In this story for @hphm-fandom-events girls week 2026, Helena finds herself helping her fellow Ravenclaw, Tulip Karasu, when her toad runs off during a rainy day.
Themes: Rain, Tulip
Helena Tremblay’s POV, April 1987
Helena gazed out the glass walls of the greenhouse as one drop of rain became two, and two became four, and then proceeded to exponentially increase. Luckily it did not appear that this would be a ferocious thunderstorm but the rain could still be rather inconvenient. Yet she couldn’t deny she did adore that smell of damp soil when she strolled outside without a care in the world and felt the rain fall on her head as she would close her eyes in such a peaceful moment.
Yet such a stroll would have to wait for another day, Helena decided to herself as she gathered her things and prepared to depart the greenhouse. She had come to a good stopping point and figured Professor Sprout would not mind if she slightly cut her volunteering efforts at the greenhouse short. Especially with how Helena often forgot how much time passed in the greenhouses to the point where she had nearly been late to a handful of classes.
She swiftly placed her bag across her bag and slowly walked over to the door as if the plants were creatures and she did not want to startle them awake. Helena gently pushed the door open and carefully latched it shut behind her as she felt the rain on her as it succumbed to gravity. She glanced up at the grey sky and adjusted her glasses in an attempt to avoid a few drops of rain. Despite the rain, it still all felt rather serene without any thunder or lightning to be heard or seen. Helena preferred it that way, a bit of water and mud was much easier to deal with anyways.
It was just after she took not even three steps away from the greenhouse that she nearly found herself on the ground where puddles were already forming. She gently turned her head to see who she nearly bumped into and was surprised to see a rather familiar face had joined her in this weather.
Her fellow Ravenclaw’s red hair was seemingly already wet with how it was plastered to her face in a wild mess. As Tulip managed to catch her breath, it appeared that she had lost something as her dark eyes darted around to the surrounding area rather than settling on Helena herself for what seemed like forever. If it hadn’t been for the fact that they spent so much time in close proximity due to being Ravenclaw girls in the same year, Helena could bet that if they were in different houses they likely would never acknowledged her. If she had still been friends with Merula, Helena would have been more hesitant around Tulip. Yet ever since Tulip split from Merula, Helena had begun to see a new side to her and admitted she owed her some acknowledgement considering Helena rarely did give her that attention before.
“Tulip?” Helena tried to calm her once she steadied herself, “Are you alright? What’s the matter?”
Tulip eye’s widened as she composed herself, “Sorry, by chance have you seen Dennis?”
“Denise?” Helena repeated what she heard among the falling rain. “No, I haven’t seen her.” she shook her head, “Perhaps she is with Makayla in the Great Hall, did you check there?”
“Oh!” Helena realized how she has misheard her, “Sorry.”
Tulip sighed but Helena could tell it was more so out of exasperation at her situation rather than at her, “It’s alright, it wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened. So have you seen him hopping around?”
“I haven’t.” Helena gently shook her head as she calmly looked around her surroundings until her eyes settled on some wet toad tracks on a stone path that were slowly getting disfigured by the falling rain, “but it looks like he went that way.” She gestured before turning back towards Tulip, “With all of this rain I don’t he should have gotten to far. I can help you look to.” She offered, after all, for all that mischievous traits that toad shared with his owner, it only made sense to make sure Dennis got back inside the castle safe and sound, especially with the Forbidden Forest being so close to the school grounds.
“You don’t mind?” Tulip’s eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise.
“Not at all.” Helena confirmed with a gentle smile, “Now come on, we have a toad to catch.” She declared as she regained focus on the tracks and began to follow them with squinted eyes as the rain continued to fall on the lens of her glasses.
“Alright then.” Tulip consented as she followed Helena down the stone pathway.
