Head in the Clouds PV Errand

It was too early for this. And by this, Jo meant anything - it was too early to do anything. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t done this before (only a month or two ago, in fact, with Guinevere Brand) but there was nothing like garden work to wear you out even before the day began.

The Gryffindor stifled a massive yawn as she ambled lethargically towards the greenhouses. Normally she would have invited someone to pick the flowers with her, but she just didn’t feel up to asking favors right now. If someone chose to come, they’d come. If they didn’t - and they probably wouldn’t - then no sweat.

The greenhouse smelled like flowers, plants, and manure. Nothing special, then, but Jo still liked it - Herbology was one of her favorite classes, and the scent reminded her of all the fun classes she had spent there.

She noticed a glint of metal on the greenhouse floor. A pair of rusted gardening scissors - left half-open and discarded on the ground. Resolving to return it as soon as she finished clipping flowers, she plucked the shears from the soft, moist earth and, rubbing her eyes vigorously, dragged her feet towards a magnificent patch of white and pink Valerian which she began to snip at rhythmically. “Valerian roots are used in the Draught of Living Death.” she said aloud to nobody in particular, only noticing the absence of her peers after her voice echoed off the greenhouse walls. The Draught of Living Death... that was something she needed to think about.

The little lioness had quite a lot to mull over following the events of a certain Valentine’s Day tea party. If Professor Bercegeay could have foreseen the wild events that unfolded there, she probably would have been shaking in her Quidditch boots.

Firstly, Wren Caster has a crush on Stella Dawson. Jo didn’t understand what was so hot about redheads, but they seemed quite in vogue at the moment. Either way, this information was of little consequence to the Gryffindor - as long as the amorous two could still get work done during Acid Pop meetings, the relationship wouldn’t be much of a problem. Jo briefly entertained the idea of apologizing to Wren for the Christmas Tree decorating fiasco, but her ego quickly quashed such a notion. After all, Rafa and Saoirse were also somewhat to blame for her outburst. Then again, she’d already made up with both of them for that, and it seemed wrong to hold such a small grudge for so long.

Next, there was the fact that a Slytherin started freaking out and biting/hitting people. Jo made a mental note to go check on Evelynn Decipio to see if the girl had sustained any burn injuries from her unfortunate run-in with the Slytherin and the steaming cup of tea. Did the barbaric blonde even realize Evelynn’s importance in the Potter Trial? If so, was that why she poured tea on her? It wouldn’t be the first time a Slytherin tried to hamper the course of justice.

Suddenly, a tiny Fanged Germanium snapped at her, its multitude of teeth searching earnestly for her pale flesh. Jo jumped back, swearing under her breath as she gathered the clipped Valerian stems and stumbled over to a batch of blooming Moly flowers. Moly flowers. They reminded her of the Odyssey, which... reminded her of her father. Of course it reminded her of her father. What didn’t? She has other things to think of at the moment, like the Valentine party. Speaking of which, of course...

Thirdly, Jack Burnett had stepped in and tried to be a hero. This was a problem because Jack Burnett was a dickhead, and right now Jo would rather chomp down on a cockroach cluster than forgive him for the humiliation she had endured during Donnovan’s Secret Santa event. Of course, his moment in the sun hadn’t lasted very long... Jo could barely stifle her laughter as she remembered him dangling helplessly from the arm of the Hufflepuff prefect. Apparently he’d charged headfirst into the blonde girl - you know, like an idiot. She scoffed. Imagine trying to stop violence with more violence!

She clipped some Flitterbloom leaves, which wavered and twisted around the other flowers beautifully. Where would she put her fresh bouquet? Eh, she’d find out later. For now, she just needed to get back inside - the greenhouses were giving her serious “house of roads” flashbacks - another time she had been embarrassed, although that time it was pretty much her fault. Placing the rusty shears back onto the floor as she promised herself she would do, Jo wandered back out of the greenhouse as airily as she had entered it, her arms full of flowers and her head full of thoughts.

WC: 802