An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
Post by Grace Babineaux on May 6, 2021 12:50:02 GMT 10
Disappointed that Professor Hathmore hadn't told them about the Sacred Four or anything mentioned in the tribute paper from that morning's breakfast, Grace headed down to the library. She entered quietly and hoped that Saoirse would do the same--the librarian wasn't messing around, seriously! Besides that, Grace was hesitant to ask Madam Pince for anything, worried that she would turn them away just as Hathmore had.
It was a more recent event, Grace recalled. Twelve years ago wasn't that much when some of the stuff in the library happened hundreds of years ago! She decided to try to look at the books that looked newer, less worn out. She thought it was a little ironic how nobody wanted to talk about the Sacred Four considering their enemy had been the Society of Silence.
Grace hoped that Saoirse would have some luck finding something if she didn't. It was always the cool stuff that was hard to find!
Saoirse had only been to the library a few times before, but once was enough to learn the wrath of Madam Pince. The librarian reminded her of the time Saoirse had been free diving through kelp somewhere in the South Pacific, popped her head out, and seen a tiger shark moving slowly above her.
She had immediately ducked her head back down, focussing on the warm water around her to keep her heartbeat steady until the shark passed. But sharks were predictable, neutral, and easy to read, not to mention good for the environment. Madam Pince was not any of those things.
Creeping among the shelves, Saoirse separated herself from Grace briefly. She figured it would be faster if they split up. Keeping an eye out for nosy teachers and students, Saoirse tried to think of how she would go about this. She hadn't done real research in a library before, rather just flipped through whatever seemed interesting to her. This was her first time doing it.
She thought carefully for a moment. Wasn't there a reference section? She wasn't sure if the history section would have books on events that had transpired just over a decade ago. There was also the Restricted Section. Considering how some of the professors had reacted, Saoirse wouldn't be surprised if they had requested a book on the Sacred Four be moved there. It was worth checking references first, then.
As Saoirse passed another line of shelves, she saw Grace picking her way among the books. Saoirse waved in her direction and pointed towards the reference section, hoping she would understand without having to alert Madam Crab Pincers.
Post by Grace Babineaux on May 8, 2021 1:21:21 GMT 10
Grace looked up to see Saoirse, and was glad that she decided to go on her own search for things. Two nosy first years were much better than one, and Saoirse seemed brave enough to talk back to teachers, an ability that eluded Grace as she wanted to impress everyone and she was terrified of losing house points.
She thought any book on a specific topic, like the Sacred Four or the society they were up against, would be difficult to find. The library was big, after all, and they didn't know enough to be able to simply summon a book. Even if they did, Grace doubted that would go over well with Madam Pince. Who was to say the book wouldn't knock everything over as it tried to reach Grace and Saoirse?
Looking up from the shelves, Grace saw Saoirse motion to the reference section. Oh, duh! That would be way easier than just looking at books and hoping there was one written about the topic they were interested in. Grace made her way over, not certain how to use the reference section other than a general idea of 'it tells you where things are.' She was too used to the computers at the Muggle library her father had often taken them to.
"Do you think they even have a book about it?" Grace said, "I mean, the grown-ups barely want to talk about it, especially with us."
She hoped it wasn't in the Restricted Section. It had been hard enough to look for one book from there, and even then it was checked out. Grace just hoped some older student hadn't gone looking for the book before they had.
The reference section was by some tables, likely since those books were rarely moved far - let alone even allowed to leave the library. A group of 6th years, mostly Hufflepuffs, occupied a good portion of it, using their free time to get a head-start on their studies. They paid little attention to the 1st years, and most of their books were about magical law.
It still left a lot of options, though nothing immediately appeared useful during a general search. They'd need to narrow their topic or focus down to make use of the reference section.
Saoirse looked up at the towering shelves of the reference section, rubbing her chin. Muggle libraries had a special system when it came to shelving, but the wizarding world likely didn't follow suit. She was still getting used to living 500 years in the past, technologically speaking.
History would probably be a good place to start, but it might be listed under something else as well... important battles? Wizard supremacists? Either way, it would be among the more recent titles. Saoirse approached a shelf of books that were from the 20th century and started prodding at them.
She glanced around herself when Grace spoke, making sure Pincer Claws wasn't around before responding. "People write books about everything, especially things they don't want to tell children." She kept her voice low. "But... that might not mean the book is actually here."
Post by Grace Babineaux on May 9, 2021 13:14:46 GMT 10
Grace looked at the sixth years, considering asking for their help. They would've been alive at the time. Young, maybe, but alive, and they would've known the better ways of accessing the reference section. She hesitated; even though Hufflepuffs were known to be more friendly, the sixth years might see the interruption as a chance to tell on them.
Grace glanced at the section Saoirse was looking at, and decided she'd do something different, so they were spread out a little. Careful to disturb the older Hufflepuffs as little as possible, she looked at books that were about Berkshire, recalling that that it was where the battle that was mentioned in the paper had taken place. Hopefully one of them would be successful.
"I hope it's here," Grace said, "I don't want to have to write my mum. I don't think she'd want to tell me, either."
Assuming they weren't looking for information about a Berkshire wizard from fifteen years ago, who accidentally blew the roof off his house three times in a row while working on a freezing potion, then it seemed Saoirse was right that the books may not actually be there.