Helena’s eyes were practically glued to the ground as she walked beside Tulip as they quickly followed the tracks before they vanished. In a world of grass and plants it would be a challenge to spot a toad that could blend into his surroundings as if he were a chameleon. Luckily, Helena knew Dennis wasn’t the type of toad that would stay in one spot for long. She had learned that well enough when the toad has escaped their dorm room when they were first moving in. Tulip had certainly influenced her beloved pet in more ways than one.
Helena looked at Tulip with amusement, “So, how did Dennis escape this time?”
“I was with Tonks in the Great Hall and I took my eyes off of his for ten seconds and he was just gone.” Tulip explained as she moved her hair out of her face. “Tonks went off to the kitchens to go see if he went there, he has tried that before while I went to the look around the courtyard area. That is when I saw him hoping in the direction of the greenhouses. It seems like he decided to experience this rainstorm and jump in puddles rather than stealing a snack.”
Helena softly smirked and shrugged, “Well I suppose in the eyes of a toad, puddles are more investing than pastries are.
“Unfortunately you are probably right.” Tulip agreed with an exasperated yet loving smile towards Dennis’ chaotic antics.
Helena laughed at that but immediately stopped when she heard nearby croaking, “Did you hear that?” She quietly asked in case the sound repeated itself.
“Yes.” Tulip responded at equal volume before immediately raising it as she called out, “Dennis! Come on out, I’ll let you help me and Tonks prank Professor Snape again.”
“Are you sure that is a wise target?” Helena asked with a raised eyebrow.
Tulip simply smiled, “He’s an entertaining one.”
Before Helena had a chance to make another remark on that, another croak sounded in the rainy atmosphere. Her attention was focused on the task at hand now rather than brainstorming whatever Tulip and Tonks had in mind this time. That croak was definitely louder than before, and loudness correlated with closeness in this sense.
Helena moved her head around to try and spot the mischievous toad, “Where is he?”
Tulip was able to identify his location much more swiftly as she headed towards the edge of the path that led down in a steep slope, “There he is!” She pointed out with relief, “Dennis! Get back here now you-“
“Tulip watch-“ Helena attempted to warn her but she only got halfway there before Tulip had lost her footing and went sliding down the slick mud the slope seemed to be covered in. “…out”
Helena crept close to the edge to look down below to see what sort of situation Tulip had gotten into. Dennis remained out of sight although his croaking felt like teasing laughing at the situation or a sign that he was pleased at the turn of events. With how wet the rain had made the ground, it was no surprise that Tulip’s robes were covered in splotches of mud as she remained on the ground from the impact.
“Are you-“ she began to call down to Tulip but was caught off when she lost her own footing due to a wrong step on a particular area that was made quite slippery because of the mud. Before Helena knew it, she was just as muddy as Tulip was and had slid down the slope to exactly where her fellow Ravenclaw was.
Tulip simply smirked with amusement at her, “You were saying?”
“Oh hush.” Helena gently closed her eyes as her face slightly flushed and she pulled her hair back. “Now where’s your-“ she asked before she felt something, or some toad rather who croaked in triumph and satisfaction, land on her head that led to her slightly flinching, “Toad.”
“Dennis!” Tulip cheerfully exclaimed as she reached out and carefully took him off of Helena’s head, “There you are.” She remarked as she managed to stand up with her shoes getting a firm grip on the ground. “Now I don’t condemn chaos, but don’t run off like that again.” To which Dennis gave a croak that Helena interpreted as a ‘we will see’.
Tulip turned to Helena with a smile and reached out to help her up, “Thank you, sorry for the mess.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Helena assured Tulip as she took her hand and got off the ground. “I wouldn’t be as skilled with herbology as I am if I was afraid of a little mud.” She remarked with a chuckle.
I’d love to see Freyja’s reaction to Tulip seeing what happens to the Podlings in Dark Crystal, who I imagine is rocking back and forth in a fetal position while Freyja is confused/still have drugged from the pain meds for her broken arm XD
Wow Freyja you’re such a good friend, for noticing your friend is in shock cold ☺️
