"She seems nice and I'm not sure if anybody's actually talking to the Slytherins. Maybe even other Slytherins."
"I... am a little confused by the idea of a nice Slytherin," Emma admits.
"She really does seem nice. We have Charms with Slytherins and she talks to us there. Karen was scared of her but isn't any more. Do you want to be introduced?"
Now lacking ways to say maybe later, Emma just shrugs and mumbles, "Uh, sure, I guess."
And really, that would be valuable information in case she's later contemplating telling anyone why and how she's a Ravenclaw.
The school is ancient and there's only been the one war. Maybe nice Slytherins are hard, but tolerable ones- clearly existed, before if not now.
"I could introduce you both later," says Miranda. "I'm just thinking about it now because I'm pretty sure she's the one who made fireworks spell 'Happy Birthday" outside the Ravenclaw dormitory when I went out."
She's over at the Slytherin table! When she sees Miranda looking, she winks.
Miranda attempts to wave her over. She likes Alli, but an entire table of Slytherins might be a bit much.
My. What a completely innocent question.
"Somebody," says Miranda, "greeted me with friendly fireworks when I walked out of my common room this morning. And I have gotten books, and will probably get more things from Renée's owl sometime today. It's a good birthday!"
"Well, that was very nice of somebody," Alli says innocently. "I'm glad it's been good!" She laughs. "Complete with new books. Ravenclaw." She sticks her tongue out, then returns to normal. (For her.) "So, who're the ducklings? Hi, I'm Alli."
Unsurprisingly, this question is followed by the presence of a duck bill.
"You're following Mama Duck here, of course," Alli says, waving at Miranda. "Also, you're a Metamorphmagus, wicked! Miranda, you have the coolest friends. (Like me, obviously.)" She eyes Emma. "You're probably a Special Snowflake too, yeah? Overpowered wands and shapeshifting and... what?"
Alli being a Slytherin is, strangely, making Emma less shy; she's less paralyzed by what if I get something wrong, what will they think.
Jenny beams at the praise. She dismisses the bill- they're rather awkward in her vision- but turns her hair a rather glittery shade of silver. Snowflake!
Karen catches up soon enough to ask, "Do I have a special snowflake trait too?"
"Hi sunshine, where'd you sprout from?" Alli says with a smile. "You get the 'infinitely better at classes than Alli' Snowflake." She rolls her eyes at herself. "No escaping textbooks or misbehaving feathers for you!"