A Lovely Day for Reading [|open|]

[robyn]

'I was scared to speak to anyone of the terrors that had taken place that night. I had no idea if during the next full moon I would become what everyone outcast, if I would have to leave my home and live among others like me. This thought made the first change even more so challenging than the ones that would follow.'

Sheelah sighed, eyes captured by the words that lay on the pages in her book and heart captured by the author. "Hairy Snout, Human Heart". She heard it was quite a heartrending story, and they were definitely right. She struggled to hold back sympathetic tears as she read. Crying wasn't her thing yet it was all she wanted to do right now as she continued the story of a wizard battling lycanthropy.

Until then, Sheelah had been oblivious to her surroundings but a sudden gust of wind sent shivers down her spine and launched her back into reality allowing her to suck up the tears that threatened to sting her eyes. It wasn't quite cold, just chilly and sitting in the sun gave extra warmth making it a perfect October day to read in the courtyard. Her face emerged from behind her book and the sun suddenly seemed a lot brighter than it was but she quickly adjusted. A few meters away she could see a couple of second years attempting to practice jinxes but they seemed to not be doing so well. She giggled to herself thanking that she was pretty good at most of what she did. Except potions. But that was another story.

Leaning back against the wall behind the bench she was sitting on, Sheelah momentarily rested her eyes. They were tired from reading for the past hour. As her eyes closed her mind wandered to her book and how horrible she thought it would be to become a werewolf. Everyone fearing you. You fearing you. Not to mention having to know exactly when the full moon would be each month in order to be prepared for the change. It was a frightening thought, one she didn't want to dwell on at the moment.

[ginny]

Maybe it was just a nightmare, she thought. Walking through halls as students made their way to class. Ginny did have tendencies to escape into extraordinary worlds while asleep and while Hogwarts might have been called a second home to her by now, she always admired the complexity of the castle. Just maybe...she muttered. But she was a realist, and everything she was observing, assessing and downright overthinking was no one she saw down the halls were familiar. She had even heard her parent's name sprinkled down the corridors to the great hall at one point, and scared to think the worst she never looked back to witness the truth.

She never felt so far and yet so close to home, it just perplexed her. It was time for some fresh air and while she wasn't even sure what class she had next, she actually didn't care either. Slowly she made her out to the courtyard, a few students still rustled by getting to class as quickly as possible. Others were just lounging outside, taking in the nice weather, the calm environment, Ginny wished her head could have been doing the same thing.

At this point she had only seen Ron, quite the miracle actually, but even he had no answers. Things felt worse when Ginny could hear "Lily" and "James Potter" being clamored in the halls but not one single "Harry". A bit disappointed, she walked to the closest bench and just sat there, slumped like a girl who had just been recently dumped. She didn't even give a passing glance that there was a girl on the same bench not too far from her. Giving the sky a quick stare she muttered loud enough to herself, "bloody hell", with subtle irony.

[robyn]

She would not have even noticed the girl next to her, as Sheelah had shoved her nose back into her book by the time the had girl sat down on the bench beside her, but the loud, "Bloody Hell," exclaimed by the young woman pulled Sheelah's attention away from the depressed werewolf in her story to the red haired girl. She soon found her eyes settling upon an unfamiliar face of blue eyes and freckles. She knew at least the faces of most of the girls in her year and even most of the ones two years below her, but the girl beside Sheelah did not look like any of them and couldn't be more than two years younger than herself.

"Life always has a way of giving us hell. But thinking about the better parts of it can help," Sheelah said quietly, glancing up to where the girl had previously been staring only to realize that there was nothing to see. She wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips, trying to wave the feeling of stupidity from her head. 'Great,' she thought, 'Now I'm falling gullible to even little things strangers do.' She attempted to pull the thought from her brain yet again. She would end up lingering on it later that day anyways.

"I'm sorry I don't think I've seen you around before. I'm Sheelah Finnigan," She said changing the subject inside her mind while attempting to give an encouraging smile but she was sure it only faded into a shy one. Conversation among unfamiliar people always fell short with her, unless the other she was talking to made an effort as well and she was not in the mood for sitting awkwardly beside someone, desperately searching the corners of her mind for conversation. But Sheelah supposed she could always begin reading again or politely excuse herself to avoid such a situation.

[ginny]

"Life always has a way of giving us hell. But thinking about the better parts of it can help,...I'm sorry I don't think I've seen you around before. I'm Sheelah Finnigan,"

Ginny was immediately startled, her eyes darted from the sky to the girl right next to her. At least she thought she was a girl, noticing how much she appeared to be more woman than girl. She would have bet she was older, but of course a stranger nonetheless. She glanced at the book she held and realized Ginny had been very inconsiderate, she could tell she was no Slytherin, chances were they would have snapped her shut and made her feel worse for interrupting them or even daring to sit next to them. This student was much more shy, but caring at the same time, it make Ginny return a warm smile, "I'm sorry, I-I wasn't even looking around....geez I feel horrible. Uhm..." she initially replied kind of guilty but happy unlike other students she had bumped down the halls at least one didn't look at her for being a simple stranger but as one of their fellow classmates.

