closed The Rest is History PV Emilia Roberts

She had been sitting here for HOURS.

There was Emilia, in the corner, with tons of dusty leather books surrounding her. Her head was in her hands, clearly having a hard time. She looked like a ghost, her skin pale from all the live being sucked out of her (not literally, she was just being dramatic) because of this one class. History of Magic. Also known as her worst subject. When lots of stuff was happening in classes, when there were hands on things to do, she loved them! But History of Magic was basically a lecture on things that she couldn't quite grasp. Where there any students who's favorite class was this? She didn't think so.

So back to her sulking. This was not what she wanted to do with her afternoon. But with the end of the year fast approaching, she probably had to get this all down for final examinations. But how was one to memorize all of this? The goblin rebellions were not sticking in her head, and for good reason! She didn't care! Well maybe a bit, but it wasn't exactly what she wanted to study at all. She paused her frantic thoughts to sneeze, the dust was getting to her. Let her be free.

Suddenly pulled away from her thoughts, she head a door creak and a "Whoops!" and she swiveled her head to see who was there. It was a much older pretty girl, probably her middle teens, with curly hair and a bow. How put together she seemed! Not Emilia. She had ink staining her fingers, and hair probably sticking out in random directions. She quickly smoothed down her hair, she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of an older student! What if she got kicked out because she wanted the space? But to her relief, the other spoke kindly. Slightly nervous and not wanting to bother the girl, she quickly waved her hand in protest. "No no don't worry! There's lots of space in here, I don't mind," she said, trying to sort through her multiple papers so she didn't look like a crazy person, which probably ended up making her look more crazy. She needed a nap.

@Aly Salinger

Reducio

I hope this is okay! Sorry for the wait!!

For a moment, Aly thought that there might have been an additional Hogwarts ghost of whom she'd been unaware. (It wouldn't have been much of a surprise - nearly six full years in, she was still learning about the many spirits who haunted the academy's hallowed halls. There weren't just the four House ghosts, after all, but many more!) But no, it was no spirit at all but a living student as pale as Aly herself, dust-covered and frizzy-haired with ink-stained fingers. She'd been half-hiding behind a stack of books probably about her height, which explained why Aly hadn't seen her immediately upon entrance but instead had taken a few moments to notice her presence. Aly had to hold back a chuckle, though a knowing smile still found a way to grace her lips - she remembered similar times holed up in the Ravenclaw common room in her first few years at Hogwarts. Luckily, once she'd gotten more of a social life, those lonely days had faded into study groups with friends and classmates, leaving her solo cramming experiences as a thing of the past.

The first-year - at least, Aly assumed she was a first-year, due to her small stature and the titles of the books surrounding her - seemed to be fine with company, though, and told the elder that there was plenty of space even as she sorted through a stack of parchments with a frantic look that Aly knew all too well. Again, the sixth-year cracked a smile, and she moseyed past the kid with her eyes set on the bookshelf behind her. "Thanks. Just let me grab this, and I'll go sit on the other side - you won't even know I'm here," she promised, reaching upwards to grab a huge, dusty tome on the magical history of Ancient Rome from the top shelf. Unfortunately, it was a few inches too high for her own shorter height to reach, even with her arm fully outstretched, and so Aly was forced to pull her wand and point it at the book in question. "Accio book!"

Reducio

Duelling list found here.

The tome gracefully floated into her hands, an impressive display of magic, but then again it was only a third-year spell, and one she'd practiced hundreds of times at that. Turning to squeeze past the first-year's veritable library of study materials, Aly couldn't help but glance down at the younger girl's scribbled notes and piles of scrolls and books with a piqued curiosity. "What're you working on there?" she offered, coming to hover behind the girl so she could peer at her parchment. "Need any help? It's been a bit since I studied all this; I could probably use a refresher, too."

Emilia blinked, surprised that the older girl hadn’t immediately turned and walked the other way at the sight of her disaster-zone desk. Instead, she’d pulled off a super smooth Accio like it was nothing and was now closer to her, peering at her scribbles with curiosity, and also, kindness. She felt so embarrassed! This girl was so put together, and she was...well...not. At all. What if she smelled bad? She didn't think she did, but like what if?

She stammered, cheeks heating up with embarrassment. “Oh! Um, it’s— it’s just for History of Magic. Goblin rebellions. It's something that I definitely need to study for final exams, but now everything’s contradicting itself, and I think one of these books might actually be cursed because every time I read it, I get a headache.”

That last part was probably a joke. Hopefully.

Emilia gave a sheepish grin and held up one of her parchments, now crinkled at the edges and speckled with ink blots and question marks. “It’s kind of a mess. I don’t even know what half my own notes mean anymore.”

She hesitated, then added quickly, “But if you do remember anything about goblins and, like, rebellions or treaties or whatever they were doing back then, I would seriously owe you. Like, I’ll buy you any sweet you want. Or five!”

Okay, so maybe she was bordering on desperate, but desperate times, right?

She adjusted her stack of books again, giving the older girl just enough space to sit if she wanted. “I mean, only if you’re not too busy, though. You probably have, like, actual important sixth-year things to do.” She didn't know what she expected in response. She would understand a "no" answer, but oh my god did she need help. And a shower.

@Aly Salinger