The Lonesome Reader PV Avery McCall finished

Date: 11/25/22
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A shudder passes through the first year as a chilled breeze blows in through the courtyard opening. Much as she enjoyed the seasonal change, it still took some adjusting to get reacclimated to it. Avery quickly pulls her robe tighter, tucking her hands under her arms to try and mitigate at least some of the cold. The effort wasn’t quite as successful as she would have liked, but it was better than nothing.

Braving the cold felt a bit like a necessary evil. Avery absolutely despised being cooped up for too long, and there was nothing quite so suffocating as being trapped inside a bustling stone castle for hours on end. The quick jaunt out to the courtyard had been rather spur of the moment, so she hadn’t bothered to make the trip back to the dorm to pick up some warmer clothing. Honestly she just wanted some fresh air as soon as possible. She could bear the cold for a few minutes at the least.

Bundled in her robes as well as she could manage the Hufflepuff steps onto the overgrown cobblestone and basks in the cold, but fresh, air for a moment. A quick survey of the yard reveals that not many were willing to brave the weather today. Avery doesn't exactly mourn the fact. It's nice to have a bit of a quiet space with how crowded the castle could seem at times. But it seems that it hadn't dissuaded quite everyone.

A figure curled up against one of the statues that adorned the fountain catches Avery's attention. A familiar face, she realizes, as she peers a little closer. She certainly hadn't anticipated running into Isadora out here, but she was always happy to see her dormmate. With how busy everything had been these first couple of months, she hadn't had a ton of time to really talk to her outside of when they were all in groups. Hands still tucked away, Avery strides across the yard to approach the other girl who seemed particularly entranced by whatever she was reading.

Shuffling towards the front to face her a little and hopefully not risk startling her from behind, Avery frees one hand from it's warmer confines to give a brief wave of greeting. "Hey there, Dora! Didn't expect to find you out here," she greets with a small smile. "Bit chilly for a reading spot, I gotta say." Not that she could really fault her on the location. Were it not for the cold, it'd be quite lovely.

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Isadora Everridge
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Dora jumps, having not noticed the other girl until she's right in front of her. "Ah!" She exclaims quietly, the book slipping from her fingers and tumbling to the ground. It lands on the courtyard bricks with a slap, pages open and facing Avery. Just as quickly as she realizes what's happening, Dora's face reddens and she grabs for the book.

"I'm so sorry, I was distracted-" She mutters, her blush deepening when she sees the page it landed on. A flowery illustration of the witch Amata sharing a romantic ending with Sir Luckless, the two of them hand-in-hand and gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. Suddenly, the scene Dora guiltily adores is on full display for her dormmate to see. She closes the book quickly, bringing it close to her chest.

"I was just, um.." What? What excuse could she possibly have? Avery saw her reading a children's book and is going to think she's immature.

"You're too old for this nonsense." Her grandmother had told her. "You could be doing something useful instead of sticking your nose in those children's stories."

She never read them in front of her again after that. But, maybe she was right. Dora sighs, letting the book fall down into her lap. "I was reading something silly." She admits, eyes cast down as she awaits Avery's reaction.

Date: 11/25/22
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Avery finds herself jumping in reactionary surprise when she unwittingly startles Dora out of her reading. She lifts both hands in a hasty apology, stuttering over her words as she tries to get her own now racing heart back in line. "I am...SO sorry, I didn't mean to, y'know, sneak up or anything," she manages, quickly glancing down to the fallen book. Her eyes trace over the illustration on the open page with no small amount of curiosity.

Before she can reach down to return the book to Dora, the other girl deftly snatches it from where it had landed. Avery looks back up to her, the red in Dora's face apparent. Huh. Maybe she startled the other girl more than she thought. Her dormmate seemed to collapse in on herself a little in the effort to apparently explain herself.

"What?" she questions dumbly, blinking a little in confusion. She had no idea what the book was, but the picture at least seemed pretty. Avery stuffs her hands into her pockets to avoid having them just hanging midair, rocking a little on her heels as she looks down towards where Dora was seated. "I mean, you certainly seemed like you enjoy it, so I don't know what would make it silly," she muses.

She glances to the book being tightly hugged to her dormmates chest. It was pretty clear she was at least somewhat embarrassed about whatever the book may be, though Avery couldn't quite place why. "That picture seemed really sweet. Is the book about them?"

