SCREAM | ginny w.

SCREAM | twelve

Vera met Hannah Abbott for the next time the next day during lunch in the library. After a day full of classes where all of the information had flown, in some cases quite literally, over her head, she could care less what Hannah Abbott was like, as long as she could understand the material in her classes at least somewhat.

"Hello, you're Vera, right?" Hannah asked as she approached the table in the library Vera was sitting at. Vera nodded silently. Hannah stuck out her hand. "I'm Hannah Abbott."

Vera stuck her hand out in return slowly, shaking Hannah's hand cautiously. "Nice to meet you, Hannah."

"You too," Hannah smiled. "Now, if you don't mind, I know you're here because you're new to the school, but what level of magic would you think you're at?"

Vera paused, slightly embarrassed. "I don't know very much, and it is not very practical. I'm sorry, I know that's not very helpful."

"That's alright," Hannah waved Vera's apology off. "It's why I'm here. You deserve to learn, same as everyone else. I'll help you out where I can, and see if I can get my friends to fill in the gaps where I'm probably not the best teacher."

"Okay," Vera said finally. Hannah beamed. 

"So, Vera, tell me a little bit about yourself, you know, what house are you in- I don't think McGonagall told me- why'd you come to Hogwarts, all that stuff," Hannah began, clearly very excited. Vera bit back a sigh. She still wasn't used to chatty, very talkative people she had encountered.

"I'm in Slytherin," Vera replied, smiling dryly at Hannah. "Unfortunately. And I came to Hogwarts because it was what the Ministry of Magic told me to do."

"Oh," Hannah said, backing off, sensing that she had intruded upon a topic that Vera was less than willing to talk about. "How about we get started on something simple? Easy levitation, alohamora, that kind of stuff."

It took only around forty minutes for Vera to successfully and consistently launch a piece of parchment into the air and bring it back down. Eventually, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch break. Vera went to tuck her wand away once more before Hannah stopped her.

"Did McGonagall not tell you? We're excused for the rest of the day to keep working, since you're a bit behind, especially since you're taking OWLs at the end of the year- are you taking OWLs this year? Seems a bit rude to make you do it after having to learn what most people learn over five years in one," Hannah smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, let's get back to work. We've got a lot to do."

It was nearly dark when Vera had at the very least loosely gripped the concepts covered in the first year. "We should go to dinner," Hannah said, checking her wristwatch. "Good work today."

"Thank you," Vera replied, gathering her things. 

"Do you want to sit with me and my friends?" Hannah offered. Vera shook her head. 

"I don't want to leave my friend by themself at the Slytherin table," Vera smiled slightly. "I think a crime might be committed if I did that. Thank you for the offer though."

"No problem," Hannah said. "I know how some of those Slytherins can get over there. I'll see you on Thursday, same time- though if anyone's giving you any trouble, feel free to come to me. The kids here can be far too nosey for their own good."

Vera couldn't help but smile at Hannah. "You are very kind," Vera pointed out. Hannah blushed. 

"Everyone deserves to know what kindness feels like," Hannah insisted. "I don't know your life, I don't need to know your life, but it doesn't mean that I should judge you for it."

"Thank you," Vera said, hoping she didn't sound like a broken record. "See you on Thursday."

The two parted ways with a better understanding of each other, and Vera feeling all the better about magic. She quickly made to find Arson in the Great Hall, and was lucky enough that they were already there. 

"How was your tutoring?" Arson asked, buttering a roll. Vera shrugged. 

"There's a lot I have to learn," Vera replied. Hannah was an excellent teacher, but there was simply so much material to cover that she might never catch up to her peers. 

"Oh, by the way, this letter came for you earlier," Arson said suddenly after a moment, turning to rummage in their bag for the letter. "Which not to seem nosey, but I am the nosiest bitch on this planet- you're in contact with Remus Lupin?"

Vera exhaled, amused, taking the letter from Arson. "He's my guardian," Vera explain, seeing his neat writing on the front of the letter. Arson grinned. 

"Wicked! He was always my favorite Defense professor, it's a shame that Snape had his head too far up his ass to let Lupin stay here," Arson complained, far too loudly, though it wouldn't really have mattered how loud they had said it, as Snape happened to be passing behind the pair.

"Detention, Pinkston," Snape said, his tone dangerously soft. "And not  with me."

Arson did not care in the slightest, grinning as Snape stalked away. "He thinks he's so threatening," they sighed. "He won't even give me detention with him anymore- I think he likes me."

Vera grinned. "Really?" she asked, not knowing much about Snape other than what she had heard from Ginny and Remus, though neither of them had given him what she would call a glowing review. 

"Oh, yeah," Arson continued, finally taking a bite of the roll they had been buttering for the past five minutes. "He always gives me ace marks in class and never takes points off since I'm a bit of a wiz at potions. He used to make me come in and sort the potion ingredients, but I would finish so quickly that he would make me sit and make stuff for him to give to Pomfrey. And I would ask him all of these buggered questions that eventually he just handed me off to Filch instead of sitting there and having to answer all of my nosey ass questions. But he still calls me in after potions class sometimes to help him make stuff for Pomfrey."

"Impressive," Vera said, sure that she would be horrified that her friend had been in detention so much, though she found that she really could care less about someone breaking the rules for good fun- there were worse things in the world than a few swears. 

"Don't let me stop you from reading that letter," Arson said in between bites of food. "And if Lupin's got any gossip, I wanna know about it."

Vera opened the letter. It was very clearly sent before he had received her letter from the day before. Still, she read it eagerly, hoping to capture the peace she had felt when she was with Remus in his cottage in the letter.

Vera,

I hope Hogwarts is treating you well. I hope you're enjoying your house, whatever it is, and that you've made some friends in it. I am sure that adjusting will be hard, as is everything, but from what I know of you, it will be nothing compared to what you have already faced in your life. As always, write to me if you're having any trouble. I will be away again for a few days next week, but I will respond to any letters you have sent me in my absence with due diligence. And if you're struggling with Defense Against the Dark Arts, I suggest asking Harry Potter for help- feel free to tell him I sent you. He's got quite the aptitude for it.

Best,
Remus Lupin

"No gossip," Vera told Arson, folding the letter and tucking it into her pocket, subconsciously deciding to keep it. "Is there anything fun that you do around here?" She had been wondering what people her age did for fun other than read for quite some time, and it had only just struck her that now was as good a time as any to find out. 

Arson grinned. "You bet. I'll show you some real fun, Vera. Right after I finish this roll."

Vera couldn't argue with that. 

a/n: this mfing toad is loud as UNTIL I go outside to find it and then all of a sudden he's nowhere to be found (also i learned that only the men croak 🙄 not surprised) i rlly thought i beat this frog and i am only now learning that i havbe absolutely lost

if I go missing it's cause this mfer got hands that's all I'm saying