Veronica found herself intrigued by Blake. Their brothers were dorm-mates- she knew that much- and she also knew that Callum was leaving after the current school year. Also courtesy of Huxley. But she wondered how on earth a calm soul like Blake had come out of that family. "Is your dad really goin' to hit you, like?" she asked, her voice full of genuine concern in a very rare way.

She thought idly about her own father. He was a thin man with graying hair and glasses. He had Huck, sure, but otherwise he was vastly outnumbered by loud, pushy broads almost every second of every day. Despite it all, he was of constant good humor and doted on his wife and children with a quiet gentleness. Surely if he were going to strike any of them, he would have done so several times before. Frankie, after all, had been- well, not quite arrested, as she was never formally booked- but her tendency to 'lift' things from shops and pocketbooks had led to her being escorted home in police custody three solid times. Surely the second or third time would have been ample cause for a father to punish a child that way?

Her reflections were interrupted by Blake's announcement that he was thinking of getting his foot in the door at the muggle department over at the Ministry. And that it would be an adventure. Bless his heart. Veronica couldn't tell whether he was being facetious. Then again, she reminded herself, he was a pureblood.

"Are you joking? That sounds like such a snooze."

Naomi raised an eyebrow at Blake. Yes it was an effective way of getting his parents pissy, and Naomi didn't think it was the best use of his time. She didn't like the Ministry to begin with, but the Ministry and muggles? It sounded like a perfect combination for strict stupidity, not to mention fantastically dull.

"About as exciting as a flobberworm in a jar, Blake," she finished with a click in the back of her throat, "Th' whole Ministry's pretty stale to me--I'm more likely to get my hands hexed out for going to an arcade an' pointing a toy gun atta glowing screen all day," she extended her forefinger and thumb out and quickly twisted them in the air like an artistic trigger-happy outlaw pantomiming their definition of "loco." Of course the idea of needing to stand in front of a tv screen all day didn't intrigue her too much, but it was a great way of pissing both her parents off.

"Adventurous?" Naomi sang questioningly, "Your parents are right sticks in the sludge enough to get 'deir pants[1] wadded up fer it," she gave a white smile before rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"Mine would let me get bored." Oh yes, the Foleys knew their little witch too well.

Then Naomi promptly finished her drink and eyed Blake's to reveal a convenient detail she left out before she gave her friend the drink, "'Ey, you don' get th' burn from any of 'di firewhiskey in 'dere?"

1.	She is referring to undergarments (:

Blake met and held Veronica’s gaze for a moment. Like many, he was sure she was baffled by his being so different from the rest of his family. Blake himself thought it was strange all the time so it was no wonder everyone else might have that inclination. Although Blake did admit that he shared more in common with Callum than he once thought. Callum wasn’t as much like his father as he once thought. No, Callum was still decent.

Veronica’s question about his father hitting him made him think about it more seriously. He didn’t think his dad would hit him. At least he hadn’t before. Was there a limit to what he could do before his dad would resort to being physical with him? To his classmate he simply said, “I don’t think so. Prolly be just really disappointed and all that.” He smirked at her further questioning his choice in summer activities. “Um...hello? You do realize who you are talking to here, don’t you? I’m the dorkiest person when it comes to all things Muggle, remember? If it wasn’t such a hazard, I’d collect everything under the sun. So you can imagine that this might be the next best thing.”

Blake stuck his tongue out when Naomi started in on him too. What a bunch of snoozers, he thought. But aloud, he asked, “Well then, what would you suggest we do this summer for fun? surely the three of us can think of something to do...”

At the Slytherin’s query about his drink, Blake peered down at it. “What you do, poison me, Foley?”