A half second passes before she realizes that Dora very well may not be keen to talk about it based off of the reaction she'd gotten so far. Her own cheeks flush a little, one hand lifting to point a thumb over her shoulder back the way she came. "Sorry, sorry. You uh, you don't have to answer that. I can head back in if you'd rather?" she offers with a bashful smile.

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Isadora Everridge
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"I mean, you certainly seemed like you enjoy it, so I don't know what would make it silly."

"Uh.." Dora is lost for words at her dormmate's reaction. Avery doesn't seem surprised at her choice of book at all. Had she not gotten a look at the page before Dora picked it back up. She must not have.

"That picture seemed really sweet. Is the book about them?"

Dora blinks. So, she had seen it. And yet, Avery doesn't find it strange that she's reading a children's book. 'Have I overreacted?' Dora thinks, embarrassed. She'd really thought this is something to be ashamed of, at least in her family. Perhaps Avery has had a less stringent upbringing. She wouldn't really know, despite rooming with her for a couple months. They've never really talked aside from the day they decorated their dorm with Tesla and Rita.

Too lost in her own thoughts, she forgets that Avery asked her a question until she speaks again. "Sorry, sorry. You uh, you don't have to answer that. I can head back in if you'd rather?" Avery smiles, looking a bit awkward. Dora quickly sits up straight. "Oh, no! I mean, you shouldn't have to leave. I apologize." Afraid Avery might think her rude, she hesitantly answers the question from before. "Have you, er, ever read the Tales of Beedle the Bard?" Most magical children have, with it being the most popular collection of children's stories in the wizarding world. Had Avery just not recognized it?

Date: 11/25/22
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Avery waits with bated breath to hear whether or not her presence was welcome, half tense and ready to book it back the way she came if the word was given. The last thing she wanted to do was infringe on what may have been some much needed alone time. She absolutely knew how important time like that was, especially when they were all crammed in together within the castle walls.

A breath she didn't realize she'd been holding is released in a small puff of visible air at Isadora's reassurance. Though she would readily head back in if asked, Avery couldn't exactly find the desire to return inside just yet despite the chill. "Oh, no need to apologize," she implores, flashing a small but bright smile at her dormmate. "I'm the one who kinda popped up out of nowhere."

Dora's question gives her a moment of pause. The first year wracks her memories to try and place the name, but she comes up empty-handed. "Uh I don't think so? Don't think I've ever heard of it, actually," she admits, giving a slight wave towards the book still cradled in Dora's hands.

Hesitantly, still moving slowly in case she's given any indication to abort the movement, Avery moves to sit on the edge of the fountain a little ways away still. One leg is lifted so as to rest her heel on the stone and wrap an arm around her leg, resting her cheek against her knee to still be able to look at Dora. "Is the book about Beetle's adventures?"

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Isadora Everridge
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Odd. Dora had thought everyone knew Beedle the Bard. Then she remembers Avery briefly mentioning being muggle-born a while ago. When they had done Halloween decorating, Avery had wanted to decorate with a hat that, Dora supposes, looks exotic to muggles. Dora hadn't really absorbed that until now, but it makes sense. Avery is practically from a whole other world than Dora.

She knows her grandmother probably wouldn't like Dora bunking with someone muggle-born, but Dora doesn't see much wrong with it. She's more worried about sharing a dorm with monsters like dhampirs and werewolves. And anyways, talking with someone who knows so little of the wizarding world is almost a relief. Avery wouldn't hold Dora up to the same expectations of her wizard-born peers. Then again, maybe Dora will still find a way to disappoint her.

Avery sits down with Dora, leaving a comfortable amount of space between them. "Beedle's the author, actually. They're, um, a collection of stories." Dora explains. Then, with a tinge of red on her cheeks. "Children's stories, actually." Her fingers trace the cover, shimmering with enchantment. Inside, the illustrations move delicately, acting out the story as you read. Just a trick to keep children entertained, but one that still makes Dora happy.

Date: 11/25/22
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The late clarification of the fact that they were children’s stories drew Avery’s attention away from the book and back up to Dora for a brief moment. The flush in her dormmate’s cheeks spoke volumes. Though, she wasn’t sure if it was shame or embarrassment at the innocent fact. Or something else entirely.

Dropping her gaze back to the book in question, Avery adopts a small, warm smile. “I’ve got a couple books like that back home. No moving pictures though,” she laments with a shrug. That had definitely been one of her favorite things about discovering more of the magical world. Moving pictures and illustrations brought the words that much more life.

