Ravenclaw Common Room

[Draco Malfoy]

An area where the Ravenclaws meet and chat.

[Caden McGinnis]

Caden skipped into his common room, tossing his schoolbag ahead of him onto the couch and then vaulting over the back of it, before taking a quick seat on the cushion and sprawling his legs comfortably across the rest of it. He leaned his hands behind his head and allowed his eyes to close, beginning to hum a song quietly to himself.

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex ran a hand through his hair and entered the common room, eyes downcast before he lifted them at the sound of humming. He spotted Caden on the couch and paused before shifting his glance about the otherwise empty room. After a moment, he moved as quietly as possible before leaning over his friend and smacking him on the forehead with a roll of parchment.

[Caden McGinnis]

Caden's eyes flew open with a start, and, after taking a moment to process what had happened, he stared up at Alex with an amused grin. "Not bad, you opportunistic punk," he told him, before turning swiftly and kicking him in the gut as retribution.

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex doubled over in reaction to the kick, before straightening with a small smirk and shaking his head before leaning forward and wrapping an arm tightly about the other boy's neck in a headlock. "Not bad at all."

[Caden McGinnis]

"Hm...," Caden pulled the boy onto the couch with him, smiling in spite of the discomfort and reclosing his eyes. "You know, this is kinda cozy..."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"Pft. Mhm," Alex replied before tightening his hold a moment and then releasing him altogether. He slowly sat up before tilting his head and looking down at Caden with a raised brow, "what was that you were humming anyway?"

[Caden McGinnis]

"It's by this band I found, doing some music searching over the summer," Caden cast him a mischievous smile. "You know, I don't care what anyone says, muggle music is just straight up the best." He commenced his humming for a moment, before singing with a cheeky grin, "Heey, brother!"

[Alexander Chevalier]

"Interesting," Alex replied as he considered it. He immensely enjoyed music as well, but was almost entirely restricted to the classics. His father wasn't all that keen on any unnecessary involvement with anything muggle-related. Still, he had listened to a few artists from some of his other classmates and several back in the day with his mother. "I think you're right about that. They've definitely shown a mastery of the music industry."

He tried to place the line which Caden had sung, but didn't think he had ever heard it before. "I like the sound of that one though. Who's the artist?"

[Caden McGinnis]

"Avicii," Caden informed him. "I really like the stuff they're putting out there these days, and they have this sort of...folksy feel to their songs."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"Oh? That definitely sounds like it'd be worth listening to," Alex nodded. "You'll have to show me sometime." He wondered if the Death Eater's would even know the difference. If they were as against the muggles to the extent he suspected them to be, he seriously doubted they would.

[Caden McGinnis]

"Sure thing," Caden nodded, shifting and propping his legs up on the couch again. "It'll be fun, sneaking it past those crazy sadists. Pullin' the wool over their eyes."

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex shook his head and smiled, silently marveling at the fact that Caden always seemed to so effortlessly and inadvertently determine the direction of his thoughts. It was a little bizarre at times. "Definitely. I'm looking forward to it."

The majority of those people didn't even understand the race they were so set against. It would've definitely aided them to have at least researched and tried to understand the muggles a little. Due to this oversight, people like himself and Caden could take advantage of them through little, somewhat meaningless acts of rebellion. It could definitely be construed as fun.

[Caden McGinnis]

"Glad to hear it, kid," Caden grinned. "High time you enjoyed yourself a little. I swear, this whole place is like a ghost town these days. Minus the saloons and neat history lesson."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"Well," Alex replied with a shake of his head and distant smile, "it's understandable. I have to constantly be on my guard around here. Unlike you," he shrugged, "I don't have an acceptable blood status to my name."

[Caden McGinnis]

"Yeah, I s'pose that's true, but even if I didn't, I don't think it'd change much about my outlook," he stated. "Of course, can't say I know for sure. I'm comin' at it from an outsider's perspective here." Reaching over and patting Alex atop the head a few times, he informed him with a chuckle, "I wouldn't mind swapping with you if I could. Better me than you."

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex merely shook head and, though he appreciated his friend's sentiment, he would hardly wish for the same. "It's alright," he offered a small smile. "I don't mind being this way. It just puts me at a higher risk of attracting unwanted attention. I just have to be careful is all."

[Caden McGinnis]

"Sure, sure," Caden nodded. "Like walking on eggshells. You know...that's an odd expression. Why would someone walk around on eggshells? And even though the intention is obviously to avoid breaking them, it doesn't really matter what you do, 'cause they're going to break anyway--no matter how gently you step down on 'em."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"Hm..." Alex mused in response, "you're right. That doesn't make much sense at all. It's always interesting to research where expressions like that originated."

[Caden McGinnis]

"Yep," the other boy agreed. "I wonder where that one happened to come from."

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex shrugged, "no idea." He glanced over, "I'll find out sometime."

[Caden McGinnis]

"Cool. When you do, be sure to let me know," Caden insisted, snatching up a couch pillow and resting it under his head, before closing his eyes.

[Alexander Chevalier]

"Sure thing," Alex replied with a nod before staring down at his friend a moment. He looked a little tired. "Can I ask you something, Caden?"

[Caden McGinnis]

"Go for it," Caden replied easily. "Fire away."

[Alexander Chevalier]

Alex sighed heavily, "Why do you keep antagonizing the Carrow woman? You're asking for trouble."

[Caden McGinnis]

"Hm...," Caden mused quietly, not bothering to open his eyes. "Dunno, to tell you the truth. Started off, I just wanted to distract her, put you in the clear. After that...I guess I just don't like her attitude. Getting whatever she wants like that. And...well, if she's focused on me, puts a couple others in the clear, too, don't you think?" He gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, before a smirk found its way to the corner of his mouth, "Better me than you."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"Caden..." Alex looked to his friend disapprovingly. He was grateful for his intervening the other day with Alecto, but he also didn't like that he was continuing to try and shoulder her attention. The need for unity was stronger than ever. If enough people could oppose her...could she really do anything about it? Caden didn't need to approach this on his own.

"You should just make an effort to try and be more careful," he continued. "If you get yourself killed, it won't be better for anyone."

[Caden McGinnis]

The Raven released a soft chuckle at that, opening his eyes to cast Alex a playful look. "You make a fair point, kid," he agreed. "If I'm not around, who'll take that hit for you anymore? It'd be very wrong of me to make you go at it alone."

[Alexander Chevalier]

"You shouldn't have to keep taking those 'hits' for me," Alex replied before sighing, "someone has to look out for you too."

[Caden McGinnis]

"Eh," Caden gave a shrug at that. "I'm pretty used to looking out for myself. Been doin' it for years. Don't you worry your pretty lil' head over me."