how foolish , marlene thought , to think that yet another classmate donning her an idiot - a waste of time - would upset her any less than the first one did . her narrowed eyes now move on to hestia’s empty face , fingers now digging into her own tightly - crossed arms . ‘ ‘ve seen better shades o’ brown in m’ firs’ year potions disasters . ’ she sniffs , dramatically flipping hair away from her eyes before planting her hands on either side of the tome . ‘ ‘ye’ve got a lovely chestnu’ hue , you do . ’
“And she has ears...” Hestia grumbled after moments too long of making eye contact and waiting for the very simple instruction to process in the blonde’s head. She meant l i k e - it was simple. Plenty of books here had requirements like that, especially in this library. People like this one made her think that being friendly wasn’t even worth it. Once the book had one lax and open, Hestia muttered a “Congratulations” before allowing herself to turn back to her own texts that did not require such involvement.
𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 would clear the girl from the carriage , but she’d rather not deal with the consequences of doing so . despite knowing how proud bella would most likely be , instead she throws a steely glare in the direction of the other . ❛ funny to think that my attitude is a direct correlation to the person that sits before me . ❜
“I don’t care what your attitude is for...or about.” Hestia was more than happy to pretend the other was no present with her. It was almost stupid how so many people craved being alone, they should be together. But it became an oxymoron in its purpose. She was also more than happy to go back to pretending the other didn’t exist, figuring it would get under their nerves a bit..but what did she care? The countryside rolling by was just much more pleasant.
the girl clearly made little to no sense, saying one suggestive thing after the next then doesn’t want to actually talk about it when you ask. alice could tell at that point that she purely just wanted to be alone, but that would be a victory alice could never pass up. she wouldn’t give her the satisfaction now, especially after being unreasonably cold to her. it wasn’t like alice didn’t deserve it, but both of them had made their points and now they could stand equal. surely hestia didn’t think the two could be at the same level. ❛ so do you just mope around then ? don’t want to make new friends or have new experiences ? you’d rather live every day now the same way you will when you’re old ‘til you eventually meet your demise, is that it ? ❜
“I’ve already met my demise.” Hestia nearly grinned, books were placed carelessly in her bag, sticking out practically. She didn’t have time or energy to care about something like that. Whatever Alice was on about seemed more like she was just looking for a fight, a thing Hestia usually avoided. Helping was one thing, but fights - for everyone’s sake should be avoided. Her eyes were a millimeter from rolling back in her head with a bit of a groan. “So you’re dramatic congratulations.” This in particular was a situation that Hestia would have no guilt in not really caring about. This was the rambling of a spoiled, rich brat looking for drama because nobody paid attention to her at home. That last part almost made Hestia empathetic, a weirdly similar concept. But she didn’t want to think about Alice Lestrange. “Go have yourself an experience.”
❛ sure. ❜ she said plainly. why was alice even bothering — the conversation on the forefront already being a waste of her own time. however, she couldn’t quite understand who, or what, the girl was. anyone that kept to themselves and relied upon being a loner felt off to the lestrange, mostly because it was quite the opposite of herself. ❛ ding, ding, ding. we have a winner — how on earth did you guess that ? ❜ the sarcasm in her tone dripping off her tongue as her head tilted to the right, ignoring her view of the girls back.
It was fascinating that the the girl just kept talking even when Hestia’s back was turned to her. To most, she assumed, that this would be the signal that their conversation - if you could call it that - was just completely over and done. Apparently not. But Hestia still took her best slow time to gather her things, and with expressionless face, barring a raised brow, she turned back towards the Lestrange girl. But even then she couldn’t keep up the charade of even wanting to entertain whatever this was. “I’m not here to play to question and answer with you.” Though it did seem to be play out that way with whatever identity crisis Alice was having. And it was always the same abrasive tone, as if Hestia was trying to attack her. No, Alice started that offense when she couldn’t just let Hestia do what she needed to do. That kid was safe from a minor injury, but it would never be good enough for some rich, pureblood prat of a girl who just needed to be in control of everything as she probably always had been. “Unless you need me to find your sixth year transfiguration book on the shelves.” It wasn’t a question.
