13 Apr 2025, 01:13
Where Silence Meets Someone
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✧DATE✧ 04|03|2025
✧HEX✧ Thoughts
Grace: #760404
Reducio
16:00 | 18:00 ✧TIME✧
@Hazel Bell ✧INTERACTION✧
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By now it was after 4 p.m. and the students had concluded their classes. They had two hours of free time to devote to whatever they preferred before heading to the Great Hall for dinner.
Among these students was Grace, who like all the others wore the Gryffindor uniform, her hair styled in a soft braid.
Some spent this time with friends, some having fun: the young Gryffindor decided to occupy it in studying and revising. And what better place than the library? A place that seemed to make time pass more slowly, more calmly, and where the only noises were the turning of pages and the sound of muffled footsteps on the floor.
Grace fixed the only two strands of hair that framed her face, before heading for the shelves. She was looking for two books, one on Herbology and one on Potions: she wanted to make sure she had learnt as much as possible about the topics she had studied in the previous days' lessons.
Taking the books, she started looking for a place to sit down. It was not difficult: at that moment there were not many students. Perhaps some had no interest in spending any more time on books, or perhaps they had yet to arrive.
"Let's see... Let's start with... potions", she whispered to herself.
So she set her eyes on the books, taking notes here and there. About thirty minutes passed, and Grace allowed herself a slight pause, stretching her arms upwards.
As she did so, her gaze wandered aimlessly between the tables and the furthest shelves.
She was not intent on looking for anyone. She just wanted to take a little break. Just a moment to let her mind lighten.
Why am I so terrible at remembering people's faces? Why can I never put a name to a face? she thought to herself.
It was a question that came back often in her head, like a sort of reflex.
She could remember everything: ingredients, potions, and even complicated passages of spells... but definitely not faces. And certainly never with clarity.
It was as if people's faces were a part of the landscape, something she could only notice when she stepped out of the chaotic context. Just like now. Here, sitting alone, far from the hustle and bustle of classes, with two books open and her mind beginning to wander here and there.
She brought a hand to the nape of her neck, beginning to fiddle with a lock that had escaped her braid.
At times she wondered if this was normal. If others also forgot so easily, or if perhaps only she had to pretend to remember names and smiles, hoping no one would notice.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again with a slow breath.
The library was always the same, but sometimes it seemed to change. Not because of what it contained, but because of what it let out.
Thoughts, questions, small fragments of herself that during the day remained hidden under several layers of busyness and noise.
Perhaps that was precisely why she often returned there, whenever she could.
Because that silence spoke to her, and listened to her, even when she said nothing.
She shrugged her shoulders, as if she wanted to shake off that sticky thought, and went back to looking at the book in front of her.
She didn't have to recognise anyone in here. No one to greet, no one to remember.
There was only her, the rustling of the pages, and time that seemed to forget to run.
Maybe it's OK, she thought. Maybe they'll come back on their own, when I need them.
And without adding anything else, she lowered her gaze and started reading again.
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18 Apr 2025, 04:32
Where Silence Meets Someone
Hazel slowly took a step forward in the enchanting library. Thick leather books sat waiting for her to explore in the wooden shelves filled with magic. Millions of pages of knowledge waited for her, a dusty ink scent permeating through the air. Young wizards stood laughing, chatting, and studying in corners of the library. All the books seemed equally pleasing and entertaining. Hazel couldn't wait to read a few books.
It was 4pm, her favourite part of the day. Well, usually it was her favourite part of the day. She finished reading the books in her trunk, and she wanted to find something else.
Suddenly, a dull red book caught her eye. Reaching out, Hazel took it off the shelf. Then she noticed a familiar figure next to her. The girl had styled her hair into a braid, her Gryffindor badge gleaming.
Maybe she is new, just like me, Hazel thought. Huh? Isn't she in my class? She remembered the girl. Her name is...Grace?
She readjusted her gaze towards the book shyly. Trying not to look up, she urged herself to go and introduce herself. It's just a simple "hello", Hazel told herself. Just introduce yourself! You've done this so many times.
Still, she couldn't do it. She shook her head, trying to shake off the doubtful thoughts. Flipping open the book, she couldn't seem to focus on what the chapters were saying. It was her typical shy behaviour.
I'll say hi later, she told herself firmly. She decided to put this matter aside. Sighing, she shoved the book back into its place. As she left the corner of the library and ventured to the other side, she couldn't help but take a look at the other girl.
After half an hour, Hazel finally found a book she wanted to read, except she didn't know if she could borrow it. Maybe if I ask really politely, whoever is in charge here would let me borrow it, she hoped. As she turned around to find the librarian, she saw the Gryffindor girl again, who was still reading.
