Aubrey sighed and turned away from her and tried to regain their composure. She cared about them as much Cass did. But no matter how much Aubrey’s friends cared about them, they couldn’t help. Not with this. This was the kind of journey they had to travel alone and cope with alone. Aubrey wouldn’t put their friends in danger not because of their secret. It was Aubrey’s burden to carry and there was no way their friends would feel the pressure they did. So as exhausted as they were, and as much pain as they felt, Aubrey plastered a smile on their face and turned back to face her.
“No, no. I’m not unwell. It’s nothing like that. I’ve just got a heavy class load this semester and I’m trying to keep my head above water. Cass just worries a lot…you know him but really I’m okay.” Aubrey wondered if they said it over and over and over again that maybe the words would ring true. Maybe if they believed it about themselves it would be true. One could hope. But Aubrey wasn’t entirely convinced that they would be let off the hook so easily. Not with this..
Aubrey shut the book in front of them and nodded in agreement. Going back to the Ravenclaw dorms sounded like a good idea and maybe Aubrey could convince her to have a cuppa with them before parting ways. Tea would definitely soothe the throbbing in their head. “That sounds like a plan,” They spoke softly and stacked up the books they have pulled from the shelves. “I don’t think I was going to get much further with these tonight anyways and I’m always up for good company.”
“That’s settled then!” She stood up abruptly and looked at her own stack of books. She really wanted to finish the reading list for their next book club meeting today but seeing Aubrey’s current state, the order of her priorities came no question. She’ll just find time to cram it for tomorrow. She’ll just have to move the things on her to-do list around. Ria looked at her own pile of books and took a mental note of their titles so she can find them again tomorrow. She pulled out her wand and spelled them away, back to their designated places on the shelves. “Oh and let me - “ She didn’t ask for permission before doing the same for Aubrey’s stack of books.
Ria didn’t know if she believed what they said but at that point, she was just glad that they took in Ria’s suggestion and will head out back to their dorm. That ought to make Aubrey feel somewhat better. And if she can offer them a small distraction by spending time with them then, at least, she could feel that she helped them somehow.
Once all of their books were out of sight, Ria went beside Aubrey and offered them her elbow. “Well, when it comes to good company, I’ll try my best not to disappoint. And I was serious about you being able to ask me anything about divination by the way! Speaking of what spurred your curiosity today anyway?
Tonight was a good night to be at Champ Tower, which basically just meant that there wouldn't be a lot of couples hanging about. When Ria entered the viewing deck, she didn't need to glance around the place to know that the place wouldn't be full of couples. An unfortunate hazard that comes with being at Champ Tower a lot is getting familiar with the dating schedules of couples who frequent the place. Just because it wasn't in the interests of anyone visiting the Tower to be a third wheel to multiple couples. On the way to her usual spot, she did see a pair that could be a couple. But that's okay. It couldn't be helped, she guessed. With the Champ Tower being one of the student's favorite dating sites, there was bound to be a couple or two going on their first date that she couldn't have accounted for.
It's not like Ria didn't want couples to watch the stars or be there at Champ Tower. Far from it. Ria genuinely believe that if a lot of more people took a few minutes of their day looking at the star-studded blanket that covers the world every night, then the world would be a lot better place. And it wasn't also like she didn't believe that stargazing can be a social event. Part of the fun of stargazing is having someone with whom you can have conversations and share discoveries. But for tonight at least, she wanted to be alone. When she finally reached her usual spot hidden from other people in the tower and yet had an amazing view of the night sky, she laid down her mat, made herself comfortable, and brought out a notebook and a pen to jot down things she'll see and to the sketch constellations.
Ria had a ritual before usually begins stargazing. After setting up, she would then bring out a bag of snacks and two bottles of milk tea which she would then spell to be ice cold. That way, she could sit for hours under the stars, without having to leave her spot. But as she reached into her bag, she only felt one bottle. “Shit,” she muttered under her breath. That’s right, she thought, I was supposed to buy another one. She forgot that she was supposed to pass by The Magic Neep before heading towards the Champ Tower. Now she’s glad that the Tower wasn’t completely empty. She looked for another person around who wasn’t with anyone. "Excuse me - Hello. Uhm ... Can I ask for a teensy-tiny favor? Could you watch my things for a just a quick minute? I ... Uh ... forgot to get something."
