"So, Marino. He thinks he's hot shit. God's gift to women, going to do well at everything, superior to everyone who isn't a Pisan." Because they teach that, because they kind of are, but that's a different story. "But he's an impatient idiot. Yeah, he's hot, incautious girls might go for him... but he's shit at everything important."

"That's... not a comforting personality for a maleficer to have. I know your enclave - families? - is pretty stable overall, but impatient and superior..."

"Family, singular, we consider ourselves one big one with three branches. And you are clever. Good. Oh, also his affinity is blood. Now, spill."

"Eugh. And we already have a serial killer."

"There hasn't been a Pisan who killed more than one outsider in the Scholomance since the school's fourth graduating class, when the norms against maleficing got properly established. We always catch them after one. Sometimes before one. Come on, spill."

"...Yeah, okay. I hope you have a plan. So, the promise was "Don't do anything stupid." "I won't." And that was...less than a month ago, and lasted about an hour."

"So, at induction. Yeah, I wouldn't hold that against my honesty either. What stupid thing did you do?"

"Guess."

"What, you want me to show off?"

"Maybe I just like taunting you."

Oh, he is a fun puzzle. Should she show off? Eh, it couldn't hurt.

"Okay, so, you dislike everyone. You don't seem to particularly dislike me, which is slightly odd. You emphasized you don't trust me, which is also a little odd, mostly people don't trust much in here anyway. You're an enclaver and an American, and you really don't like New York, which means you're close enough to them that familiarity breeds contempt, so eastern. I don't think you're Boston, they have a very specific vibe, like military. Chicago isn't a possibility anymore. So that leaves... Toronto, Montreal, Philadelphia. No accent, so not Montreal, and Toronto had that nonsense with the suicide and you don't sit with them. So Phil, then, and I vaguely remember they have German influence, which matches your name."

"The city's nickname is 'Philly', not 'Phil'. And it's Dutch influence."

"Noted. So, Philly, at least a little more trusting than most people inside, dislike New York more strongly than most. Did something stupid before dinner on induction day. Probably, you trusted someone more than is smart. But that would be... pretty egregiously stupid, in most cases, and you seem clever. So, something mildly stupid... You paid attention to Pajama Girl rumors, so either you like gossip or you were interested in her for some reason. Hormones? Well, that might be a good reason to not dislike me, I am hot."

"Might be your cousin is contagious."

"Oh?"

That... no, it doesn't really appeal. Intellectually, yeah, that is a hot girl flexing to make her boobs stand out, he's pretty sure that's what "sexy" is supposed to look like. He doesn't really care.

Note to self: Teresa had an early puberty and practice at tempting boys. Try to keep that in mind for when he starts being susceptible to it.
Reply to self: Keeping that in mind probably will stop working when he starts being susceptible to it.
Reply to reply: Okay but try, right?

"Yeah, okay, not hormones, I knew that but it seemed fun to test it anyway. So... she's mundane-born and vulnerable. White knight complex probably doesn't show up pre-hormones either, but... Hmm. I think you're kind of a softie. Or have a thing for mundanes. Maybe both? But if it's either of those... that would mean you gave one of the Chicago fallout crowd a stupidly good deal. Not things, things would be stupid enough I think you'd resist the urge. Information, something big enough you'd feel like you definitely did something stupid, but small enough you'd be stupid enough to actually do it? Scholomance orientation knowledge everyone with resources has already; that's got no trade value except for what a mundane could give you, which is minimal, you weren't harvesting hair - I met the twins who were, they're some of my favorite discoveries so far. So that's arguably not even stupid, and the version of you I'm picturing wouldn't feel like you'd broken the promise."

"Oh, they are twins? I saw them going around with the matching outfits, they seemed well-prepared. But I haven't spoken to either directly yet."

"Ah, so this is the right track. Also, you're a poor liar, but I already guessed that, you don't hide your emotions by default and that's necessary to lie well. Right, so... spells. Nothing with substantial trade value, so... oh, you gave someone a basic wake-up ward. Maybe a straightforward fire or shock spell for obvious mals. For a pittance, maybe free. Stupid, because you might be able to trade your variant to someone, but not very stupid, because you wouldn't get much. And they'll be complete dead meat without it, and with it they'll have a chance. And now I've figured out part of the puzzle that is you."

"Well, you certainly did show off."

She's scarily good at this. Damn. Was this whole thing a manipulation? He feels like he has to assume it was.

"I nailed it, didn't I? I knew I was close, but you are absolutely acting like I nailed it. Clearly, you should spill the rest of your secrets to save me a few minutes figuring them out."

"Yeah, you pretty much did. You are scary, to be honest. And not just the part where you're a polite maleficer."

"Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all year." She mock-bows. "Well, anything unusual you're looking for in people to meet? I have been assembling a picture of all the most interesting people in our year, I might send someone your way."

"Hmm. Well, anyone who wants their books warded for privacy. Or wants help understanding historical language shifts, at least for anything in the Germanic family or ancient Latin/Greek, I'm quite good at that. Haven't gotten to any of the modern Romance languages yet, though. I need Mandarin vocabulary tutoring. And anyone with ambitions to change the political landscape after school is someone I'd want to meet, one way or another. Or the rest of the landscape, actually, I met someone who's investigating whether agglos can be starved or poisoned or rendered incapable of reproduction, to see whether mals can be controlled, anyone else like that."

"Huh, I think I want to meet them, too. Name?"