Nature vs Nurture

[Odette Madison]

Odette had been so ready to go back home after the school year she had had. It had been fun at times, but mostly stressful and tiring. The fact that she herself was the source of most of this stress was something she didn't really linger on in her mind. After all, she had only acted after others had acted first. Everyone who was mad about the flyers seemed to completely forget how Harley had written horrible things about her in her ugly graffiti on the bathroom wall. Granted, barely anyone had actually seen that while she had made sure most people would have seen the flyers. But it hadn't been her that started it, it had been Harley.

Unfortunately, her life at home wasn't much more relaxing than her life at school had been. Her grades hadn't been as good as they could have been, something her mother loved to point out. Ironically, the thing she seemed most irritated about was Odette's only 'O' in flying class. Rebecca didn't have anything against flying on its own, but it was clear to Odette that her mother could sense her budding interest in quidditch. If she had to hear one more rant about how unladylike and mannish quidditch was, she might actually tear out some of her hair. It didn't help that her mother asked her to accompany her everywhere, hardly giving her any time to herself. Like today she had been forced to join her on a shopping trip to Obsidian Harbour. It was convenient, because they would get Odette some new school supplies while they were there. Her mother talked a lot, which wasn't new. She tended to go on a long uninterrupted rants about everything and anything. Though it mostly concerned Odette herself right now. She nodded absently at her mother's talk, letting it wash over her. They passed Quality Quidditch Supplies and Odette couldn't help but stare at the displays at the windows as they walked by it. The shiny beaters bat she saw there gave her a little twinge in her heart, and she couldn't help but imagine holding it.

 

[Rebecca Cross]

Rebecca wasn't sure what to make of her daughter these days. Hogwarts hadn't done her much good, though it had definitely changed her. She seemed quieter, less vibrant. As did everything about her. It annoyed her. Any daughter of hers was supposed to shine at a school like that, she could only imagine what kind of dreadful impression Odette was making on her classmates and Professors. She was almost downright mousy, it was embarrassing.

"Odette, dear." She said, snapping her fingers to get her daughter's attention. "Please do pay attention to me. I was just saying how dreadful that castle air seemed to have been for your beautiful hair. I hardly recognized you when you got off the train!" She waved her hand and then took a lock of Odette's hair and held it up for inspection. "We do need to work on that, darling. You know your complexion doesn't pop quite the way we would want it to and we don't want you to look average, do we? Your hair is your eye-catcher, remember that?" She tutted. "I sent you so many potions for it as well. What do you do with them if you're not using them?" She sighed and patted Odette's head as she let go of the hair, not giving her a chance to reply. Rebecca hadn't missed her daughter's longing glance at the store they passed, and she knew how to nip things in the bud. "Now, Odette, dear. I know you have a good grade in your flying class." Her nose wrinkled as she thought back to the grade paper Odette had brought home. "In fact, I seem to recall it being your only good grade. Regardless. I don't want you to get any silly ideas into your little head."

She made sure she had Odette's full attention now before going on. "You can fly, I don't mind that much, it might actually improve your balance. You know that can use some work in your dancing. But Quidditch, Odette, is a man's game. Okay? I know there's probably girls at your school that play it and I know they are probably very popular but it's not right. And a girl like you especially..." She paused to look her daughter up and down before putting on a slightly pained but loving smile. "Sorry honey, but you'd look ridiculous at try-outs, you know this." She leaned down to kiss her on the head. Odette nodded but pulled away from her quickly and a bit more forcefully than was acceptable, Rebecca said nothing for once. At least she knew her message had hit home.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

It had been a peculiar year, and Monty wasn't particularly sorry to see the back of it. He was, however, sorry to know that Ava would never be returning to the castle. With two young children to take care of, and the emotional stress of the trial, he quite understood and respected her decision; but it would not be the same without her radiant presence shining over everybody. Still, he had promised to visit as often as she could bear, and offered his services as a babysitter whenever he could escape the school. She had other friends, too, and family, all of whom would fiercely support her. It still didn't quite feel enough. It still wouldn't bring Riley back. But it was something.

After idly browsing a shop for fifteen minutes, the Potions Professor stepped out onto the street, colliding immediately with a young girl who had happened to be passing the door. "Sorry, Odette," he said, recognising her the moment he had reversed. He still attached to the Slytherin certain memories of malicious flyers, but he had long since forgiven her her actions. Presently she appeared to be stood beside her mother, who Monty glanced at with a nervous inclination of his head. He had never wondered what Odette's mother might look like, but by some chance had he, his imagination would almost certainly have been accurate.

 

[Odette Madison]

Odette hated how well her mother could read her. She hadn't even said anything, just looked. And as always, her mother had also known just what to say to discourage her from doing anything she didn't want her daughter to be doing. But Odette was stubborn in her own way, she would try out next year and her mother didn't need to know about it. She wouldn't look ridiculous. (Right?) "Yes mom." Is what she muttered, though she didn't meet her mother's eyes.

As she pulled away from her mother's grip, she felt both angry and ashamed. Why did her words always hit her like this? Why did she always follow it up with affection? That just made it so much harder to dismiss. She didn't look where she was going and bumped into a man. Like this day wasn't bad enough already. She looked up at him to apologize and then noticed who it was. Oh no. "Uh, sorry, Professor Pendleton." She said quickly, stepping back and away from him. Why did it have to be him of all people? Pendleton and her mother in the same place, this was like a nightmare scenario. She hadn't really enlightened her mother about exactly everything that happened last year, and here was the person that could. She could already see her mom's eyes perk up at the sound of the word Professor, she obviously wanted to talk to him now. Odette attempted to keep walking but her mother put a hand on her shoulder to stop her without even looking at her. It didn't matter that Odette was clearly uncomfortable, her opinion hardly ever seemed to matter.