Aubrey didn’t need to look into the future to see what Ria was thinking. She was trying to read between the lines of their wording. She was trying to piece together when they were acting so weird. Part of Aubrey felt like an awful friend for keeping such a huge secret from her and even from Cassio. Aubrey considered both of them their closest friends.Yet they were kept in the dark. It’s for their protection. Aubrey reminded themselves. But still…the guilt was there.
Reaching across the table, Aubrey took a hold of Ria’s arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I know. Thank you, Ria. You’re a good friend and you know the same thing goes for you. Whatever you do, you have my support as well..”
Their eyes widened as she explained the book in her hand to them. It sounded interesting and Aubrey loved the theme of the month. Hmm. It almost made them want to stop in at the next book club meeting if only their schedule hadn’t already been so jam packed. Definitely something to concern though. “I think it sounds like an excellent read. I might even read it myself and drop in for a discussion.”
Aubrey shook their head and looked at her with confusion clear on their face. Oh right. They had asked that already and she had explained that she was looking for a book for book club. Aubrey resisted the urge to smack themselves on the forehead and instead they just shook their head with a soft chuckle. “I’m sorry. I promise I was paying attention earlier. I’m just…tired and a bit out of it. Cassio sent me to bed hours ago and I guess I should have stayed there, huh?” Then they felt her eyes on them again and Aubrey nearly shivered from the heat of her gaze. “No…Just a lot going on with classes and all stuff. I’m sorry. I’m just not good company right now.”
That simple gestured warmed Ria’s heart. It always felt good to be supported by a friend and support coming from Aubrey meant that it was genuine. She squeezed their hand back. Her thumb gently massaged his hand in an attempt to offer reassurance, no matter how little it was. She hoped that they would get the message that they could tell her anything.
“No, don’t apologize,” she said. ”You’re perfect, I assure you. But if Cassio sent you to bed hours ago ... Are you unwell? Maybe you should be resting instead of holing up in here.” Ria stood up from her chair and thought about what she should do. Clearly, Aubrey wasn’t feeling okay. Maybe it’ll be best if they go back to the Ravenclaw dorm. She turned back to look at the stack of books she really ought to read and briefly considered about pushing through. She did say earlier that her responsibilities took precedence but ... Looking at Aubrey, she really can’t leave them alone right now.
“Aubrey ... If you’re exhausted, maybe you should go back to your room and rest up?” she suggested as gently as she could. “I can come with you!” She offered a cheery smile but it was brief. Her face shifted back into a worried look. “And on the way back, if there are things you’re really curious to know about divination, maybe I can help and tell you what I know?” she offered. “Surely, rest is more important.”
Alex smiled at the woman’s eagerness about the rune. “I wouldn’t exactly say lifesaver,” she said with a small laugh, “just returning an item that doesn’t belong to me.” It’d been awhile since Alex had seen runes, they weren’t within her skill set so she hadn’t attempted to use them since divination in her other wizarding school.
“I remember by divination teacher talking about runes and how some of them have minds of their own. Maybe it had somewhere it needed to be?” Alex said, her smile widening towards the other woman.
“Still,” Ria said. “I just completes this rune set recently.” She patted the pouch she had in her pocket twice. “I would really rather not go through the trouble of ordering another piece.” To the store’s credit, ordering was not that difficult of a burden at all but carrying an incomplete set of runes placed her on edge. They were a source of comfort for Ria and without all of her runes, she felt an underlying feeling that misfortune was just right around the corner.
“Maybe it wanted to meet you!” She exclaimed. Ehwaz, the rune that she dropped, did mean good luck when it came to friendships. Maybe this was the rune going out of its way to introduce Ria to this blonde girl. “Hi,” she extends her hand to the other, “I’m Rihanna but you can call me Ria. Ravenclaw.”
