September 29th, 1890 - Castle Grounds, Evening
Edison Moony

The getaway car could take you there, any place you need
Around the corner, up into the sky
Somewhere on this highway you forgot that you could dream
Forgot that you could break the speed of life

Three days since the fallout with Sisse and though things seemed normal for the most part, Sloane desperately missed her dorm room. It was the only place things would be obvious and so she was just avoiding it altogether. In the morning she just got up early and went to breakfast early, and then she was surrounded by a crowd of people. After classes she could easily cite quidditch practice or a club meeting. Hell she could always go to the pitch and kill time. She'd even gone to the library once for a quiet place to work on her homework when she would have normally done it in the common room. She just hoped everybody else was too busy themselves to really notice.

Tonight though, Cam was off getting help with Divination homework from a classmate that wasn't Sisse, Sloane had probably done over a hundred laps around the pitch and frankly she just wanted to go up to her room and sulk in her bed. Of course she couldn't and so she'd done some homework at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall before wandering outside.

The sun was sinking low over the trees, Autumn really in full swing now, as she took her usual path over the grounds to the lakeside. Orange clouds hung over the horizon as she sunk into the grass down by the dock. She had to wonder what her friend the giant squid was up to. A chilly breeze swept across the surface of the water and Sloane wrapped her arms around her knees. Idly she played with the end of her braid. She'd had to concentrate several times today to get the blue streak that had appeared underneath in the back to disappear, but now she didn't see the point and she could just barely see it. The last thing she wanted was for anybody to question it though, so she'd made an effort to make the bottom pink like she'd taken to sporting recently (she enjoyed the reactions from people) even though it was a bit of a betrayal of the emotions running high underneath the surface.

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, she chuckled when she felt Splash rub up against her, seemingly out of nowhere. "Well hello there," Sloane reached out a hand to pet the cat when she realized the large feline wasn't in fact alone.

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While Ned wasn't sure what was going on, he had picked up on the tension that had seemed to settle over their group of friends, particularly the fourth year girls and Cameron. Part of him was curious about what had occurred, but he also felt as if it wasn't his place to ask. The truth would come out eventually; it always did.

With everyone else scattered to the winds, Moony found himself wandering toward a pair of doors that led outside. Before he could open it, a familiar, furball wound its way between him legs and looked up at him in that expectant way only cats could. "Fancy a walk, Splash?"

Shouldering his way out into the cool, autumn air, he allowed the feline to lead the way, not particularly having any destination in mind. It didn't surprise him that Splash's meandering path suddenly took on a beeline, leading straight toward a girl he wasn't surprised to find by the lakeside.

While Splash trotted, Ned continued his leisurely pace until he had reached Sloane. Without an invitation, he claimed a spot next to her. "I think she was looking for you."

  

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Relieved that it was Ned's voice to follow Splash's arrival, she cast a halfhearted smile over her shoulder at him. Still wrapped up around herself, Splash snuggled in against her. The cat was often near Sloane these days, but she hadn't found it odd that Splash had gone off to bother somebody else in the friend group.

"Maybe," Sloane chuckled not knowing what else to say really. She tried to shake the underlying emotions threating to spill out, knowing she couldn't, shouldn't, say anything to Ned. Hiding it now that Sisse knew was bad enough, but she'd have to tell Cam if she spilled to Ned and that was probably more trouble than it was worth, even if Ned was one she felt most comfortable talking to about it.

Go figure.

Looking over at him as he sat down, Sloane took a deep breath and turned her attention back out to the lake. The silence stretched on for a moment before she realized it. "What brings you out this way?" It was an easy, casual question, but she had an ulterior motive; if he wandered this way often, she was going to have to find another new spot.

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Sloane's silence didn't go unnoticed, but he allowed it to stretch, giving her whatever time she needed to muster up a reply. He'd found it was counterproductive to force things with Sloane, even if they were only exchanging pleasantries. She'd come out with whatever was bothering her in her own time, or she wouldn't. Ned was untroubled either way. He didn't need to be up-to-date on the latest gossip and teenage woes in order to still enjoy a friend's company.

"I fancied a walk and happened upon Splash," He stated with a fond smile at the little cat. "Though, I suspect it was the other way around. I decided to let her lead the way, and this is where we ended up." He reached out to give the cat a few scratches on her head before casually turning the question around on Sloane. "What are you doing out here? Hiding from school work?" The second question was spoken in a teasing manner, though, he wouldn't be surprised if there was some truth to it.

