Lost? In a library! Pv Ira Thornfield

Ira piled yet another book atop the ever-growing stack. Ira carried at least two heavy books in her hands, The weight caused her to wobble slightly on her way.

These days, Ira has been more focused on her studies than ever. The thought of receiving anything below an E in any subject was enough to make her anxious, knowing it would result in a howler being sent to her. No doubt about it!

It wasn’t exactly a new thing in her family. Her cousins had suffered it more than once. Ira, however, was resolute in avoiding such a humiliating fate and it pushed her to focus even harder on her studies.

So, once again, Ira found herself in the library, her determination firm. She was resolved on absorbing as much knowledge as it could hold. On her way to a table, Ira paused to pick up another book, this one detailing the history of magical potions from a nearby shelf, adding it to her growing stack.

She stepped back a pace or two and turned, only to be knocked backward by someone who hadn’t been watching where they were going. Thrown off balance, Ira wobbled. The books slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the ground. One book delivered a sharp blow to her foot, making her wince immediately.

She vaguely heard him say something that included sorry, but Ira’s pain drowned out his words entirely. "Ah!" she cried out, a little too loudly for the library. Clenching her teeth, she muttered, "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" in a hushed tone, hopping on one foot, her hand gripping her leg in a futile attempt to soothe the sting.

@Tracey Bailey

Ira hissed through clenched teeth and drew in a sharp breath and released it slowly, her toes tingled from the lingering ache as a sharp reminder of the book’s impact. Lately, it seemed like people were constantly bumping into her, interrupting her perfectly calm and quiet day.

"Why is it always me?!" Ira groaned, half to herself and half to the universe, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as though some unseen force might finally offer her an explanation. Ira directed a pointed glare at him as she eased her foot back onto the ground. However, the genuine tone of his apology melted away her annoyance, if only slightly.

Ira shrugged, her tone calm yet slightly resigned. "It's alright," she muttered, "I'll just head to the hospital wing later today," she added. As he crouched to collect the fallen books, Ira started to say, "You don't have-" but before she could finish, he was already on his feet, holding them in his arms. "Thank you," she said quietly, offering a polite smile.

Ira reached forward to grab the pile of books from him, glancing at her aching foot before nodding. "I guess I do want to sit," she admitted quietly, realizing she couldn’t keep walking in this state without rest. Ira limped a step or two forward before halting and turning toward him. "What do you mean by 'I think I saw a chair'? Have you never actually been to the library before?" she inquired, her tone tinged with a hint of disbelief.

@Tracey Bailey

When the boy declared he owed Ira and offered to do anything she wanted as repayment, Ira raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly, "I’ll hold onto that. But tell me, how long do I have before this offer expires?" As the boy shared that he was from Mahoutokoro, her eyes widened briefly in surprise and nodded along as he spoke. "I hope you’re enjoying your time here," she said with a warm smile.

As she made her way toward a table, limping slightly, she paused briefly to glance back and confirm he was still with her. "Alright, what sports do you play?" she asked with a casual tone. Based on her understanding, Ira was fairly certain that almost every foreign student who came to her school was involved in some kind of sport.

It only took a few steps for Ira to realise how challenging it was to manage the stack of books while limping. She stopped and turned to him, "Would you mind carrying half of these? You know, since you’re partly to blame." Her tone was light, but the quiet expectation in her voice was clear. After all, it was only fair that he helps lighten her burden.

@Tracey Bailey

"It is indeed pretty," Ira agreed with a nod. Her face softened for a moment before her tone then grew slightly more serious as she added, "Also, If anyone bullies you here, though, let me know. I’ll take care of it."

Well, he was from a different school, from a different country. Ira believed the least she could do was assure him that he had support here. Hopefully, her new friend— assuming he’d be one— would feel at ease here if he wasn't already.

Ira shrugged slightly and said, "I honestly have no idea how it’s going to be decorated either, but my cousins swear they make the school look even more beautiful than it already does." Ira couldn’t wait to witness it with her own eyes.

Ira came to a sudden halt once again, surprise crossing her face. "Really?!" she exclaimed, before quickly lowering her voice as she remembered the library’s quiet rules. "That’s so cool! Quidditch is so fun to watch, and it must be even better to play. And wow—having professional Quidditch players as parents must be so cool!"

Ira let out a light chuckle, "yeah? Well, it's alright, I’ll manage half of them on my own." After he took half, they continued toward a table. Once they reached, she placed the stack down and settled into a chair.

"It’s a shame that you already paid your debt by helping me with the books," as she leaned back. "I was hoping I could score some free tickets for a Quidditch match as repayment!" Ira joked with a grin.

@Tracey Bailey

Ira was genuinely pleased to know the boy hadn’t faced any unpleasant encounters in her school. Well, at least people had the decency not to trouble students from other schools. Ira smiled warmly, "That’s good to hear. I hope it stays that way."

"Well, don’t feel too bad," Ira said with a light chuckle. "Looks like I might miss out too. I’ll most likely be off home for the holidays," she replied with a shrug. If the decorations were up early, Ira could get her eyeful of it. " —But pictures coming your way if I’m still here when they’re done!" She added.

"Good luck with your matches! And hey, don’t sell yourself short. You’re on the team for a reason." Her cheeks burned as she remembered her own embarrassing attempts in flying class. "— Honestly, if you’d seen me on a broom, you’d have a good laugh," Ira laughed it off.

Ira laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, I was just kidding, I wasn’t seriously expecting free tickets. But I’ll definitely come watch your match next year —If I can make it to the camp. And I'd love to see your parents play sometime. Wait—what are their names?" She paused, blinking twice. "Actually, what’s your name?"

@Tracey Bailey