Friend from Across the Pond

[Alexander Kiddell]

Alexander was quite use to being used for his fathers political career back home, but it was much harder to go along with it when doing so dragged him half-way across the world and onto another continent that America had just barely broken away from just barely 100 years ago. He even had to attended the Local school. While Alex had heard of the Hogwarts academy before, he never imagined that he would actually have to attend it. He even had to be sorted into one of the Houses. And as far as he could tell, he was sorted into the humbly one. He had a sinking suspension that it was done because of some resentment from that hat over the whole affair. Though one thing that he did not mind where all the ladies he got to spend his time with. And it was quite different to learn magic with more then just one or two persons of his own age. He just hoped that their accents would not wear on him to much. He dreaded the thought of going back to the States while having a Brit accent.

Sighing as he finally reached the Great Hall, he pushed the doors open and strolled in like he owned the place. He twirled his wand as he walked down between the tables. That was another thing that he did not understand, why no one seemed to use their magic out side of class. He had been making sparks and what not since he was 8. How any of them could stand it he would never understand. Yawning as he used a charm to fix his coffee, he piled toast and oatmeal on to his plate. And their bacon, they fry it to a crisp.

  

[Lila Corner]

Most of the girls were all a flutter over the arrival of a new student in the fifth year. From what Lila cared to gather, he was an American whose father occupied a rather prominent place in politics, whatever that counted for in the Americas. Lila couldn't bring herself to be optimistic, and thought it likely that his manners should be crude, and his sense of style abysmal. His speech would likely be rough, and his knowledge of important educational subjects would no doubt be lacking. Lila had noted that it was mostly the girls whose family could not claim particularly large vaults in Gringotts who were excited. She supposed it was probable that they thought marrying an American would be worth it, should he be an influential one. Very few of the less affluent girls would ever marry up otherwise. Lila couldn't grudge them the fantasy.

But if truth were told she didn't think about the transfer student if she could help it. His presence didn't interest her past the nominal questions of whether he was a hopeless mess or not. He had been sorted into Hufflepuff after all. No, this morning she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast at a reasonable hour, modestly dressed in an unfussymorning gown. She was just having a pleasant conversation with a friend whom she was about to sit with when a flash of light caught her eye. There near the doors stood the American boy, twirling his wand about as though he were a common street magician. But then he practiced actual magic at his breakfast, and with an small expression of shock, Lila told her acquaintance that she simply had to save the boy from himself. He was a fool if he thought the professors would indulge such antics for long.

Lila didn't bother to rush for it was clear that most people thought the display amusing, no doubt waiting for the punishment that was sure to come. Cretins. She thought the American was simply ignorant. It was a perpetual plague on his people, she had been told. Finally she reached his side, and quietly coughed before speaking. If he had any manners at all he would stand and pull a chair back for her, which in turn would allow niceties and further conversation that would advise him of the idiocy of his actions. Kindly of course.

  

[Alexander Kiddell]

Alexander looked up and saw a girl standing next to him, and she had a rather sour look on her face. It seemed that she did not like Americans at all either. It had been a problem that he had more then been ready to deal with, but not one he thought he would get from the English girls. He heard that they where as dainty as flowers, and it seemed to be true. Father had put him through several etiquette classes before their move to London, and most of them perplexed him. Sighing as he stood and drew the chair next to him out, he motioned for her to sit. "I heard that you English girls where suppose to be treated as if you can not do anything for yourselves, I guess it is true."

  

[Lila Corner]

Lila's eyes were already narrowing at the sigh, but at the blatantly rude comment it was all she could do not to smack him. Indeed, her hands took a harsh grip on her skirts and it was all she could manage to cast a tight smile in his direction as she sat in the (coarsely) offered chair. He used such repulsive slang that Lila could hardly believe she hadn't heard worse of this boy than she had before. His turns of phrase were altogether strange, and surely the Americans were not so different that they didn't treat their women with respect. There was not even a trace of humor in his tone that might have allowed Lila the opportunity to give him the benefit of the doubt.

As he sat, Lila occupied herself with assembling a proper cup of tea, only offering him after she had taken her first sip. Then she turned ever so slightly in her chair a serious but not unkind look on her face.

"Perhaps it is the case that us English girls expect a certain level of grace and decorum from the gentlemen with whom we associate," she replied in a genial tone. It was not a bad thing to expect a gentleman's respect, and it was uncouth of him to suggest otherwise. Yet in her tone there was almost no reproach, leaving all but the most astute listeners with the impression that she was merely making a small comment on a cultural quirk. Lila hated to appear angry, and she was very good at hiding it.

Another sip of the tea helped quell the anger Lila disliked so very much. "You would do well, sir, to restrain yourself from using magic in the dining halls. It is against Hogwarts regulations, and where they might be lenient in the hallways and common rooms, they cannot be gentle with us in such a public place."

  

[Alexander Kiddell]

Alexander chuckled as she seemed to become more and more irked by his demeanor. She silently sat down and went about preparing her own cup of tea. It wasn't until she had taken a sip it that she gave any sort of response from her. If one read the words she spoke, he would think that she was implying that he was a brash, uncivilized boy. "My fair friend, it is not that I do not respect your gender, but that in America, a women is allowed to have her own strength and ambitions, they are not required to be docile subservient. Though they may not usually as ambitious in a carer, but perhaps in her own endeavors and hobbies. A woman of character is one that is strong enough to survive with out men, but knows that it is needed and a good idea to live with us."

She turned and looked at him, her expression once again showing the little fate she had in his manners and self control so it would seem. He nodded and slide his wand into the side of his belt, letting it sit there. "So I will remember. Thank you for the advice."