Go meet up with some Leontes first-years

You sigh and give a little toss of your head. "I imagine that reacting to the childish nonsense that the instructors and provosts here regrettably tolerate would only give encourage them, yes." Making an effort to put some of your past disappointments in this regard out of your mind, you give a little 'hmph' and put on a proud smile. "And once I tell them my near-unbroken record of victory in duels I'm sure any perverts or reprobates among them will be frightened off like rabbits." You aren't sure who you are trying to convince.

"Oh, don't worry Franziska!" Gillian says - you make a mental note that she seems to be a typically empty-headed, cheerful schoolgirl in being relentlessly positive about everything she says. "...nobody is going to be scared by you! You're way too cute!" Your eye twitches, and she continues. You don't know whether to take that as a complement or not. "Students here, particularly those not involved in any of the upperclassmen's cliques, aren't quite so confrontational! I mean, everyone has classmates they don't get along with.. but dueling and all that isn't as big a deal as you're making it out to be! We're here to learn, broaden our horizons, and have some fun!"

As you follow along with her to avoid getting dragged, you note that one of the positives of this academy so far is the architecture. You've always had an appreciation for the classical castle aesthetic, and it is clear that every hall, classroom and gallery is enshrouded in history. Furthermore, for once, there aren't any public displays of lewdness to distract you from the fascinating magic-woven artwork that adorns every other wall. You even stop to get Gillian to explain a couple of them to you. Despite all the sexual things out in the open, this school has an undeniable air of class, particularly the Leontes dormitories.

"Tell me, Gillian," you say, tugging on the tall girl's sleeve to get her attention, "So, ahem.. as you know I haven't had much interaction with the other students here since I arrived. In my classes - those fast paced enough I can **** myself to pay attention to them - so far it has mostly been introduction and theory, yet, there has been a lot of talk of," you blush again but maintain your cool, rational tone, "...erotic energies and sexual acts to boost magic."

Gill's eyes go wide for a moment and she gets an impish green, stooping down and nodding along excitedly with your words. "Ohhh yes love, quite an interesting curriculum innit?" Then she gives a mildly worried squint. "Not another thing you're narked about is it?" You give an awkward laugh. "Ha, well, it isn't as if I didn't know about Boarbristle's "focus" going in. But a few things do trouble me. I distinctly recall that there is a policy prohibiting instructors from any kind of romantic or physical relationship with a student. I am thinking, though, that that only applies directly, yes? To put it more clearly, one of my instructors could order me to do something unseemly with another student, in front of the entire class? Even with a girl or someone who has been 'transmuted'?"

"Oh, yes," Gillian replies flippantly. "Well of course they can furnish a privacy screen, or a temporary closet, for those who are a tiny bit shy. Did they make you do it without one? You should've asked, love... oh, and of course anything you have to do as part of a graded assignment ought to be done with protection, even with if it's with the same sex." You let out a little sigh and roll your eyes (which Gillian seems to also find cute). "Good to know." you mutter sarcastically. "I suppose that if I don't want that to happen I had best be diligent in my studies and keep my magical skills sharp with lots of practice?" Gillian shrugs. "I wouldn't bet on it, dear! Some professors can be quite demanding, even a titch pervy. But the professors don't want a housemaster complaining about one of their students being singled out, either. So, if you've plenty of friends and allies among your house, the professors will be less likely to press the issue. 'Twould look ill for them if they were trying to pair up students for reasons aside from academic necessity. Say, Franziska, with all these questions, are you a v-"

"NO." you say loudly enough that some students far down the hall turn to look in confusion - doing your best to try and make Gillian feel stupid for asking. "Not that I think we know eachother well enough to discuss such things!" Gillian just looks confused. "Weren't we already?"

Not having a good retort to that you settle for changing the subject. "Oh look, here we are at zhe common room, Gillian! Thaaaank you so very much for informing me about these little excursions, I will take it from here!" "But-" the lanky girl starts to respond, raising an index finger hesitantly. "The housemaster-"

"It's fine, it's fine, I'd just as soon not complicate things by bringing another second-year along!" Gillian gives a confused frown. "But-" You brush her away and put your hands on her bottom, making her jump with an 'Eep!', and then giving her a hard shove back down the hallway, in the opposite direction from the common room. "I will be sure to tell Mr. Firetail or whatever his name is that you were extremely helpful, have a wonderful day, now! See you back at our shared room!" Gillian finally shrugs and waves, staying where she is as you open the door and walk into the lavishly-appointed lounge, putting on a broad smile.

Oh dear, Gillian thought as she stood in the hallway, looking after Franziska with a concerned knit in her brow. "Oh well! I'm sure she knows to be careful around visitors from the other houses... and I'm sure she'll quickly figure out the tradition of the other three houses pushing their first years to go "into the lion's den" on their first free weeks-end. Besides, this late in the morning, those visitors, especially the Draconis first-years, will have already lured off most of ours into a tryst somewhere or another. With so much meat already in the market maybe they'll leave Franzi alone..

