Hufflepuff Study Stress pv Isadora Everridge Finished

It had been a long day. Isadora was finished with her first batch a classes, and all of them went less well than she would've hoped. The second she was done, she'd gathered her things and ventured into the Hogwarts library for the first time.

The library is beautiful. As she entered, Dora could smell the endless pages she had yet to read. She always found it peculiar the way Bradley treated reading like a chore. To Dora, a book is a safe haven, a new world just for her where nothing can bother her for hours. However, today's reading would be for work, not pleasure. Dora searches the shelves for an appropriate stack of books and looks around until she finds a dark, quiet corner away from everyone.

Her Charms class still bothering her, she brings out her textbook and goes over it again. Tarantellegra, the Dancing Feet Spell. She can't find error in her pronunciation or wand movement, so it must be that she's picturing the spell wrong. That's not too surprising. How do you picture a dance when you haven't hardly danced before?

Dora discreetly pulls out a book called 101 Ways to Dance, flipping through the pages and watching the moving illustrations. She narrows her eyes at one called the "Macarena". Strange.

"You mind if I sit here?" Dora looks up, startled from her study. She recognizes this girl, Tesla, from the Welcome Feast.

"I'm trying to study up for classes, but I'm struggling a bit. Maybe we can keep each other company? Or at the very least keep me on track."

They'd barely said two words to each other at the feast. Looking around, there's plenty of unclaimed spots, more comfortable, too. Why would she want to study with Dora?

Bewildered, Dora nods. "Alright." She says, moving her books to make room. She can't turn Tesla away, even if she has no idea what she's doing here.

Tesla smiled thankfully as Isadora politely moved her books out of the way so she could sit down. While she sat down she glanced at the books Dora had open, charms and a book with a demonstration of... the macarena? "You learning a new dance? I can't say I've heard of a wizard wanting to learn the macarena, but I'm not one to judge!" Tesla leaned across the table and tried to read the charms book upside down, "Tarantellegra? Oh! Is that the spell from charms class? I can't say I really understand how it'd ever be used, so it's kinda hard to want to learn it. "

Tesla stared morosely down at her own book, gloomily opening it to a random chapter. "I think we're learning about the ministry of magic in history class? I'm not entirely sure. It doesn't make any sense why we have to learn about all this. It's not like I'll ever use it in real life. I figured maybe if I came to the library where I can't do anything else I'd study better, but I also didn't want to sit alone," Tesla smiled shyly, much quieter than she'd been at the house table, dipping her head to hide her blush, "I didn't want to sit with anyone I didn't know, so I was coming back here to sit by myself since I couldn't find anyone. I'm sorry if I overwhelmed you at the table that first night, there sure was a lot happening. I'm really glad I found you though! I was hoping we could chat again!" Tesla scratched the back of her head and smiled apologetically, brightening up and energetically kicking her legs a bit as she shook herself out of her brief bout of shyness.

Tesla read for all of one page, tapping her legs under the table and fiddling with her quill. "So... You said you're from the wizarding world right? What was your family like? Do you miss them while you're here?" Tesla looked closely at Dora, taking in her shiny black hair and shockingly green eyes against her pale skin. She almost looked like she wasn't moving at all while she read. She looked as still and perfect as a statue, and reminded Tesla of the barn cat that would always stand watch over the hay barn. Tesla was a bit unnerved by how still she seemed to sit, becoming self-aware of her own constant fidgeting and rumpled appearance. "Your family must have been really serious, you always look so well put together!"

Dora's struck with a sense of embarrassment when Tesla spots the book she's reading. Something about studying these dances seems rather unbecoming. She wouldn't have bothered if she wasn't struggling with this charm so much... Tesla leans across the table to see what else she's reading, and Dora turns her Charms textbook toward her. She may be a bit nosy, but Dora would rather have her know that she's researching for purpose of a spell.

Tesla reads Tarantellegra and voices her opinion on the use of the spell. Dora can't disagree that the Dancing Feet Spell isn't one she plans to use much in the future. But it may be useful for someone else. A duelist, perhaps, to disrupt the poise of their opponent.

The messy-headed girl continues chatting about her other classes, mainly the subjects she doesn't care to learn about. Then she says, "I didn't want to sit with anyone I didn't know, so I was coming back here to sit by myself since I couldn't find anyone. I'm sorry if I overwhelmed you at the table that first night, there sure was a lot happening. I'm really glad I found you though! I was hoping we could chat again!"

