Such a long, exhausting day of classes that involved more dirt and disgustingness than Reyna cared to admit. First, she had had a double block of potions, which was bad enough by itself with all the nasty fumes emitting from the various cauldrons in the room and clinging to her hair and clothes. Ugh. The blonde scrunched her nose up at just the thought. By the time that lesson had ended the teen had had a very icky feeling and had wanted nothing more than to go straight to her dorm and take a long, hot shower.

Unfortunately, her day was not over then, and though she got a brief reprieve between classes at lunch, where she had sat at the Slytherin table with her nose turned up imperiously at those around herself because she was not in the mood to socialize, Reyna had Herbology afterwards. Again, the blonde had know clue as to why she was actually taking that class. She absolutely loathed it, with all it's dirt and dust clinging to her just like the potions fumes did and getting under her manicured fingernails...a shudder of disgust ran through her body at the memory.

She really didn't know why her mother insisted she carry on the subject that year, or why Hogwarts couldn't have better classes that didn't involve dirt at all. They weren't cavemen. There was no need to be playing around with dirt. The plants seemed to do alright all on their own without their help. Not that the Slytherin was actually any help to the things in the first place. To date, Reyna had managed to kill more plants than take care of. Of course, the teen would never admit it was some lack of talent for it on her end. She was great at everything, obviously.

By the time she was done with her lessons for the day, the blonde was in a foul mood indeed. Her hair felt heavy and greasy from all the fumes it had been exposed to. There was dirt under her fingernails and on her clothes. And there was an overall feeling of smelliness from the time spent in the greenhouse where the strong aroma of dragon dung wafted around. Even so, the teen strutted through the dungeon corridors like she was some kind of royalty, and through the common room with her nose stuck in the air and scrunched almost permanently by that point.

The blonde tossed her bag onto her bed, gathered her powder blue bath robe and towel (blue was very in at the moment), along with her matching slippers, and headed to the bathroom to treat herself to a hot shower where she washed her hair a good three times and herself at least ten. After which she proceeded to take a long, luxurious bath, the scented bubbles a very pleasant change from the smells of potions and fertilizer. Reyna never took a bath unless she had showered beforehand. In her mind, if one did that, they were merely soaking in their own dirt, and that was disgusting. So she always showered before a bath.

The soak was relaxing and just what she needed after such a day, and by the time the bubbles had all but disappeared and the water had cooled to a barely warm, her bad mood had ebbed away a good deal. The Slytherin climbed carefully from the tub, body feeling loose and muscles relaxed, and toweled herself dry before slipping on her fluffy robe and tying the attached belt to keep it closed over her body and covering all her goods. She slipped her feet into her equally fluffy slippers that were charmed with a cushioning charm that made it feel like she was walking on air. Both came with enhanced warming charms, as it was rather drafty in the dungeons, so she wouldn't freeze to death.

Reyna exited into the dorm she unfortunately shared with the other seventh year Slytherin females, towel drying her hair to see the room had an occupant. "Hello, Black." The blonde greeted the other girl with a dainty sniff of snobbery as she grabbed her brush from inside bedside dresser and began to comb out her beloved locks.

The day each week that was spent in double Potions and double Herbology was the least pleasant for Rose. It was also the most necessary for her life after school. She had every intention of being a proper witch running a proper household, and part of that was managing the garden and the kitchen by herself, at least until a house elf or some other some of servant could be acquired. Potions and Herbology were more vital than any other classes for those pursuits.

That didn’t mean she liked it, however. The time she spent in Charms and Transfiguration, using her wand to do actual magic, was far more pleasing. Even the time spent in History of Magic and Divination, working towards NEWTs that would make her more well-rounded and employable, were better than those days of drudge work that always left her feeling dirtier inside than she did outside.

Still, she simply cast a quick cleaning charm on herself to delay the need to actually shower before she headed to dinner. Long experience with Faulkner on Herbology days told her that she did not want to be anywhere near her dorm right after class. Instead, after she ate a quick dinner she took a walk around the lake, hoping to kill enough time that the self-appointed princess of a girl would be somewhere else when the redhead made it back to their dorm area and the waiting shower.