sirius let out a scoff, a semi-laugh at hestia’s remark. he regretted his prior comment, but it was too late at this point, so instead he’d just reply as normally as possible. ❛ well, her bite and bark are on very similar wavelengths. ❜ he shook his head as he squinted his eyes. when hestia didn’t say anything in return, sirius was not only relieved, but also curious as to what she had began reading. ❛ so, ❜ he drawled, leaning over her shoulder. ❛ what’s that your reading ? ❜
And then he just kept talking....With a swallow she looked back up his way, wondering if this was how he was going to try and ask for help with something. Stranger methods had been tried...usually cornering her in a bathroom. “So stay out of biting and barking range.” Though he didn’t really seem to be asking for advice either. But then he just dallied more with lazy questioning, and Hestia was bordering on fed up with mere small talk over nothing, especially when she wasn’t sure what exactly he needed. He didn’t seem like somebody who needed that kind of help. “What are you asking for?”
alice chewed on the skin of her bottom lip, her head tilted in one direction as her eyebrows lifted to take note of hestia’s actions. it was quite simple, really, and it was also a common fact when it came to books of the sort. alice really just disliked people who relied on word for people to trust them — she’d never trust someone based on word alone. she herself always needed action. ❛ you say my name like it’s poison on your tongue. ❜ she notices as her eyes focused back on the girl rather than the other student who had long scurried off. ❛ what makes you think you get to feel as if my name burned you in any way. ❜ her tongue sharp, and her threshold for annoyance reaching its limit.
That was a pride that had no purpose, in how the Lestrange spoke. Names being just a bit too important... but what did Hestia know about names? From Adelais to Alice was not the same as Miriam to Hestia. No, that was this one’s choice of name. Hestia needed her difference, she could not be without it. “It means nothing to me.” She thought nothing of it, no more than anyone else did, surely. If she could never consider the girl again, she’d only be so happy. Her back was again turned to the other, arm swishing across the table to retrieve the items she left upon her initial rise. “Sounds more like you hate it.”
❛ 𝒚𝒆𝒔 . 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 quite at home . ❜ it was a snarl , a familiar lilt that all black sisters had at times , that drips from painted lips as the heavy book slams shut . ❛ yes , all carriages of this expansive train are full , or are you just lacking actual substance that no one wants you to join theirs ? ❜
Hestia did not feel much like engaging with this person. This carriage was quite close to being empty, if not a little cold. And in the end, coldness never really bothered her - just a little nuisance which was more than adept at dealing with when she needed to be. The calmness at which Hestia watched the outdoors turned to severe gaze when directed back at the blonde. “And your attitude must take up too much room to sit with them as well.”
“ oh , er , thank you . ” amelia mumbles , a soft pink tinting her cheeks . it still confounds her sometimes how magic exists . she’s only half - muggle , magic had been part of her life since she could remember . but it was still a difficult concept to hold , much less understand . “ this shade of brown looks very elegant on you , sir … or ma’am … ” she whispers into the book and it gently flops open , earning a bright smile from the other . “ thank you for that . and sorry if it was a bit of an inconvenience . ”
Hestia was ready to look away from the other student, who surprisingly followed up with a thank you...but in the most bizarre way. Because meekness shouldn’t be confused with politeness - A Miriam thing still left in her residual being - even if it was followed with a smile. “Yeah, a real inconvenience.” Her words sifted out with laces of sarcasm about the whole thing, widening eyes just for that moment. But then, maybe Hestia should just be appreciative even if it was barely a waste of breath on her own end. “You’re welcome.” A simple nod and she assumed she’d be okay to just go back to what she was doing before.
❛ i’ve been bit by these damned things so many times you’d think i’d remember these books are needier than my own mum. ❜ it felt odd to bring walburga into the conversation, but it wasn’t like his point was false. ❛ your spine looks nicely put together — ❜ sirius added as he rubbed the books spine, holding in a laugh at the mess some of their classes put them through. it flopped open happily and sirius smiled. ❛ my fingers appreciate the reminder. ❜
“Yeah, well...” Hestia could not think of a reason to continue a conversation with the boy. He heeded her warning and successfully made it through without being nipped by the spindly pages of the old leather thing. “hopefully she doesn’t bite either.” That should be enough to quell an interest in conversation, even though apparently it was his fingers giving the thank you...not him. Weird thing. She twisted a hair from the nape of her neck around a finger before letting herself return to her own reading, somewhere between academic necessity and interest.