At that moment, she mustered up the courage and walked towards them. She sat in the nearby seat and shyly said, " Hello, I'm Hazel. Are you...Grace?"
It was 4pm, her favourite part of the day. Well, usually it was her favourite part of the day. She finished reading the books in her trunk, and she wanted to find something else.
Suddenly, a dull red book caught her eye. Reaching out, Hazel took it off the shelf. Then she noticed a familiar figure next to her. The girl had styled her hair into a braid, her Gryffindor badge gleaming.
Maybe she is new, just like me, Hazel thought. Huh? Isn't she in my class? She remembered the girl. Her name is...Grace?
She readjusted her gaze towards the book shyly. Trying not to look up, she urged herself to go and introduce herself. It's just a simple "hello", Hazel told herself. Just introduce yourself! You've done this so many times.
Still, she couldn't do it. She shook her head, trying to shake off the doubtful thoughts. Flipping open the book, she couldn't seem to focus on what the chapters were saying. It was her typical shy behaviour.
I'll say hi later, she told herself firmly. She decided to put this matter aside. Sighing, she shoved the book back into its place. As she left the corner of the library and ventured to the other side, she couldn't help but take a look at the other girl.
After half an hour, Hazel finally found a book she wanted to read, except she didn't know if she could borrow it. Maybe if I ask really politely, whoever is in charge here would let me borrow it, she hoped. As she turned around to find the librarian, she saw the Gryffindor girl again, who was still reading.
At that moment, she mustered up the courage and walked towards them. She sat in the nearby seat and shyly said, " Hello, I'm Hazel. Are you...Grace?"
Last edited by Hazel Bell on 5 May 2025, 07:57, edited 1 time in total.
4 May 2025, 19:33
Where Silence Meets Someone
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✧DATE✧ 04|03|2025
✧HEX✧ Thoughts
Grace: #760404
Reducio
16:00 | 18:00 ✧TIME✧
@Hazel Bell ✧INTERACTION✧
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It was hard for her to tell just how much time had passed, but by now she had completed her study of potions. She had flipped through several pages, writing down various ingredients with all the information she could find, so that everything was clear in detail.
So lost in her reading, she nearly forgot she was in a library filled with other students, and it took her a few seconds to realise that someone was speaking to her. She looked up sharply when she heard a voice next to her.
"Hello, I'm Hazel. Are you... Grace?"
The Gryffindor froze for a moment, surprised. She hadn't expected anyone to speak to her there, in the library. Not that she wasn't pleased, quite the contrary! But usually, in a place like this, people kept to themselves, quietly studying.
She looked the girl straight in the eyes, blinking slightly, as if to return to the present and get away from her thoughts. She still had her quill pen in her hand and, on her paper, a line of notes broken in the middle. She nodded with an uncertain but sincere smile.
"Yes, it's me. I'm Grace."
The young Ravenclaw's face was not entirely new to her. Perhaps she had seen her in class, or perhaps in the Great Hall, at breakfast. She was probably a first year herself, or so it seemed to the young witch.
She stared at her for a moment, then lowered her gaze, a little embarrassed and almost guilty.
"I'm sorry... I'm bad at matching names and faces sometimes," she said, shrugging slightly. "It's not that I don't care about people, I swear! It's just... my mind works better at remembering potion ingredients, rather than faces." She made a sympathetic grimace, hoping the other understood the situation.
"But thank you for talking to me!" she added, not to leave an awkward silence.
"Did you find an interesting one?"she then asked, pointing to the book Hazel was holding. "I just finished noting down a couple of recipes and general information. The last one I reviewed is..." She lowered her gaze to look for the title on the paper. "The Antidote to Uncommon Poisons. Do you like potions? I do, very much. I got into it thanks to my father... he's a potionist."
She leaned against the back of the chair, trying to relax a little.
"Do you want to sit here?" she asked, shifting her books around to clear a spot for her. "If you like, we can also study, review... or just browse together."
She smiled once more, looking at Hazel. And it was true that sometimes names and faces escaped her, but maybe she just needed a little time.
People are better remembered when you actually talk to them, she thought.
"Anyway, I'm really glad to meet you, Hazel."
And she really was. She didn't know if they would become friends, but at that moment... it just seemed like a good start.
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5 May 2025, 07:56
Where Silence Meets Someone
Hazel immediately lost her voice. It's not that she didn't want to talk to people, just that...she had buried herself into books so often that introducing herself to new people was very awkward. She always stayed in her on community, her own little circle.
She was thankful that she didn't mix up names. Remembering one embarrassing moment when she mixed up the names of her classmates, she tried to shake the thought off.
It's all fine, she told herself. Grace seems very nice, and there's nothing to be worried about. She's even inviting you, the bookworm, to study with her!