“I don’t read them as often anymore, but I still enjoy them.” Avery shifts to rest her chin on her knee instead of her cheek, smile shifting into something a little more wistful. A lot of the stories held fond memories with her family, either one of her parents reading to her, and occasional attempts from her older siblings before they devolved into chaos, or her own attempts to read them aloud when first learning to read on her own.

One in particular that had always been amongst her favorite involved whoever she was with stepping up to the wide window in her room to say goodnight to the moon. She still sometimes did if she thought about it before bed. It had been her dad’s favorite as well. The estrangement building between them was a stark reminder that that wasn’t something she could really look forward to much anymore.

Tearing her thoughts away from corners she didn’t particularly care to explore further, Avery looks back over to Dora. “Nothing to say we can’t still enjoy stuff from when we were kids,” she emphasizes, ignoring the fact that for all intent and purpose, they still were children. Learning magic apparently had a way of making that feel a little less true. “Little bug bards sound super interesting regardless.” Did she still think they were talking about a musical beetle? Absolutely.

Swinging her leg down, Avery twists atop the stone so that she’s sitting cross-legged atop the stone, facing Dora and somewhat precariously perched. A wide, eager grin splits her face. She gives an eager nod to the book. “We could always share some our favorite stories!” A pause. “I-if you want, I mean.”

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Isadora Everridge
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Avery still enjoys children's stories too? That's a huge relief to Dora, but one thing does puzzle her.

"Bug... bard...?" Dora asks, a little confused before she understands. "Oh! No, no, no, not 'beetle', 'Beedle'. See?" She shows Avery the cover with Beedle's name displayed as the author. But, not wanting to disappoint her companion, she continues. "There may not be a... musical insect, but there is a story with a witch who turns into a rabbit."

With Avery's invitation hanging in the air, Dora thinks it over. She's still a bit embarrassed, but not nearly as much as before. And, perhaps Avery will tell her of some of her own. In her preparation for October's Fall Ball, Dora had read up on some of the Muggle faerietales the party was themed around. She found them quite interesting, even if their depictions of the magical world were inaccurate. Maybe Avery had read something like that, or another kind of Muggle tale.

"Well.." Dora begins quietly, opening the book delicately to her favorite. "This story is called 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune'. It's about a group of people that seeks a magical fountain that's said to grant whoever bathes in it good fortune. Here." Dora hands over the book for Avery to see for herself. She folds her hands nervously in her lap, waiting to see her reaction.

Reducio

The Beedle the Bard stories have summaries in the Harry Potter wiki if you don't know them or need a refresher.

Date: 11/25/22
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Well, that certainly made more sense. Avery releases a quiet, “Ohhhh,” in consideration at the revelation. She nods her understanding as she leans in a little to read over the cover of the book. “Gotcha. Yeah that does make a little more sense, I’ll be honest. But a witch turning into a rabbit sounds just as fun!”

Staring down at the book, Avery couldn’t help but wonder just how different wizarding tales were from their muggle counterparts. There were certainly some fantastical muggle fairy tales out there, as wrong as they seemed to be in relation to the actual magical world sometimes. They were delightful to read nonetheless.

Avery is once more pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Dora’s voice, visibly perking up at the sight of her dormmate flipping the book open. She manages to awkwardly scoot a little closer despite her crossed legs, just barely keeping herself from toppling from her temporary stone seat. Resting her elbows atop her knees, the Hufflepuff gingerly takes the book from Dora when offered and lays it open across her lap.

The girl nods along as Dora recounts the offered up story, eyes skimming across the pages as she speaks. She trails her fingers lightly around the edge of the illustration she recognized from before when the book was first dropped. "Muggles have a story of a mythical fountain too. But it's just to keep you young, I think the good fortune is the better deal," Avery muses, glancing up to Dora with a wry grin.

She flips through a couple more pages, rapidly skimming the pages with no small amount of curiosity. "This seems like a really nice story, I can see why you like it." The page is flipped back to have the illustration of Amata and Sir Luckless. Avery looks back up to Dora, head tilted slightly as she seems to mull something over. "I'm not entirely sure if I have an overall favorite story, but I do have a book of poems for children that I still really like. They each have their own little illustrations from the author. I can...bring it when I return from break if you want?"

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @Isadora Everridge
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