Loose PV Emma M. Reopened

Another Care of Magical Creatures class had lingered by, and another animal had been introduced to the new third years. In spirit. If she was remaining honest, Emma wasn't particularly fond of the class, but it was required so she neglected up her judgments. The roaming monsters made her somewhat uncomfortable like a curious bee roaming around on a sunny day. It was no wasps' nest, but it still provoked some concern into the teenager. It was a different environment, not only a new class. Being situated on the perimeter on the Forbidden Forest gave her a strange feeling of expectancy, waiting for a mysterious creature to speed out gracefully. Discovering a unicorn on the terrains would have been the highlight of class time. Like most of the other students, she never had to undergo an ill-fated encounter with the critters, but not all of the beasts were dangerous.

There was no animal appearance, much like the last lesson which was spent calming her nerves. But she wouldn't be causing a scene during class, and there weren't any complaints from her. If anything, the class had been more like therapy, bundled with note-taking and anxiety relief. Classes weren't that long, making the therapy session bearable, but she couldn't wait to return to her dorm and begin slacking off. The last class of the day was always the mentally hardest, especially with no way to tell the time. 

As she assembled her belongings, the Ravenclaw slipped the leatherback journal beneath her arm and slung her backpack on her shoulder, reading to hit the hay and take a nap. After she finished this journal. Collapsing on the nearest rock, she prepared her work and made herself comfortable. Although it might not have been the most beneficial place to concentrate on homework, she wouldn't remember to complete the task a few minutes after her long-awaited slumber. Setting the book down on her lap, she glanced back at the creatures all fenced in. Perhaps the fences contained magical properties because some of them, big and small, could clearly get passed the line of defense and wander throughout Hogwarts.

She took the charcoal pencil and began looking around for nonmagical creatures to begin observing. Minutes passed, and she had witnessed the fascinating appearance of a spider and toad in their natural habitats. She did transfer her station down (near a Slytherin girl) at the sight of an arachnid crawling similar to a killer in a horror film, squirming to herself as she allowed the beast to continue on its route. Anything with more or less than four legs was considered a threat.

After an hour of working, Emma stood up to pop any bones she could. Her fingertips nearly touched the branch above her, but when she tried to pull her arm back down, a small tension delayed her arms and she felt her jewelry slide off her wrist. Glancing up at a blue being, she jumped up to collect the artifact but grounded with a handful of air. She couldn't lose that bracelet. 

The beast jingled the trinket above her head and the beads ricochetted against together noisily. She hadn't seen a pixie ever since her first year in Hogwarts. She had almost overlooked it for a fairy. A soft growl rose from her body and she gave one last attempt at her vertical but with no luck, her feet hit the ground and she remained without her favorite possession. The history behind it made the bracelet expensive, but not for monetary value. Drawing her wand, the girl pondered for a bit before putting it back away; she couldn't use magic against the pixie without the fear of mistargeting and destroying it, though it was rare. 

Approaching the artist, she examined her drawing first before asking. "Can you help me? Please." She pointed up at the pixie before unveiling her bare wrist, her mind imagining of only the worse. She couldn't believe she was asking for help.

🏵🏵🏵

Thora was not paying attention. Carefully adding shades of grey to neutralize earthy browns, she'd pretty much even disregarded the passing of time. Nary a thought crossed her mind as she continued to sketch, aware of only the strangely therapeutic swishes of graphite on paper. The chatter of older students faded away as they reached the castle's doors, and all was again drowned out by the lapping of water on the shore.

And then a voice broke into her thoughts. Glancing upwards, her green eyes found a girl motioning first at a strange flying creature, and then at her wrist. Confused, Thora cocked her head to the side a bit as she scrutinized the other brunette's wrist--there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it--and then the winged… Insect? No, it was unarguably a pixie. A pixie holding a circular something.