It was a tough question for Aubrey to give an honest answer to. Did they want to change their major to divination? Aubrey didn’t have an answer to that. On one hand, yes they did. Aubrey was given the gift of sight and though it was the most challenging gift to live with, they were given it for a reason. They felt…almost ashamed that they weren’t in a major that would help blossom and grow their gift. On the other hand, Aubrey was scared of how they would be treated if their secret ever got out. Would people take advantage of them? Would people hurt them? It was hard to tell and Aubrey wasn’t sure if they wanted to roll the dice on it.
“Maybe. Probably not…but maybe. We’ll see,” Aubrey said, shaking their head. “I don’t know what the future holds for me.” Now that was a joke. It was true that on occasion when Ria needed help with her assignments that Aubrey broke their golden rule and helped her out. She was a friend and they had a hard time turning down the people they cared for. “I think I’m pretty set on Herbology for right now but I promise to keep an open mind about Divination. For now though, it’s going to just be a hobby.”
Aubrey listened intently to what she was saying. They had been meaning to stop by the book club in order to support their friend but so far, Aubrey’s schedule had been jam packed along with them not feeling well. Time slipped away from them often. If Aubrey wasn’t in class or in the greenhouses with Cass, they were usually sleeping off the effects being out in public. “You find anything good?” Aubrey asked as they leaned over the table and tried to peek at the books held closely to her body. With a shrug of their shoulders, Aubrey leaned back against the chair. “I just wanted something mellow and calm tonight. Deja Vu can be a lot to take in, you know? Why aren’t you there?”
Ria’s eyebrows furrows in concern as she took in what Aubrey said. One could almost see the gears turning in her head. Was that really what was going on in her friend’s head or was something else bothering them? But knowing Aubrey, Ria thought that it would probably be best not to press on it. For now, she’ll have to take their word on it. “Whatever you choose, Aubrey, I will support you all the way,” she said. That, she genuinely meant.
“Well, this one looked promising.” She took the topmost book from her pile and showed it to her companion. It was a leather-bound book, embossed with fine intricate details that looked like silver or gold depending on how you looked at it. It was easily the thinnest of the books she had on the table. “Our theme for the month is ‘When Wizards and Muggles Collide’ and we’re reading accounts wherein both events from the wizarding world and the muggle world affected one another,” she explained. “This one’s about the how Muggles inadvertently shaped the Department of Mysteries. It looks like a short read but I’m sure it’ll be interesting.”
“I already told you, silly.” Her tone was teasing but she could barely hide the confusion in her voice. Did Aubrey forget what she said earlier? Was something on their mind? “As much as I would love to meet up with friends and make new ones in Deja Vu, my responsibility as President of the Book Club takes precedence ...” Ria explained it once more but she trailed off, her mind was busy wondering about Aubrey. She looked her friend in the eye. “Is something in your mind Aubrey?”
Birth Date: May 29, 1997
Birth Time: 10:41 PM
Birth Place: Suffolk, England United Kingdom
Gemini Sun, Pisces Moon, Sagittarius Rising
“With the Sun in Gemini, the urge for self-expression is strong. These natives are often just as interested in collecting information as they are in sharing it. Curious to a fault, Geminis have a finger in every pie.
They are flexible and changeable people. Their ability to adapt quickly to new situations generally gains them plenty of friends and social contacts. Usually quite clever and witty, they enjoy intellectual conversations and they are easily bored if they are not getting enough mental stimulation.
Often quite adept at fitting in with others, they easily adopt the moods of those around them. They are friends to people from all walks of life, and are not easily intimidated. Their ability to detach themselves can make them very objective and observant, but a little difficult to get close to. Although they often have many friends, intimacy doesn't come as easily to them.
It can be difficult to know what they really feel at any given moment. They are often very impressionable and scattered. There is usually a nervous air to Geminis that can make more personal characters a little uneasy. It is not always intuitive to trust Geminis to be loyal or to keep secrets. Geminis often flit about, moving quickly and keeping busy every step of the way. Many people with this position of the Sun have gained quite a bit of knowledge in their lifetimes, but they don't often possess specialized knowledge. This is because Geminis have relatively short attention spans. Restlessness is especially common with this position of the Sun.
