Long Live // Harry Potter Universe

9. Comforting a Friend

she's nothing but a child
a waif who needs protection

ϟ

Perry sat with Alana and Cedric the morning of Halloween. They feasted on all kinds of pumpkin treats before they departed for their classes. The two Hufflepuffs made their way to the dungeons for potions and the lone Slytherin made her way up to the charms classroom.

With the help of the two third years— more Cedric than Alana— and the dear Hermione Granger, Perry had began to excel in her classes. She thought the Slytherins could no longer make fun of the girl for not understanding magic, for she knew more than they did now, but even then it didn't stop them.

Perry arrived to class early as usual and sat in her regular seat where the Slytherins would fill in around her. In the beginning of the year she had sat between Draco and Pansy, who had made it their daily task to annoy or bully her. In the beginning they would make fun of her for not knowing anything, but when she started to grow in knowledge they began teasing her about being so smart. It seemed to her she could not win.

Other students began filling in around the classroom until everyone was gathered. Professor Flitwick got up on his stack of books and instructed the class on the days agenda. He told them they would be working on the levitating charm in partners.

Perry wasn't fond of partner work unless it was with Hermione. The girl sitting to Perry's right would be her partner. She had seen the girl around plenty, they shared the same dorm room after all. Unlike the others, the girl never made fun of her, which was somewhat comforting. But this girl seemed to have no interest in anything. She'd rather be anywhere than in classes. Perry would often catch her rolling her eyes or mimicking others when they were speaking, this including Perry herself.

The feathers for today's work were distributed and before Perry could even get her wand out her partner had lost interest in the subject.

"Ugh, this class is dreadful," the black haired girl complained.

Perry looked at her and made eye contact. The girl looked beyond bored. Perry nodded at the girl and turned back to her feather. Perry recited the incantation with the correct movements of her wand, yet she couldn't get the feather to do more than twitch.

Her partner on the other hand had decided to take to balancing the feather on her nose. Perry eyes the girl with a mixture of confusion and fear.

Perry raised her hand, but then remembering Cedric's advice about relaxing, sat it back down on the table. By now the class was almost to an end. She cleared her mind and relaxed her shoulder. She gripped her wand but relaxed her muscles as she did so.

Closing her eyes to clear her thoughts she pronounced, "Wingardium Leviosa!" clearly and powerfully. She opened her eyes and watched as the feather in front of her rose to the ceiling. She maintained focus on the feather while refusing to break her eye contact with it. Around her she heard the whispers, gasps, and grunts of her classmates.

"Dear Merlin! Miss Persephone has accomplished to levitate her feather!" Flitwick announced as he bounced on his pile of books. Across the room Hermione's feather rose into the air as well. "It seems Miss Granger has done it as well! Excellent work, just excellent!"

Persephone smiled as she looked over and gave Hermione a nod. She then turned her head to Harry who was mouthing 'how' to the girl. Perry shook her head with the smile on her face.

"Miss Parkinson," Professor Flitwick said looking to the girl beside Persephone, "I do not believe the practice of balancing feathers was on today's agenda."