"You're truly very kind, the name i-is...um.. Ginny" only immediately freezing before spilling her last name. Realizing that things were exactly right, that she really wasn't in her own reality she wasn't all to sure if to even claim the Weasley name. She had clearly heard her own parent's name thrown around the halls with complete normalcy what would people make out if they began to hear Ginny Weasley now? So you're related to the Weasley's...Cousin... extended family?... she just heard all the fuss of questions already tumbling in like she wasn't ready for that hassle. But not knowing if only Ron and her were the only ones trapped in this bizarre state she preferred to wait just a bit longer before revealing any more information than necessary.

The fact that she had said Finnigan only made her smile, she had made good friends with those of Harry's year well, and one of them had been Seamus. While she didn't see Seamus around either, and by the evidence and differences she had already noticed she wondered if this was supposed to be his future mother. She let those questions just simmer in her mind, this world wasn't ready for such questions and she recalled how Hermione only briefly mentioned the working of a timeturner. She had used one back in her third year but Ginny wasn't really much more knowledgeable. "...that book, its quite a read you have there" she finally said in further changing the subject so she could avoid ever telling her more about her identity. "Very melodramatic, I thought, but with an interesting perspective. Its not often you see books written from the werewolves point of view... I know of a friend who swear this book is nothing more than cracked wands and spoiled pumpkin juice" she finished only giving out a small chuckle at her last comment. Tonks really underestimated how popular that book took off during her younger years. The phrase she remembered made no sense whatsoever, Ginny came to think it was just part of her natural randomness and it only seemed to brighten her day amid all the confusion.

[robyn]

"I'm sorry, I-I wasn't even looking around....geez I feel horrible. Uhm...
You're truly very kind, the name i-is...um.. Ginny."

Sheelah smiled appreciatively at the apology Ginny had given her. Most people would not have even thought that they had interrupted her, and like Ginny had seemed to there were a handful who would have sat down and not even noticed Sheelah's presence. "No need to apologize," she said as she mentally noted what page in her book she was on before closing it. She sat up and crossed her legs, putting the book in her lap. "I don't own the bench, unlike Potter and his friends who believe they own the whole school." She gave a slight giggle toward her own joke.

"...that book, its quite a read you have there. Very melodramatic, I thought, but with an interesting perspective. Its not often you see books written from the werewolves point of view... I know of a friend who swear this book is nothing more than cracked wands and spoiled pumpkin juice."

'Cracked wands and spoiled pumpkin juice?' That was not a phrase Sheelah was familiar with. "A lot of people think it's a load rubbish some poor, old wizard thought up," she replied hoping that was the point the Ginny had been trying to get across, a statement that Sheelah strongly disagreed with. She was no werewolf expert but the way the book was detailed in describing the scares of lycanthropy it was hard to believe it was made up. "I don't believe that of course, I think werewolves are quite falsely judged."

She paused to give herself a moment of thought, in case the conversation blew up into a whole debate which was not something she was opposed to. Sheelah was not someone to push her beliefs down another's throat but she always found friendly debate exhilarating and enjoyed seeing another aspect. Of course, that was not the case when it came to werewolves. It was hard to find anyone who did not think they should all just be locked up or killed. Not all chose to become the beasts they do every full moon.

Pulling herself back to reality Sheelah finished her previous thought, "It's not like they all decided to become terrifying beasts one day." She looked into Ginny's blue eyes, noticing something familiar but soon realizing she was nothing but an unfamiliar stranger. Though Sheelah had discovered Ginny's name, she was still curious where the girl had come from. She felt quite rude just thinking about it. It was not her place to ask someone personal questions.

[ginny]

Ginny smiled after her initial comment. Only curious when she continued.

"I don't own the bench, unlike Potter and his friends who believe they own the whole school.".

Potter, she wondered. Harry hadn't been known for being some sort of bully, much less assume any power over another. She had to remember that she wasn't in a normal time altogether, the Potter she could have easily been referring to would be James Potter, Harry's dad. Somehow Ginny had a difficult time getting why Potter was sounding obnoxious, it didn't sound like anything Harry had become. It sounded like a completely different person with oddly the same last name. "Potter?... You must mean James,... I hardly ever pay attention to those in my house so you'll have to excuse my confusion" she asked a bit timidly. Ginny did still belong to Gryffindor so chances were she aught to of all people know there was really only one Potter but she had hoped it would have slipped her new acquaintance's mind for the moment. Only letting her continue on.

"A lot of people think it's a load rubbish some poor, old wizard thought up, I don't believe that of course, I think werewolves are quite falsely judged. It's not like they all decided to become terrifying beasts one day."

