Need A Little Help? PV: Sarah L Closed

If someone was to look for Sarah, seek her out within the many rooms of the castle, they’d likely find her in one of two places. The Charms classroom was one of them, constantly trying to improve her spellwork and get ahead on the syllabus, learning spells above her year just because she could. The second was the library. Arguably, she spent too much time researching and studying – a trait perhaps better fitted to a Ravenclaw than herself – but she loved to learn. Her mother had instilled in her the importance of education from since she could remember, and her passing had only made the young Slytherin more determined to learn everything she possibly could. Which was why she was currently down one of the many isles of the library, browsing ancient books and heavy tomes in hopes of finding something which might spark her interest.

She’d overheard a few of the third years discussing Undetectable Poisons in the common room the night prior, and had made it her days mission to find out more. A leather-bound tome caught her eye – Moste Potente Potions – and she was quick to reach up and grab it. She grinned, flipping it open the first page, eager to begin reading, when a tap on her shoulder pulled her attention away.

Should anyone ask, she’d vehemently deny the flinch the sudden touch had caused. She wasn’t jumpy by nature – overly on guard and distrusting, yes, but she wasn’t jumpy. She disliked the idea of anyone thinking her vulnerable and flinching at a simple tap on her shoulder simply wouldn’t do. Still, she shook away the thought and just about managed to register the words the girl in front of her spoke. She let her eyes run up and down the girl’s body, noting the dirty blonde hair and blue tie tied tightly around her neck. Ravenclaw, then, her mind supplied as she let a small smile settle on her lips, one she hoped appeared friendly. The young Slytherin was quite the sight, all sharp features and bright hair which could sometimes make her appear intimidating. She just hoped the smile – one she’d been desperately practising to try and negate her resting bitch face – somewhat lessened this.

“Hm, hi, can I help you?” She asked, closing the book she was currently holding. She took a second to glance around the area of the library they were stood, seeing they were the only ones, before letting her bright eyes land back on the slightly smaller girl who she supposed was a first year if you took her height into consideration – that and the fact that Sarah had never seen the girl before.

@Sarah Lightwood

"Oh, er," she paused, frowning. She didn't want to interrupt anything or seem rude. She was afraid she annoyed or made the girl upset. She didn't have the best social skills. She often tended to be awkward, especially when starting conversations or approaching new people. She never really had time to work on her social skills either, but she didn't really want to. She was fine keeping to herself, even it meant awkward conversations.

She looked at the girl for a second. She was definitely older than her, since Elodie hadn't seen her around, plus she looked older than her. She took note of her green Slytherin robes, and matching sharp green eyes and hair. At first glance, she looked almost intimidating. Elodie hesitated, wondering if she should just shrug it off and walk away. Maybe she could look for her own books. For a split second, a failing grade seemed a bit better than an awkward conversation, or maybe even a possible negative relationship.

She took one more look. The girl looked calm enough. She sighed, looking down.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything but, er, do you happen to know where all the good potion books are? I mean, the ones that are straight forward and can actually answer your questions and aren't all cryptic and stuff." She looked back up.

If the girl’s slight frown said anything, it was that Sarah’s attempt at a smile hadn’t been as successful as she might have liked. Apparently, the evenings of practising emotion in front of her mirror hadn’t been working as well as she’d thought. She silently cursed her father and his backwards ways. He was the reason why she was always so desperate to hide her emotions and wear the mask he approved of. He was the reason that she didn’t know how to take it off. She forced herself not to roll her eyes, in fear she might only appear less approachable to the smaller girl. Play nice, Lightwood, her mind whispered, and she found it ironic that even when she’d been trying o ‘play nice’, she was failing.

A flicker of hesitation slashed in the girl’s pale blue eyes, and Sarah was convinced she was about to mutter an apology and quickly take her leave. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time it had happened. But the girl surprised her, seeming to hold her nerve and ask what she’d originally wanted to regardless of the slight stutter in her voice. The Slytherin found herself mildly impressed and allowed more focus to be spent on her words.

At the mention of potion books, she smiled again, this time less forced and altogether more convincing. Potions was something she could easily talk about. “I’m pretty sure every book in this library has some sort of cipher you have to deduce before you can even begin to understand it,” She said, recalling one of the first times she’d stepped foot in the library last year. It had taken her almost an hour to realise she was reading a book about occlumency not the transfiguration book she’d intended to read.

Sarah turned her back briefly, glancing across the shelf behind her in search for one of the books which had helped her in potions last year. “I’d recommend either the Potion Opuscule, or the Practical Potioner,” She said, reaching for the first and gesturing for the girl to follow her to the next row of books where she knew the latter to be. She hoped her willingness to help the girl made up for the fact that her face didn’t want to do as it was told.

“Is there a specific potion you’re looking into?” She asked casually as she browsed the books. She remembered how determined she’d been first year to make a good impression on all of the professors. It hadn’t gone quite as planned, but she’d not made an enemy out of Professor Barlow yet which she supposed was a good thing.

@Sarah Lightwood

She sighed in relief as the other girl smiled, joking about how cryptic the books in the library could be. She smiled back, following her as she lead her to the next row of books. Her eyes shifted to dusty groups of books on the shelf.

She reached over and placed her hand on one, running her finger down the spine to wipe off the dust. She stopped to observe the book for a second. It was coated in a thin layer of dust and the navy blue color had almost faded to gray. She smiled to herself. It had always seemed interest Elodie that the school had been around for thousands of years. Who knew how many generations of students had touched the book? She knew a good lot of famous wizards had went to the school, maybe one had used the book to study for a potion test, like she was today.

She allowed herself to think for a moment, before snapping back into reality when her acquaintance asked if she was looking for a certain potion. She shook her head lightly, trying to focus back on the task at hand.

"Oh! Well, my paper said-" she reached into her pocket, before realizing she had left her paper back at the table. She groaned silently to herself, trying to remember.

If only you payed attention, she scolded herself.

"There were a few potions," she recalled. "It was mostly asking for the ingredients for each one and how to properly make them."

Sarah watched as the girl tried to recall the potions, seemingly irritated with herself for being unable to recall the specifics. The older girl afforded a slight grin, remembering what it had been like in first year with a hundred new things thrust upon you. It was as though they expected every student to know exactly what to do with all the new skills they were constantly being taught. She was certain it had taken her months to fully get her head around one topic and by then, they’d moved on to the next.
Perhaps that was why she was so willing to help the first year. She remembered a similar situation when she’d needed the help of an older student last year and thought it only fair to repay the action.

“Right,” She said, thinking through what potions the first years would be learning in November time. “So, you’re probably on general cures and antidotes now. Or maybe healing, but I think that might be the start of next term,” She mumbled to herself as she grabbed the next book she thought might be helpful. Simple enough for first year potion making. “This one is the easiest if you’re just looking for ingredients and potion-making,” She said, referring to the first book she’d handed the Ravenclaw.

“If you’re more interested in the creation and history of them, just for a bit of extra reading, I’d recommend this,” She passed over the slightly thicker book with a smile. “Learn a few facts from that and you’re guaranteed to earn a few extra house points in your next lesson,” she grinned, hoping the girl lived up to her house’s stereotypes and might actually be interested in ‘extra reading’.