Unjust. Uncaring. (Nicolette)

Cinnia sat in a quiet corner of the common room, watching as various housemates spoke amongst themselves or completed homework. Cinnia’s own was already finished, and although she wished she had drawn it out longer. Her other half, her twin sister was dead and there was nothing she could do about it. So, with homework out of the way and her training session over, she was watching the common room with vague interest and a blade in her hand as she ran a stone over it’s edge. She noticed that someone was nearing her before they got very close, but she didn’t say anything. She hardly said anything anymore.

Nicolette stalked quietly through the dungeons the beginnings of a frown on her face. It wasn't every day that she heard talk of those wanting to rebel. Of the evil that was the Dark Lord. She knew there was talk around the castle of course, albeit in hush, but she hadn't expected to come across it so openly. Obviously it wasn't something she was meant to hear as they'd stopped talking as soon as they had recognised her presence; as well as they should. Though she couldn't bring herself to set them straight. No. She merely glanced at them and left, never letting on to the tumult of thoughts within her. She needed to be around her own people of a sorts where things were right and nothing was confusing. That was the worst part, that she was still thinking of what they'd said. But as she stepped through into the common room, she pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind.

She knew of many of the students in her house, at least the ones of her era. But hardly any of them were there. It would not hurt her to try to become acquainted with someone else, not that she really wanted to but she needed to clear mind. What better way than to approach a person with a blade, the thought oozing with sarcasm. But as she approached, the girl said nothing, did nothing. She assumed that being in this corner with her blade, she would have snapped at Nicolette for approaching but nothing.

"One would think you were dead if you weren't so invested in your weapon."

At first Cinnia didn’t say anything, just continued her action as she dragged her gaze from across the room to the girl who had spoken to her. She knew immediately that the girl was younger than she was and that she had not been at the school prior to the battle. Cinnia was particularly observant, especially of those in her own house. “Perhaps I am,” she answered plainly, placing the stone in her pocked and sheathing the knife, “or at least, part of me is.” She blinked, as though returning to the conversation, despite never leaving it, she tilted her head a little to the side and asked, “can I help you with something?”

She hesitated a moment, "I'm not sure." She was curious as to the older girl's response but she would hardly pry into the life of someone she just met. "I came to escape my thoughts. Perhaps you'd like a moment of reprieve yourself? Or not."

Cinnia considered saying that yes, she wished to be alone. It was as she had been for a number of months, since the battle, and she fully intended on it staying that way. But perhaps a change wasn’t such a bad thing. “No, it’s okay,” she said, gesturing to an empty armchair next to hers, “have a seat. Maybe some company will do me some good.”

She took the offered chair and situated herself so that her legs were folded underneath her. Now seated comfortably she could move onto the next step, conversation. Nicolette grasped for something to talk about, a topic that would leave neither girl with more stress rather than the distraction they were currently seeking. But it proved difficult, especially with the current state of things. And then it dawned on her that she hadn't even introduced herself. And so with the silence that had ensued when she'd been thinking it must have been odd when she suddenly said, "Nicolette Zabini."

Cinnia forced a smile at her housemate, though it appeared to be fairly genuine. And she wanted it to be, but something in her was not quite the same as it had once been. Perhaps one day that something would be back in the form of something else, but until she could get over losing her other half, she would need to deal with not being whole. “Cinnia Valkyrie,” the red head replied, noticing but ignoring the face that the girl had waited a good few moments to speak again, “this school is in shambles, don’t you think?”