Books, books, and more books

Mouse often came to the library, which was her favourite place to be. After all, it was often quiet and empty, filled with books, and had comfortable chairs. The library was so vast and filled with books Mouse just hoped she had enough time to get through them all, if it were possible. She had only seven years, and so many different books to choose from. Just sitting there filling her mind with amazing facts. or even doing homework in one of the comfy chairs. Right now, she was sitting with a book in her hand and a few others on hr lap as she tried to find out more about hippogriffs. Often, when she came to the library, the girl would have one specific topic she wanted to research that day, which stopped her from grabbing pratically every single book in her reach and trying to read them all at once.
"Hey there, my name's Miranda, what about you?"
The voice knocked her out of her trance as Mouse looked up in surprise. She had been so engrossed in reading she hadn't even noticed that anybody had sat down in front of her. Unconsciously stroking the book pages, she glanced at the girl and answered, "My name is Mouse. I come here often... you?"

"My name is Mouse. I come here often... you?" the girl said, stroking the pages from the book she was reading.

"Yeah, I'm always coming here too," Miranda replied with a smile. "It's probably my favorite part of the castle. Although, the DADA classroom is great, too." She was still getting used to talking to other people who liked books as much as she did (except for Edymal, and who would ever count him?).

Maybe I can make another friend, she realized, her eyes becoming thoughtful. I have to try, right? I can't always be alone, or only hang out with the same friends. Enough thinking about it, Miranda decided suddenly. Act

"What are you reading about?" she asked, peering over at Mouse's book. It looked like it was about some kind of animal, but she couldn't tell what kind. Not a dragon, she knew, because they were the kind of creature she knew the most about, alongside...werewolves. In fact, she knew most magical creatures, so Mouse was either reading about a muggle animal or one she was less knowledgeable about. Her curiosity got the best of her. "What creature is that on the cover? It looks kind of familiar, but I don't recognize it..."

Mouse was eager to dive back into the wonderful land they call books, when a certain sentence hit her ears.
"What creature is that on the cover? It looks kind of familiar, but I don't recognize it..." The Ravenclaw sat straight, perking up at that sentence but at the same time not believing her ears. She was used to the fact that she was one of the only ones loving to read everything, or that was what her brother taught her anyway. She remembered the times when her brother would walk up to her and tell her, "Your reading that rubbish again. Who needs to know so much about bowstruckles? They are so boring," She could only imagine him right now. "Pathetic," He would say, "You can learn about all of this in class, why waste your time in the library? Stop reading, maybe you'll actually get friends,"
Mouse glanced at the hippogriff on the cover and started explaining, "This creature is a hippogriff, with a ministry rating of XXX. Hippogriffs are originally native to Europe, but they are now spread worldwide, and... did you know that when they breed, Hippogriffs nest on the ground and lay a single, very large, fragile egg, and then the egg hatches within twenty four hours and the baby hippogriff can fly off within one week of being born! I think hippogriffs are such cute creatures... I think it would be an interesting experience to meet one... A person that wants to approach a Hippogriff has to maintain eye contact and should bow first and if the animal bows in return, then the person can touch and even ride it!" Realising that she was bombarding the other girl with information, she buried her face in her hands, muttering sorry.

"...I think hippogriffs are such cute creatures... I think it would be an interesting experience to meet one... A person that wants to approach a Hippogriff has to maintain eye contact and should bow first and if the animal bows in return, then the person can touch and even ride it!" Mouse exclaimed, her eyes aglow, before seeking to realize something and duck her head.

"Really?" Miranda asked. She could see why she didn't know about it, since her parents never let her near a creature they seemed dangerous, and after she was seven, she never went after those again. "That would be really cool. The only magic animals I've ever ridden on were Winged Horses and Thestrals."

She seems to like magical creatures too, which is neat. Some of my other friends don't really appreciate them enough. It would be nice to have one that did. Careful, Miranda, don't be too hasty. Talk to her more first.

She glanced at the book's cover again. "Although not that you mention it, I may have seen one of those in the distance before..." Miranda trailed off, looking unsure. "Well, I don't really know. Lots of creatures can look similar, so sometimes it's pretty hard to distinguish them."

Slowly, she looked up from her hands, both confused and relieved as she answered,“I guess you just need to know what to look for,”
Mouse glanced at the cover of the book she was holding. The hippogriff, it’s brown feathers fluttering in the wind, was standing proudly, with the title, “All about Hippogriffs” at the front. She gently traced the golden lettering scrawled across his chest, mesmerised in the pattern. The hippogriff,standing tall as the wind threw leaves at its feet, was glowing with pride as he directed his soft, brown eyes at her, making her marvel at this beautiful animal. One of the moments Mouse always loved was when she took a book, a book she has never read before, and she would open the first page, starting yet another journey. The ravenclaw looked up at the girl in front of her, and glanced at the books surrounding her. From the covers of the book, Mouse could clearly see she wasn’t studying for class. Curiosity getting the best of her, the girl looked at the person across from her and, as anxious thoughts crowded her mind faster than a snitch just released from a box, she took a deep breath and asked in a timid voice, “What are you reading?”