  

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Sloane eyed the cat suspiciously. So this was her idea. Well done Splash. Ah well, at least it was just Ned.

"Just taking a break." Getting away from her studies wasn't too far off the mark, though it was pretty low on the list of things to avoid these days. She'd done more homework and studying over the last few days then in the rest of her schooling career... Probably. At least it felt like it.

"How's Anne doing in Slytherin?" If she kept asking him questions, hopefully he wouldn't turn any back on her.

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Taking a break. That was a rather vague answer. If he were anyone else, he would have pressed her, but that wasn't his way. Instead, he smiled and nodded in agreement. "Breaks are always important, and incredibly welcome these days. I think that was a lovely decision."

It seemed Splash was right where she wished to be, deciding she wanted to lounge with them. Cats were such peculiar creatures.

"She's doing alright, as far as I can tell. Much better than the first week. I'm not sure she's fully over the fact that she didn't end up in Gryffindor. I think she's worried we'll hate her now," He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. He wasn't the type to dislike someone based on their house, nor did he think being in Slytherin was inherently bad.

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   Sloane Bixby

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Thank Merlin for Ned and his unassuming nature. Sloane was relieved that she didn't feel pressured or the need to explain herself or her choices right now. Watching Splash roll on her back at the attention, Sloane obliged and scratched the cat's belly with a little chuckle.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. She did seem a little distraught about it." Rightly so, Sloane supposed. With Greta being sorted into Gryffindor as well, it was likely Anne would have felt more comfortable surrounded by people she knew, but hopefully would find her own way in her own house. Sloane would have certainly felt the same had she been sorted anywhere else, what with Wally being in Gryffindor too. Not that he was as good of a big brother as Ned, but still.

House rivalries were definitely something that some people took seriously, but she, like Ned, had never really put too much stock into them, unless it was quidditch. Even so, she played against Calla all the time and they were fine. "Nah, we hate Selwyn and he's in our own house." She joked, so glad to be able to have a normal conversation with one of her friends for once.

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Ned snorted at the mention of Selwyn, "Yes, well, he's off the quidditch team, so, at least, there's that small victory for you all." While he wasn't Selwyn's biggest fan either, he didn't loathe him and consider his demise like the others did. Unless he showed his true colors in front of Ned, and he needed to defend someone because of it, he would remain civil. That was just his way. "I'm sure Anne will come to understand not everything is about which house you're in."

He stretched out, eyes watching the wind create small ripples on the lake as the sky started to go through its slow, kaleidoscope of changes. Although beautiful, the memories of both of the summer's incidents gnawed at the back of his head. Sometimes, the what-ifs about if Sisse or Sloane couldn't be dragged out of the water kept him up at night.

Shaking that thought from his head, he instead slipped into another topic. "How is your metamorphmagus practice going?" He'd been meaning to check in.

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   Sloane Bixby

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Sloane smirked in response to the statement about Selwyn, at least they were mostly in agreement there. Though he hadn't ever really done anything to Sloane personally, Cad had made Cam pretty miserably at some points and well, that didn't sit well with the diminutive Gryffindor for obvious and not so obvious reasons.

"She'll meet some like-minded people in there, certainly, which will help." Though Sloane was vastly different than most of her roommates in a variety of ways, and right now it didn't seem that way, the gaggle of girls in her dorm room were pretty close in spite of their differences in personality, upbringing and everything else. Even now, when they were at odds, Sloane had faith things would go back to normal eventually.

Ned's question about her progress had her grinning in earnest for the first time in a few days. "Really well, watch!" Sloane changed her hair from brown to purple, to black, to red and back to brown. "I can also do this!" She concentrated hard for a moment, eyes crossing a little in the effort but she was able to give herself a spectacular handlebar mustache. "That journal you gave me for my birthday has made all the difference." Really, it had been a game changer in helping her control her abilities.

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"I'm sure," he agreed, though he was still a bit worried. Anne could be headstrong, and he hoped that wouldn't create a string of terrible first impressions. His sister was a bit like wine; she took a bit of getting used to sometimes.