Ginny nodded after every comment, nothing of what she said really went against what she believed. While she did think the book took on a dramatic turn to a world she hadn't known well, she still thought they were as she mentioned "falsely judged". "Absolutely, I do feel terrible that they have to go through it with that constant mist of danger. A close family friend is a werewolf and while he is close, he still keeps away on occasion... its completely understandable but I always feel bad" she explained in detail. She didn't need to share more information than necessary, it didn't feel right to do so, the fact that she was friends with a werewolf would have been enough for the purposes of the conversation. At least Ginny was glad to meet someone who understood, while she may not have had the same kind of experience as her, she did notice that they were cruelly seen among their world. "To be quite honest I don't even know what my friend meant with that comment..." she continued with a small chuckle before continuing, "she's just weird but funny in that way" she finished. For those that knew her and her actual family they would immediately connect those friends to be Tonks and Remus but it was safe to say that if she even brought those names up, a whirlwind of questions she didn't quite need at the moment would have surfaced about who she really was. Ginny was sure if she really was in a distance past, that Tonks and Remus would even be in school as they spoke, it felt weird.

[robyn]

"Potter?... You must mean James,... I hardly ever pay attention to those in my house so you'll have to excuse my confusion."

"Oh, so you're a Gryffindor, Sheelah concluded quickly and with surprise. It was still bothering her that she had no idea who Ginny was. Never saw her before, never even heard of her before. "I just have never seen you around before." She felt rude trying snooping into the girls business but she was just too curious and it was starting to get the best of her. She wanted answers. She liked knowing what was going on. It was part of her 'in control' need.

"But anyways," Sheelah said as the subject changed. "Absolutely, I do feel terrible that they have to go through it with that constant mist of danger. A close family friend is a werewolf and while he is close, he still keeps away on occasion... its completely understandable but I always feel bad" She listened intently, awed that the girl was actually friends with a werewolf. There was nothing wrong with that, but Sheelah felt as though she would still be just a tad frightened when first meeting one. But after that, hopefully she would grasp that they were only werewolves once a month. "He must be as frightened of hurting people as others are probably frightened of him," she said sympathetically.

"To be quite honest I don't even know what my friend meant with that comment..." Ginny continued with a small chuckle before continuing, "she's just weird but funny in that way" Sheelah giggled right along with Ginny. There were a few of those kind of people just in Ravenclaw alone and more than likely in Hufflepuff. They were the 'misfit house'. "It's okay. Ravenclaw has a few students like that. Some of them get picked on a lot though. Thankfully not usually from our own house." She gave a warm smile, thinking of how wonderful it felt to be accepted by others.

[ginny]

Ginny soon realized she might have said too much when she had confirmed what house she belonged to. That wasn't her new acquaintance's fault, Ginny did say her own house. Her eyes widened for a second before realizing she aught to be more careful before saying anything more critical. "Right, I get that often actually... not that I mind in the least though. I prefer it that way" she had being honest but at the same time she needed to keep herself as low as possible. At least until she could figure out what the real deal had been. It was reassuring when she heard her change the topic just as she hoped for. She didn't really want to try and find other ways to lie to her, Ginny had felt bad when the young Ravenclaw was being very nice.

After hearing her talk about her last comment, Ginny gave a small smile. "A little of both I'm sure, but I hardly seen him as a threat... deep down he can somehow tell who he really is. It's probably for just a short period of time but it's there. But then again I've only really heard from my parents, not from him. " she continued. "I see, so you must be from Ravenclaw? " she replied after Sheelah. Her glance had returned to her's as she continued, catching the themed colors of her house over her clothing. "You must really like to read then" she asked a bit randomly. Only meaning that as most Ravenclaws she knew, they all tended to be the brainacs of the school and likewise were great at doing some of the most academic tasks, like reading.

[robyn]

"Right, I get that often actually... not that I mind in the least though. I prefer it that way"

'Oh. So she likes being low profile.' Something in Sheelah's stomach made her feel like something was off, but she ignored it reminding herself again that it was none of her business. She was not going to snoop into someone else's personal life. It just seemed odd. For a Gryffindor no less, but she didn't like to stereotype. She knew that not everyone was how you would think they would be just because they are in that house. Not all Ravenclaws were brainiacs.

"A little of both I'm sure, but I hardly seen him as a threat... deep down he can somehow tell who he really is. It's probably for just a short period of time but it's there. But then again I've only really heard from my parents, not from him. " she continued, "I see, so you must be from Ravenclaw? "

She saw Ginny's eyes move to the crest on her chest, and nodded. "Yeah! A great house for..." she paused trying to recall what their head of house had said, "I think it was for intelligence, creativity, learning and wit." Sheelah counted on her fingers as she described each attribute that Ravenclaw was supposed to value. That Ravenclaw did value. Everyone in the house had one of the characteristics, maybe not in the same way as each other but they still had them.

Sheelah cocked her from side to side, unsure of what to say next. She pondered asking more about who Ginny really was but mentally slapped herself. Why was she so obsessed? She let out a sight and smiled to herself. "So er..." she contemplated what to ask next, "What year are you in?" She felt kind of stupid asking but was clueless as to what to say next.