"Sure," Thora answered quickly as she scrambled to her feet, leaving her sketchbook open atop the grass. "I can try." But even aided by the low heels of her boots and her having drawn herself up as tall as she physically could, there was clearly a problem. The fact that she was shorter than many were at the same age as herself wasn't unknown to the girl--in fact, though relatively commonplace at Hogwarts, one vertically challenged tended to be perpetually reminded of it, seeing that there were so many other students. Still, Thora couldn't help but feel dwarfed, not just because she was standing next to a much taller--and presumably older--girl, but also because she knew there was no reasonable way she'd be able to reach the pixie.

Though her experience with the creatures were from just a single DADA lesson the previous year, they seemed incredibly irksome. There was nothing pleasant about small, ugly creatures that could easily fly out of one's grasp, and their carrying wizards by the ears sounded painful, if not horrendous. What Thora had somewhat appreciated from that particular lesson, though, was the spell paired with knowledge of the pixies.

Though useful, Flipendo had never been very friendly to the Slytherin. The fairly simple spell had been her demise in the one and only duel she'd ever participated in, and even now, it seemed prone to being unsuccessful, if not backfiring. It appeared their best hope, and the most obvious way to stun the pixie and retrieve the object (which, with a closer look, appeared to be jewelry of sorts), but as much as she hated to admit her current weakness, Thora wasn't positive she could pull it off flawlessly.

Standing by, or just walking away, clearly wasn't an option, though, so she offered her thoughts. "I don't think I could reach it," the words tumbled out of her mouth, each on the previous one's tail, eager to find a solution before the pixie did anything further. "Could Flipendo, or tree," she muttered, barely realizing that her sentences weren't at all coherent. "I mean, of course we could use magic. If not… I suppose climbing a tree," a hand moved to rest on the knobby trunk just next to her, "and luring it into reach could work."

Truth be told, she was much to cowardly to leap out of a tree. Scaling it was one thing--almost second nature to the farm-raised girl--but jumping off? An unnecessary trip to the Hospital Wing was certainly looming, and simply put, the Slytherin would just rather not revisit the place the hosted so many bad memories.

"Thora, by the way," A pink flush spread across Thora's cheeks, unfortunately evident against her pale complexion.. Her almost inexistent social life was even more apparent than before as Thora struggled to find the words to speak. It wasn't at all like her to say so much, much less put so much trust in her shaky spellcasting skills as to offer her services, but here was someone asking for help. Something she could actually help fix, and an opportunity to stand her ground. She couldn't walk away now.

Emma couldn't afford to lose the bracelet, not after nearly five years of keeping up with it. It was somewhat challenging to recall the last time she had gone without her prized possession. She slept with it, swam with it, and even skipped in the mud with it. Wherever she went, the vexatious noise of clicking accompanied her with each step, but it had become an acquainted sound that reminded her of home. That reminded her of the people she lost, more specifically, her grandmother. She wouldn't return to her house without it and let the blue devil relish its latest trophy. Hearing her father scorn her for its loss had come nowhere near close to her bucket list. She could already feel moisture fiddling with her sights. It wasn't her fault, but that didn't matter, she was accountable for what befell.

Those pearls were more than something to discover lounging around at the bottom of the ocean. After her time was up, it was to eventually be passed on from generation to generation. It had been an honor to originate the succession, but to break it now would be a humiliation. She hadn't even purchased it with her own money, it was more like a gift, but she couldn't be selfish and hog it all to herself. One day, which unquestionably happened to be decades from now, she'd grow tired of it and there'd be new members entering her family. She couldn't wait to present it to a prodigy of her own, but she had to get it back first. Perhaps she was embedding too much pressure on herself.

Rarely did she find herself begging for help. It was easier for her to rough it out alone than to hear a perplexing explanation she wasn't going to remember. Obstinacy whirled all around her. Here she was, however. The girl looked no older than her, though height was nevermore a method to judge others. She had seen a few adults stand tall but to no avail reach her height and quickly learned to keep her thoughts inside her head. The brunette wasn't exactly towering for her age, but to say average? It was a definite no. The well-known saying hadn't influenced her. It was much easier to judge someone by their appearance than personality. Besides, never would she march up to someone with crazed eyes. Some books need to be judged, but she didn't have the opportunity to think about it.

