You've Got to Start Somewhere

[Veronica Willows]

With exams coming up, Veronica was spending any free time she possessed with her nose buried in a book. Which wasn't much different to her normal state of existence, truth be told, but there was a quiet anxiety that always accompanied her near the end of the semester. It wasn't the grade that was so important, but Veronica absolutely wanted to do the best that she was able to do - not only for herself, but also for her parents. They had been so pleased with her results from last year, and she wanted to make them that proud again. If she had done it once, surely she could do it twice. Charms was her current focus, and she was trying to find one of the extra reading books to look up something about one of the spells that she knew hadn't been mentioned in the standard textbook. Unfortunately, however, it wasn't in its usual place on the shelf, and Veronica had to content herself with doing without for now. She wondered if Phoebe would remember the information.

As she made her way back to her table, it was completely by coincidence that Veronica passed by another girl - who happened to have the book just sitting there on the table next to her. Though she recognised the girl as a Slytherin in her own year, for a moment Veronica could only shift from foot to foot, trying to decide what to do. She didn't seem to be using it right this very second - surely the girl wouldn't mind if she just had a quick flick through it? "Excuse me... hello," Veronica said softly. "But, um... are you using this book? Right now, I mean?" She gave a hopeful smile. "Would you mind if I just, um, looked through it quickly, please? There's a passage about the repelling charm that isn't in the textbook, is all, and I just wanted to see if it was something I, um, needed to copy into my notes, because I wasn't really sure at the time - I read ahead you see, and, uh..." Veronica trailed off, aware that she was rambling. She hoped that if the other girl had now decided she was strange, it wouldn't affect her decision of whether to let her read the book or not.

 

[Sara Benivieni]

It was nearing the end of the semester already, and Sara had been so busy with trying to get to know her cousins that were both sorted in Slytherin this same year that she had barely opened a book except for some homework assignments and in class. She was beginning to worry a little. And then there was the fact that even though the twins were extended family, they weren't very nice. At least, to her they weren't. They seemed to be nicer to her older brothers than to her, though that might have just to do with the age difference. It saddened her a bit, sometimes they irritated her because she was trying but they weren't - actually, it was mostly the girl - so in the end, Sara stopped altogether. School was more important right now and whatever needed to be done concerning family could be done during the holidays.

Sara sighed, flipping the pages of her Potions textbook as she read each one carefully and taking note of everything important. Today, the library was filled with students, some very loud whispers - to which the second year rolled her eyes when they didn't pay her any attention as she asked them, nicely, to be quieter - but overall, it was somewhat quiet. The type of quiet Sara enjoyed when she had to study. Her thoughts were interrupted by someone asking her if she was using the book next to her, that Sara had not even noticed it there when she had sat down. Someone must have left it there. Glad for a break, the Slytherin brunette turned to the girl and smiled when she recognized her from some classes. She was in her year, but in Ravenclaw. "No, of course, not." She waited patiently for her to finish, it was clear to Sara that the girl was not used to speaking to strangers. "No worries," she told the girl with a smile, "You can use it. I'm not studying Charms right now anyway. Someone must have left it here," she added thoughtfully. "You can sit here with me, if you like." Sara offered, gesturing to the available seats at the table. Maybe it would let the other girl know that she wouldn't bite, would make her a little less uncomfortable to take the book Sara wasn't using. Besides, many other tables were full and Sara wouldn't want the girl to have to ask older students to sit with them. That would be awkward.​