It was further highlighted by a few obvious gaps in the shelves where books should be, considering no one was allowed to go too far with reference section material - and it wasn't anything the Hufflepuffs appeared to be interested in. It was impossible to tell if it was what they sought though, as maybe there were other subjects kept from them?
Saoirse looked up at the books, noticing that the shelves here were markedly more sparse than in other sections. Only one book appeared to be about Berkshire. Briefly forgetting where she was, Saoirse made a loud grunt of frustration, then quickly clapped her hand over her mouth and glanced around. She didn't suppose it was possible to accio 'book about the Sacred Four'. She didn't even know how to cast accio.
It was entirely possible that the books missing were about other subjects, but Saoirse was more and more convinced that the books were probably in the restricted section. She hated not being able to find the answers herself, to not be self-reliant. She crossed her hands behind her back and paced over to Grace.
"Missing books. What do we do now?" she asked quietly.
Post by Grace Babineaux on May 13, 2021 6:24:02 GMT 10
Grace frowned as her search appeared to be turning up empty. Looking over at Saoirse, she winced when the other girl came to the same conclusion she did. It looked like they would have to either search elsewhere or...
"I guess we could ask Madam Pince?" Grace said. If the books were missing, it meant they had been there in the first place, which in turn meant that someone had moved them. In the best case, Grace thought, it was just another student who was as curious as they were. Or the professors could've been more thoughtful and taken them.
She hesitated to ask the librarian for help, mostly because she was worried about being turned down. But with no other options, asking Madam Pince for help was looking good. Grace wondered if her bathroom ghost friend might have any opinions and decided that perhaps they could ask her if Madam Pince was unhelpful.
Saoirse visibly cringed at Grace's words, even though she knew she was right. Madam Pince would almost certainly react the same Professor Hathmore had. But it was even more certain that no professor would give either Grace or herself a permission slip to the restricted section. Saoirse didn't have anyone else to ask either. She didn't exactly have friends, her father was a Muggle, and her grandparents hated almost anything that didn't have to do with Ireland.
Saoirse nodded to Grace in grudging agreement, and then straightened. It seemed she was destined to go through Hogwarts with every adult hating her guts, so she didn't fear asking Pince. It was just the fact that she knew she would turn them down. But at the same time, it would be interesting hearing a different adult's opinion on the Sacred Four.
Saoirse walked away from the reference shelves, making her way to the desk where Madam Pince was usually found. Rather than shrinking between the books, she actively looked around for the librarian.
They didn't have to look far, as Saoirse's loud grunt of frustration had already caught the librarian's attention. Several Hufflepuffs winced in sympathy, then quickly buried themselves in reading as if unaware the first years even existed.
Madam Pince walked behind her desk, giving the two young Gryffindors suspicious looks. She raised an eyebrow, as if to ask "what?" and awaited what they had to say.
Post by Grace Babineaux on May 15, 2021 0:35:10 GMT 10
Grace walked with Saoirse, trying not to feel too discouraged about the missing books. She hoped again that it was just curious students who had checked them out, and they could get them later. Well, not too much later. She still wanted to figure out what was happening, after all.
She looked at Madam Pince, already feeling nervous. She hoped that the librarian's enjoyment of knowledge would win out over whatever hesitations she felt towards first years. Librarians had to like learning, right?
"Um, we were wondering...where are the books about the Sacred Four? Or the Battle of Berkshire?" Grace tried not to sound too much like a scared child, since it was their age and inexperience that made Professor Hathmore turn them away, after all.
Saoirse stood next to Grace, unconsciously positioning herself slightly between the student and the librarian. She nodded along with Grace's question, and decided to speak too. As much as the adults here made her temper flare, she didn't mind taking the brunt of their criticism. Somehow the thought of them upsetting someone else was more hurtful to her than anything they could say to her personally.
"We're really interested in the history, and we think a book would be the most educational."
Madam Pince narrowed her eyes at them both in turn, prolonging a tense moment which felt much longer than it actually was. Finally, she sighed, and nodded in acknowledgement of their genuine interest.
'No such books exist,' she said with a deliberately neutral expression, as she sorted through some cataloguing notes. 'Or, if any survived, they've since been locked away - far beyond even my reach, most especially after start of term. Nor could I imagine two young first years being permitted such reading material, anyway.'
Pince paused, considering.
'Unless you go much further back, but...' She shook her head. 'There's nothing I can help you with on this subject. Is there anything else you'd like to peruse or are you on you way out?' It didn't sound much like a question, by her stern look implying they shouldn't linger if no longer needing the library.
Post by Grace Babineaux on May 21, 2021 2:49:41 GMT 10
Grace looked at Madam Pince. She was almost certain she was lying--there were gaps for the books! They had to have existed at some point. As she continued though, Grace realized maybe she meant that someone had destroyed them. That was awful! Books were always useful when a grown-up didn't have an answer. Or didn't want to share.
"Further back?" Grace asked. She didn't know how far the history of the Sacred Four went, but she didn't think it would be very far, "Is further back about the Sacred Four or the, uh, Society of Silence?"
Grace didn't want to get on Madam Pince's bad side again, but she also wanted to know how these things happened, and why they weren't allowed to know about them.
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