A sense of regret troubled the back of her mind as the girl began to talk, her mind imagining the worst. That was her bad habit; a cynical outlook on life, something that genuinely sought for attention like gnawing on your lips. Unfortunately for her, Emma also did that unconsciously. Maybe it was wrong to put all of her confidence into the younger girl, but she couldn't blame her for trying. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"I might hit the bracelet... but I suppose I could use magic to mend it?" The words came out quicker than her natural pace. The churning in her stomach tampered with her posture, but she played it off with tiny steps toward the pixie. Its solid black eyes watched in her direction from the air. It wasn't hard to tell. The small creature suspended the beads several feet above the lake and she caught her breath. Taunting a wild creature wasn't going to get her anywhere but a one-way ticket right back to her home in Cambridge, and that wasn't an option.

"Do you think you'd be able to catch it?" The third year withdrew her aspen wand without making eye contact at the artist. There was no telling what could happen if she took her eyes off the being for even a few seconds. Although it might have been a sign of insolence and misusing the girl, the impression hadn't come to mind. She couldn't wait for an answer. It wasn't every day you put your life into a stranger's hands, after all.

Raising her wand, she vocalized the incantation, her breath still nonexistent. Part of her wanted to smite the being for stealing her belonging while the other hoped profoundly her aim was no competition for it. With her body tense and her arm still raised, her body froze watching the yellow light dart for the pixie. Please, please, please...

🏵🏵🏵

Thora attempted to stare down the pixie, willing it to stay put with a green glare. At this point, she probably looked a bit mad, what with a fruitless attempt to freeze a being with her eyes, but she was honestly too focused to care. It certainly wouldn't be easy to get the bracelet back, but they would get it back. They had to, for what else could they do? She really didn't know why she cared so much, since she'd just met the taller brunette, but there had always been something that compelled her to help where it was needed. And here was such a time.

"Sure, I'll try," the Slytherin murmured, the words barely audible for fear of scaring the pixie. As much as she wanted to promise success, or that she'd be able to snatch the bracelet out of the air when it fell, she didn't like making commitments she couldn't meet for sure. That didn't mean Thora wouldn't try her best, though, as she certainly wanted to help return the bangle to its owner, safe and sound. Darting around the other girl, feet silent on the grassy ground, Thora positioned herself under the pixie, small hands cupped and ready to catch the bracelet.

She was practically about to walk into the Great Lake now, but still ignored the undoubtedly cold water lapping at her shoes. (though thankfully, it did not seep in). The shoes on her feet were scuffed, but at this point, she really had more things to care about than her choice of clothing.

An incantation was followed by a yellow beam of light, and Thora forced herself not to blink, staring straight upwards. But then came the tug. She had to grit her teeth to keep from shouting aloud as she felt her ear being yanked upwards, as well as the rest of her small frame. It took her a short while to register what was going on, but after struggling to lift her head and realizing that a tiny blue creature--exactly like the one in possession of the bracelet, in fact--her eyes grew huge as her heart sank.

It hurt. The girl had felt much extreme pain before, but this was a new kind. An unfamiliar, searing type of pain. It ran all the way to her dangling feet, and as it worsened, she began to worry her ear would fall off, or at least take damage from the horrible pixie's grip. She began to fight back tears of fright (because after all, she was really just a little girl), until she looked down and remembered. The bracelet.

"I--sorry--" was all she could manage as the flight stole away her breath. She was too far away now from the original pixie to tell if it was still clutching onto the bracelet, but even if she could, she wouldn't be able to do anything in the air. It was really an awful shame, but it wasn't like Thora could command the beastly thing to put her down. Could she?

"Put me down!" the Slytherin hissed upwards, face now comparable to a tomato from the humiliation. It wasn't the pain that was the problem now, it was the embarrassment. While she typically loved the airborne feeling that only flying on a broom could bring and didn't have a problem with heights, this suspension in the air was sickening and far from enjoyable. But guilt ran through her fear, as she still remembered the taller girl and her bracelet, both whom Thora could only assume she'd left behind. "Sorry," she whispered again, the words swept away by the air.

