Teatime for Three Minervals

The three of you sit around a table in the corner of House Minerval's common room. With a sunny window at your side letting in air and light, your corner has less of the dark-and-dreary dungeon look that haunts the rest of the place. Often this table is claimed by Hawk or Whiplash or a senior prefect, but you're in luck, if not in the highest spirits.

Fay raises her pale round face from where it's been bowed over her teacup. "Mostly I'm worried that Torch might fly off the handle," she says. "I wonder if we should direct her attention elsewhere."

"Now who's being the schemer?" you say.

"I never said I wasn't a schemer," Fay says. "It's just tedious, and mostly I'd rather not."

"Fay? Morgan?" Golondrina says. She keeps her voice low, as usual, since being a flame-haired, broad-shouldered Amazon brought her plenty of notice already. Not to mention being mere minutes into her new life in House Minerval. "Torch let me go. Maybe we should celebrate?"

Fay looks at Golondrina, then at you. "Bless you, child," she says. Fay's face blooms into a broad, happy, mouth-cheeks-and-eyes smile. Her fingertips slide over her teacup in little digging motions. No doubt Fay is remembering Lolo's skin, warm and taut, and wishing you'd gone to get a bath, not tea.

You whisper in Fay's ear, "It's allowed, you know."

Fay whispers back, "I know, but the simpering bitches would giggle and make kissy faces at us."

Golondrina laughs. She leans forward, puts a finger under Fay's chin, and kisses her.

There are a few titters from the darker corners of the common room. Fay's moon-pale face blushes pink.

Golondrina straightens up. "You told me how they are," she says. "It's not like it's really a secret why I'm here."

Fay swallows. "Well, that's one way to play it, I guess," she says. "You magnificent bitch."

"Dive in. Get it over with," Golondrina says. Like she took the Chilly Tarn. She beams a full-face smile back at Fay.

"Stop making me cry," Fay said. "It's bad enough having soppy Morgan around all the time."

"Sorry Fay," you say.

"S'alright, I'm used to it now, hedgie," Fay says.

The look in her eyes says LOVE. And now you're crying. Fay smirks at your tears.

And then you're all laughing. A weight lifts from your shoulders. Lolo is here with you in Minerval. Torch gave her up. Here you are all together.

"Tell you what," you tell Golondrina. "I'm going to see if I can get Pip to pull some strings, get you out of the dungeon they put first-years in."

"Living dangerously, are we?" Fay says. "Give it a try, anyway. Easier than sneaking back and forth."

Golondrina nods. "Good luck," she says. "I'll manage however it goes."

Roll +CUNNING(+2) to ENCOUNTER Pipistrelle Clawson, Prefect of Minerval. If Pip goes along with the idea, then roll a CUSTOM MOVE on AMBITION (+2) to get Golondrina assigned quarters close to yours, using your favor with Pip as appropriate.

⚀⚂ + 2 = 6, Miss.

"No, no, no, no, no," Pip says. "Hawk almost cooked my goose, and I can't stick my neck out for you. If something goes badly I could lose my pin or worse."

Fascinated by shiny objects, you think glumly of Pip's silver Prefect pin. But Pip is in rather deep with her own secret, that her bat familiar Fledermaus is an illicit transformation of her boyfriend Augustus who graduated last year.

You sigh and look up at a poised, perfected version of your own looks, tall and lithe where you're a gawky scarecrow, Pip's long black hair in a glossy wave like a long S where yours is always flyaway. People have mistaken you for sisters, to her chagrin and yours alike.

"Good luck, Morgan," Pip says. "I mean it. I do."

She does. It's nice not having Prefect Pip as an enemy, to be sure.

"Thank you, Pip. Fortunes favor," you tell her in parting. You mean it. You do.

The Housemaster, the Tutor, the Wardress. Probably none of them. Who, then? You wander down toward the first-year dormitory. Someone must be setting things up for Lolo's room. You can figure out an angle, somehow.

Roll +AMBITION(+2) (Custom Move) to get Golondrina's lodging moved closer to you and Fay.

⚂⚃ + 2 = 9.

On a 7-9, you succeed in your custom move with a cost or complication. Perhaps you have to make a bargain with someone, seduce them, CHARM them, or owe them a favor (use the GOAL rules). How do things work out?

You have a FAVOR from Pipistrelle Clawson, Minerval Prefect.
Your roommate Fay in House Minerval is your FRIEND.
Golondrina Redmoor, newly of House Minerval, is your FRIEND and owes you a FAVOR.
Barbara Torch, Warden of Leontes, is now your ENEMY.

You have 3 XP, Ambition +2, Bravery -1, Cunning +2, Diligence +0.
You know the spell TRANSFORM and the Forbidden Spell SHAMEGASM.