“What are you reading?” Mouse asked, and Miranda glanced up from her study of the image of the hippogriff.

"Oh, just a guide to dragons and drakes," she replied, and titled the books so that Mouse could see the cover more easily. "I've always like them, which I know is weird because they're so dangerous, but I can't help it." Miranda smiled timidly, her expression repentant.

"I've always liked dangerous creatures more than i should. It's a habit that's...gotten me into trouble before. Big trouble, actually." Miranda grimaced, but then she smiled again. "Well, I'm still here, so it's not that bad."

Although, I only barely escaped with my life, her thoughts continued. If Cedar hadn't gone back for help...if Mother and father hadn't gotten there in time...if it had been even a smidgen faster... She didn't want to dwell on it, so she quickly tried to change the subject, to distract herself.

"Are you a first year?" Miranda asked. "Or have I just not seen you around before? I thought I knew everyone, but I'm always reading so I might not have noticed you..." It was unlikely, but still plausible, in its own way. She never knew, since her memory for faces wasn't exactly top-notch.

"Are you a first year? Or have I just not seen you around before? I thought I knew everyone, but I'm always reading so I might not have noticed you..." Miranda asked. Mouse smiled, and answered, "I'm a first year. It's a bit hard navigating around Hogwarts... but the second I heard there's a library in here, I had to visit," Mouse smiled, before a thought clouded her mind, 'What are you doing letting your guard down like that around her?' Mouse shook the thought away, and continued speaking, "I don't think it is weird to like a dangerous creature... Just because they are dangerous doesn't mean they aren't interesting," Maybe liking dangerous creatures wasn't weird, but it wasn't that safe either... Mouse sank deeper into thought as a small frown appeared on her face - information she had collected over the days crowded round her mind, forming a small ocean of facts. Although she knew that in time she would forget the facts, it felt comforting to know they were there, waiting for her when she needed them. Not that she needed them often. It wasn't as if her brother would care to listen about bowstruckles, and he learned the hard way that they don't like their trees being attacked. (He was kicking the tree out of anger).
Mouse opened her book again, scanning the page until she found the one she had left off from. She smiled, and continued reading, drinking in the words.

"I'm a first year. It's a bit hard navigating around Hogwarts... but the second I heard there's a library in here, I had to visit," Mouse answered, and Miranda couldn't help but smile. That sounded exactly like her when she'd first arrived.

"I don't think it is weird to like a dangerous creature... Just because they are dangerous doesn't mean they aren't interesting," the other girl added, and then something seemed to occur to her, and she frowned slightly. Miranda briefly wondered what that was about, but decided it didn't matter.

"I agree, but you still have to be really careful," she agreed. Seven-year-old me didn't know that, and look where I am now... at least Cedar had some sense back then. Her lips twitched upward slightly. Although it all seems to have disappeared in recent years, what with his foolhardy stunts.

She glanced over at Mouse to see that the other girl had returned to reading, so Miranda flipped open her book as well, since she knew full well how annoying it was to be interrupted when in the middle of a good book. When she looked down again, she realized the page she'd flipped to was about various methods of detaining, capturing or killing dragons. Miranda quickly changed the page.

Mouse smiled, turning the page. Her eyes scanned the words, realising she was coming to an end to the book. Maybe next time I should find out more about the Runespoor, She thought to herself, before closing the book quietly. She quietly scanned the Hippogriff once again, before standing up and putting away the books she had pulled out. She quickly found a few about the Runespoor, planning to read in the common room or in the dormitory. She stared at the beautiful patterns on the snake, mesmerised. The three heads moved around, the right head hissing irritably at the other two. The title was written in deep green ink, and as Mouse flicked open the book, she gasped at the amount of reading. She once again turned to the cover, knowing that as soon as she had the chance, she would attempt to draw this magnificent beast. She smiled faintly, thinking about how nice it would be to sit by the fire, with a blanket and a cup of tea, reading. Then a thought popped into her head, making her eyes widen. Was she seriously considering it? What-ifs filled her head, making her shake her head slightly. Finally, Mouse walked slowly to the table where Miranda was reading. For a few seconds Mouse didn't move, knowing fully well that it was annoying when you were reading and someone suddenly disturbed you.
"Hey, I just wanted to ask... I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you... but do you want to meet up later in the common room? I've never really met anyone who love books, or magical creatures as me so it would be nice to talk to someone who did for a change..."