now she wasn't in as much of a mood to help. She still had her pride, especially once someone has pushed her to her edge. Her timidness had faded to annoyance, and was leaning on anger. No matter how damaged she was, she didn't take crap from people too often, or at least too much. At the moment, her troubles slowly took a sidestep for her to deal with this. After that, there was no doubt that they would return. "Well doll, how about you take up your own charity work and do it yourself." She snapped, grabbing her things to leave.

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Magic by Lady!

Wanna be there for Sweetie during her post-election slump?

Ernie rolled his eyes in the Most Dramatic way. One second she was willing to be a doll, and the next moment she was insulting him? In that moment, he realized it was probably Sweetie Whitledge that made him like men in the first place. She was just awful — he'd been right from the very first words that left his mouth.

"Come on, sunshine. You know I can't do charity work — I'm poor, you know," he responded sarcastically with the hopes that he'd further get on her nerves.

  

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set by Stef <333

Glaring, she shakes her head with a frustrated huff. "I try to be nice, and try to fix a mistake, and you start belittling me for it. If you actually wanted my help in any way, you could have been a bit more understanding." She snapped. Looking back at him, books in hand, her glare doesn't fade. "I am no doll, and I do not take kindly to being mockingly called 'sunshine' either." She said bitterly. Men, perhaps this was all men. Perhaps she would be better off as a spinster, and just leaving home the moment she becomes an Unspeakable.

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Magic by Lady!

Wanna be there for Sweetie during her post-election slump?

Ernie had no clue how to handle a temperamental woman, but he did know that he didn't want to. All he did is raise his brows and offer an amused shake of his head, staring down the other fifth year as she continued to defend herself from his so-called mocking. Were all young ladies — especially rich ones — this defensive about the nicknames when they were touted as living, breathing dolls by their parents (or family in this case, as Miss Whitledge's parents were dead)?

"I only asked that you help because you were insistent," he chuckled. "I'll go ask your brother — he's probably more willing to be of help," he suggested. There were definitely rumors circulating about the siblings' rivalry; perhaps he could irk her further for his amusement, or maybe he could actually prompt her to help.

  

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set by Stef <333

Sweetie hadn’t been treated as a doll, not for as long as she could remember. Perhaps once upon a time, when she was a little girl, when father was still alive, when mother actually cared. Perhaps then, but her siblings never treated her as such, especially her brother.

Sweetie scoffed at his comment. “Of course he wouldn’t. He’s a selfish, cold hearted, dreadful boy who wishes that his own sister were never born. Never even listens to reason. He wouldn’t care one bit about your problem. Might even yell at you for even speaking to him.” She muttered, her voice shaking lightly, but not from anger. As she spoke, all of her troubles came back in a wave, and if she was looked at closely, one would notice that her eyes had begun to water by the end of her sentence.

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Magic by Lady!

Wanna be there for Sweetie during her post-election slump?

Miss Whitledge's words were breaking and he could barely make out an intelligible word in the jumble of noises she was making. Ernie merely raised his brows at her, shaking his head as he just stared at her. Maybe she was speaking tongues? That would explain a lot. Upon closer inspection, however, it seemed that she was crying — or almost crying. Oh well.

"How tragic," he muttered, eyeing the girl for a moment before his gaze snapped in the direction of the Great Hall's exit. "Well, while you work through your own troubles—" He motioned to her body with a wave of his hands. "—I'm going to - uh - clean up. Bye." And with that, he took off for the hills.

  

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set by Stef <333