The Things You Need to Know

[Hayley Elridge]

Hayley sat alone at a big table in the library, with an assortment of books spread haphazardly out around her. Doing research wasn't normally her scene, but if she wanted the revolution to get anywhere she had to educate herself about the issues she was protesting. Thus she'd collected a bunch of volumes about wizarding history, sentient magical races, and the Statute of Secrecy. Even though her brain was a jumble at the moment, and she was full of guilt at failing to organise a meeting about the revolution, it felt good to be doing something towards it again.

Even if the something in question was deathly dull. Hayley stifled a yawn and closed the book in front of her - a hefty, dry tome on magical law - with a dull thud. She pushed it away from her, back among the messy pile of books, and rummaged amongst them for something lighter. Hayley settled on a book about veela and part-veela, and opened her book of messy notes to a new page.

 

[Zennon Baros]

Zennon often headed to the library to hide and read his history books. He wasn't exactly a big reader, but history books were his favourites. Maybe if he devoted as much time to transfiguration as he did to History, he wouldn't be in his current grade predicament. Sighing as he found the book he was after, he turned a corner only to see an older slytherin girl. He knew her from the revolution months back and wondered if he should approach. He hadn't exactly done anything, but he wasn't sure how the girl felt and given that he disagreed with her, he wasn't sure if he should leave her alone or not. Deciding that he would rather have company today, Zennon headed over and nudged the chair across from her. "Is this seat taken?" He asked, the big book of past ministers stressing his muscles.
​

 

[Hayley Elridge]

Hayley looked up abruptly as a boy she thought she recognised approached her table. He'd been at the disastrous revolution meeting . . . with the idiots who'd disagreed without listening to what she was saying, but as far as she could recall, he hadn't said anything himself. Hayley was immediately, instinctively distrustful, but she was curious as to what he wanted. Hoping she wasn't letting herself in for another nasty encounter with a pureblood supremacist, she shook her head. "Nah, you can sit here if you want. Though I did kinda take up the whole table . . ." She smiled sheepishly and pushed some of her pile of books towards herself, away from the other seat.

 

[Zennon Baros]

Zennon gratefully dropped his book on the table and smiled slightly, not really sure where to go from here. He dropped into his seat and was content to not say anything for a moment before he looked up to peek at what she was doing. She had books on veela from what he could see. He scoffed a little. None of them were written by veela and so most of them were complete nonsense. He realised he had scoffed and hoped she wouldn't think it was directed at her. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean that, it wasn't directed at you at all!" he said, making sure she knew he wasn't mocking her or something. "I'm Zennon by the way, Zennon Baros."
​

 

[Hayley Elridge]

Hayley eyed the boy curiously. She wasn't sure what he intended to happen here, but judging the the awkward way he was smiling at her, he wasn't sure of it either. He seemed to have a book on politics; was he doing similar research to her? Then he made a noise of disgust, and she glanced back up at him more sharply. "What was it directed at, then?" Hayley asked warily. He did seem to genuinely be trying not to insult her, so she was somewhat baffled as to what he had been thinking. On the other hand, Hayley knew a lot of Slytherins had a tendency to act in ways other than how they felt . . . but if this boy was doing that, she was still puzzled as to his agenda. "Hayley," she said, smiling a little despite his odd behaviour. "Hayley Elridge."