Dora's surprised at that. Not only does Tesla remember her, but she apologized for some perceived slight. Maybe Dora said something wrong that night, something that gave the impression she was offended. She doesn't want the other girl to think she is, so she offers a quiet. "You're fine."

After that, Tesla sits down and opens her book, and Dora returns to her own. It can't have been more than a minute before Tesla seems to give up on her studies and chat again. "So... You said you're from the wizarding world right? What was your family like? Do you miss them while you're here? Your family must have been really serious, you always look so well put together!"

"Thank you?" Dora says, wondering if that was a compliment or not. She can't help but feel a little sad when she thinks about the questions. Does she miss her family? She should, shouldn't she? A little guilty for having this doubt, she tries to defend them. "My family name is well-respected in the wizard community. I'm lucky to have it. My grandparents have always taken care of me."

Tesla hadn't exactly forgotten how terse and quiet Isadora was, but she'd hoped that maybe it had been the stress and chaos of the great hall making her so shy. That was something even Tesla could understand, although she'd found that a handshake and a smile could usually shake off her own jitters for just long enough to start up a conversation. Maybe she'd just have to work a little harder to pull her out of her shell! Hopefully without scaring her off first... It would probably be best to be at least a little less pushy.

Tesla appreciated the fact that Dora let her read what she was doing, even if she seemed a little embarrassed by it. Maybe purebloods had something against the macarena and charms homework? She didn't remember her mum saying anything about pureblood wizards in Europe having problems with charms, but considering she'd also said they were all stuck-up and arrogant and Dora just seemed awkward and shy, Tesla was going to take everything her mum did or didn't tell her about them with a grain of salt. After all, maybe they all had problems with charms and were really shy like Dora and that just came across as rude!

"I managed to make Tarantellegra work if you want my help with it? It wasn't good, and I don't think I could exactly use it without being in class, but the little keychain was dancing! Some sort of dance, at least. Maybe you can help me practice my Reparo? I struggle with that one a bit more," Tesla offered, hoping that by acknowledging her own struggles with the charms class Dora would feel a little more comfortable studying with her around.

She was glad Dora accepted her apology for overwhelming her at dinner, even if she didn't really seem to grasp what she was apologizing for. It wasn't like her face furrowed in the eye-brow crease of confusion like Tesla's usually did, but there was still the smallest flicker of emotion along with the quiet answer. Maybe she really is just this quiet and I didn't scare her off at all? Tesla wondered to herself.

"My family name is well-respected in the wizard community. I'm lucky to have it. My grandparents have always taken care of me."

Tesla couldn't help but feel she'd asked the wrong thing. The girl's face stayed blank, but the unsure "thank you" and the hint of sadness in the way Dora seemed to be speaking from a well practiced script was vaguely off-beat. Tesla debated with herself before saying a touch quieter, hoping she was toeing a line and not just launching herself over into topics you don't talk about with people you've just met, "It's nice to be so proper when you're trying to impress someone, but your grandparents aren't here right now to be impressed. I certainly don't need to be impressed by you, I just want to be your friend as you are. I'm sure it's nice to have a family with a name like yours that cares so much, but it's also okay to want to be your own person," Tesla paused for a moment, looking down at her textbook and fiddling with the corner of a page, "It's okay to just be yourself and not force yourself to think of your family or what they think. I love both my mums with all my heart and I miss them everyday, but they're not here. I'm not talking to you or trying to learn stupid history for them. I'm doing it for me," Tesla sat up with a bright smile, hoping to brighten the more serious mood by adding, "Besides! I'm sure they're very proud of you for being here at Hogwarts at all! Not to mention you got into the coolest house of them all with me!" Tesla winked jokingly, gesturing to an image of the Hogwarts Crest with all the houses on a wall nearby.

For the first time since Dora met her, Tesla's stopped fidgeting and lowered her voice, offering some advice. It's surprising, the genuine words that come out of her mouth. Perhaps Dora had betrayed too much of her stress, because now a practical stranger is concerned with her feelings. And is what Tesla says right? Maybe her family is just more relaxed in their standards. Something Tesla doesn't understand is about having something to lose when you aren't performing the best.

