New Year New Challenges

[Aine Thompson]

Aine hadn't wanted to bother Professor Corrins too much. For her second semester she'd tried a little harder, and her results had been that little bit better, somehow even scraping an O for Defense Against the Dark Arts, of all subjects. Not that she'd be trying out duelling any time soon though. She still had no desire to cast spells on other people.

Still, though, she wasn't exactly brimming with confidence regardless of how good her marks were. After all, she got by on the theory which still didn't really make too much sense to her. And she could only really hit spells when she had clarity of emotion, which was a lot to ask of a girl about to turn thirteen.

She had pulled out the questions the professor had left for her, scrawling out answers and approaching the door with a polite knock. "Uh, hi Professor...um, it's Aine, I was hoping you might have a moment?"

Spoiler

1. What is your favorite color? I like dark blue and dark purple, and I like grey.
2. Where did you grow up? In a small town in Victoria, like three and a half hours drive from Melbourne. It's a really boring place.
3. What's your favorite thing to drink? Hot chocolate, but lemonade's up there.
4. Do you like the winter or the summer? I think I like autumn most cause winter gets really cold and miserable, summer can get way too hot, and spring gives me bad hay fever. But I would probably pick winter over summer.
5. What do you like to do in your spare time? Mostly reading. Sometimes I'll play video games but I can't really do that here.
6. What do you like to do when you're with your friends? I...don't really know. I didn't really hang out with people at my old school except for like casual chats and stuff. Hanging out and playing pretend's kinda fun?
7. What do you miss the most about your home? The privacy. I liked having my own room and my bookshelf and screen. Also it was eaay to walk around town and go get donuts and lollies.
8. When you're trying a new spell, what's going through your mind? Mostly I'm panicking about getting it wrong. Worried I'll hurt myself or someone near me or I'll get laughed at then I can't focus. In Transfiguration I lose concentration or my mind blanks and I just forget what I'm supposed to be making even looks like and then I jump about 5 steps and end up with something weird.
9. What was the nicest gift ever given to you? My mentor gave me a bunch of books when I got back from Hogwarts over the break and they were all magical based so I'd have something to do over the holidays to try and feel more comfortable about the whole magic thing, that was really nice.
10. Who would you say is your best friend here at school? My cat, Ollie. I got him over the break and I adore him. (Please don't tell any of the people who might consider me a friend that as they might get upset I guess).

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory was settling into school again, going over her coursework for the classes, when a knock sounded on the door. She set aside the lesson plans she'd been perusing and folded her hands on the desk, smiling. With a wave of her hand, the door opened to reveal a second year she recognized. "Aine, hello! I always have a moment for you, dear, come in," she reassured the girl with a warm smile. "Would you care for some tea?"

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine still felt pretty awful about asking for help in general. As far as she was concerned, asking for help was admitting she couldn't do things on her own. And she had to be able to do things on her own, didn't she? She was the only witch in her family, but even before that she'd been alone. Sure, magic didn't come easily to her and still often didn't really work, but it was still kind of embarrassing all the same. "Oh, uh, yes please, Professor," she responded politely, shuffling in to the room and sitting down, feeling a little awkward. She just had to get her thoughts in order, but if she could get her thoughts in order, she probably wouldn't need to be here, would she?

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled, the door shutting as she got up and moved to get the tea. She returned shortly with the tea tray, smiling gently at her guest. "What brings you to see me today?" She asked, setting a cup in front of Aine before settling down again with her own cup. She cradled it in her hands, crossing her legs and trying to look as open and friendly as possible. "Is everything alright?" Mallory asked, trying not to come across as too overbearing.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine picked up her teacup with a soft 'thank you', staring at it as though she expected it to tell her the answer. She put it down again, picking up the paper on her lap. "Oh, I did that questionnaire. Sorry for putting it off." She handed it over, fidgeting and picking at her fingers when her hands were back in her lap. "I'm very slowly getting better at Charms. Kind of. Maybe. Sorta. I just...hoped you might have some general spellcasting advice," she explained, reddening. "I don't like doing spells on other people. At all. But I have to. Is...is there anything I can do?"