‘ a compliment ? ’ marlene nearly shrieks , previously prying fingers dropping their grip in a surrender , eyes boring holes into the leather bound book that seems to mock her . ‘ how ‘m i meant t’ compliment it when there’s nothing abou’ it worth one ? ’
Hestia released a breath through her nose after the stupidly loud girl apparently couldn’t use her brain power enough to think of simple as saying ‘you look nice.’ It was a book not an actual person, it shouldn’t be that hard. “You’ll figure out if you need it.” Dark eyes blinked slowly before deciding it may not be worth it to even help someone this indignant. “Just tell it you like its shade of brown.” Her voice resolved, looking back to her own text.
alice narrowed her eyes at hestia, once already skeptical and now just purely annoyed. ❝ and why don’t you to prove it ? ❞ it all seemed entirely childish to alice, but maybe it was her trust issues that wouldn’t let her see if hestia was being reliable or not. ❝ then if it is true, we know to actually trust your word. — don’t do anything, ❞ she said to the other person there who looked entirely too shocked at the conversation. alice wouldn’t comment on the girls response on not getting a warning herself, seeing as she’d probably catch herself saying something nasty and not necessary at all.
The chair scratched back in the most jarring way as Hestia let herself up, pursed lips breaking intense eye contact with the Lestrange to meet the gaze of the younger student again. With a few steps she held out her hand for the book, taking it graciously to show how the thing quickly enveloped her fingers when attempted to open. It was shock more than anything else, but she had anticipated the pressure from the closed bindings. “Your pages are looking quite freshly pressed.” She muttered, so it suddenly went lax before flinging open. All graciousness left Hestia as she shoved the book back at the first year who scurried away, but she didn’t bother to notice as she even less graciously resumed her seat in the chair. “There Lestrange, their little bruise was avoided which I bloody told you about in the first place.”
𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 : sometime early afternoon
𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 : hogwarts express .
𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒔 : open to all .
𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒅 : @lumosreblogs !
❛ 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 . this carriage is occupied . ❜
Without much of a sigh, Hestia didn’t bother to eye the girl up and down. But rather she slung her over-the-shoulder bag into the train’s compartment and followed it with a heavy wide-legged plant of herself onto the cushioned seat opposite the blonde. “All full.” Her eyes once again didn’t bother to make much contact, more distracted by the calmness of countryside rolling by.
❝ you’re so sure ? ❞ alice was skeptical, but thankfully she wasn’t the one in line of the fire — from whatever it was that the person with them was doing & from hestia jones herself. ❝ tell me, have the tips of your fingers been subjected to this pain for you to know or are you just wanting to undermine them ? ❞
“If you are concerned then I’m sure they’d just love for you to open it up for them.” Hestia was usually that person anyway. But she thought her warning was fair enough to the student she was trying to speak to. Seven years in and sometimes people just assumed they knew more just because and Hestia was no stranger to the the Lestrange. “First year nobody warned me. But I’m sure you’ve known plenty of biting books for most of your years.”
- The first person she met on the train - Hestia is a muggleborn who was completely unaware of magic before school. I could see this either being a pureblood person who...you know. Or somebody completely opposite who Hestia almost thought she could be friends with.
- Somebody she is always on the brink of fighting - Maybe this is a major school bully, or perhaps its something more personal between them
- The friend who may know a little more about her past - Hestia doesn’t like to talk about her childhood or where she spends her summers. But this person may have an inkling of something.
- Somebody weirdly obsessed with how little is known about her outside of Hogwarts - be it because she is muggleborn or that she never really shares.
- A new room mate for when she leaves school! - This is probably the closest she has to a best friend. They get along, don’t ask questions and Hestia can really appreciate them for that.
- Grump and a himbo ship please, I love them
- A fifth year, (or sixth as long as they are younger) who looks up to her. Maybe she helped them out of a bad situation in the past.
- People who come to her when they need help with curses or counter-curses. She’s a morally upright person, but she’s also a wealth of knowledge. It can be interesting to see who she is willing to help and why
She’ll examine the sweets a bit closer and shake her head in response. “It looks disgusting. Why do they keep coming up with candy that tastes like snot or….straight up runs off. It’s ridiculous.” she’ll sigh and lean back in her seat, resting her hand at the window edge as she eyes the Daily Prophet by the side. “Can’t believe they’re having us come back all willy nilly, like everything is fine…”
“Well, then you’re welcome to go hide out where you feel nice and safe.” Hestia’s own copy of the daily prophet sat her lap, untouched. The older Ravenclaw didn’t really need to read the words again to be reminded of the repetitive danger, nor did she really want to hear it from younger students. “Or you could go write a letter to the sweets company.”