Unfortunately, no sooner had she sat down on her bed to get ready for a shower than the blonde reentered the room, attitude and clothing saying that Faulkner thought she was at a luxury spa rather than the shared living quarters of a school. Rose shook her head, pulling her robes over her head and tossing them in a dirty heap for a house elf to deal with later. There was an idea. Maybe she could negotiate somehow for one of the school elves to come with her when she left the castle. Then she wouldn’t have to learn Herbology anymore.

She groaned audibly when Faulkner addressed her, halfway through unbuttoning her shirt. She refused to think of herself as beneath any of the “Pureblood elite”, despite their differences in upbringing, but witches like the blonde in the room with her made that very difficult sometimes. On days like today, all Rose could do was be as icy and sarcastic as possible and hope Faulkner was too full of herself to see through it. Or she could run to the shower and pretend not to hear her.

That second choice would be the way of a coward, though, and Rose prided herself on not being a coward. Sure, she didn’t seek fights out, or stay to fight if she really had no hope of winning, but if it was a close to fair fight and it was for her own reasons, she would always put up the fight, which left icy and sarcastic as her only option. “Whatever could be the matter, Reyna dear?” she crooned at the girl with practiced sugariness. “Oh wait, I know, the person next to you in Potions brushed up against you lightly, and they were touching something gross, like an eyeball, at the time.” She paused, giving her remark time to sink in and herself a moment to think. “Or maybe you got a single speck of dirt under your fingernail in Herbology. What has the world come to when a goddess such as yourself has to crush potion ingredients and touch plants like some filthy commoner?”

She finished unbuttoning her shirt and stood to shrug it off, revealing the Slytherin green bra that had been underneath. Her lips and eyes held a challenging smirk. Maybe Faulkner would cry now, or at least go away and let Rose have a little bit of peace while she finished preparing for her shower.

Reyna diverted her gaze as the other Slytherin witch began to undress, most likely in preparation for her own shower to clean off the residual fumes and dirt that clung to her as well from their shared lessons of the day. The blonde knew she wasn't the only one who disliked such menial and filthy work of the Slytherin seventh year witches. Years of sharing living space with the others told her the others had a certain distaste for such tasks as repotting plants and having to crush things such as dried beetle eyes.

Averting her eyes from the sight of undressing was only polite and proper however, and on most occasions Reyna was such. For the most part the teen could be easy enough to get along with, with her polite and soft ways. It was her utter disdain for anything and anyone she considered beneath her along with her obvious arrogance and snobbery that turned others off from her, and made having any actual friends difficult for the girl. Not that she especially needed such.

She went to school because it was required and she performed well enough while there because it was expected. She was not there to make friends and create lasting bonds. Her pureblood standing served to make sure that she would always have the connections she needed for after school, and the only lasting bond she had to concern herself with was the one that would come after graduating from Hogwarts.

Thus, the Slytherin witch didn't endeavor in forming bonds of friendship, and kept others at a distant with her disdain for them and her haughty ways and words. It was the smart thing to do, seeing as after school, none of that would matter much and if she did see these same people again it would be during some function where she would host or attend. In those situations, Reyna was well trained in the polite and dignified actions of a well brought up pureblood witch. She hardly needed friends for such things.

However, there was always something to be said for a loyal confidante and companion to speak with on certain matters or to even confide in with certain things, she supposed. Even just a shopping partner wouldn't be so terrible. But there was hardly anyone at the same caliber as herself for such things. Perhaps LeBeau, since the French girl at least seemed to have some fashion sense, but it wasn't worth dealing with her incessant whining. Reyna did not whine. She was above such childish behavior.

Either way, the blonde had never had any desire to see any of the others in any state of undress. In all reality, it was rather difficult to achieve when one took into account just who she shared living quarters with. While she could admit each of the other witches was rather flawless in their appearance and beauty, not one of them had any shame as far as showing off everything they had to offer, and often times even then some. This drastically changed her opinion of the others, because while she knew she had a beautiful form as well, she did not feel the need to put it on display in such ways. Ways that were not limited to their own dwellings, she knew.

