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Post by dorcas on Aug 30, 2011 12:43:34 GMT -5
   It was a typical November day, the very kind of day that Dorcas loved so very much. The temperature was on the verge of chilly, yet the sky was clear and blue while the sun shown. The trees were like magnificent torches, dressed is the brilliant colors every true Gryffindor had to love: red, gold, and orange. At the same time, there were plenty of fallen leaves on the ground, perfect for stepping on to hear a loud satisfying crunch or even form into a pile and jump into. The day was perfectly ideal except for one fact. Dorcas was not outside enjoying it like she wished to be.
Instead Dorcas was forced to look at this gorgeous scene through a window in the Hogwarts library, her least favorite place to be. The quite atmosphere and unspoken rule of silence did not agree with the loud girl. The hundreds upon hundreds of shelves of books made the library feel crowded and claustrophobic to her, almost like it was a tomb. The library also stood for all she hated. Call her lazy, but this was a place for the studious and hard working, and she was anything but. And the books had a sort of musty smell to her that made her feel like she had to sneeze all the time. In short, Dorcas loathed the library and would rather be anywhere else.
Yet there she was sitting at a table toward the back of the library all by her herself surrounded by parchment, a quill, an ink well, and those loathsome potions texts she needed as research to write her paper on formulating her own cure to a poison. The paper was due the next day, and Dorcas still had a lot of work left to do. However, all she could think about was how she had gotten herself into that mess. To start with, it was her own damn fault for even choosing to take NEWT level potions in the first place. She knew she hated the class and didn’t naturally excel in the subject, yet she had also been too stubborn to give it up, insisting she might need it for whatever career path she would choose. Now her poor choice was coming back to haunt her lazy procrastinating self. Snap out of it Dorcas! She tried telling herself that, but it was no use. She was a goner. So instead of working she only continued to space off and dream of a time she’d be potions free
 W O R D S * 420;;
T H O U G H T S * feel free to reply;;
M U S I C * Rumor has it - Adele;;
T A G G E D * open;;
W E A R I N G * hogwarts uniform;;
C R E D I T S * adele's chasing pavements ;; |
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Post by jek on Aug 31, 2011 18:04:38 GMT -5
Kate so often found herself tucked away in the dark recesses of the library that most of her friends looked there before trudging up to the Gryffindor Common Room to find her. While she was a lion she certainly had a Ravenclaw's studying tendencies. One day she hoped to become an Auror and in order to do so she needed to have a mastery of all types of magic. It was a fools errand not to do the work and pay attention. If that wasn't enough of a motivation, the truth was, Kate enjoyed her studies. Her rampant curiosity, which so often landed her in trouble, made classes all the more exciting. She was re-shelving a book in the back part of the library when she saw the familiar, and utterly frustrated, face of Dorcas Meadowes, a fellow Gryffindor. Sliding the book back into it's proper place, Kate walked over to the table and casually uttered, "Be careful Dorcas, if you think too hard I'm afraid smokes going to start billowing out your ears." It wasn't meant to be mean, and she certainly hoped her friend wouldn't take it that way. Kate immediately noticed the Potion's notes scattered about and couldn't help but feel a sense of relief having finished her own essay last week. "Although, it is a bit strange to have Slughorn as a professor and Snape as a fellow student. It just seems wrong, you know? But, I guess you're used to that, huh?" There were many things that were disconcerting about being thrown into the past. For one, you knew everything that was going to happen in the future. And whether or not it happened again (since it might not considering they had changed the past by arriving) didn't matter. Kate knew what became of Dorcas and standing in front of her now gave her the chills. Then there was all those adult who were adults in the future but students now. And some of them were rather attractive youngsters. Can you get with someone in the past if you knew them in the future but the future wasn't the future it was... her brain hurt. Glancing at the empty seat across from Dorcas she asked, "Do you mind?" before pulling the chair back an inch. |
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Post by dorcas on Aug 31, 2011 20:10:07 GMT -5
You got yourself into this Meadowes, and now it’s time to get yourself out. She tried telling herself if only she could just get some words out onto paper all would be fine. They didn’t even have to make much sense. All she needed was a passing grade so her decent potions making grade wouldn’t be dragged down. Sadly, the words wouldn’t come to her. Dorcas was just too distracted and frustrated to work, and thinking of how distracted she was and how she couldn’t stop only frustrated her further. Therefore, she was glad when an unplanned distraction arrived in the form of Kate Cole, her fellow Gryffindor and Quidditch team member.