“It won’t open if you do that.” Her hand rubbed on her temple, tired of hearing the grumbling from across the space, her bitter side eye following in line. And it was just more than annoying right now. “Well, it’ll open, but it’ll just close back on your fingers probably. Have to give it a compliment first.” @lumosreblogs
it’s been seven years since the twenty one year old muggleborn wizard , hestia jones was sorted into ravenclaw upon arriving at school . i suppose over the years we’ve learnt that she is selfless , brazen , withdrawn & irritable , though when i think of them i can always see unopened letters piling up , leather jackets covered in scratches , eyes that know to look in every corner .( rachel hilson + cis woman ) ━━━ emme, est, 23, n/a , she/her .
Name: Hestia (Miriam) Jones
Born: April 21st
Wand: TBA
Patronus: TBA
Blood Status: Muggleborn
“She hasn’t spoken the entire time.”
That’s all the warden ever said when people came to inquire about the little girl who sat in the corner all day by herself reading.
“The whole house was abandoned when they found her.”
And no more was ever known about the child’s past.
She kept it all wrapped inside of her, trying to forget how it came to that point when she was just ten years old.
It was the book that really helped her. It was all Greek mythology, which she hadn’t heard of until this very point where the old thing was placed in her hands. Wide eyes circled the pages until a certain story connected with her.
The goddess of hearth and home. Things she missed, things she figured she never really knew.
“Hestia.” She answered when the funnily dressed woman sat her down in the dreary room shared with twelve other little girls. But it was quiet now, and all the child could assume was that this woman knew she was lying. She knew something about little Miriam Jones.
But it made sense, what the woman told her. Why certain things seemed to happen when Hestia felt strongly, or upset. And it was the first time that she was told it wasn’t her fault that she wasn’t like the rest of her family, that there were people out there who were truly like her.
It was the warmest she’d felt in months.
Suddenly whisked away onto a funnily named train, into a grand castle in the highlands of Scotland that she never thought she’d see, Hestia Jones found out she was just a bit brighter on the inside that she was ever told she could be.
Ravenclaw. An analytical mind with the ability to read people like a book.
Hestia liked it there, she really did. But to make friends - she immediately saw multiple issues:
She’d be gone again the summer, nobody like this around. She’d miss them too much.
What if they ever found out what happened to Miriam Jones that day her family left her in that sad, dreary little house?
No, Hestia would be friendly. But she would not be a friend.
Well not to more than one or two people who really needed it. In fact, Hestia began to find she couldn’t help but get involved when she saw others in need. Especially muggleborns and first years. She hated bullies, she hated hate. And yet, she seemed to have her own level of disgust in people’s interest in her. It was the aftermath that was annoying, the need to thank her - to befriend her. That seemed pointless in some ways, having people that close.
Facts:
- Hestia was born Miriam Jones to a muggle family that feared the strange things happening around her when she turned eight years old. By the time she was ten, they’d packed up and left. A neighbor called about a little head peeping through the windows of the abandoned home
- Since that, she’d always been really self-sufficient, to rely on others meant a closeness she could not afford.
- Hestia finds solace in reading, she likes biographies the most
- If she does befriend others, she won’t usually bring up her past. She would only mention it if she truly trusted the person
- Hestia Jones is an absolute grump with a heart of gold.
- Being pretty skilled with curses and counter-curses has made her a go to for anybody having a bit of a bullying problem - but it really does get annoying after a while
- She went back to the orphanage for most of her years at Hogwarts, but after turning eighteen she wanted somewhere else. She often works summers or finds a cheap place to stay like the rooms above the Leaky Cauldron or other locations in Diagon Alley
Inspo:
Jessica Jones, Jane Eyre.
I will make a wanted connections and potential plots page but for now:
- The first person she met on the train
- Somebody she is always on the brink of fighting
- The friend who may know a little more about her past
- Somebody weirdly obsessed with how little is known about her outside of Hogwarts - be it because she is muggleborn or that she never really shares.
