A Little Bit of Catching Up To Do ((Ruth))

[Leah Matthews R7]

It was a fairly cold day. Leah could feel the gradually growing frostiness seeping into her bones, and pulled the cardigan lying on the couch over her shoulders to keep her warm. Absently, she aimed her wand at the fireplace in front of her and sent a spell at it that made the flames burst into a more vigorous dance. A subconscious contented smile curled at the edges of her lips as she shifted her weight from one foot to another, her long skirt sliding over her tights and pillowing in a colourful bundle of violet around her thighs, contrasting against the navy of the aging couch. The thick book in Leah's hands tilted as she moved, a page fluttering to touch its neighbour on the right to its neighbour on the left, and Leah's concentrating brown eyes followed suit, landing on the next new lines and continuing her avid reading. The temperature couldn't dissuade her from leaving such a comfortable position. In the entire Ravenclaw Common Room, this was Leah's favourite seat, right in front of the hearth, because it was so warm and the couch so snuggly. Besides this spot, Leah was also extremely fond of the fireplace and sofa in the Student Lounge, which was often occupied, and her own bed, when the days were warm. Leah didn't like the cold; she was somewhat weak to it, always catching the flu or another sort of germ, especially in the throes of winter. Leah was more vulnerable than Kiley and her friends in this way, hence why she liked warm places to curl up and read in.

Kiley was off being secretive again. Leah had decided not to pry into her cousin's personal business. She thought, quite sensibly so, that Kiley would tell her if she was harbouring anything from her in due course. And if she didn't, perhaps Leah was better off not knowing anyway. So, without much surprise to anyone who knew her well enough, Leah had pulled out a random novel from the Library and folded into the sofa in the Common Room to indulge in her favourite pastime of reading. It was the second day of term, and although lessons had already begun, there had been so far very little homework. The rare pieces she had been given Leah had already completed all too diligently the first moment she'd had the chance. However, everyone in seventh year was aware that the work load would definitely increase as the days and weeks ran by. It was their last year at Hogwarts, but by no means their most relaxed and easiest; on the contrary, it was to be their most stressful, and professors had warned them harshly the year before that their seventh year would be a culmination of all their studies in their most rigorous forms, and that they should prepare for quite a lot of studying and hard work. Leah had not been fazed though; no, she'd been excited and pleased, looking forward to the challenge ahead whilst Kiley groaned beside her during lessons and nagged Leah to promise her to give her undying support and tutorial aid. Which, of course, Leah gave immediately without batting an eyelid.

Anyway, homework and studying was the last thing on Leah's mind right now. She wanted to be able to relax before the kick of stress wormed its way into not only hers, but everyone's lives. No doubt Kiley's moods would affect Leah's; Leah was usually insensitive to people's emotions - not in a nasty way, but she didn't read people very well even though she was caring and tried to look out for others - but the one person she was quite good at understanding was her cousin. It's hard not to when you've grown up with someone for most of your childhood. Kiley was like a sister to Leah rather than a cousin, and when you're that close it's hard not to know each other on a very personal level. For a split second Leah thought Kiley was back as a shadow fell over her book and a figure collapsed beside her on the couch. However, as she turned she caught a glimpse of equally familar but different features to her best friend, and although surprised at Ruth Hosker-Thornhill's sudden company, Leah gave a genial smile and greeted her friend. Of course it couldn't be Kiley, Leah told herself ruefully; after all, she was sitting in the Ravenclaw Common Room, which her cousin couldn't access. Leah was pleased to see Ruth though. Ruth was in the same house and year as herself, and they shared a dorm. Having been through Hogwarts together for the past six years and more, Leah and Ruth had become close friends. It was the first time she had seen the blonde-haired girl since they had returned.

"How were your holidays, Ruth? It went so fast for me, but I'm glad to be back. You know me - I still love the classes even though there's so much more work in store this year." Leah smiled in mild enthusiasm and closed her book to concentrate on her frend. "Kiley and I enjoyed Llanrhystud. I think that was the highlight of my summer. You haven't seen her around, by the way, have you? She likes to disappear sometimes and I don't know where she is, even though she's meant to be have a tutorial with me." Leah rolled her eyes good-naturedly and smiled.

[Ruth Hosker-Thornhill]

Upon a book, upon a table, a small white mouse twitched her whiskers frantically. Knowing eyes studied the cover of the book slowly, as if she could understand the cursive font written there. Despite the mouse being a creature with knowledge and a small amount of understanding of the wizarding world in which she lived, she could not, however, read. This was a talent that her owner and those of her kind possessed, and she knew not yet of a mouse that could look at letters and understand what they were there to say. Regardless of this, Bella still liked to look at the swirling gold lettering before her eyes. Her tail danced like a snake behind her, gently flicking over the bumps of the leather, feeling ever groove and every scratch in the cover. She was completely oblivious to the fact that the words before her read ‘Turncoat’. All she knew was that the first golden symbol curled off in a manner which pleased her. This was because the bottom line that made the symbol a whole, longer than the others and pointing roughly southwards, continued down the page to form a tail. And this was a tail that undeniably belonged to a mouse. Bella could see this much, at least. And perhaps- she thought this with an air of one who thinks herself better than you- perhaps she would be the first ever mouse to read? She was after all incredibly smart and brilliant. And her beauty could take her far in the eyes of other mice, could it not? On top of all that she was modest and gracious, and always had some biscuit to share.