You find yourself in a room filled to the brim with arcane curiosities on the walls and poshly appointed with embroidered tapestries and chairs and couches upholstered with the hides of exotic beasts. "This is more like it! I'm glad I let that bimbo drag me down here." you chuckle to yourself. The wizarding schools back where you're from fell into a pattern of modernism during the 20th century and much of your old academy was depressingly bland. Here, you feel like you're being pampered just by setting foot in it! And sure enough, there are a ten Leontes students reading, chatting, and otherwise whiling away the next couple hours before teatime rolls around. Most are wearing nervous smiles and recognizable as fellow first years from the recent sorting. "Yes," you say to yourself, "This is nice.. no crazy orgies or anything going on, haha~" Oddly enough, you feel... a note of disappointment? You must be imagining such an odd feeling, you decide.

Spotting a group consisting of a young bespectacled-and-bookish dark-skinned man ("Gilbert", you believe his name is), a frizzy-haired, freckled redhead girl ("Winnie") and a squat, slightly chubby fellow with short-cropped black hair and an impish grin pointing things out on a map of the school ("Berthold"), you sidle over and ease yourself into a chair with delicate dignity. All of them glance up at you, and you give a little four-fingered wave with a hand. "Oi there!" Winnie reaches over and takes your hand briefly, giving you a gap-toothed grin. "You're another first year here, right? Fran, wasn't it?"

You give a curt nod. "It- ah... Yes, 'Fran'. And no, not exactly, though I am new as all the rest of you, I think." Winnie just leans back and giggles. "Only a formality, m'dear! I'm just happy to have another girl's perspective at the table. These two lumps sittin' next to me have been trying to convince me to follow them out on a trip to the edge of the grounds, over the Chilly!" Berthold grunts as if taking offense, sitting up straight. "Well! Pardon me, your majesty, for not wanting to wait weeks or months for a guided tour before exploring the boundaries of our new gilded cage, here!" Winnie rolls her eyes and gives Berthold a light punch in the arm. "Fahh! Sharrit, y'little pervert! You're just going out in hopes of seeing that giant groundswoman who never wears any skirts or knickers! I tell you, if you weren't such a priggish little piggy you would've got a good long look up between a girl's legs already by now!"

Raising an eyebrow, you look at the two boys noncommittally. You'd be tempted to give that mouthy girl a ringing slap if she talked that way about you. But instead, Berthold just chuckles and reaches over to put a firm grip on Winnie's thigh just below the hem of her skirt. "That an invitation? C'mon, I'll make Gilbert and the flat blonde there swear not to say anything about it."

Gilbert, meanwhile, gives you a polite smile... but his gaze is irresistibly attracted to a woman at a nearby desk leaning forward in his direction. She's a curly-haired brunette with thick black-rimmed spectacles and ruby red lipstick on, and aside from her dark-hued uniform exposing quite a bit of cleavage as she leans forward, she tantalizingly sucks on her finger before she turns each page.

"Anyway, if Winnie is done being a bitch for the moment, perhaps we could compromise and go out for some fresh air and a game of Broom Polo? You're welcome to come along of course, Fran. In fact that'd work out perfectly. You're not a first year, right? You could help sneak some beers in for us." Gilbert clears his throat. "Actually, I think I'd like to visit the library. Seems like a nice, non-threatening environment for meeting people as well as study, wouldn't you say?"

Having been caught a bit off guard by the talkative and forward nature of these students, you're silent a moment. "What.. you are putting the decision on me? I just sat down!" Winnie shrugs. "Thats how all of us were introduced, sweetie! Not all the arrivals are lucky enough to ride alongside anyone friendly on the train in!"

"Ere now," Berthold says, "You can at least be part of the discussion. And speaking of which - Gil! Stop eye-humping that Draconis scag. She's just trying to lure people off to humiliate them and swipe their clothes! My brother told me all about them Draks."

"You're right," he says. "She is disturbing the students of our house here. I'll go over there and ask her to leave." He stands up before anyone can say anything and walks over to the Draconis girl with a broad smile. Winnie puts her hand up and giggles madly. Berthold averts his gaze and sputters in disgust. "Well, timely arrival, Miz Fran. At least with you along people won't start whispering that I'm dating this 'orrible hellcat here." he elbows Winnie. "But if you want to come anywhere with us, let's go on and go."

You're just about to respond when a broad-shouldered young man with sandy brown hair and an arrogantly jutting chin (in another of those dark Draconis uniforms) brushes past you, giving a teasing tug on one of your pigtails as he does. You gasp and turn to stare daggers at him, but he doesn't even give you a second glance, just smirking as he goes on past. "What are these Draconis students doing in our part of the academy?!" you hiss demandingly to the other two. Bertie just shrugs it off. "Being arseholes, what else? Say, didn't I overhear you bragging about how you're a tiny terror in dueling?" you grit your teeth which makes him snicker. "Get up and say something, I figure you'll get an apology out of him. Those Draks are all fluff and talk."

You weigh your options: do you go to a Broom Polo game as Bertie suggests, follow Gil to the library, try and demand that Draconis student apologize and leave, or suggest another place to explore?