Usually quite affable, Geminis enjoy the "light" side of life. This tendency to take things lightly makes them quite pleasing to be around; but it can be maddening to people seeking support on the deeper issues in life. Geminis are both interesting and interested. Their wit can be dazzling and their changeability dizzying. At the very least, Geminis will seldom bore you.”
Ria religiously believes in Astrology to a fault. Some people might think that it is counter-intuitive to be in constant search of knowledge while still believing in something like Astrology but Ria would gladly dispute that. In the wizarding world where prophecies exist, where stars and tea leaves can tell the future, how can any wixen say that the placement of the stars and the planets when one was born cannot have an effect on that person?
That being said, to Ria, there is no question that she is a true Gemini. She loves expressing herself, whether it comes through talking with friends or even decorating her room so that anyone who knows her can enter it and immediately tell it was hers. And as a Ravenclaw and President of the Book Club, no less, she thrives being in the center of collecting and sharing information beside people who are more or less the same.
She loves being around people and she finds that she can easily adapt to fit the social circles she has placed herself into. However, this does give her a tendency to say one thing to a person, but say a completely different thing to another, depending on what the person she was talking to wanted to hear. That is why in a worst case scenario, people could confront her as disloyal.
Ria wouldn’t say that she was difficult to read however. Perhaps, it’s only difficult to get a sense of what she’s feeling given that she’s always on the fence about something but her hesitations are almost always apparent to her companions. What’s ironic was that she always know how to feel in relation to others and what to feel given any social circumstance. But once you ask her how she as her own person feels about certain things, that’s when she becomes confused and when she starts questioning herself.
All in all, Ria loves to enjoy life and she wants her friends and soon to be friends to enjoy it too. The only problem is that sometimes, the way she does it leads more to complications rather than solutions, especially when problems arise in her relationships and Ria chooses the simple and easy solutions rather than painful ones that tackles the core of the problem.
Those with their Moon in Pisces are known to be dreamy and not always in touch with reality. However, though these people may not always show real-world savvy in day-to-day, practical affairs, they make up for this with remarkable intuition. They can put themselves into anybody's shoes with extreme ease. On the plus side, this endows them with remarkable compassion and love. The down side with this apparent ability to break down boundaries is that these people can easily lose themselves in the suffering of others. Their sense of humor is delightfully silly and a bit odd. These are perceptive souls who seem to be in touch with all the nuances and subtleties of human nature. Often this comes through in a strong sense of humor that is more of the receptive kind than the type of sense of humor that would make people the "life of the party". It's generally pretty easy to get them giggling.
Moon in Pisces people may get tagged as spaced out, but there's a lot more to them than meets the eye. They feel things out, and rely on their intuition. It just doesn't feel right for them to do otherwise. Their dreaminess can mean plenty of moments of absent-mindedness. These times of oblivion can land them in all sorts of predicaments with others who can too easily misunderstand these complex souls. Without plenty of space and time to daydream, Pisces Moons easily get overloaded with life. Give them room to be alone with themselves, and they're generally able to take on the world--even if their style when they do so is not always conventional or understandable. Generally considered soft-hearted and sweet, Lunar Pisceans care about others and are easily touched by human suffering. This tendency gains them the reputation as suckers for sob stories. Although this may sometimes be true, many learn, in their lifetimes, how to discern between sincerity and manipulation. Still, they definitely do have plenty of soft corners.
Intuition is what Ria uses to get a feel on how to deal with other people. This is also what makes her an effective leader because she doesn’t just simply lead projects or organizations, she leads people. She could understand what motivates them and what causes them to feel certain things once they reveal themselves to her. Along with the ability to feel empathy for other people however, is feeling their pain immensely. She has a soft spot for people in pain and she has a desire to patch them up as if their misery was her own. She feels the need to nurture others, even if help is unwelcome.
Ria’s dreaminess manifests whenever she finds herself humming the most recent tune stuck in her head and dancing as she walked along the hallway whenever she just knows it was going to be a good day. It manifests in her love of poetry. Imagining herself with the voice of the poets and placing herself in the worlds that they build within the words of the poem. It manifests whenever she gazes at the stars and loses herself in the vastness of the universe and what other mysteries it hides from her.