“Oh don’t worry about the state of my ears.” Dorcas said tossing her quill down onto the table with a sigh signifying her giving up on her potions essay. ”They’re perfectly fine. No steam and excellent hearing, if I do say so myself.” She said with a faint smile. ”But my brain, well that’s another issue entirely. I’m pretty sure it’s on the verge of a complete system shut down.” She said only partially joking. Dorcas knew her brain couldn’t just shut down without her dying or becoming a vegetable. It was physically impossible. If it was possible however, she was certain it would be shutting down at that very moment because it sure as hell felt like it was. Why can’t you just behave and concentrate? She asked herself.
Shaking her head, Dorcas said, “It’s not strange at all for me.” No, Slughorn would always be a balding couch of a professor, and Snape would forever remain a slimy teenage git to her. There was nothing confusing about it. ”But I expect this must all be very confusing for you. “ Dorcas said wondering what this lot would be like it the future. Would Snape discover the product known as shampoo? Would Slughorn ever lose a few pounds? Only time would tell…and Kate, but Dorcas couldn’t very well ask. That would be spoilers. All the same, Dorcas couldn’t help but feel a tad bit jealous of Kate.
When Kate asked to sit down, Dorcas couldn’t have been more thrilled. She couldn’t very well continue working on her potions essay when a fellow Gryffindor wanted to sit down and chat. That would be rude. Besides, Dorcas loved a good excuse to procrastinate. ”Be my guest.” She said with a grin.
W O R D S * 402;;
T H O U G H T S * hope its alright;;
M U S I C * Paramore;;
T A G G E D * Kate;;
W E A R I N G * hogwarts uniform;;
C R E D I T S * adele's chasing pavements ;; |
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Post by jek on Sept 1, 2011 17:45:56 GMT -5
Kate pulled back the wooden chair, the legs scrapping almost silently against the floor. She smiled, Dorcas was one of the nicer girls Kate had befriended from this time period. It was pretty split between those who wanted nothing to do with the future students and those that couldn't leave them alone. Kate was constantly question about what was going to happen and who people got married to and in some rare cases the turnout to some Quidditch match. She did her best to ignore them or spew off into some speech about how now that they were here the future wasn't set any longer. But, Dorcas didn't ask. Although, Kate was pretty sure she had her own questions burning in the back of her mind. Kate never blamed those who asked, her own curiosity probably would have driven her to do the same. It just grew tiring after a while.
"How far have you gotten? Kate inquired as she sat down and inched toward the table. By the looks of things, Dorcas hadn't gotten far at all. It was a tough assignment but, Kate always loved a good challenge. She'd spent hours last week tucked away in the library researching and fumbling through texts. There was at least thirty years worth of material missing that would have greatly aided her research but, she made due with what she had. It was strange knowing about things that even the professors didn't about their subjects. Not that Kate always corrected them, because doing so often set them on edge but, once in a while she'd speak up. Kate didn't like to draw attention to the fact that she was from the future. With no clear way back to her time she wanted to at least pretend she belonged. It didn't always work out so well.
Leaning forward she opened one of the books stacked on the table. "I found this chapter particularly helpful." she opened to a page and tilted it toward Dorcas. She didn't want to be pushy if Dorcas didn't want her help but, she didn't want to be rude. Maybe she didn't want to discuss homework. Maybe she'd been studying all afternoon and wanted ten minutes to chat about anything but the looming assignment. Kate sure hoped she wasn't being a bother. "How is Potion's going for you this term?"
it seemed an innocent enough question to ask. Kate new loads of students who had gotten rubbish partners or been on Slughorn's bad side. Which Kate wasn't sure how you got on his bad side in the first place, he seemed like an easy guy to please. Apparently being a pureblood and a twin and daughter to two high up ministry officials automatically queued you up to be on his nice list. Upon her arrival she was immediately asked to join his Slug Club. She couldn't exactly refuse his request but, did feel rather odd about the whole thing.
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Post by dorcas on Sept 2, 2011 10:30:38 GMT -5
How far was the question that Dorcas above all else didn’t want to face because answering would mean facing the music, and the music was rather depressing. The answer was a daunting one with a side of worry and regret, worried that she would never finish in time, and regretful that she hadn’t started sooner. The answer was simply not far at all, but Dorcas in response simply held up her nearly blank piece of parchment so Kate could see. Dorcas however wasn’t one to let things bog her down. Instead, she was a trooper, one who made light of moment like these.
