Cheering The Cheerless
The late September wind was still warm enough to not wear a sweater. But she didn’t abandon her red coat. The trees swayed in the humid wind, their greenish-orange leaves fluttering as some of them fell. Nicole watched the leaves, letting them distract her temporarily from the worst day she had in the history of bad days. Unconsciously, her finger rubbed against the leather spin of her ‘Fantastical Beasts And Where To Find Them’ book which was on her lap. The sting of her professors’ words was still a fresh wound in her mind and heart.
‘This school is not made for you if you cannot even perform a single spell correctly.’ Nicole winced remembering the words of one of her professors. The look on their faces was the one of utter disappointment which had caused her enough distress to not be able to concentrate for the rest of the day. She stood up, placing her book inside her rucksack. She shrugged off her coat and held it in her arms. The fabric was of cotton which was faded away with countless washes. Yet, it was dear to her. She looked up when a crow squawked on top of one of the arches of the gates. Its beady eyes looked straight into her before flying away.
Since when did she stoop so low? Didn’t her mother teach her to be firm and cultivated her own doggedness in Nicole? If only Mother knew, Nicole wanted to weep. The professors here weren’t like the teachers in Muggle schools. They didn’t extend the deadline if you forgot your homework. They didn’t buy some stupid excuse like ‘my bog ate my homework’. They expected precision, perfection and punctuality. Nicole wasn’t made like that. She paced around the breadth of the courtyard like an agitated bear in a zoo enclosure.
It seemed as though her steps would wear away the cobblestones on the ground. Her foot would kick away any pebble that seemed to come in her way. Thankfully, not a single soul was in sight. Otherwise, she would most definitely die of embarrassment. On one hand, she wanted to scream and throw her books against the wall of her dorm. On the other hand, she just wanted to quietly pack her things and sit on the very next train back to London, back to her parents, back to her comfort zone. She stopped pacing when the gong in the clock tower struck. The sound reverberated through her bones.
Mentions: @Lucille Rosenhart
Word Count: 415
Propaganda you should believe in: me
Cheering The Cheerless
x x  People's descriptions of Lucille changed every day. One day, she was sunshine. The next, she was a storm. Sometimes, she was that one mosquito that wouldn't leave you alone. That one was particularly hurtful. But, today, Lucille was a wanderer. She walked along the corridors with slow, measured steps, taking everything in. Nothing could bring the sun down, well, except the moon, and Lucille was no different. Sunshine personified, even her steps were bright and bubbly. That was, until, she entered the courtyard and saw her: the moon. Now, Lucille loved the moon. It was pleasant, a beacon of light at night, and it provided comfort when she looked out of her dorm window. But this girl's steps and movements were the exact opposite of hers. Anger radiated off her, and her expression was one of someone angry or upset. Lucille's heart went out to her, as it often did to most people, and she cautiously took a few steps towards her. She cleared her throat, offering a warm smile to the other girl. She reminded Lucille of a bunny or a deer, with her doe-eyed expression. She had a sweet face, and Lucille hadn't seen her before. Perhaps this was a first year? Lucille wouldn't be surprised. She recalled her own first year, and how littered with homesickness it had been, and wondered if the moon in front of her might be blue for that same reason. "Hello," Lucille said softly, approaching the girl with her slowed, even steps. "Are you alright? You just seem a bit upset." The last sentence came out in almost a soft, teasing tone, like one might use with a younger sibling. Unbeknownst to Lucille, it was a habit she'd picked up from her older siblings, who often took that gentle tone with her. And now, Lucille was doing the same thing. She briefly wondered if this interaction would go south. Lucille had a bad habit of putting her nose where it didn't belong, although it was usually done with care. The girl consciously tried to mind her business, but she just couldn't let someone go if they needed her help, and so she was there, a constant, cultivating presence, someone who wouldn't let go until you were perfectly alright again. |  STA 7 EVA 7 STR 6 WIS 5 ARC 6 ACC 4 calming presence x x x  |
| sta 7 eva 7 str 6 wis 5 arc 6 acc 4 calming presence | iNPC: Antoine de Laurent |
Cheering The Cheerless
Nicole squeaked like a startled mouse, whirling around when the older girl’s gentle tone reached out for her. She looked down at the cobblestone, studying the way that it was worn out after thousands of years. Interesting, perhaps they could find—no. Focus on the girl. After all, who was mad and stupid enough to show kindness to first-year kids and be genuine about it.
