"Like... Stuff that tastes like a thing but isn't the thing?"

"Is it something muggles make?  Instead of whatever charms or potions Bertie Bott uses?"

"Yeah. They make it in like chemistry labs."

Ron's pretty sure he knows vaguely what a chemistry lab is.  "What do they make it out of?"

"Dunno."

He shrugs one shoulder and takes another bite of licorice wand.  "My dad works with muggle stuff in the Ministry, so I know a bit about it, but not much.  What's the muggle world like?"

Shrug. "Complicated? I dunno... There's technology stuff that's probably weird to you guys... There's also bunches more Muggles... I didn't hear lots of languages in Diagon Alley like I sometimes do in London? And some Muggles really like things being normal and predictable and some Muggles really like things being weird and unpredictable..."

"Yeah, wizards are like that too.  My brother Percy wants everything to be tidy, but Fred and George really like causing trouble."

"Are Fred and George your brothers too?"

He nods.  "They're twins.  Fred's in Gryffindor and George is in Slytherin, which they think is really funny."

"Why? I read a bit about the Houses, but not much..."

"Gryffindor and Slytherin are rivals," Ron says.  "Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff too, a little, but not as much.  Gryffindor's for heroes and warriors and Slytherin is sort of for sneaky politicians.  But Fred and George are a lot alike even though they got sorted into opposite houses, which is part of why they think it's funny, I think."

She nods. "Like sports rivals?"

"Sorta!  All the Houses do have their own Quidditch teams.  But it's not just about Quidditch, either - even the ones who don't care about Quidditch don't like each other."

"Huh. Why not?"

"Fred and George say Gryffindors think Slytherins are all sneaky bastards and Slytherins think Gryffindors are loud dumb bullies."

"Are they?"

"Well, Fred and George aren't really either one."

She smiles a little.

"I think I wanna be a Hufflepuff."

"I'm hoping for Gryffindor, personally," Ron says.  "Why Hufflepuff?"

"They sound nice. And like the kind of person I wanna be? Loyal and hardworking."

He nods, slowly.

"I wanna be Gryffindor because Gryffindor's all about standing up to the bad guys.  Almost my whole family have been, too, except for George and Percy."

"I dunno I'd be good at that..." she says, a bit uncomfortably. "I wouldn't mind helping someone who is, though."

"I don't know if you're supposed to be good at being your House right away," he says.  "But Hufflepuff wouldn't be bad, either."

She nods. "Yeah. I think I'll like them, though?"