Prompts: (1) Write your character being a mother/mother figure to someone. (2) "When people put you down enough, you start to believe it." - Pretty Woman, and (3) Training
Word count: 500
Hogwarts was finally almost constructed. As she slid one of the first stones into place on the astronomy tower, she felt strangely sad that the project was coming to an end, but more excited that another project (teaching) was beginning. All of her students had been working hard to finish the castle. After all, the ability to work hard was the trait that she chose them for. When they finished the astronomy tower and a few more wings, they'd be able to admit hundreds of more young witches and wizards from all of Britain (and perhaps even the rest of Europe, Helga mused) and give them the education they deserved.
A tiny twelve year old girl had trailed her skirts ever since arriving. She had done so since she first arrived and had barely said a word to any of her classmates. Helga accepted her into her house after Godric declared her "not brave enough," Rowena claimed her, "not quite clever enough," and Salazar decided her, "not ambitious in the slightest." When the girl stood in front of the four of them, Helga sensed a repressed magic inside of her and hoped to release it.
"What are you doing here, Gwen?" Helga bent over and smoothed back one of the girl's braids.
Gwen shrugged. "Helping you, Lady Hufflepuff."
Helga gave her a small smile. Gwen could barely do a Wingardium Leviosa, much less lay bricks. "And how are you doing that?"
Gwen returned the smile and showed her. She picked up one of the bricks lying on the ground and pushed it nearer to Helga's foot in an offering.
"Do you want to practice your levitation charms for that? It'd be good practice."
Gwen shook her head.
"Why not?" Helga asked.
"I'm not good at charms."
"And who told you that?"
Gwen shrugged again. "My brothers. Housemates. Everybody."
"When people put you down enough, you start to believe it," Helga said firmly. "And you shouldn't believe it. You are not naturally bad at charms."
"I don't know," Gwen said. "I can't even do a levitation charm."
"That's because you haven't practiced," Helga put down the stone she was placing and turned to Gwen. "Do you have your wand with you?"
Gwen nodded. She pulled it clumsily out from her sleeve.
Helga transfigured the stone into a feather and set it on the ground. She remembered the days when nobody would believe in her, either. Nobody had taken the farmer's daughter seriously, at least not until she had blasted a hole in the kitchen wall with the master's staff. Since then, she'd come so far.
"Move your hand like this," Helga instructed, showing Gwen the movement. "Can you try?"
Gwen tried her best to mimic Helga, frustration growing on her scrunched face.
"Yes, just like that. You can rest your arm. Can you say, wingardium leviosa. Focus on which syllables I've placed emphasis."
A few minutes later, she had managed to, giggling all the while, levitate the feather onto Helga's head.