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled as Aine produced the sheet, taking it and beginning to look it over when Aine spoke. She looked to the girl, giving her her full attention. "Well, my sweet." Mallory spoke slowly, considering how best to answer. "Spellcasting can be very difficult at your age. Magic is tied in so many ways to your emotions." Mallory tapped her finger on the sheet she'd had Aine fill out. "That was why I asked you to fill this out, dear. So I could get to know you, but also so you could get to know yourself. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

Mallory pulled open a new piece of parchment, and turned her eyes back to Aine's paper. "Alright, let me see... your favorite colors are dark blue and dark purple, and grey, very nice. I myself am fond of blue. I just love the sky, and the sea. Doesn't blue just have so much life?" She smiled, before moving to the next question. "You live in Australia, correct?" Mallory asked, looking up to Aine again. "Why don't you tell me about where you live?" She asked with a warm smile. "What's your house like, your room at home?"

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine fought back a grimace at the comment about magic being tied to emotions - that was what Valerius had said, too. Why couldn't it just be tied to reason? Not that her reason wasn't also completely impeded by her emotion, anyway, but she was thirteen, what was she supposed to do?

She did nod at the comment about blue. "I like the ocean," she admitted. At least they only lived an hour's drive from the beach, and she could spend time standing in the water, letting the waves gently push her. She nodded again in response to the professors question. "Yeah, my family have a house in town. I have a room in the back corner and it looks out at the neighbour's place so I get kept up when they have parties." She grimaced at the memory. "I've got a TV and computer on my desk and a small bookshelf so I don't really need to leave it much except to eat. Well, not that I can, really, what with the whole magic and seperate school years thing." She looked away, a little embarrassed. "Cause it's a bit of a bad look if I'm just wandering around in town during school terms. Oh, but my grandparents have a small sheep farm, so I can go there sometimes." Realizing she was rambling, she looked away, shifting on the spot.

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory listened to Aine, smiling softly. "That sounds lovely. You like the ocean then?" Mallory asked, an idea forming. "Would you say you feel calmer near the ocean?" She asked, thinking about ways they might be able to use that. She scribbled that down. "You like hot chocolate, lemonade, and you prefer autumn but would like winter over summer." Mallory looked to Aine again. "I've got sweet and sour, and cool or cold," She joked lightly, chuckling. "Let's play some scenarios. If you could be anywhere you wanted, doing anything you wanted right now, what would it be?"

 

[Aine Thompson]

((i didnt forget threads you did ))

"It really depends. On hot days there's like, lots of little kids screaming and bumping into me and it's annoying" Aine admitted, honestly, before shutting her mouth again, knowing she was probably being annoying. Sweet and sour sounded pretty apt - and now she was craving food from the local Chinese restaruant. She paused a little as the professor asked a question, wondering how best to answer it. "I...um, don't know. I'd say I wanna be in a house by myself just reading or watching movies but I might get freaked out being so alone. But probably that anyway?"

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory listened to Aine, scribbling down a few notes. "So you like being alone but you don't like solitude?" Mallory asked. "Do you have any pets?" Mallory sipped on her tea. "Cats can offer some nice company," She smiled, tittering softly. Maxim hurried over, jumping up onto the desk and purring. Mallory reached out, rubbing behind his ear.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine gave a wry smile and a shrug, feeling a liitle embarrassed. "It's weird isn't it? It's a, oh...what's the word...uh, paradox, I guess?" She shrank a little in her seat, before nodding at the Professor's next question. "Yes, actually, I got a cat on the holidays. He's a black cat and his name is Ollie." The name had just seemed to suit. He was polite enough not to bother her dormmates but liked to bother her. Sometimes it was annoying when she had essays to finish but mostly she was glad for the company. "I don't have to hold a conversation with him which is nice 'cause likely I'll just say something stupid."