“I, ah, had a bad day.” Nicole admitted, clasping her hands behind her back to stop them from shaking or even worse, let the other girl take a look at them. She’d been taught to be strong, not in like a negative way but in a way that she wouldn’t depend on others for help that she needed. It was almost as though she was taught to be independent. Nicole appreciated the concern, but right now, all she needed was caffeine. But this was Hogwarts. She’d be surprised if they even had buttered toast from a very specific Muggle brand that she liked. Moving past the girl, she briskly jogged towards her stack of books and her rucksack. Call it a bad day or not, the warm wind that had earlier made her sweat now had caused her ink pot to leak in her bag.
Nicole gawked at the mess. Her brain most definitely spaced out for a bit. All the homework and notes she’d made—destroyed in a fraction of a second. Oh god. She fought back the tears of frustration that threatened to pool any second in her eyes. Oh desperately she wanted to tell the older girl to go away, but her throat locked up. Just like it always did whenever she was about to bawl.
“I have a long day ahead of me,” Nicole sighed after a while, forcing out a smile and a small ray of optimism so she wouldn’t scare away the girl. She turned around to flash that awkward and reassuring (she hoped it was reassuring) smile to the girl who was gawking. What a way to make a first impression. Woo-hoo, Nic.
Mentions: @Lucille Rosenhart
Propaganda you should believe in: me
Cheering The Cheerless
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| DATE 14 September 2026 LOCATION courtyard OUTFIT | SPEECH #8c0902 WORD COUNT 329 @Nicole Grayson | stats sta 7 eva 7 str 6 wis 5 arc 6 acc 4 abilities calming presence  |
The younger girl was trying to be strong, a facade Lucille could see right through. There was something brave about this girl trying her best to be alright. It reminded Lucille of herself, always putting on a cheerful face no matter what. She smiled as the girl brushed past her, and, turning around, she took a few steps towards her and her backpack. Lucille noted the ink that had seeped out and stained the backpack. "I have a long day ahead of me." So, the girl was getting ready to leave.
"One always has the time to take a moment, especially when you're faced with something like this." She gestured towards the backpack, pointing out the stain that the first year had inevitably seen. "What do you say we take out your notes and textbooks before they get covered in too much ink?" Lucille moved forward to take a seat next to her bag, waiting for the girl to say something before she went poking around in there.
Once again, her observant eyes took in the sight of the girl. She was smiling now, but it seemed forced, almost pained, and so Lucille looked away, deciding not to make her feel pressured by her gaze. Instead, she looked at the rare bits of greenery around the courtyard, observing the vines and stones. "I'm Lucille. And I'm guessing you've just arrived here? What's your name?" By here, she meant Hogwarts, of course, and although it had been a long time since the Express had brought the students here, Lucille hardly considered two weeks to be enough time to experience Hogwarts. No, to her, Nicole was still new, and must still feel the homesickness that had captured Lucille throughout her entire first year, and the second, too, if she was being honest. But, perhaps Nicole thought differently. She might love Hogwarts for the escape it provided, something that Lucille treasured. Hogwarts was a new start, no matter where you came from.
| sta 7 eva 7 str 6 wis 5 arc 6 acc 4 calming presence | iNPC: Antoine de Laurent |
Cheering The Cheerless
Nicole looked surprised. Well, surprised was a word that didn’t do enough justice to her name. She was shocked. For a girl that believed she could keep her cards to herself, Lucille read her like an open phonics book. “Must you always speak in that philosophical manner?” Nicole started, not realizing that her tone sounded a bit rude and defensive. Only when a slight hurt crossed the girl’s face, she deflated like a ballon. “I’m so sorry! I—I didn’t mean to be rude,” She said immediately, chewing down on her lower lip, hoping that maybe the girl would forgive her and maybe even help her—woah. Slow down, she silently scolded herself.
“I’d like that.” Nicole said softly, turning her attention back to the books. The ink had just started to leak into the fabric of her bag. Maybe there was still time. Maybe they could save her notes, her textbooks, her quills. Maybe—oh God. Hope sank down again in her like a soufflé. It had already tainted two of her parchments. It was homework of Charms and Defense Against The Dark Arts. The blood, sweat and tears that it took to complete it wasn’t forgotten by her. “At least, it’s only 2 of my work that has been ruined!” Nicole opted for optimism that sounded fake even to her own ears.
Her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment when the girl questioned about her year. Surely, she couldn’t have been that obvious. But casting a scornful look at the ruined satchel, maybe it was that obvious. “I’m Nic.” She introduced herself. Her brain went into overdrive, over analyzing all the stuff she said in the past 5 minutes. Nic? She wanted to the earth to open up so she would sink into the hole. “It’s Nicole Grayson. But you can call me whatever you want, I mean. Nicknames aren’t really—” She rambled on. Dude, shut up. She cringed. Honestly, talking even more when nervous had to be a curse.
Mentions :: @Lucille Rosenhart
Propaganda you should believe in: me