Budding Curiosity

"Why does reading have to be so freaking hard. They don't have movies at this all powerful school?"

A voice made Miranda look up from her spot between two shelves. A stack of four books weighed down her arms, so she set the down on an empty shelf and glanced around, trying to locate the voice's source.

"Are you studying?" she asked when she spotted a boy reading at one of the study tables. "Maybe I can help you? I know where a lot of books are, and maybe I can show you some of them if you tell me what you're looking for...?"

Miranda stepped out into the open, and walked over to where he sat. He looked tired, and bored, too. Probably not a Ravenclaw, with his attitude toward books. Maybe a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff, then? In her experience, Slytherin students didn't mind books much either, but then again, she only really knew one Slytherin.

When he didn’t answer right away, Miranda tried to take a look at his book, but the cover was pressed against the table and she couldn’t make heads nor tails from the upside down text. She’d never been one to read things upside down. Books were made to read one way, and one way only, in her opinion.

Elias jumped as a voice seemed to come out of nowhere. At this point he was tired, bored and on the edge of delirium. He looked at the book for a moment wondering where the voice came from, then it dawned on him and his cheeks turned a slight red as he looked up at the girl looking over him.

"Oh, um, Hey. I wouldn't really say studying," he said as he closed the book. "More just curious than anything. Since I've gotten here my head has been swirling with all of this new information and until classes start up, not much has been explained yet. I guess I was more curious about old dudes and what kind of magic they were capable of. Try to gauge what's actually possible with our magic," Elias' eyes suddenly went wide as he had a light bulb moment, "Oh yeah, my name is Elias by the way. There's just so much going on that I forgot names were a thing," he laughed at this has he held out a hand to shake the girl's.

He looked at the book in front of him for a moment before shaking his head and sliding it to the side. "There are so many books that I don't really even know how to go about reading them. I guess I'm just hoping to find some sort of general knowledge before I go around sticking my wand in the wrong face."

"Oh, um, Hey. I wouldn't really say studying. More just curious than anything. Since I've gotten here my head has been swirling with all of this new information and until classes start up, not much has been explained yet. I guess I was more curious about old dudes and what kind of magic they were capable of. Try to gauge what's actually possible with our magic." The boy's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh yeah, my name is Elias by the way. There's just so much going on that I forgot names were a thing." He held out his hand in greeting, and Miranda reached over to shake it.

"I'm Miranda. Miranda Everest," she replied with a small smile.

"There are so many books that I don't really even know how to go about reading them. I guess I'm just hoping to find some sort of general knowledge before I go around sticking my wand in the wrong face." Elias said when she finished, sliding his book a little ways away from himself.

"Have you read Hogwarts; A History?" Miranda asked, happy to help. If there was anything a pure-blood was good for, it was helping those who had just been introduced to the wizarding world. All of those other high-up snobs that thought pure-bloods were better because of their lineage and only that could go rile up a Doxie hive for all she cared. "It's pretty good if you're trying to get used to Hogwarts, although it's a bit big."

Elias groaned as Miranda mentioned Hogwarts a History. "Yeah," He said with a slight annoyance, "I've tried to read that thing four or five times and it's just so... dry," He shook his head and gave her a smile, "I really do appreciate the help though. I know I'll need to read it at some point. But, ya know."

Looking at the books on the table, Elias sighed and began to put them back. "I'm honestly surprised you read that monster of a book. Are you new to all of this too? I'd guess that only people who come from-" Elias stopped and he scrunched his face up as he began to think. What was that word he heard being thrown around? "Me- Muh- Moogle? Isn't that what you call people who don't have magic, right?" He scratched at his head before continuing to put the last two books away, "Eh, whatever it is, I'd assume only people who have moogles for parents would need to read something like that. Purebloods probably know almost everything about this place."

As he finished putting the books away he turned back to the shelves and let out a long whistle. "I really hope they don't expect us to read ALL of these," He let out a laugh at that and turned back towards Miranda.

"It's not that bad," Miranda argued half-heartedly. "Some of it's pretty interesting. Like the ones of magical beasts of the spellbooks."

She listened as Elias continued talking, the stepped in. "It's Muggle," she explained. "And sure, Pure-Blood know a lot, but we don't know everything. I'm in Ravenclaw of course, so that's always my goal - learning it all."

No matter how futile it sometimes seems, what with my memory problems and how I can never seem to keep focused on one topic for too long, she thought sadly. I'll have to improve on that if I want to learn more. And since that's my goal... Miranda stifled a sigh, and tried not to look too gloomy.

