𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌 [𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐫𝐚]

act one, scene four

"Wait. Are you a Mitran?" Willow asked, his eyes wide. "Well, no, of course you are but Mitran as in the Mitrans? Pureblood supremacists, Ravenclaws forever, that Mitran?"

Netra sank into the sofa she was sitting on and laughed, surprised that it took Willow this long to connect the dots.

The last two days of busking went smoothly, and now it was Sunday again. Her parents' guest was due to arrive in two days, so her mother let her spend "another" day with Preethi in the library she was "supposedly" spending the whole week in. Only this time, she was actually there and meeting Preethi and Praveen.

"Yeah, Mitran as in Ravenclaw, pureblood supremacist, Mitran." Netra sighed once she calmed down.

"Damn, you weren't kidding when you told me your family is strict," Willow said, horrified. "Do you already have a marriage contract, or was that a rumour?"

Netra knew exactly what rumour Willow was referencing; it was the one about all pureblood supremacist families keeping their lines pure through arranged marriages. So far, her parents hadn't done anything, and for that she was glad. Whether or not it would remain that way was another story.

She could hope, though.

"Well, I don't have one. Yet." Netra shrugged.

"You're going to have to be a bit specific," said a voice beside her, and Netra could hear the grin in it.

Praveen!

Netra beamed and turned to the side excitedly, with Willow copying her, having been sitting next to Netra rather than opposite her. Beside the couch stood the Patil twins, Praveen and Preethika, Netra's best friends since their first year, and two of the only other South Asians in Hogwarts.

"Yeah, there's a lot of things you don't have, Netra," said Preethi, laughing. "Herbology skills, for instance."

"And apparently, you lot don't have manners, seeing as you haven't introduced yourselves yet," Netra retorted with a light-hearted glare. "Preethika and Praveen Patil, they're twins," she pointed before turning back to Willow and grinning, "Preethi, Praveen, this is my best friend, the one I perform with and helps keep me sane when I can't see you."

"Willow Wood," Willow supplied.

"Your parents sure embraced the family name with that one," Preethi chuckled.

Praveen shot his sister a look and elbowed her. "I'm so sorry about her. She doesn't know when she ought to shut up."

"It just slipped out," Preethi huffed at her brother.

"It's all good, I have to agree with Preethika on that one," Willow laughed.

"Of course, you agree with me. I'm always right," Preethi smiled warmly. "You can just call me Preethi! Preethika's way too formal."

"Noted," Willow smiled in response.

"I wouldn't say you're always right, maybe more like 5 percent of the time," Praveen said, seemingly deep in thought.

Netra nodded vigorously in agreement. "You have your moments, but they're pretty rare. Sorry, not sorry," she smirked playfully.

"Hey! Rude."

"This girl can't even come up with a proper comeback! Your incredible debate skills are as evident as always," Netra said.

"Okay, okay, I get it! I didn't come here to get attacked," she groaned, glaring at Netra jovially.