Some might take it upon themselves to call her a prude for it, but such conduct the blonde had been raised to know was highly undignified and did not suit the makings of a well bred and proper lady. Such things were simply unsavory and distasteful, but to each their own. It was not her life or reputation, so Reyna hardly cared. Of course, her own reputation was especially flawless. The blonde was pristine in all ways, untouched and unspoiled, and though her expensive clothing always accentuated and showed off the naturally beautiful form of her body, that was virtually the only sight or taste of it anyone had ever gotten. It was a fact she was proud of, versus being ashamed of, and hardly cared for anyone else's opinion on the matter. Or any other matter, for the most part.

So it was no surprise that Reyna was not fooled by the overly sweet tone of the other girl, and was able to easily pick up on the sarcastic nature of the comments. Such was a ploy she herself often used when in conversation, and a true master of it could have one honestly thinking they had been complimented when in reality one had been made fun of. It was only doubly humiliating to fall for such a trick, as it also insulted one's intelligence as well. She had seen Black in action many a time, and knew this was something the other Slytherin female was extremely good at. Reyna herself had nearly fallen victim to such trickery a few times, before she remembered just who it was on the other end of such false sugary words.

"Yes, quite disgusting it is. I have no idea how you inferior types put up with it. Then again, I suppose you were born for such things. Just as I was born to be adored and doted on. It is quite pleasing to hear you seem to understand that difference Black." Her tone was rather bored-like, but there was all the same false sweetness to her words as the other had offered with her own. One might think the blonde had the lack of intelligence to not understand she was being made fun of, but the cool look in her blue eyes said she knew well enough the redhead's real intentions with her remarks, and Reyna wouldn't hesitate in giving her what she apparently desired. For her to agree with her, along with an insult back and the knowledge that the blonde knew exactly what little game the other was attempting to play.

Faulkner couldn’t even look at Rose, properly, and this was from the second she started removing clothes. Oh, this was too fun. You would think living with a group of girls for over six years by this point would have made her able to look at a shoulder or stomach without getting all squeamish, but apparently it was something that she would never get over. Heaven knew what she would be like if they went swimming or something, maybe even with boys and girls both. Her walking in on a couple snogging would likely be the funniest thing ever, if only because anything more than snogging would actually kill the idiot girl.

That thought caused a small smile to curl her lips. She knew that at least herself, LeBeau, and one other girl always slept naked, and there was often a boy hiding somewhere in the area of one of the witches here. That didn’t even touch on all of the things that happened with great regularity in the Slytherin common room, sometimes while it was still early in the afternoon or evening and quite crowded. One day, Faulkner would see something that she really didn’t want to. Maybe then she would finally grow from a girl to a woman.

Rose bristled as Faulkner clearly saw what she was doing, and thrust it back on her with the great verbal force that came from knowing exactly which buttons to push. Of course she did. A verbal sparring match between two snakes who didn’t care for each other was almost always nasty. Giving them years to learn each other’s weaknesses could only possibly make it worse. If words would actually cut, the 7th year snake dorms would likely be stained with deep layers that equaled long years of bloodshed.

Part of her wanted to throw out all thoughts of words, decorum, and the proper way that good snakes handled their business, and just punch the blonde in the mouth for calling her inferior yet again. That wasn’t the way how this was going to go, though. Besides, there were things she could go to that would do so much more pleasing damage.

“Oh yes, you must feel so lucky that you are well bred enough that daddy can force a suitable boy to marry you against his will. It will be so nice for you, since you couldn’t attract a decent man with the act you put on if the choices were you or death.” She took off her shoes and socks slowly, then unzipped and pulled down her skirt, leaving herself in just the bra and matching panties now. Might as well make the holier than thou bitch as uncomfortable as possible while they were talking.

