The Most Unpopular Ravenclaw

2nd of September, 1997

Public Library, Hogwarts

7:36 am

Isolde Ravensdale was the epitome of Wallflower. She wasn't necessarily ugly, neither did she have a displeasing personality. She just didn't call in for attention neither did she bring it to herself when walking through the hallways. Rather plain hair, not tall neither short figure, she was pretty much what you would call a Plain Jane. Chestnut coloured hair to a few inches below her shoulders, hazel eyes which didn't stick out thanks to her thick glasses and a figure that wasn't very curvy but neither completely stick-like. Isolde was average.

So when the infamous Hermione Granger, best friend of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, walking encyclopaedia and possibly next year's Head Girl, walked up to her table and sat down in front of her, Isolde was surprised—which was putting it mildly.

The fuzzy haired girl smiled at her and she blushed, quickly directing her eyes back to the parchment in front of her. With a now trembling hand, she continued writing her sister's schedule, which was almost done. She had missed lunch, but as usual she'd go later to the kitchens, one of her many refuges.

"Hello," Hermione Granger spoke, and Isolde lifted her eyes to her, swallowing down through her dry throat.

Isolde really didn't know what had possessed the popular girl to sit in front of her. Six years had gone by and she had never glanced at her more than once. Why the sudden interest now? Did she want something from her? It was highly unlikely, seeing as the only reason she'd want to talk to her would be so that Isolde could write her an essay.

And Hermione Granger definitely didn't need an essay on the 2nd of September.

"Hi," the hazel eyed girl swallowed, hunching over so that a curtain of wavy and slightly dirty hair covered her blush.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"I-Isolde," the Ravenclaw stuttered out.

"Ravensdale?" Hermione Granger finished with a question.

Hazel eyes shot up and narrowed slightly, watching the Gryffindor crossing her arms in a defensive pose. Scanning her actions and eyes, Isolde finally guessed that she wasn't here to have a friendly little chat. It probably had to do with her sister. Her stupid, conceited, Head Girl sister.

"Yes, Ravensdale," Isolde sighed, putting the parchment and ink away to rub her temples. "What did she do?"

"Who?" Granger frowned.

"My sister, who else?" she spat.

"Oh," the prefect nodded in understatement.

Hermione could see it in her eyes; that girl had been taking care of her big sister for a long time in Hogwarts. From her tensed shoulders to the tired matter under her eyes. It was all too clear to her now. Adelaide Ravensdale really was no genius. She hadn't really believed Dumbledore at first when he said that the Hufflepuff's papers had been exactly like the most brilliant student that Hogwarts had ever had. But now, in front of the busy Ravenclaw rubbing her temples in a tired manner, she realised that Adelaide Ravensdale's sister would be very useful in their mission to the past.

But the blonde would be a very difficult person to handle.

"Well?" Granger looked up to see her eyebrows shooting up. "What has she done?"

"Nothing," she responded plainly. "Absolutely nothing."

"Then why are you sitting here?" she frowned.

"Can't I?" Granger shot back.

Isolde Ravensdale blinked for a moment before she digested that Hermione Granger genuinely wanted to talk to her. Maybe it was about the rejection of her Prefect badge last year? Did she feel offended about that? Outraged? It wouldn't make sense as to why she was being so polite. Did she want something? Did she want to crush her sister? It wouldn't be the first person to try to do so…

"Oh, alright," Isolde finally nodded, turning back to her papers. "Feel free to sit here."

And just like that, both girls went back to doing their own work.

Public Library, Hogwarts

8:45 pm

Isolde liked Hermione Granger.

It was as simple as that.

She had been quiet throughout the time spent by her, the only sound being quill against parchment. She worked fast, hard, well and had a concentration face which was nice to see. Without really knowing so, the Ravenclaw girl's face had eased into one of peace. Though it'd take more than a quiet person to make her smile.

"Ms. Ravensdale? Ms. Granger?" Madam Pince lifted her frame from her desk and walked over to the two girls. "The library will be close in fifteen minutes. I suggest you two begin to take care of the mess you've created in this table."

Walking off, she sat down again and continued sorting out her papers. While Granger huffed and collected her books and parchments, Isolde finished off the schedule. She sighed with a quick little smile and pulled everything into her bag, standing up along with her new companion.

"Let's go?" Hermione offered.

Isolde nodded and they walked out, the shorter brunette with frizzy hair trying to make small talk.

"So you're in Ravenclaw, uh?" she offered with a smile.

"Yes," was the simple answer she gave her.

"I would have gone into Ravenclaw had I not been a Gryffindor," Hermione commented.

"Which is kind of a contradiction, don't you think?" Isolde chuckled, and Granger frowned.

"How is it a contradiction?" she asked.

"Well, Gryffindor is supposed to be the house of the valiant, the honest and the—please, don't be offended—stupid enough to think they're being brave. There's a fine line between stupidity and bravery and a lot of Gryffindors have crossed it. Ravenclaw's, though, they're smarter than that, but much more antisocial. I guess they put you in Gryffindor because you actually know how to make conversation without getting on someone's bad side."

Echoing steps filled the empty hallways and Hermione Granger actually contemplated what she had said. It wasn't a biased opinion. In fact, it was very objective. Not only had she praised Ravenclaw, which was usual in the residents of the house, but she had also praised Gryffindor. Most Ravenclaw's had a premade choice of what they thought about the other members of the other houses. Slytherin's were spoiled brats, Gryffindor's were stupid gits and Hufflepuff's were absolutely useless. She, however, had admitted openly how Ravenclaw's didn't like to spend time with people as much as the other houses did, and it gained a lot of points on her side.

Did Lord Voldemort think like that when he was their age?

"This is your stop."

Said girl pulled Hermione out of her daydream, stopping right before they entered the Great Hall. She frowned and turned to her fully, wondering why exactly she had said so.

"Aren't you coming?" she questioned.

"No," the brunette shook her head.

"Oh."

The failed articulation of a word which actually made sense planted a seed inside Hermione Granger's mind. Why exactly was she so useless in front of this girl? She had the same age, almost the same height, a normal background and Dumbledore seemed to trust her with the fate of the entire continent. Why then was Hermione so uneasy with her around?

Was it the eyes? How they seemed to be calculating everything about her when she sat down in front of her before? Was it maybe the sharp look in them? Or was it because she was taller? The fact that the younger Ravensdale turned around without biding farewell made Hermione realise that it wasn't any of the things she had listed before. It was her personality. It was introverted, unbiased, impersonal and to be honest a little cold.

It made her wonder if she really had the same personality as Lord Voldemort when he was seventeen.