The world is filled with adventure for those with their Rising in Sagittarius, new things to experience, and, most of all, hope. There is an unmistakable faith and enthusiasm with Sagittarius rising people. Grand schemes, big promises, and a willingness to explore and experiment are themes, although follow-through is not a strong characteristic of Sagittarius. These individuals are somewhat restless and often active people. They always seem to be looking for something that is just out of grasp -- and many do this their entire lives. They can be quite direct at times, yet they are likable enough to forgive for their faux-pas. Most have a lot to say and offer. Their insights and opinions are usually interesting and exciting, although sometimes lacking in details.
Sagittarius rising people have opinions about everything, and they just love telling others exactly what they are. Not all people with this position are outgoing folk, but they all have a way of moving about that at least exudes a certain level of confidence. Some might even call them naive or overly optimistic. Even the quiet ones don't shrink from life and from experience. One of the most obvious and endearing traits of Sagittarius rising is their willingness to keep up a sense of humor. Even when they're feeling low, they manage to find humor in life and have fun with whatever they do have.
The faith and enthusiasm of grand schemes and big promises of those with their rising in Sagittarius, manifests in Ria through her passion for Astronomy and Divination. To her, there is no bigger adventure than trying to unravel whatever the future holds.
Given her Gemini Sun, Pisces Moon, and Sagittarius Rising, Rihanna’s sense of humor is one of her immediate sources of light that gives her optimism and the ability to always hope for the best, in situations and in people. May it be from wit, random silliness, or making fun of the situation she is in, it allows her to carry on, especially when life becomes such a drag.
Alexandra was standing in front of a shelf in the bookstore, she was trying to find a new book to read since finishing the last one. She wasn’t finding anything that was popping at her, which was dragging her mood down a little. A soft thump on her sandal clad foot made her glance down away from the bookshelf. A rune piece was sitting on the floor by her foot. Bending down, she picked it up, looking around to see where it may have come from.
Alex caught the eyes of the only other person near the shelves that she was standing infront of. “Is this yours?” She asked, holding the rune up.
“Yes!” Ria half-ran towards the girl who bent them to pick up her rune. “Yes, that’s mine. Thank you so much, you’re a lifesaver!” She rambled. Ria had already lost a piece of her set of runes once and she would really rather not go through the same thing twice. She took the rune from the other person’s hand and placed it back to her pocket.
“I really should start being more careful with my runes.” From then on, Ria made a mental note that whenever she’ll bring the runes along with her, they will always be in a pouch. And maybe from now on I’ll only pull one out when I’m not walking, she added. She looked at the blonde girl in front of her and smiled. “Again, thank you so much.”
Ria felt a huge load on her shoulders get lifted when the rune she ordered had finally arrived. Ever since the unfortunate incident almost two weeks ago wherein she lost the Ansuz, the rune for good luck, she has felt on edge, walking around with an incomplete set of runes in her pocket. But now that the set was once again complete, the spring on her step was back as she made her way to Astoria Bookstore.
Upon nearing the bookstore, Ria placed her hand in her pocket, ran her fingers among the loose runes, and chose two at random. What has today planned for me? She thought. She pulled out the two runes and checked what they were. Fehu and Ehwaz. Fehu can mean a number of things but together with Ehwaz, Ria was sure it had something to do with friendship. That made her smile. Maybe she’ll make a new friend today.
Cheered by the thought, she playfully tossed the two runes into the air. Her toss wasn’t as gentle as she liked however and she was unable to catch both of them. “Not again,” she grumbled and hurried to collect the runes before any other tiny miscreant steals it from her again. She managed two get one of the runes but the other rolled almost a meter away from her until it met another person’s foot.
One of Rihanna’s favourite things about the book club is the opportunity it gives her to learn about other things outside the purview of her major. The things you learn in University were more specified unlike back in Hogwarts where students were given chances to learn from a multitude of subjects, no matter how unrelated the subjects are. It was something she missed about Hogwarts. Learning for Ria, should be holistic. After all, what one learns in one subject just might help them in another. Fortunately, being part of the book club was more than enough to compensate for it.