Hearing Sloane's excitement, Ned sat up a bit straighter and turned so he could have a full view of her demonstration. His smile grew from a small smirk to a face splitting beam when it seemed she had not only mastered changing her hair color, but she had also given herself a rather enviable mustache. "Well done! You learned all that so quickly." He was obviously impressed, and there was no hiding the proud look he gave her.

"Too bad you wish to pursue quidditch. With a talent like yours, you'd make a very good auror. Being able to disguise yourself without a potion or a spell would offer up a level of surprise that most people wouldn't be able to see through."

  

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Thankful for the opportunity to just forget about all of the drama for a little bit, Sloane caught Ned's look of interest before letting the mustache fade away. "I had the wrong mindset apparently." She'd learned that pretty quickly upon her first read through the book he'd given her. "Made a big difference in the approach." She was by far nowhere close to being able to completely change her appearance, but she'd get there some day.

"Oh I somehow doubt I'd make a very good auror otherwise." She would never get all of the OWLs necessary and frankly she was too much of a loose cannon for such a serious occupation. Nobody wanted her investigating crimes or handling a real crisis, even if she could convincingly make herself look like anyone she wanted. "I'm sure you'll learn everything you need to know in that regard." Sloane had no doubt Ned would ace everything practical about his chosen career.

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Ned raised his eyebrows, listening attentively to what Sloane thinks was her problem. "Mindset. That does make sense as being a barrier. Dueling is similar. You have to really mean it, or you won't get anywhere." He was just pleased the book helped her come to such a conclusion. It was one less stressor off her plate, and it was such a useful talent to have.

He lifted his shoulders, fully aware Sloane likely wouldn't have the grades to become an auror, but he wasn't about to withdraw the comment/compliment, nonetheless. "Well, if I ever need someone to go under cover, perhaps I'll be knocking at your door. As long as you're not competing in the World Cup at the time." Hopefully, without rogue bludgers.

"Have you shown your brothers?" He didn't have to ask if she'd shown Cam. He figured that was a given.

  

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Sloane had always focused on the outward changes rather than the fact that the change had to come from within, at the root of what she wanted to look different. Starting at the top— literally the roots of her hair to change the color, made all of the different. "See, I'm also bad at that because I lack the control of my temperament." She laughed. Dueling, potions, anything frustrating was not for her.

"I could go undercover, sure." Sloane chuckled easily. The look was the easy part, it was her mouth that needed the help. Nodding, she shrugged slowly. "Rufus is also a metamorphmagus, it looses it's charm by the time I get the hang of it. Wally was pretty impressed with the mustache though." They were the only two however. It was apparently a familial trait however, her mother's sister was also one. Neither her brother nor her aunt had ever had much luck teaching her how to control the ability. Frankly Rufus had always been more focused on quidditch skills.

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Ned let out a good-natured laugh, certainly understanding that Sloane's temperament was ever changing. His sister was very similar, which was probably the reason why he had so much patience with the younger Gryffindor. "Maybe it could be worth applying your new mindset to other studies. It could make a difference." He followed the statement up with an unknowing shrug, tone not pushy in the slightest.

He snorted at the mention of Wally's opinion. Growing a mustache in general was impressive; some men simply couldn't grow anything more than an collection of hair wisps. For a girl to summon one so effortlessly, it was truly admirable.

"Soon you'll be able to look like one of our friends, I bet. With enough practice."

  

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Sloane snorted. Studies did not work quite in the same way the innate ability of being a metamorphmagus did. Also, there were certain classes she just didn't care to do well in. Sloane just needed the basic good ones. Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies, if she could get through OWLs with those, she'd be pretty set. Even if she didn't want to think about not being able to play quidditch after graduation, one day she might need another career and those seemed like a good foundation to work somewhere in the ministry if she needed to.

"I doubt that." She chuckled. A full body transformation was tricky, Fussy could do it, but it was hard. She doubt she'd master it before graduation. Still it would be funny to be able to do it. Pretend to be Ned or Cam or even Hatchitt and sneak into their dorm room just for laughs. It would be some seriously good mischief. "Maybe I'll just make myself a little taller." She laughed. That would be nice too, since she was barely going to make it to five feet it looked like.

Sighing softly, Sloane recognized Ned had done it yet again, managed to get her out of a reverent mood without even trying. "Hey Moony, thanks for being a good friend." She knew he probably could tell things were off, but he was here just the same and that was exactly what she needed right about now.

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