But here she was. Speechless. Luckily, Grace didn't seem to want an awkward silence either and began talking.
"Anyway, I'm really glad to meet you, Hazel."
"Yeah, me too." She answered. She instantly regretted it, hoping she didn't sound insincere.
Hastily, she added, "It would be nice if we studied together. Potions isn't exactly my strongest subject...But I like it too," she paused, hoping it didn't sound weird.
"Anyway, I know some good books that you might want to read," she smiled.
Her gaze drifted to the other end of the library. I hope we can be friends, she thought. It's not good to just be stuck in my little world of pages.
Then she looked down at her book. What if Grace didn't want to be friends with her?
The words couldn't tumble out of her mouth. She looked up.
"I really enjoyed being with you. Would you mind to be...friends?"
She really didn't mind. And it would really help to have a friend in her class. It was time for her to step out of her circle.
She was thankful that she didn't mix up names. Remembering one embarrassing moment when she mixed up the names of her classmates, she tried to shake the thought off.
It's all fine, she told herself. Grace seems very nice, and there's nothing to be worried about. She's even inviting you, the bookworm, to study with her!
But here she was. Speechless. Luckily, Grace didn't seem to want an awkward silence either and began talking.
"Anyway, I'm really glad to meet you, Hazel."
"Yeah, me too." She answered. She instantly regretted it, hoping she didn't sound insincere.
Hastily, she added, "It would be nice if we studied together. Potions isn't exactly my strongest subject...But I like it too," she paused, hoping it didn't sound weird.
"Anyway, I know some good books that you might want to read," she smiled.
Her gaze drifted to the other end of the library. I hope we can be friends, she thought. It's not good to just be stuck in my little world of pages.
Then she looked down at her book. What if Grace didn't want to be friends with her?
The words couldn't tumble out of her mouth. She looked up.
"I really enjoyed being with you. Would you mind to be...friends?"
She really didn't mind. And it would really help to have a friend in her class. It was time for her to step out of her circle.
9 May 2025, 18:40
Where Silence Meets Someone
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✧DATE✧ 04|03|2025
✧HEX✧ Thoughts
Grace: #760404
Reducio
16:00 | 18:00 ✧TIME✧
@Hazel Bell ✧INTERACTION✧
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Grace did not expect that question. It is not a typical request that is asked directly, it usually happens without realising it. So, this made her smile even before she could reply.
"Friends," she repeated, raising her eyebrows, as if seriously considering the proposal. "Mmmh... Wait... Let me check my schedule." She pretended to flip through imaginary pages. "Oh look, I really have a free space today to have a new friend!"
She burst out laughing softly, covering her mouth with her hand to muffle the noise and not disturb too much in the library. The tone was playful, and her heart was beating fast.
"Sorry," she added immediately afterwards. "I'm not making fun of you. But... it's just... I'm really pleased. But in all honesty, I'm terrible at first conversations. If I walk into a new place I have fifty percent that I'll be immediately integrated and the other fifty percent that my brain will freeze up. Kind of like: Error--Social Skills not found."
She moved the books to make room for her and interrupt that lonely day. "Yes, Hazel. I would love to be your friend."
Those words were nice to say, more than she could have expected.
Resting her chin on her hand, she looked at her better "I don't mind being on my own, but I guess some things are good to share."
She shrugged, then pointed to one of her 'notes':
"Look at this, what do you think? I drew a mushroom with legs reading under a tree. Strange, huh? After so much concentration, I like to ease my mind and it seemed too funny not to."
She showed her the sketch proudly: "I don't think I'm a great artist, but I put my heart into what I do."
Then without thinking too much, she asked,
"Do you have a favourite spot here at school? For now one of mine is the courtyard, where there is grass and I can hear the wind singing. I go there when I need to think."
She looked at her in the eyes, smiling. And, in that moment, she realised that something new was being created.
There was no need to be perfect. Just being there was enough.
"Anyway Hazel... I'm glad you came to talk to me. For real."
In Grace's chest, she didn't feel the usual anxiety, just a strange subtle calm. It was funny how a day could change with a simple question.
She didn't know how long this friendship would last, or where it would lead. All she knew was that today began.
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24 May 2025, 09:22
Where Silence Meets Someone
A bright smile spread across Hazel's face.
Instead of an awkward conversation, what faced her was a friend. Someone who wanted to spend time with her.
"Oh, umm, yeah!" Hazel exclaimed at the cute drawing of the mushroom. "I love your creativity, honestly. I'm terrible at drawing. I mean, I probably could sketch a few simple things, but that? I'd ruin the mushroom's shape, then slant the head, and give it a mean look-" she burst out laughing.