Plus, one wouldn’t think it but the book club has gotten Ria into interesting places and even interesting people. Today seemed to be one of those days since Ria found herself at another part of the library she has never been before. She has already chosen the two books the club will be reading for the rest of the month. One of the books she chose mentions the Department of Mysteries from the Ministry of Magic quite a lot, which meant that the club will be needing references, which was why she was at that section of the library.
She already knew what book the club will need; it was only a matter of finding it. Her eyes scanned the labels of the aisles until she finally found where the book would have been placed. To her surprise, someone was already there at the same aisle, looking over the books. Ria didn’t think much of it and continued searching for her book along the shelves. It seemed that the book would be just about where the other person was already looking. She’ll have to move before Ria could really look for her book. Oh no, Ria thought, what if she already got the book? Ria tried to lean closer in a not so subtle fashion to see if there was a book in the other person’s hands and if she did, whether it was the one she was looking for.
Diving into the world of Divination and past seers wasn’t easy. To their knowledge, most seers kept their secret locked away and close to their chests. If a seers secret was placed in the wrong hands they could be exposed, used, and in some cases killed. It was dangerous. Aubrey had known since he discovered their secret that they had to be careful and protective of it. No one except their family knew that they were a seer. Not even their closest friends. No one. So it was beyond frustrating when flipping through books didn’t give them any information they so desperately needed.
Most of the information they found was about tea leaves and reading palms. Things Aubrey didn’t need to know. What they needed to know was how to quiet their gift until it safer. They couldn’t live like this. Constantly hurting. Constantly in pain. Constantly feeling that sense of dread and fearfulness. University was turning into a dark, dark place and it was snuffing Aubrey’s light out. If they didn’t find a solution, Aubrey feared they wouldn’t last much longer. It was all too much.
Even now in the empty library, Aubrey could feel a migraine coming on. This was common. Far too common and they were becoming immune to any sort of healing potion that would make it disappear.
Aubrey snapped the book shut and growled in frustration. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. This was a waste of time. “Aubrey!” They jumped in their seat at the sound of their name but relaxed once they realized that it was a familiar voice. Ria. A friend. Their friend. “Hi. What are you doing out at this hour? I figured everyone was either celebrating at Deja Vu or in bed. It’s good to see you..” Aubrey leaned out of their seat and gathered the books into the table in one neat pile, this opened up some space for her. “C’mon on! Sit down.” At the mention of Divination, Aubrey shook their head. Caught red handed. “No, no. Well, not right now anywhere. This is just purely for my own curiosity. What are you looking for? Ohhh, a new book club book? Find anything good?”
“It’s good to see you too!” Ria smiled wide but having a closer look now at her friend, she noticed something about them that worried her. They looked tired, unhinged even, given their tone of relief which Ria heard when Aubrey finally saw who it was that called them. “I have responsibilities that I still needed to do,” she gestured at her own pile of books and shrugged, “so I decided to skip the Easter festivities.”
With the books she got to her left, Ria sat beside Aubrey, turning her chair so that she completely faces them. Her eyes brightened with renewed excitement. “Does that mean you’re considering it then? If you’re curious about it? I know you have the talent for it, especially with how you’ve always helped me with my assignments.” That might explain how weary they looked. Maybe they were having an existential crisis. She’ll make sure they’ll talk about it later before both of them part ways.
Aubrey changed the subject however, so Ria decided she’ll let it go for now. “Well ... that’s why I’m here actually. I’ll choose two or three books for our next book club meeting. Hopefully I won’t have to go back and get some more but we’ll see.” She held on her pile of books and pulled it closer to her. “How about you though? Why aren’t you in Deja Vu?”