 

[Rebecca Cross]

Rebecca had just opened her mouth to berate Odette for being so clumsy, when the man apologized to her and called her by name. She instantly closed her mouth again and slightly raised her eyebrow. Odette's reply made it clear, he was a professor at Hogwarts.

Odette wanted to move on but Rebecca wasn't going to let this chance to meet one of her daughter's teachers go by. She stopped her daughter with a hand on her shoulder and then turned to the man. She looked him up and down and then gave him a smile that projected in how many ways she found his appearance lacking. She held out her hand to him. "Professor Pendleton, was it? I'm Rebecca, Odette's mother. I assume you're her teacher? What a happy coincidence. I was just telling her how much work her grades needed. I hope she wasn't a terrible student in your class? I know how distracted she can be. You saw it just now, the clumsy girl nearly fell over bumping into you. So sorry about that, by the way." She dusted off his jacket a bit. "She's a dear, but not always the brightest." She tutted, giving Odette a knowing smile before returning to Monty. "I've told her to try harder next year, is there anything you could tell me about her performance? She's like an oyster, this girl, impossible to open up! She hardly told me anything about her entire year at school." She gave him an insistent, expectant look.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty took the offered hand warily, as if it might bite his own, and then withdrew his arm swiftly. The woman was indeed Odette's mother, as he had surmised, but he was pleased for the confirmation. He had met before siblings of a similar age gap, and learned the hard way that it never did well to assume a relation. "Yes, that's right," he said, his voice lacking something it tended to possess within the school. Confidence. He frowned almost imperceptibly as Rebecca described her daughter as distracted, clumsy, and perhaps lacking in intelligence. It was strange; he had heard parents speak of their children this way before, but not usually while the child was present, and never under the guise of affection. Was it her intention, he wondered, to embarrass Odette, or was that simply an unfortunate side effect of her absent-mindedness? No; she was shrewd. He saw that much in the look she gave him while she spoke.

Finally Monty smiled, finding somewhere within himself the cheerful mask he often applied at school. "Really?" he said, feigning slight surprise. "I can't imagine why." He glanced between Rebecca and Odette and back again. "In my class, certainly, I've noticed a keen improvement in Odette's performance. With a little hard work, self-discipline, and perhaps some gentle encouragement, I don't see why the trajectory shouldn't continue." There was something faintly false in the professor's smile, and he rather hoped Rebecca would spot it. "Actually, I often find it one's... self belief which determines the effort they choose to apply to a task. Wouldn't you agree?"

 

[Odette Madison]

Odette would have been less surprised if Professor Pendleton had stood on his hands and sung his song from potions class. He hadn't said anything bad about her. In fact, he had even stood up to Odette's mother, playing at her own game of not-so-subtle insults. Just moments before he had looked shy, downright meek. What was even happening? She stared at him with her eyes wide. Was this some sort of trick? But no, he could have totally thrown her under the bus. The very willing bus named Rebecca. It was just like how she expected him to give her bad exam grades, or call her out on a wrong homework assignment in class. He just hadn't done anything, even after how angry he had been about the flyers. She didn't understand it, but was grateful for it anyway. Hesitantly, she gave him a quick smile.

Her mother, however, didn't seem pleased. Odette could tell by the way the grip on he shoulder tightened slightly, and the way her mother's smile only grew. As it became bigger, it became even less sincere. Odette's own smile disappeared, she wished they could just go home already, where they couldn't bump into anyone they knew.

 

[Rebecca Cross]

Rebecca wasn't sure what she had expected from this man, but this wasn't it. He had seemed a lot easier to get some information out than he turned out to be. Unless what he said was true, but Rebecca knew her daughter was hiding things from her first year at school. She had barely said anything. But clearly, this Professor would be no help. In fact, if she her suspicions were right, he was insulting her. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she appraised him. "I'm surprised to hear that, and I wonder if her other Professors would agree if I owled them with my questions. But thank you for your opinion Professor Pensington." She paused, partly to show him that the wrong name was deliberate. "I have to say though that I don't really agree with your last statement. I find that a strong guiding hand is often necessary to bring a child to the right path. Which is what I want for my daughter, thank you very much." She smiled again. "Well. We'd better be off, but it was so nice to meet you Professor. It's always... enlightening to see what sort of people my daughter is around at school."

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty caught Odette's smile, but did not catch her eye. Instead he continued to smile pleasantly as Rebecca deliberately mispronounced his name, attempted to call his bluff, and then proceeded to share a few of her own opinions. He hadn't been lying; he had seen an improvement in Odette's performance since the beginning of term. A slight one, admittedly, but an improvement all the same. "Yes, absolutely," the professor agreed, a little more genuinely this time; whilst he had immensely disliked the way she had spoken of Odette, it wasn't at all his place to criticise. He swallowed back the worry inflicted by Rebecca's final remark and nodded. "A pleasure to meet you, too. Take care."

As they parted ways, Monty began to feel sick. What had possessed him to say such a thing? He had no right! In fact, the further away he walked, the more certain he became that Rebecca was right to make the implications she had - that he fell perfectly within the 'sort of people' she clearly defined as inept, unsatisfactory, and rude. It was too late to withdraw any of it, now. Letting it go was fast revealing itself the only option, lest he wind up making himself sick worrying about it. But he couldn't let it go - not because he regretted his choice of words (though he did), but because to loosen the thought from his mind would also mean dismissing what he had just witnessed. The encounter with Odette's mother, whilst unpleasant, had shed a sort of light over the situation, as meeting Hezekiah had done to Rama. Odette was expected to succeed, if not perfectly then incredibly well, and then mocked when she inevitably failed to reach her mother's unreasonably high standards. An A in first year Potions was an achievement to take pride in. Odette knew that - didn't she?