"You know calculus?"

He grunts and goes back to his seat.

"Yeah! I studied it by myself, it sounded fun, and it's way easier than most people say."

"Are you going to do that with the subjects here, too?"

"Yeah. Class is useless."

"Louder, I think the Headmistress didn't hear you." 

He giggles. "I learn better alone."

"Why did you come here then?" 

"The books are here and I can't practise magic back home. Also the people."

"Those are good reasons. How do you learn on your own if you aren't smart, though? I'm not smart." 

"I don't think it's about being smart, I think it's just about, like, different ways of learning and doing things? Like, some people are good at learning when other people teach them, some people aren't."

"I guess I'll find out. Do you want to talk to house elves with me?"

"What are those?"

"The...species...that make the food. They like to serve."

Slow blink. "What?"

"Yeah. I haven't met one before, so we'll see."

"Okay yeah I wanna meet one."

"We probably can't go after dinner. I guess we can ask the prefect..."

"We can go tomorrow if we don't tonight."

"Maybe."

Quiet sitting until it's time to go, looks like.

And hopefully eating. Eating's good for you.

Eventually people are done with the food, and it's time for the prefects to start leading them to their dorms.

Scott will walk with his fellow students, and wait for a moment when the prefect isn't looking.

Well, Sadde will pester the prefect about gendered dormitories, so this won't be hard.

In which case Scott will scurry down to the kitchens, asking paintings along the way for help.

The man he asks is quite willing to put down his tea to give directions.

"Tickle the pear to gain entry, and be sure to avoid the Hufflepuffs, little snake. They can be quite meddlesome."