General The Hufflepuff Table 2018-2019

Early September 2018

Silently, she had been eating her meal as she read over some notes. Her to do list was incredibly long and it was only the start of the year! All she had wanted to do was to eat her food peacefully. Serena sighed audibly as she heard the raised voices, irritated tones and harsh words being thrown around like a quaffle during a Quidditch match. For a house that was stereotyped for being kind, this sort of nuisance behaviour really wound her up. They were not only making themselves look bad but they were letting the whole house down. 

The new appointed Head Girl was trying to eat her food in peace and quiet. Unlike Dorothy, she did not mind people talking loudly. She had no doubt that she did the same as a first year, that was simply just excited to be here. A lot had happened and a lot had changed that. She had been forced to grow up far too quickly, though parts of her was still as immature as ever. But with the new position came more responsibility. It unfortunately meant that she could not sit here and quietly eat her meal any longer.

A laugh escaped her lips, "Speak only to children equal to yourself?" Serena echoed the words that she heard before bursting into further laughter, "Respect those above you?" She continued. It was hilarious. Truly, it was laughable. She sounded very much like Serena's mother - but Dorothy was no more than a child too. She was barely a year older than the first years and here she was, trying to dominate some level of superiority. Serena could not help but laugh as her fellow second year sprouted out phrases as though she was a big superior being.

Picking up her goblet, Serena took a few sips of water before looking down the table. A pureblood girl she had met last year and over the summer at the Fawley Gala was sprouting out insults for such a minor reason. One that could easily have been dealt with politely. She reminded Serena of her older brother. "I suggest you keep your purist views at home, Shafiq. This is Hogwarts - and such behaviour is not tolerated here." Serena's usually kind voice was firmer. The usual smile that sported on her lips had turned into a blank expression. She had just spent the last month dealing with her own family's purist views and attending incredibly boring parties where she was forced to mingle with many more of these likeminded people. And she hated it. This was not Serena's mother, this was not the Towers' Mansion, and this was not appropriate for Hogwarts.

She had no patience for those who thought of themselves as better than someone else, especially based on something that was out of people's control - their blood. No one had the ability to choose their parents or bloodline - and should not be judged for that. "And what exactly do you think you've done to deserve that respect? Respect should be earned, not automatically granted on the basis of your parents." Serena continued, thinking it was absolutely ridiculous that someone was treating others that were no more than a year younger than her as inferior beings. Serena took a sip of her water as she pulled out some parchment from her bag, an ink pot and a quill. Taking a sheet, she quickly jot down a little note outlining the situation, addressed to the Charms Professor that she had seen earlier in her office, so she knew she would be there. "You’ve got precisely ten minutes to march yourself up to Professor Henley’s office with this note. I will follow you shortly, so make sure you get there before I do." She ended the matter on that, deciding that the mere use of the word 'Mudblood' was worthy enough to be punished. Serena would speak to a professor about this, reporting this behaviour. If Dorothy was lucky, she might escape a detention and be released with just a warning.

“Now, I suggest that you all enjoy your meal peacefully. I apologise that this is one of your first experiences at Hogwarts but I assure you that not everyone shares the same opinion. If, however, it ever comes up, do let a Professor or Prefect know,” Serena concluded as she looked at the group of first years and smiled softly, “I’m Serena, by the way, if you ever need me for anything.”

The Head Girl took a bite of her toast, chewing it silently before swallowing and continuing, "Now I understand fully how hard it is to lose someone you care about and I am sorry that that happened to you. However, bowtruckles are against the rules and you should never have had one in the first place. So when you say 'woods', I do hope you don't mean the Forbidden Forest." Serena glanced at Verla as she spoke, thinking of the only woods that really existed in Hogwarts... There was not really anywhere else for the bowtruckle to go. She could not remember the girl or who she was until Dorothy mentioned her name and the fact she had a bowtruckle. It was at this point that she recalled the redhead going up to Professor Wordsworth and fighting to keep her pet, even though it was very much against the rules. From her reaction, it appeared that the Professor said no... If Serena found out that the girl was breaking the rules, trying to keep visiting this creature that she had adopted as a pet, there would be another owl sent out.

Serena knew far too well what it felt like to lose friends. She had lost some of her closest ones, last year. That pain was one that she would carry with her for a while but she didn’t go around breaking rules to try and visit them. Those friendships were over, it was done now.

SLAM! Dorothy's hands thwacked the desk as she stood from the table.  The boy was asking more questions?  As if- Oh crap.  Dorothy's heart dropped from her chest to her stomach.  Serena Towers was talking, and she was a freaking prefect.  A new emotion filled her head and heart.  Shame.  Dorothy flushed crimson as the Hufflepuff prefect laughed and reprimanded her.  She shoved her hands forcedly into her robe pockets and bit her lower lip.  Serena questioned her, and that made Dorothy doubt herself.  Was all this really about the others being quiet?

Shaking her blonde head, Dorothy reached out and took the note in her hand.  The paper was smooth and cool against her hot fingers.  How had this escalated so fast?  Dorothy pinched the paper between her fingers so her knuckles turned white.  She was angry, conflicted, and honestly? She was a bit nervous about taking this note to the professor.  Sure, her mom would be thrilled to find she had been punished for her purist values, but for some reason that didn't make Dorothy feel any better.  Did it matter what the teacher thought about her?  

Dorothy glared at the people around her.  She refused to cry or act scared.  This was the beginning of a reputation she wanted to keep.  They wouldn't see her weakness, and she would find theirs.  God, that was dark!  An eleven year old mind should be caught up in barbie dolls (whatever those were), friends, and the color pink.  Dorothy often envied the lives of the muggle-borns.  They had no pressure, no fear, no beliefs shoved down their throats.  They could speak freely, play, and most importantly, they could choose their own friends. If Dorothy's step-mother wasn't so strict, would these be her friends?  To have that kind of freedom would be... Odd. 

The small girl couldn't help but feel that she should apologize.  It would most likely shut down the entire conversation and gain her a little ground when it came to the professor.  She would rather apologize on her own accord than be forced to do it by a professor.  Dorothy scrunched up her nose like she was smelling something distasteful and held her hands stiffly behind her back.  Turning to the children around her and nodding, she stepped backwards over the bench and spoke quietly.  "I apologize for my rudeness.  It was... undeserved."  Her parents could never hear of this.  

Not waiting for a response from the students, Dorothy turned on her heel and began walking back up the aisle.  Her eyes felt hot and sore, her fingers hurt from holding the note so tightly.  

Lets get this over with.

Dorothy has left this thread:  continue in -POOR YOU- and