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory listened to Aine, jotting down a few notes. "It's not weird at all, dear," She reassured the girl. "Ollie sounds absolutely lovely." she smiled, sipping her tea, before turning her eyes back to Aine's questionnaire. She read over the rest of it, tapping her fingers unthinkingly on the desk. "Hm... alright." She turned her eyes back to Aine. "Aine, let's try a little exercise." Mallory held up her quill. "I'm going to take this," Mallory stood and moved across the room, setting it on her bookshelf before returning to her seat. She folded her hands. "Now, take out your wand. Close your eyes. Imagine your happy space. Imagine yourself somewhere where you're relaxed, where you feel calm and content. You don't have to tell me what it is. And when you feel you're ready, summon back my quill. Take all the time you need. Pretend I'm not here. There is no right or wrong here," Mallory smiled softly.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine was nothing if not paradoxical. She liked solitude, but hated loneliness. She didn't like stress, but perhaps was at her best under pressure. She preferred to be inside and undercover, but really liked having fresh air. Were she a little older and more world wise perhaps she would understand that most people were complicated and had conflicting desires and interests at times, but unfortunately Aine was a stubborn young teen, and therefore assumed that everyone else's lives were simple and straightforward and she was the weird one. She owed it to Professor Corrins to at least try, though. She wasn't sure this would help in casting spells on another person and fast reactions to jinxes, but she did honestly want to get better at charms and transfiguration since she was still here.

Aine closed her eyes, trying to think specifically on the professor's quill, remembering the unique features of it. Which sort of faded from her mind's eye while she tried to imagine a place to relax. She imagined sitting out in one of the paddocks at her grandparent's farm, the sun setting and the muffled sounds of sheep bleating in the background. Her mind just seemed to be wandering all over the place and a voice inside her head yelled at her, telling her in her own voice to just hurry up and get it done and show she could do it. She winced a little at the sound, forgetting for a moment the professor was probably watching her, and awkwardly cleared her throat. "Accio Professor Corrins' quill," she intoned, waving her wand in the direction of the bookshelf. She opened her eyes slowly, wondering if maybe she should have done that first. The quill had certainly moved, though perhaps when she opened her eyes it had stopped, dropping onto the ground in front of her. "Sorry, uh, my concentration slipped."

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory waited patiently, letting Aine try to settle herself so she could summon over the quill. She smiled kindly as the Quill fell from the air. "No need to apologize, my dear." Mallory scribbled something down on her page. "Aine, sweet. You are quite skilled at magic." She told the girl. "The problem with your magic is not an ineptitude or lack of talent." She spoke gently. "Unfortunately, magic is tied to our emotions. This makes learning even more difficult for most students." She smiled softly. "Try again?" Mallory waved the quill back to its original position. "This time, don't mind me. You cannot take too long. I am perfectly content to sit here for however long it takes. There is no pressure here, my dear. No time limits, no prying eyes." Mallory considered something. "Would you like me to step out? I can go into my room until you're done, if you'd prefer," Mallory offered, motioning to the deep crimson curtain half hidden behind one of her bookshelves.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine sighed. How often had she heard that, that magic was tied to emotions? Only she was thirteen and all over the place, what was she supposed to do? "Do you ever think that like, if there's some kind of power that gives us magic, maybe it should consider having it show earlier so we can learn it when we're not awkward teenagers?" she rambled rhetorically, mostly just thinking out loud. "And maybe not force a bunch of twelve and thirteen year olds to cast jinxes on each other? I mean, it's just so rude of the school. I could be learning more about magical laws or something if I have to, y'know, give up my whole non magical lifestyle for this." Aine blinked a few times, realizing that she was now quite rudely rambling in front of Professor Corrins and complaining incessantly. She reddened, shrinking down into her robes and wishing that the ground would swallow her up and silence her. Maybe if she just summoned the quill, this would be over with and she could forget it was entirely her fault for starting this anyway. "Accio quill," she mumbled, "please." The quill slowly, almost reluctantly, moved to her hand. "S-see, it's fine, now you don't have to tell the other professors what I said."