"I just want to be your friend as you are." Friend. It catches Dora off-guard, even more so when she realizes that Tesla actually means it. And as she talks about her mums and how much she loves them, Dora can't help but soften a little. She wouldn't hate having a friend like Tesla. Whether or not they actually become friends is a whole other story, Dora still convinced that friendships are a luxury she can't afford.

"Besides! I'm sure they're very proud of you for being here at Hogwarts at all! Not to mention you got into the coolest house of them all with me!" The wink Tesla sends her makes Dora feel strange. It's sweet that Tesla is so proud to be a Hufflepuff. Dora nods obligingly, replying, "I suppose it is a very.. cool house." Not her usual adjective choice, but it's suitable enough. "I don't know how much I can help, but.. maybe you can demonstrate the Mending Charm for me? If I have any ideas of improvement, I can give them to you."

Friendships are a luxury, but a study relationship doesn't seem so daunting at the moment.

Tesla couldn't believe her luck. A whole three sentences said to her by Isadora. She was so proud of herself, and even the way Isadora seemed almost startled by her offer of friendship wasn't enough to temper her joy. In Tesla's eyes, that was as good as an acceptance that they were friends.

"I think cool is a great way describe us! You certainly make the Hufflepuff house way cooler!" Tesla laughed happily, overjoyed by Isadora's admittance of Hufflepuff's so-called "coolness", although she ducked her head behind Dora's stack of books at an angry shush from somewhere else in the library. "Whoops. I got a little too excited.".

Tesla picked up her quill, happy to accept Dora's offer of help, "Worst case scenario you can't make my spell any worse! It's not like actually reading the history of it helped any either. Professor Fresnel definitely scared me in class, so I really don't want to go actually casting spells in the library. I didn't even know basic charms could backfire! So... How about I just practice the movements and the words and you can tell me how it looks! After all, if it doesn't look right with a quill it won't look right with a wand! I'm sure someone's said that, probably." Tesla favored smaller quills since the larger ones felt unbalanced in her hand, so it didn't have any of the artistic dip and curl of some feathered ends. It was a nice, simple, straight line with space for ink on one end and barbs on the other. Tesla didn't like to admit it, but even though she'd bought quills for school she still liked to use her mum's homemade chicken quills, and this was one such quill.

She pushed her chair back, and feeling a bit silly but determined to put Isadora at ease despite that, she twirled her stand-in wand in a clockwise spiral motion. "Reparo!" Even Tesla could hear in her own voice the way she put and emphasis on the "re" of the world, rather than the "pa" like it was written in the book. Not to mention her motion was so aggressive it bent even her rigid quill. "Oh dear. Give me one more try!" Tesla puffed her cheeks out in concentration, trying again. "Reparo!" She could tell her emphasis was a bit better, but her motion was still tense and a bit too aggressive. She huffed, blowing a strand of hair that had fallen from her bandana out of her eyes. "I think I may be overthinking it a bit," Tesla admitted, scooching her chair back in to the table, "How do you keep from locking up and just waving your wand all willy nilly when you cast?" Tesla waited patiently for Dora's help, twirling her quill in her fingers and jiggling her foot.

Tesla's technique is a bit aggressive, from the forceful movement of her quill to the loud plosive sound of the spell's second syllable. She seems notice it too, huffing in frustration and lowering her now-bent quill.

"I think I may be overthinking it a bit. How do you keep from locking up and just waving your wand all willy nilly when you cast?" Oh, so she's nervous. That's something Dora can understand. "Well, I suppose I try to practice the movement until it feels natural." It's more the concentration that she has trouble with, anyways. Like Tesla said, it's hard not to think about everything that can go wrong when you're casting a spell. But this girl is more confidant than Dora could ever be, so once she gets the movement and pronunciation down, she should be able to cast the spell with no issue.

"Maybe try to relax." Dora advises, thinking of the passages she'd studied. "The Mending Charm is about fixing things that are broken. When you break something, you have to be delicate about fixing it." Dora waves her quill in a spiral, carefully and clearly. "Try to be more gentle when you move your wand and say the spell." Then her nerves get the better of her and she pulls back. "I mean, if you want. I don't know if that will work."