The last few weeks had been tough on Aubrey Finch. It seemed wherever they went they were bombarded with cloudy visions of whatever was coming. They were more frequent and much more brutal as each day went by. The aftermath of them left Aubrey feeling sick and exhausted for hours, sometime even days. They were losing themselves. Aubrey could barely make it to class and back to their dorm without being overcome with either a vision or a feeling. They were forced to live with a constant migraine but still managed to pull their arse to class every single day. It seemed everyone they came close these days had some connection to the darkness that was surrounding the town and university.
Today was a particularly bad afternoon. Aubrey stopped to get a bite to eat in town but had to excuse themselves before the meal even came. They tossed the money for their bill on the table and booked it.The restaurant was jam packed and they hadn’t been able to pinpoint who they were feeling but it was there. That darkness. The power. It was all consuming and it was always there. Aubrey left whimpering. They all but crawled back to the Ravenclaw dorms where Aubrey ran into Cass who took one look at them and tucked them immediately into bed. It didn’t last though. Half an hour after Cass left, Aubrey was tugging on clothes and making a beeline for the library.
The library was near empty when Aubrey walked in. This was something they were thankful for. Aubrey walked along the aisles of the library slowly, taking any book that had any information regarding seers, visions, and the future. By the time they made it over to an empty table, Aubrey had a stack of books higher than them. The books scattered across the table as Aubrey got settled in. They pulled out a bag of grapes and a bottle of water. It was going to be a long night but a necessary one.
Something had to be done about these visions.
Ria was cutting it close, only creating the short list for the next two weeks’ readings just three days before the next book club meeting. The theme for the month was ‘When Wizards and Muggles Collide’. The books they were reading and discussing for the month would be accounts of significant historic events wherein wizards and muggles played integral roles that shaped the other’s history, even if the latter were unaware. That’s why she had in her arms five books that were such. Ria figured that she can simply browse the first few chapters of each book, get a feel of the writing of the authors, and then decide. Ria might be pressed for time by her own standards, but she wasn’t worried. She managed to pull it off before.
She wasn’t really sure how long she would take. It could take her anywhere between just an hour to the entire evening, depending on how engrossed she lets herself be. What she was sure of, however, was that she can still carry at least one other book. Since she was already in the library, she thought that she could try to hit two birds by one stone by dropping by the divination section and getting the book she needed for her homework. With five heavy books in her hands, she checked to look for the book she needed, only to find it already borrowed.
Oh well, she thought and proceeded to one of the nearest table where she found her friend. “Aubrey!” She exclaimed. They seemed preoccupied though, given the amount of books that were in front of them on the table. Perhaps she shouldn’t distract them. She could at least say hi and do her own work separately as to not bother them. She placed her books, one seat away from Aubrey’s and took a peek at what kind of books they had. “Divination?!” She gasped excitedly. “Are you thinking of changing your major?”
Ria had a spring to her step and was humming to herself as she made her way to the Champ Tower. She was having a brilliant day. Her new set of runes just arrived via owl post this morning. She just received her marks for her latest group project and they did excellent. And now she was on her way to Champ Tower to lazily watch the stars and possibly plan the agenda for the next meeting for the book club. She had her new runes in her pocket, making a jiggling noise as she took each step and her sticker-ridden notebook inside her bag and she was ready to go-
Oof.
Ria fell to the floor, having bumped into someone rather forcefully. She could hear the runes spill from her pocket.
“Oh no.”
Ria went on all fours to collect the runes that scattered all over the floor. “Dammit,” someone cried from behind her. Ria remembered that she hadn’t apologized yet. She got up and turned to look for the person who she bumped into. It wasn’t someone she recognized. Oh Merlin, that’s going to be a terrible first impression. “I am so sorry,” she began. The other girl was picking up her stuff and ignored her. Ria started to kneel when the other girl looked up to her and glared. More reluctantly, the Ravenclaw still continued to pick up the other girl’s fallen book when the owner just snatched the book back and then left in a hurry.
Ria didn’t know her which probably meant the other girl didn’t know her too. But that didn’t stop her from worrying what the other girl thought of her. Remembering that she still have some runes to pick up from the floor, she returned to collect the rest. Othala, Hagalaz, Kenaz, Raidho, Uruz, Gebo… Ria was counting the runes as she placed them back to her pocket. There was supposed to be 24. Jera, twenty-three. She was missing one.