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory was surprised by the girls words, though she knew they weren't entirely unfounded. She chuckled softly, smiling gently at the girl. "Oh, sweetheart, I won't tell anyone." She reassured Aine gently. "I understand where you're coming from. Unfortunately, we Professors don't have as much control of our curriculum as we'd like. The lessons I'm teaching currently are slightly revised from the lessons the last Professor left behind." She tried explaining gently. "New curriculum has to be approved by the Headmistress and the ministry, it's an entire process. But," Mallory smiled.

"I do, however, offer extra lessons on the side. I have several books here," She stood, walking to her bookcase and running her hand over some of the textbooks there. "I have some muggle courses, a few other wizarding topics." She smiled gently at Aine. "You are more than welcome to come by whenever you'd like if you'd want to learn a bit more,"

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine gave the professor a very embarrassed smile. "I'm just annoyed that they won't give us much in the way of modern history so I can't get a better understanding of the current wizarding world outside of the school," she explained, looking down at her hands and twiddling her thumbs. Everything she was learning was based pretty much on the Defence lessons about dark wizards and had pretty much just left her with the assumption that she was wrong for being muggleborn. Though it wasn't as though she'd asked to be a witch. She was sure she would've been perfectly...well, not happy, but would've lived a perfectly inoffensive and adequate life back home and been blissfully unaware of magic for the rest of her days. "Um, my friend and mentor, she, uh, sends me some muggle school worksheets sometimes. Like, maths and English and science and stuff. There's this like, small collection of witches and wizards back home who chose to stay and work as muggle teachers and...things like that. But, um, if you have any modern wizarding history, that'd be good," she acquiesced. Although she resented it at times, she was now understanding that the magical world was a part of her life, like it or not, and she wanted a better understanding than just what she interpreted through the election campaign.

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled, standing and walking over to her shelf. She took down a copy of Complete Wizarding Histories and brought it back, setting the thicker tome down on the desk. "Here you are, dear. This touches on a more complete recounting of the wizarding world, life in various societies and regions and the last wizarding war. It's a bit long, but it should answer any questions you might have." She smiled at Aine. "Now, darling, before you go, I have something for you." Mallory reached in her drawer, and pulled out a leather bound journal. Aine's name was inscribed in pretty writing on the front. Mallory set it on the desk and slid it over to the girl.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine looked incredibly relieved to see the tome. Sometimes she thought the sorting hat had made a mistake not putting her in Ravenclaw, or even Slytherin, but she supposed it had a reason for choosing Hufflepuff. Probably her wanting to hang on to the muggle world as much as she could, really. But, if she was going to be in this world, she wanted a thorough understanding of it. Which the curriculum seemed disinclined to give her. "Thank you, Professor, I-" she started, but stopped when she saw the journal, with her name on it. She ducked her head down, reddening. That was a surprise. "Oh, wow," she whispered, almost scared to touch it. "For me?"

 

[Professor Mallory Grayveson]

Mallory smiled softly. "It is, yes." She promised, pulling her hands back. "You spend a lot of time in your own head, Aine. Consider this... an unofficial assignment. You never have to share whats written in this journal, but," Mallory told her. "I'd like you to spend at least fifteen minutes a day writing your thoughts down in this journal. You need a safe outlet. This seems like a good option." She brushed her hair back.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Aine gave a rueful smile. It was true, she tended to overthink and have a lot of conversations with herself that usually just went around in circles and didn't get anywhere. She'd started talking to Ollie a bit when she was alone but didn't want to when other people were around, which was quite frequently. She very carefully picked up the journal, looking it over and then giving a shy nod. "Okay, I'll do that." She'd at least try to, anyway. She couldn't promise she would daily, but she'd give it a try. She slowly stood up, placing the journal and tome very carefully in her bag and nodding at the Professor. "Thanks, Professor. I'll...keep at it, I guess," Aine said, a little pathetically. Maybe journalling would help control her emotions. She could only hope, as she turned around and left the office.