Elias had started to put his books away as she talked and thought, then turned to her and laughed. "I really hope they don't expect us to read ALL of these," he said.

"They don't," Miranda replied with a faint smile. "Although I'm going to try anyway. I'm glad we have seven years to read them all, or else I'd never get anywhere close." She sighed, but then her grin returned. "However, taking your dislike for reading, I'm sure you don't share the same hope. Correct?"

Elias nodded and muttered, "Right, of course," as Miranda corrected him on the word muggle. The term slightly bothered him. While this girl seemed to use it just as another term, there have been some people who used it as an insult. Elias brushed this thought aside, not like it really matters all that much.

For a moment, Miranda looked rather sad about something. The expression was there one second and gone the next. Curiosity tugged at him, but thought it better to leave it be. He's learned his lesson when it comes to prying into other people's business. If it was a big deal, she would say something if she wanted.

As Miranda finished explaining, Elias let out a sigh of relief, "Oh good. There's no way I'd be able to get through even a quarter of these."

Then came the million dollar question, "However, taking your dislike for reading, I'm sure you don't share the same hope. Correct?"

"Well, you see. I've never been much for reading. It's not that I hate it per se," He stopped to gather his thoughts before continuing, "If what I'm reading doesn't excite me, I have a hard time focusing on it. I want to learn about this world of magic. I mean, who wouldn't coming from just a normal family? Finding out that all those books about magic and dragons are based on SOME truth. Of course I want to learn all I can. I just have a hard time with it." Elias looked away as he finished talking. He knew it was silly, to feel shame for having a hard time reading and studying. It was embarrassing to admit he wanted to. But if someone was going to offer any sort of help, he wasn't about to turn it away.

"Well, you see. I've never been much for reading. It's not that I hate it per se." He paused for a moment, then continued. "If what I'm reading doesn't excite me, I have a hard time focusing on it. I want to learn about this world of magic. I mean, who wouldn't coming from just a normal family? Finding out that all those books about magic and dragons are based on SOME truth. Of course I want to learn all I can. I just have a hard time with it." Elias looked away as if embarrassed, but Miranda couldn't quite tell.

"Don't worry about it," she replied. "I'm sure people will help you out if you ask for it. For example, is there anything you want to know about magic? I don't know everything, of course, but I can probably answer most of your questions."

Miranda glanced over at the rows of bookshelves, trying to think of where she could find books that weren't too dry, but were also informative and good for people newly introduced to the wizarding world. She came up blank. Well, maybe I can just tell him everything he needs to know, Miranda thought, suppressing another sigh. She seemed to have been doing that a lot lately. It was probably because of the fact she hadn't been outdoors in a while. That tended to get her down.

Elias yawned as he began waling to the exit, "Come on. I've been in here all day. I want to go grab some sun," He was never one to sit in one place for hours like he did today. He enjoyed moving around, being outside. Even in such a large castle, this feeling still found him. The biggest building in the would could never beat fresh air and a bit of sun.

As the two walked, heading towards the nearest exit, Elias continued, "So. I'm not going to ask you EVERYTHING that comes to mind. We'd be here all year and you'd be a certified teacher," He fell silent for a moment as he thought, "I guess the question that's been scratching the back of my head is, who was the strongest wizard? Like, ever. I know I'll never be that strong, but I like to have something to set my sights on, ya know?"

Most pure bloods that Elias had met so far had been snooty brats who think they own the place. Not Miranda though. Yeah, she had a certain polish to her, but she never talked down to him. She seemed genuinely interested to help. Though that hasn't stopped people from turning that right around in the past. But Elias wasn't one to expect the worst. It would be better to live and let live for now.

Miranda followed Elias outside, secretly pleased and trying not to show it. She loved nothing more than being outdoors and close to nature. If one had a good book and they were outside, what more could they ask of life?

She listened as he talked about not asking her everything, and smiled faintly when he finally posed his first question. “Well, there have been a lot of strong wizards over the years,” Miranda began. “I’m sure many have been lost to history. However, some of the more notable ones include Nickolas Flamel, the creator of the Philosopher’s Stone, Lord Voldemort, although he was a dark wizard that everybody hates, and Albus Dumbledore, an old headmaster here at Hogwarts. Although, Dumbledore did have the elder wand to help him.” Just in case, she decided to explain what the elder wand was. “The elder wand is the most powerful wand ever made. Some say it came from death itself. It can only change hands if you take it from or kill its previous owner.”

She grimaced slightly. “The trail of the elder wand is a long and, well, bloody one. It’s very rare for a new user to take it without violence.”