She scanned the floor for the last rune and found nothing. From the corner of her eye, she spotted a rat, probably someone’s pet, scurrying of to her left. It couldn’t be. Ria took a couple of steps closer towards the rat to take a better look and saw something in the rat’s mouth. She broke into a run. “Pardon me. Excuse me. Sorry!” She exclaimed as she bumped into several people while pursuit of the rodent thief.
Ria was small and agile, but she was no match for a rat. She kept an eye on it, scared that she might lose sight and lose the rune, making the entire set incomplete. She took her wand out of her pocket and pointed at the rat. She thought about using the Full-Body Bind on the rat which wouldn’t hurt it but there were too many people around and too many feet she can mistakenly hit. She looked ahead and saw where the rat was heading. A tiny hole in the wall.
“No, no, no, no.” She muttered to herself and casted the spell at the rat once she could get a direct aim. But the rat was too fast and entered the hole, the spell only hitting concrete.
“Come on, little rat.” She pleaded as she knelt in front of the hole. “Pretty please?” She asked, desperate. From her bag, she fished out a tart that she was saving for later at the Tower. “Here!” She inserted the tart inside the hole, hoping that the rat would smell it and return for it. “You can have my tart. Just give me back my rune,” she bargained. “It’s blueberry flavored?” She tried feebly once it was clear the rodent wasn’t coming back.
Defeated, Ria, slumped against the wall and took out her runes to check which one was missing. It was Ansuz. The rune for luck and good fortune. Typical.
Tired from running, Ria was trudging by the time she was climbing the stairs that lead to the top of Champ Tower. This was not how she thought her day would go. All she wanted was have some time for herself, quietly and peacefully ending the day by gazing at the heavens and planning for tomorrow. Ria was exhausted by the time she reached the open space where students can lounge. It took her awhile but once she found a quiet private spot that was unoccupied by a couple, she settled down and finally gave herself an opportunity to breathe. And that was when she felt the first drop of rain land on her cheek. A drop became two, and then five, and then too many to count. If she didn’t move soon, she’ll be drenched.
She sighed exasperatedly. Perhaps it’s time to call it a day. Maybe she’ll have glass of Rose Wine. Today was in no way a special occasion given the series of unfortunate events that just happened. She deserved it.
She loves to read poetry and will spend hours in bookstores or in bed reading. Enjoys laying down on freshly washed sheets. She will play against anyone at wizarding chess and most likely win. Always has a happy smile for anyone that she comes across. Has a pet rabbit that she lets run around her bedroom every minute of the day. Enjoys a glass of rose wine on special occasions. Loves to watch the stars from the tallest tower she can find. She has the strengths of a great leader but lacks faith in herself. Carries runes in her pocket for good luck. Her grades are outstanding and she usually has a better time in group participating class assignments. Dancing in the hallways when she has had a great day. Eager to make close friends during her time in university. She has fairy lights floating above her bed in the dorm room.
☀ Sweet
☀ Leaderly
☀ Aspiring
☁ Transparent
☁ Obnoxious
☁ Disloyal
Character Aesthetic:
Fairy Lights ⚬ Loose Hair Strands ⚬ Reading Poetry at Night ⚬ Rose Wine ⚬ Falling Stars ⚬ Wizard Chess ⚬ Kind Smiles ⚬ Ticking Clocks ⚬ Pocket Full of Runes ⚬ Pickled Vegetables ⚬ Soft Fabric ⚬ Rabbits ⚬ Innocence
♜ Wand: Whippy 10 1/4″ larch with a unicorn hair core
♜ Patronus: Bottlenose Dolphin
♜ Boggart: A crowd scoffing and judging everything she says or does.
♜ Amortentia: Aloe Vera, Pentel Pen Markers, Fleetwood’s High-Finish Handle Polish, A Citrus Smell That Comes from a Certain Pomade.
Studying: Majoring in astronomy with a minor in divination.
Common Locations: Champ Tower, Astoria Bookstore, Dervish and Banges, Aerie Peak Lounge, Ici Treats