When she was as close to naked as she was going to get, she spoke again. “I wonder if the husband your daddy buys you will be a comfort when he spends the entire marriage ignoring you and instead having affairs with witches like me that actually know how to please him. Oh, but I’m sure it will be enough to just live in his manor, raise his children for him, and never argue with a single thing he says or does.” She paused, a small smile gracing her lips. “That is the places we were born for, right?”

Reyna couldn't be bothered to so much as spare the red head even an eye roll as she sat primly on her bed, her posture perfect even in such a relaxed position. It was out of habit, more than anything really, and her body was so accustomed to keeping her back straight and her shoulders from hunching that it just seemed to do it of it's own accord by then. Not that she was complaining. It was one less thing that she did not have to worry about, knowing that her posture was perfect in such a habitual way it seemed completely natural.

The blonde ran her brush through her dampened locks, the bristles never getting snagged in so much as a knot as she did. The other girl, she knew, was trying to get under her skin by attacking the one place that should have been a guaranteed sore spot. It very well might have been, if Reyna was just the entitled snob they all saw her as. It rather amused her that after six years of sharing quarters and classes that none of the females seemed to have understood that she was not at all as stupid as they often assumed or believed her to be.

The teen knew what she was, and what she wasn't. She was entitled, arrogant, proud, and a lot of other things. But she was no fool, or idiot. Black very well might be though, as she seemed to find it necessary to constantly speak of things she did not know, and force verbal sparring matches when there was no need for them. After all, it had been the red head who had decided to instigate the current match. Reyna had simply greeted the other girl. Politely, no less. As it was though, the blonde had no issues with setting her dorm mate straight, even as she avoided looking at the other girl since she was undressing.

"Oh Black, you do amuse me so. Especially when you speak trying to sound as if you know things your words only prove you know nothing about. It really only goes to show that you are inferior to me not only by birth and blood, but also when it comes to intelligence as well." A small smile curled her lips, and her tone was a soft politeness that seemed to mock the other girl. In truth, Reyna was not bothered by the other girl's words, considering there was no truth at all to them. She was beautiful, well bred, intelligent, and many other good qualities that were rarely shared with the other students of Hogwarts. She was rather perfect, and any man would be lucky to have her as his. There was no need to 'force' anyone to marry her, but rather it was the other way around, so to speak.

As for the act she put on, well, the Slytherin witch simply did not find anyone at Hogwarts over the past six years in any way worthy of seeing anything but the prideful pureblood young lady she was on the exterior. Not to mention there was hardly a person around, especially in the house of snakes, who could be trusted with whatever else the blonde kept hidden beneath her politely icy outer shell.

Reyna scoffed softly at Black's words, shaking her head slightly as she replaced her hair brush back onto her nightstand and grabbed an expensive looking jar of body creme, opening it so as to begin applying it to the porcelain skin of her legs. She supposed maybe the other girl might have a point, as many pureblood men were known to take part in affairs outside their marriages. That wasn't exactly a pleasing idea to Reyna, but it was a very likely possibility she supposed. However, the other girl was completely wrong in regards to her father 'buying' her a match. In the world of purebloods, Reyna was a very wanted commodity, and it was more the other way around. And ignore her? The very idea was laughable. The blonde was not one who could be ignored, and especially not when she did not desire to be.

"You may have one point, at the most, but you forget the most important fact. You see, I would be the trophy kept high above the rest on a pedestal. Whereas you would simply be kept as a dirty little secret. So yes. Those are our places. I am to be cherished and adored, and you nothing more than a whore. It is good to see you understand that Black, and that you have accepted your place."

Rose twitched almost unnoticeably at the blonde’s words. Not only did Faulkner think that she was more intelligent than Rose, the current conversation left no real place for the redhead to fix this and prove her mental faculties. It wasn’t like a conversation about their future sex lives and standing in the wizarding community was a treasure chest of academic subjects. She would just have to pretend to let her roommate have that one for now and deal with it at some time in the future.