"Well, I would never draw something as nice as that!" she concluded. "Maybe in addition to magic, spells, and potions, you could teach me about sketching?"
From inside her books, she pulled out her crochet sticks. "Oh! I could crochet that mushroom! I saw some muggles doing it, and it was so cute that I also wanted to try! So the next day, I went to a muggle library and borrowed a book about it. It's a weird but interesting thing to do. I could make a mushroom just like that sometime and give it to you. "
She paused to inspect the drawing. "You could even add glasses here." Hazel lifted the pencil and tapped lightly against the paper. Perfect. Hopefully, Grace would think so too. "A nerdy mushroom? Wow. I didn't even know it would look this nice." Hazel laughed.
She paused, admiring the little drawing on the page.
"You're a great artist," Hazel assured her new friend. "A great artist with plenty of imagination. I love it."
When she looked towards Grace and saw her expression, it was the most priceless thing in the world. Hazel silently promised she would never forget this instance. Ever.
Instead of an awkward conversation, what faced her was a friend. Someone who wanted to spend time with her.
"Oh, umm, yeah!" Hazel exclaimed at the cute drawing of the mushroom. "I love your creativity, honestly. I'm terrible at drawing. I mean, I probably could sketch a few simple things, but that? I'd ruin the mushroom's shape, then slant the head, and give it a mean look-" she burst out laughing.
"Well, I would never draw something as nice as that!" she concluded. "Maybe in addition to magic, spells, and potions, you could teach me about sketching?"
From inside her books, she pulled out her crochet sticks. "Oh! I could crochet that mushroom! I saw some muggles doing it, and it was so cute that I also wanted to try! So the next day, I went to a muggle library and borrowed a book about it. It's a weird but interesting thing to do. I could make a mushroom just like that sometime and give it to you. "
She paused to inspect the drawing. "You could even add glasses here." Hazel lifted the pencil and tapped lightly against the paper. Perfect. Hopefully, Grace would think so too. "A nerdy mushroom? Wow. I didn't even know it would look this nice." Hazel laughed.
She paused, admiring the little drawing on the page.
"You're a great artist," Hazel assured her new friend. "A great artist with plenty of imagination. I love it."
When she looked towards Grace and saw her expression, it was the most priceless thing in the world. Hazel silently promised she would never forget this instance. Ever.
26 May 2025, 22:13
Where Silence Meets Someone
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✧DATE✧ 04|03|2025
✧HEX✧ Thoughts
Grace: #760404
Reducio
16:00 | 18:00 ✧TIME✧
@Hazel Bell ✧INTERACTION✧
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She burst into a stifled laugh, bringing her hand to her mouth to fight the sound and hoping not to draw the anger of all the students present. Hazel had just given her drawing a new life. A little mushroom with glasses. A Nerd mushroom. How could anyone not love that?
"A little mushroom with glasses! That was what he was missing."She said giggling, trying not to be overheard by the others present. "We might call him... Professor Spugnus for his friends- His full name is Muffius Borraculus Spugnus, and he teaches everything there is to know about spores and poisons: : from survival to transmutation."
She leaned forward slightly to look where she had pointed and to add the modifications. " Ta-da!" she exclaimed with a small tearful gesture. " Thanks to you, he looks more smart now! However, in my opinion, he would also need a couple of bags, like those filled with books, to really look like a scholar."
She sighed theatrically."Look at that... a character in his own right! We should write a book about him, you know? Like, ‘The Adventures of Professor Spugnus and the Mystery of the Forgotten Spores’. It could become a real hit! "
She looked at her with eyes full of excitement and a huge smile. Just that real smile, which also shows from the eyes, and not the fake, polite one you get when someone asks you if you like something you would normally despise.
"You want to know something?" She lowered her voice as if she was about to reveal a huge secret. "I had sat here today to review potions and herbology, but instead here I am chatting with a brilliant friend and laughing at a little mushroom with glasses. And you want to know something else? It's the best part of the day."
She rested her chin on her hand, a little more relaxed, and looked at her with great curiosity.
"Oh, and by the way..." she added, wrinkling her nose slightly. "... but the crochet hook... is that thing with those needles with the curved tips?"
She paused, thoughtful. "I think I saw something at my great friend's house, but I'm not sure. I feel a bit embarrassed for not knowing."
She brought her hands to her face to cover the slight embarrassment she felt.
"Anyway, you've really got me curious",she shrugged to get that uncomfortable emotion off her shoulders. "Let's exchange information about things we don't know or need help with. I'll help you with the sketching and you can explain crochet to me better. "
She winked at her. "We're friends now anyway, we can meet as often as we want."
From here on, Grace no longer worried whether she would remember his face the next day. Because that moment, this moment, she would not forget.
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