While admittedly her idea, Emma wasn't too interested in managing the situation with magic. Her precision was of decency, but not flawless. There was always room for trial and error, but she couldn't manage to destroy the accessory that kept her hands occupied and her wrist company. The girl's wrist felt alone and only the obscure imprint of the gems kept her engaged, but even that was beginning to evaporate as she stroked the dents with her thumb.

Thoughts rushed inside just as fast as they disappeared from her head. Quidditch, homework, organizations, studying, and her other after-school activities needed to be placed on hold. At least until she could stop her wandering mind from racing. It's essential to analyze the different results for the brunette; to stay practical. Breath, breath... She told herself, the fidgeting on her arm turning into a violent itch. Was it supposed to sting? The bracelet left traces like a brand-new hair tie, except she never took it off. Is this what it felt like? Great, just another thing to worry about.

An exhalation of relief escaped through her nostrils as if trying to remember how to breathe again. Her pupils hadn't left the blue-skinned beast. She was more apprehensive than bitter. The Ravenclaw did not want to provoke it, they were jaunty, mischievous creatures and she did not want to get on their naughty side. With her soles planted to the terrain, she began to reach for her wand in her robes, the stinging sensation in her wrist more vibrant and disturbing.

Giving one last glimpse to the Slytherin, she attempted to steady her trembling wand hand, the burn only growing in annoyance. It was actually beginning to hurt. The pixie, seeing this, flew only deeper into the lake, threatening to release its grasp. Emma, being the dramatic lady she is, probably would have started to pursue it. However, before her mind persuaded her to drop the aspen wood, she fired. "Flipendo!" The recoil forced the roots in her feet to lift and she stumbled back a step. Watching the flicker of light zip past the blue spot, she threw her hands up in frustration and whined but promptly fired again. She had missed. Again. Decent, not perfect.

If she wasn't trying to make the beast angry, it certainly didn't show now. It was the girl who paid for her actions. She blinked, watching as another similar creature winched her by the ears. Without time to think, Emma bolted for the airborne girl who wasn't considerably far from her. It was surprising the amount of weight they could support. The beast couldn't have measured more than two pounds... the brunette didn't want to assume how much she weighed. That would be rude.

The eagle could have sworn she saw black beady eyes stare and taunt at her, but it could have easily have been imagination fuelling both her anxiety and rage. She couldn't have been liable for the girl's injuries, though every part of her heart knew she was going to be. It was wrong to pull her into her mess, but she was desperate! She agreed to aid her, and while maybe that was her fault, she couldn't stand the guilt creeping down on her mind. It was a thought she couldn't simply get out of her head. But no, it wouldn't get to that. She wouldn't allow it.

Feet hammering against the grass, Emma outstretched her arms as if to seize her departing legs before she could escape. Those stubby wings were definitely made to fly. Even fifteen feet up in the air she tried to leap for one last attempt. "Ay, Dios mío.." She panted to herself, placing her hands on top of her hand. This couldn't be happening. Adrenaline had pumped her heartbeat and she kicked the tree in anger. There was a pulsation surging through her body, from her gut to the tips of her fingers. Emma was divided between the sanctuary of the shorter girl and her bracelet. The choice seemed evident, but she couldn't help but stare at the pearls glistening in the sunlight.

Sprinting towards the Grand Hall, she persisted with the beast, the pulse performing as a drum to her efforts. It would have been valiant. If only the place weren't squirming with loose pixies. It took her a moment to recollect her thoughts before the piercing pain in her ear made her cry out in pain. Shaking, spinning, and kicking the air was all she could do. She would have rather fallen than go for a joyride with the buzzkill. It's grip was solid, there was no shaking it. Like the rest of her unstable head, the bracelet was forced to the very back of her cranium. But hey, at least they were heading in the same direction.