Still, the hardest part of this entire conversation was that Faulkner was at least not as dumb as she looked, something that Rose really should remember by now. She knew exactly which buttons to push to get under the redhead’s skin, since the picture she painted was exactly what Rose was most afraid of, not that she would ever admit it. What if she thought she had the man she deserved, only to find out that he actually cared about someone like the blonde who was all style and no substance? Could the world really be so cruel a place?

Still, she couldn’t exactly let that show and admit defeat, even if she had clearly lost this round of barbs beyond salvaging. She summoned a towel and walked quickly in the direction of the shower, talking over her shoulder as she went in hopes that she would get the last word and Faulkner would not get a chance to embarrass her any further, and that the blonde would have the good grace to be gone by the time she finished her shower.

“Those on pedestals are not always cherished and adored. Some of them are merely up there to be seen and not heard. Sometimes it is the secret thing that no one else gets to know about that is really the most dear.”

Even Rose didn’t actually buy what she was saying at this point, so she saw no way that Reyna would. She wanted what the blonde would have and what she never could, not in the way she really craved. Sure, she might end up with some bottom of the barrel Pureblood or an ambitious halfblood like herself, but there was no real way that she would end up the lady of one of the powerful families that she craved entrance to. That honor was saved for girls like Faulkner, and like she said, you had to be born into it perfectly and then not screw it up along to way. The perfect combination of luck and training, and Rose didn’t have either part of the combo.

She really wished that she had kept her mouth closed and just returned the snobby and formal greeting with something equally brief and pointless before going about her business. Picking fights with those who were actually above her and very well knew it could only make things worse for her, after all. She just hoped it was done and that Faulkner didn’t have anything else to say as she made her retreat to the safety of the shower.

Reyna knew her words were harsh, possibly even cruel in a way, but it was what she was well known for. It was what many snakes were well known for. Slytherins were not ones to take prisoners, but instead annihilated their foes. The blonde was very well practiced in the art of verbal sparring, and did not hold back with her often times malicious tongue. Truthfully, if the many battles of wits and words between snakes equated to physical altercations, the dungeon floors and the snake pit would be smeared with blood.

But such were the ways of the most cunning individuals to walk the corridors of Hogwarts. In most cases. Reyna would be the first to admit that there were a handful of individuals who simply did not belong in the House of Snakes, and if she were being honest in her own mind, Black was not one of those individuals. The redhead may be many things, such as promiscuous, commonly, and such other things, but she at least exhibited traits most commonly associated with those true to the house.

The other girl was intelligent in her own right, and beautiful as well. And like many snakes, ambitious. One did not go through six years sharing classes and living quarters with another without picking up on a few things about each other, and Reyna was the type of person to pinpoint not only a person's weakness, but their strengths as well, which allowed her to admit the other girl had some good traits to go with her bad ones. However, the teen would always note that she did not say the girl was more intelligent than she, nor more beautiful, or any other number of things that Reyna was clearly more superior in and at than the redhead.

The point was, in such a house as that of Slytherin, where pride and ego often times clashed with others, it was sink or swim. Either one adapted and found a way to succeed in the house, or one became prey to the more vicious of their kind. The blonde was neither of those things. Reyna found a way to walk gracefully along the line between the two, neither searching out prey, and neither becoming prey. Such was the case with the current situation.

She hardly found the other worthy of enough attention as to warrant actually looking up from her task of rubbing the creme over her legs, which she could practically feel the moisturizer seeping in to keep her skin smooth and beautiful. If she had, the blonde would have found that Black was on the move towards the lavatory. Though she could hear the distance gained between them anyways, so it was hardly necessary to look up either way. "Keep telling yourself that Black. I do hope it at least allows you to sleep at night when you lie to yourself with such notions. Though it is disappointing. I might have actually considered you better than that."

The blonde replied with that same polite tone that seemed to mock the other, quite satisfied with getting the last word. Unless Black chose to stall her shower longer and continue the argument that Reyna had already been crowned victor in. The teen thought perhaps the redhead knew when she had lost, but then, people like Black always argued a point to death because they had something to prove. Either way, Reyna was sure of one thing. Black would think twice before shoving her foot in her own mouth again.