Tesla admired the way Dora seemed to settle in and really focus demonstrating her spell. She truly was in her element here, and it was amazing to see the difference between her tension at the table and her dedication to magic. Her movements were clear, smooth, and concise, and Tesla felt like she may even be saying things directly from a book she'd only skimmed over herself. Even if Dora's nerves seemed to get the best of her and she drew back into her shell, Tesla appreciated how careful and helpful she'd been.

"Wow! It really does look so natural when you do it! You've clearly studied it a lot." Tesla shifted in her chair, picking up her quill and straightening it out as best she can. "Okay, so you did it a bit slower? It always looks so fast in class but that might also be because I can't see it that close." Tesla tried swirling the quill again, slower than before. It ended up being a bit slower than Dora's demonstration, and a little more shaky because of that, but much more relaxed than her last attempts. Readjusting herself Tesla tried it again, just a bit faster. It ended up slightly more aggressive than Dora's attempt, but she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to reach that level of elegance anyways, so she took it as a victory. It looked like the right shape with a lot less tension in her shoulders at least! Tesla allowed herself a quietly whispered victory cheer, "Woo hoo! That was much better! I think I was just trying to go too fast and so it wasn't working quite right? You did a really good job of showing it though! I can tell you really do study a bunch!" Tesla relaxed back in her chair. propping her foot up on her knee.

"I think I might be done with that for the day, though. One good practice is all I've got in me. I don't want to jinx your good teaching afterall! Although, maybe this is actually why you're having trouble with the dancing spell though?" Tesla thought carefully, mind slowly chugging through that train of thought that had just popped up. She'd done a lot more thinking about class in this one day than she'd done in a while. Maybe she really shouldn't have tried to study history before talking to someone that studies more than her. "When I cast Tarantellegra, I just kinda," Tesla mimed lazily flicking her quill in a leg shape, "It really looks like the letter 'n', just drawn by a kindergartner. So that's how I do it! Sloppy and a little uneven. Is your issue with the casting of it or that there's a really weak dance once you've cast it? It's not really a spell you overthink if you want it to work. You just want to see a funny dance so you get a funny dance!" Tesla grinned playfully, "No Library Macarena studying needed."

Tesla wanted to help Isadora in return for her help with the mending charm, but she couldn't exactly explain it with quotes from textbooks or careful demonstration. She got that one because it was just a feeling, but reparo wasn't at all the same casual feeling, so it made sense Dora had more luck with it studying it so much.

Tesla's wand movement looks much better each time she does it. Definitely worth a passing Charms grade. She does a little cheer, keeping her voice down so the librarian doesn't hear, but somehow as exuberant as she would have been cheering full-volume. "Woo hoo! That was much better! I think I was just trying to go too fast and so it wasn't working quite right? You did a really good job of showing it though! I can tell you really do study a bunch!" Her glowing remarks make Dora's face feel slightly warm, and she's relieved to have been of some help.

Now if she could only help herself. She looks at the book on dancing again, observing the strange, jerky movements. She tries to memorize the rhythm, the synchronized arm and leg moves. But when she closes her eyes, she's left with a blurry mess.

"Maybe this is actually why you're having trouble with the dancing spell though?" Dora looks up, listening as Tesla explains her process. "It really looks like the letter 'n', just drawn by a kindergartner. So that's how I do it! Sloppy and a little uneven. Is your issue with the casting of it or that there's a really weak dance once you've cast it? It's not really a spell you overthink if you want it to work. You just want to see a funny dance so you get a funny dance! No Library Macarena studying needed."

Her first instinct is to politely decline and keep to herself. But the way Tesla is smiling makes her pause. 'She's only trying to help.' Dora thinks, and despite how embarrassing this feels, she probably needs the help.

"I, uh, I just have trouble concentrating because.. well, I..." Dora says quietly, her eyes cast downwards. "I, um, don't know any funny dances."

She waits for Tesla to laugh in her face, or look at her like she must be insane. She knows it's odd, but no one in her family danced anything livelier than a waltz. Well, except maybe Bradley. He would have no trouble with this charm. Dora, on the other hand, can't even imagine the kind of music that little skeleton was dancing along to. Nothing her grandmother ever let her listen to.

_{Interacting with @Tesla Stone
Isadora Ramona Everridge - Word count: 248 - Color: #631679}