At the thought of biscuit, Bella’s whiskers drew away from feeling across the leather cover and instead began twitching in the direction of what she supposed was her mistress. Her eyes were not what much use to her, as ever. From them she could merely view a blurred and confused chaos, in which she could just about make out the odd shadow or flash of colour, which told her where the giant people were and which direction they were going in. Her nose however- oh how useful it was! Witches and wizards, Bella knew, didn’t have much in the way of noses. Her mistress never wriggled her nostrils at strong scents, and sometimes Bella even got the impression that her mistress couldn’t smell at all! Occasionally she would sniff at her food before eating it (or, if Bella was lucky, giving it to her) but she didn’t ever pause to sniff at those around her, and never to catch a whiff of the walls or ground beneath her feet. It baffled Bella, truly, and made her wonder what her mistress could do. Her hearing wasn’t great; whilst Bella’s long, silky ears would turn and twist to catch the slightest sounds, her mistress would only pay attention to those that involved her. How odd.

But enough of that. Where was Bella’s biscuit?! It took a few moments for the little mouse to take note of her surrounds; she had been so engrossed with the book she hadn’t noticed where she was. Normally she stayed in her mistress’ bedchambers if she was not with the mistress herself, but today she’d slipped out and found herself in a cosy room which she knew was regarded as a ‘common’ room. Bella’s mind struggled to come to terms with this; to her it wasn’t that common a room. She had never seen a similar one like it. But these humans had a strange language and named things in unusual ways that pushed Bella beyond the gates of baffled and into the realm of completely and utterly lost. But still, it was a marvel that they could read. Bella watched one of her mistress’s acquaintances do so now from across the room. The eyes of this particular witch followed the symbols on the page before her quite intently and Bella felt a surge of jealousy at the ease in which she did so. The girl flicked her twig at the fireplace, which responded angrily. This made Bella’s tail twitch in annoyance. Was the girl foolish? Didn’t she know that the beast that resided in the fireplace had an awful temper- and that it was hot enough to bring pain? Clearly not. The witch didn’t seem bothered by the protests of the fireplace-beast and Bella put the thought aside reluctantly. It seemed that the girl was oblivious to Bella, which made her thi-

“Oi, cheeky. You aren’t meant to be down here.” Ruth grinned at her white mouse as she murmured quietly. The little fluff ball was perched on the edge of a book, her eyes looking serious and concentrated. With a further smile Ruth wondered what on earth a mouse could be thinking about. Most likely where her next biscuit crumb was coming from. Ruth lifted her pet from the book gently. Immediately Bella took a friendly nip of her littlest finger before scuttling up Ruth’s shirt and sitting comfortably beside her neck. It was a marvel how Bella managed to stay there without falling, and yet she did so perfectly. After tucking the collar of her shirt around the mouse, Ruth headed towards the roaring fire. Its flames cast a heavy orange glow upon her face and she delighted in this. The couch she then collapsed on enveloped her in a deep embrace. Mmm... perfect. She was so glad to be home again.

It then became clear to her that she wasn’t alone, for her eyes fell upon Leah on an opposite armchair. She wasn’t surprised that her friend had her nose in a book, as it was common to see many Ravenclaws doing so. Leah’s greeting was welcomed, her smile returned, and Ruth settled into a more graceful position. This involved tucking her legs gently beneath her and leaning into the cushioned wall that supported her back. Today Ruth had chosen to dress in a dark emerald silk shirt cut off at the elbows, and a pair of black high-waisted trousers. She looked like an attractive and fashionable librarian, which meant nothing to her. She just liked silk and the colour black. As she shifted, she listened the fellow Ravenclaw talk. It was so good to see her friends again and Ruth could not keep the smile from her lips and eyes as she responded. “I’m glad to be back too. Everything seems so new, from the tiny first-years to our lessons. Which I also can’t wait to get into again.” She smiled warmly. Ruth had side-stepped the question of her holidays casually. She didn’t want to talk about them, about staying in a dead house with her dementia-crazed mother and the lack of excitement or friends to talk to. But she listened to Leah’s comment on Llanrhystud with an interested expression. Oh, imagine if she had been able to go! To escape the house so easily. To spend her time with friends; and in Wales too! It sounded beautiful and her heart momentarily pulsed beneath her green silk, before she scolded it mentally. Her mother needed her. Ruth would never have abandoned Claudia to go to some silly arty holiday; it sounded a little boring anyway.

“I haven’t seen Kiley, sorry.” Ruth let out a half-chuckle. “What tutorial? I wish you luck. Teaching… I couldn’t stand it, personally.” Ruth preffered learning knew things, not revising the old stuff. She paused before speaking again, her head and heart battling with eachother. “How was Llanrhystud?” Her tone was quick as she blurted out the words. Although she told herself she wasn’t curious at all about what everyone else had been getting up to in the holidays, she knew that she envied them really. Hopefully Leah wouldn’t notice her slightly odd behaviour.