No Act of Kindness

[Louisa Clark]

Louisa had spent the better part of the day watching Gryffindors. She'd followed them at a safe distance, observing them disappearing behind a portrait. She wanted to be sure she was going to the right place, and so she'd trailed a group of sixth years after their lunch, and again after dinner had observed a multitude of teenagers in scarlet robes enter the mysterious room. Her sense of direction told her that this was near one of the towers she'd never visited, and so by the time she felt secure that this was, indeed, the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, evening had fallen. She wouldn't have very long before she'd need to return to the dungeons. Still, she didn't need much time.

She'd spent all of her holidays on it. Her mother had been delighted at the thought that Louisa had found someone who, well wasn't exactly a friend, but was almost one. The boy who'd chosen to talk to, well rather to annoy incessantly, a girl he'd found hiding from the world didn't know how much of an impact he'd made. A person who was willing to allow you your secrets was rare, and Louisa had decided she would thank Leo Benivieni. Now, after many failed attempts, she'd managed to create the gift she'd imagined months before. It had been her summer project. So, when a moment of quiet allowed, she walked toward the portrait, and took her time placing it, so that there was no danger of someone stepping on it. One final glance at the carving made her smile. It was the best she'd ever made; the word "Leo" carved out of oak, with a lion lazing along the top of the word, his mane tangling around the top of the "L" and it's tailing curling beneath the other two letters. It had taken all of her newfound skills to try and perfect it; it had taken all summer, and then her mother had helped her to treat the wood. She knew the finished product wasn't perfect, but it had taken her all, and she hoped he liked it. She'd written a note to accompany it, and placed it on top with a sliver of cloth covering the carving. Leo, I want to thank you for cheering up a grumpy Slytherin who was too proud for her own good. Louisa. His full name was on the envelope, and knocking quickly on the portrait, she hoped whoever opened up would find the recipient. Taking off at a run, she slid behind a tapestry with fringe along the side through which she could see the portrait hole, and hopefully the reaction of one Gryffindor fifth year.

 

[Leo Benivieni]

The first semester back at Hogwarts was going well for Leo so far. They were already almost halfway through the term and Leo felt like it was passing quickly, unlike before. Now though he had more things to do and he had to find time in his schedule to spend it with his friends, but in order to accomplish that the Gryffindor had to make sure he studied well and focused on class. There was no more daydreaming or staring blankly. Currently he was in the common room, having decided that he deserved some free time and he wasn't very far with reading the letters from home when he heard someone call his name. Leo turned and furrowed his eyebrows, but understood when his housemate said someone has left a package or something for him. Well this was new.

He stood up, walked to the portrait that had been left open and thanked the person before bending down to retrieve the gift. He wondered who it was from. Maybe it was from Elizabeth or Daisy. But as soon as he saw the carving and his name on it he grinned. He read the message and knew that he had to find Louisa. Leo carried the carving - it was magnificent - and walked along the corridor, back and forth, trying to find the girl. However that didn't happen, instead what did happen was Leo feeling like he was being watched. The fifth year kept walking until he looked down and noticed a pair of eyes staring right back at him. He chuckled, pulling the fringe of the statue to the side and exposing the small girl who'd been really kind to make this for him. "Louisa," he said. "This is incredible."​

 

[Louisa Clark]

Louisa couldn't help wanting to laugh when she saw Leo exit the portrait hole. She hoped he didn't think it was weird that she'd made him a gift. Her mother always said you had to thank people in the best way you knew how. The truth was she'd tired of living in solitude. It didn't suit her, and it didn't really come naturally. When he bent to look at the carving, she found she was holding her breath, waiting to see his reaction, releasing a sigh of relief when he smiled. Leo was a much friendlier person than Louisa, and had definitely been kinder to her than she'd deserved. The feeling of making another person smile and laugh, that was something Louisa had almost forgotten.

As he began to pace, looking for her, she found the urge to giggle almost uncontrollable, liking her anonymity for the moment. When he finally spied her, the laughter burst from her, and the pulled back fringe revealed a small for her age fourth year in the midst of tear-inducing laughter. "I'm glad you... like it!" she grinned, amused at her ruse. Taking a moment to compose herself, she grinned up at Leo. "I've been getting better, I thought it made sense since I was only starting to learn when we met." Her grin split her face, giving her a brightness she rarely showed anymore. "It's not perfect, but I'm not good enough for that yet." She felt luminous.

 

[Leo Benivieni]

Louisa had changed since the last time he saw her, she was more carefree, or maybe that was because they were somewhat friends now so she was more herself around him and not closed off. Her laughter was contagious, so he grinned at her. "Like it? Are you kidding? I love it! Thank you," he told her sincerely. He'd make sure to take the carving with him when he went home for the holidays. He'd love to show his parents this. His mom in particular. He nodded at her, impressed. "Actually, even though you say it isn't perfect, this is so much greater than if I tried doing it." He didn't have much more to say about it, so he asked, "Are you going to come out of there or am I supposed to crawl in there?" He smiled, only half-joking. Leo would give her a hug as thanks but he was unsure if she wanted a hug. They were friends now, but maybe Louisa wasn't completely comfortable around him yet.​

 

[Louisa Clark]

Coming out from behind the tapestry was one of the fastest decisions of Louisa Clark's life. She hadn't regretted it, not in the slightest, and would hold on to the memory of Leo Benivieni's face when he'd found her gift. Louisa's capacity for kindness was great, her ability to care even greater, and in the coming months she found a little bit more of that within herself, but could pinpoint the small exchange she'd had with a boy she'd come to see as a sort of friend as the turning point.

Y30

How on Earth was it already fifth year? Louisa had spent a large portion of the holidays out on the water, meeting up with old friends from muggle school and finally talking to her mother about all that had happened. The fifteen year old was still very much a child. Sprinting through the halls of the castle, she found herself sliding around corners and having to dodge between groups of other students, many of whom were slightly shocked by her exuberance. The shy girl of yesteryear peeked above the parapets from time to time, but she had no time to be shy right now. She had an idea to run past Leo. She'd sent him an owl to meet her outside his common room, in her hand she held a rough sketch of her timetable. She needed to figure out how much was too much to take on.