“You see that?” Dorcas asked pointing to the top of her paper. “That’s my oh so glorious title which will blow Slughorn away.” Dorcas said. “And that” She said pointing down a little further on the page. “That’s my equally splendid opening paragraph.” She said with a smile. The rest of the parchment was blank. She had done no other work and still had a lot left to do, and at the moment, it seemed like said work would never be done. Maybe what would really blow him away was her surprisingly blank parchment? “Think he’ll notice my squeaky clean and clear parchment? I’m hoping he’ll let it slide.” Dorcas said as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
The truth was, Dorcas was a bit nervous, and she did care. This essay counted as a lot, and all she had now was a big fat troll. Failure however was not an option in Dorcas’ book. She’d just have to wing it and hope for at least an acceptable. Dorcas prayed for luck and Slughorn’s good grace to be on her side. But really, who needed it when she had the ever so helpful Kate, who was turning out to be somewhat of a guardian angel? “Thanks.” Dorcas said taking the book from her hands before making a note to look at it further and at the very least send Kate a thank you card. Her eyes quickly scanned the book as she read in super speed. This will definitely help. She told herself before placing the book back down on the table.
Picking up her quill, Dorcas began to write, hoping to make some progress while still being social and talking to her friend. “Potions class has been absolutely killer.” Dorcas said. This year she was preparing to take her nastily exhausting wizards test in potions, so it was only fitting the class was equally nasty and exhausting. “Brewing the potions is no problem, but all this excess work; well let’s just say I’m not cut out for that.” She admitted. Hard work and Dorcas just didn’t agree. “You wouldn’t happen to know if I pass this NEWT would you?” Dorcas said not wanting to pry.
W O R D S * 472;;
M U S I C * Cobra Starship;;
T A G G E D * kate;;
W E A R I N G * hogwarts uniform;;
C R E D I T S * adele's chasing pavements ;; |
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Post by jek on Sept 2, 2011 16:13:07 GMT -5
If there was anything Kate could say about Dorcas it’s that she had a wonderful sense of humor. Flashing her no-so-completed essay before Kate she rattled off sarcastically about how amazing her title and opening paragraph was and joked that it was so good, in fact, that Slughorn would have absolutely no problem that she didn’t finish the rest of the essay. Kate laughed, knowing full well that Slughorn would not be impressed with one paragraph. You’d have to have the brain of Hermione Granger and the iconography of Harry Potter if you were to skate by in Slughorn’s class. Not to say Dorcas wasn’t intelligent, it was more the fact that Slughorn was kind of a hard-ass who took notoriety into account rather than, well, anything else.
“It’s no problem.” Kate eyed the textbook. It was the same volume they had in her time only it looked far better. The binding hadn’t cracked and the covers weren’t worn or stained with who knows what potion. While Dorcas buried her head in her parchment Kate began sifting through another one of the books she had chosen. It was an old edition, older than even what Kate considered old. Standing up, Kate walked over to one of the shelves, scanned several bindings, and selected two books she herself had used a few days before. Gliding back into her seat, she flipped through the pages to see if there might be anything helpful for Dorcas essay. “What poison have you chosen?” Kate wondered aloud as she licked her finger and turned a page.
It would have been so much easier just to write down “Use a beozar.” and be done with the essay but, he wanted them to come up with their own antidote. Kate had written it as a suggestion if all else failed hoping that Slughorn would add some points. She hated to admit it but, she was kind of a suck up. She always liked to go that extra mile for each of her classes to prove to the professor, and herself, that she was capable. It always seemed to work for her old Potions Master, Snape. When he wasn’t referring to the smarter students as “insufferable know-it-alls” (sorry Hermione) he actually did notice when certain students were excelling.
Whether by means of singling out students for their terrible potion skills or acknowledging Kate’s abilities she didn’t care; on several occasions he’d asked her to tutor, or rather, “Show so-and-so how not to burn a hole/blow up/fail miserably at potions”. “Hmm.” she mused when Dorcas asked about the future. She knew it was a joking sort of question but, there seemed to be a hint of legitimate curiosity. Kate wanted to tell her that she passed with flying colors, that Slughorn singled her out to be the best Potion’s maker of the year, or some such thing. But, to be honest, she had no idea. It wasn’t like she was a walking Encyclopedia of the future. She knew some things about the future of these students but, their NEWT grades were way beyond her possible recollection. Kate smiled, “I wouldn’t stress about it too much.” she added a little shoulder shrug and a quick smirk as if to say, “You most definitely pass!” She hoped that would fuel Dorcas with a sense of hope and determination.
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