Ender is Unpopcorned! - Open RP

[games_end]

The first thing Ender noticed was the smell. It reminded him of the movie theater -- although he hadn't been in one of those for years. It felt like another lifetime: him, Valentine and Peter, Mom and Dad, sitting in the dark, his feet not even reaching the sticky, squeaky floor, watching some new, patronizing Disney movie, like a regular family

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[wrinklesintime]

Nobody had explained to Meg the purpose of the popcorn room, and she'd just found it today. She stood with her face pressed against the glass, studying the oversized popcorn kernels until one of them vanished, leaving a perfectly healthy, if grease-stained, person in its wake.

Pushing the door open, curious in spite of herself, Meg stepped inside. "Hello. Um, are you all right?"

[games_end]

Ender eyed the girl as she approached. She looked to be a few years older than himself. He nodded at her question -- he was perfectly fine as far as he could tell, just disoriented and kind of smelly.

"Hi," he said. "I'm fine. What is this place?"

[wrinklesintime]

"This is Hogwarts," Meg said, taking a step farther into the room. "It's a school for magic." She extended a hand. "I'm Meg. What's your name?"

[games_end]

Ender accepted her hand and gave a small smile. She seemed nice. "Ender Wiggin, he replied. Then he raised his eyebrows somewhat skeptically. "Magic?" From a school in space for young geniuses learning to become battle officers, to a school for people learning to do magic... It wasn't a bad trade, he thought.

[wrinklesintime]

"Yep, magic. Taught by real wizards and everything." Her tone of voice held a distinct note of awe. Clearly, the one meeting she'd had with Dumbledore had left an impression.

[games_end]

It occurred to Ender that by "magic," she must have meant card tricks and escape artist stuff. Maybe her enthusiasm was an act, trying to get him excited, like a older kid goading their little sibling on Christmas.

"So," he said. His tone was casual and almost bored, making it clear that he wasn't buying it. "A school for people training to be come magicians?"

[wrinklesintime]

This kid reminded Meg eerily of her brother Charles Wallace, although she couldn't have said why. He seemed to be thinking she was putting him on, which made sense, because this place really *was* weird and hard to explain.

"Maybe someone else can explain it better," she hazarded. "I've only been here a few weeks myself. Maybe we should find someone who can tell you what house you're supposed to be in."

[games_end]

Ender frowned. Maybe she hadn't been teasing him. But what could she mean then?

He nodded. "Sounds good. What do you mean by house?" Maybe that was like the different teams in the Battle Station.

[wrinklesintime]

"Your house is like a dormitory. From what I understand, people are placed in houses based on their personalities. I'm... well, something of a bookworm and I have more of an interest in mathematics than most people my age, so I'm a Ravenclaw. I haven't been here long enough to understand about the other houses, though I've heard brave people go to someplace called Gryffindor, hard-working people are Hufflepuffs, and Slytherins are ambitious." She paused, considering. "Does any of that ring a bell?"

[games_end]

It did sound something like the teams -- the different sections of dorms, the distinct feel and reputation each team developed...

"I was here before," he said thoughtfully. "And got assigned to one of these houses..." He shook his head slightly and looked up at her. "I don't remember which one." He sighed and glanced up at a large kernel of popcorn to his left. "Do these houses compete with each other?"

[wrinklesintime]

Meg shook her head, and then frowned, shrugging. "I don't know. Maybe they used to. They... don't seem to now."

[games_end]

That would be different then. Maybe better. Maybe he could relax here.

He nodded. "When did you get assigned to Ravenclaw?"

[wrinklesintime]

Meg considered. "I guess I've been here about a month," she said. "It took a while for them to decide which house I went to... But after that it's been... kind of nice. Definitely not like most schools I've ever heard of, because they don't have classes all that often."

[games_end]

"What do they do if they don't have classes?" Ender asked. "Not that I have much knowledge of normal schools. I haven't been to one since kindergarten."

[wrinklesintime]

"I think most people generally study on their own, if they're going to," Meg answered. "At least, I do. But then, I'm supposed to be in school, and magic is fascinating stuff."

[games_end]

Ender nodded. He definitely planned on doing as much private study as he could. Magic opened a whole new field of skills to master.

"So it is... real magic?" he asked hesitantly. "Could you show me some?"