A/N: Yes, chapter four is finally here. Sorry it took so long! Computer troubles. Anyway, this chapter takes place entirely in the past.
The first month of school was not easy for Miranda. She was constantly messing everything up, and she wasn't used to that. There were countless times when Miranda was on the verge of tears because she couldn't do anything right, and the teachers repremanded her for it. The chemistry skills she had already learned on her own helped her to do well enough in Potions, but thanks to Professor Snape, that class was just as bad as all of the others.
"You know, with all of those books she reads, you'd think she'd be smarter." Miranda overheard one of her fellow students saying.
The other student involved in the conversation laughed. "Muggles." he scoffed, "It amazes me that Dumbledore still lets the stupid gits in. They're obviously good for nothing."
"I hear her parents are rich." the first boy put in, "Maybe they found out about the wizarding world and bribed Dumbledore into taking her."
Both boys burst out laughing.Miranda clenched her teeth and willed herself to keep walking and not cry.
~*^*~
Bill climbed through the portrait hole and went into the common room.
She wasn't there.
Bill sighed. He hadn't seen Miranda in Charms class that morning or at lunch. He was worried.
He finally reasoned that there was only one place she could be. He eyed the stairway to the girls' bedrooms warily.
He braced himself and ran up the stone stairway until he reached the door marked 'FIRST YEARS'. He hesitated for a moment before turning the doorknob and entering the room.
It turned out to be exactly like the boys room with large four-poster beds complete with scarlet drapes. The only difference was the decoration on the walls and covering the dressers. It could only be described as *girly*.
One dresser, however, was instead covered in a simple black cloth and stacked high with various books. On the wall above her dresser hung a large picture of a strange-looking man with grey hair that went out in every direction imaginable. And even more strange ... he didn't even move. But then, he had heard that muggle portraits were like that.
It was at that moment that Bill remembered why he was there, and recognized a muffled crying sound coming from the bed beside the strange poster.
"Miranda?" he asked tentatively.
"Go away." came the tearful voice behind the drapes.
"Miranda, I was worried --"
"I'm fine." she cut him off.
"You don't sound fine." he said.
"Yeah?" she asked, "What do you care anyway?"
Bill fell silent. He wasn't quite sure what to say to that.
"Just leave me alone, okay?" she said impatiently.
"No." Bill said with a resolution that surprised even himself.
Miranda made an agitated sound and threw open her drapes. "What do you want from me, anyway?" she demanded.
"I want to know what's wrong." he said simply.
"As if you'd understand."
"I might."
"How can you?" she finally exploded, "You've been a wizard all your life. You can do any spell you want right off the top of your head!"
Bill was surprised at this outbreak. It was, quite possibly, the most words he'd heard from her at any one time. "You have your own talents ..." he managed weakly.
"I just don't understand why I'm here if I'm not any good at magic." she said, sounding very defeated.
Bill hesitated for a second. " ... you'll learn."
"When??" Miranda finally exploded, "When will I learn? That's what I want to know, because right now, I'm at the bottom of my class and I've ..." She trailed off, her momentary change in persona obviously scaring her.
"-- and you've never been there before?" Bill asked tentatively.
"Just leave me alone." Miranda said, "I have to deal with this on my own."
"But, Miranda --"
"Leave me alone." Her voice was hushed, but the tone was cutting, forcing Bill to obey, but not without saying one last thing.
"You know, Miranda, it would really do you some good to let people help you out once in a while." He had barely finished his sentence when a glare from Miranda ushered him out the door.
~*^*~
It was right before Potions class. Bill looked at his watch and sighed. The arrow was dangerously close to 'class time' and Miranda's seat remained unoccupied. He got even more worried when Professor Snape walked to the front of the room and began his usual lecture at the beginning of class.
Miranda was missing yet another class.
With one more worried glance at the door, he went about taking notes.
" ... it was discovered that certain kinds of cactus needles work exceptionally well in accentuating the potentcy of -- Miss Figilsteen," The name made Bill's head snap up. "would you care to explain why you are late?"
"I ... I got lost ..." was her response. Obviously, she'd have to be taught some better excuses.
"Indeed." Snape said sourly, "Ten points from Gryffindor. Please take your seat, Miss Figilsteen."
Miranda took the empty seat next to Bill.
It was always risky businness for a Gryffindor student to attempt to talk in Snape's class, but Bill waited until Snape's eye was on the other side of the room and cautiously whispered, "You doing better?" over to Miranda.
Miranda answered with a barely visible shrug.
Bill was about to ask, 'Is that a yes shrug or a no shrug?' when he noticed Snape looking in his direction again.
It would have to wait.
A/N: Part four is done!!!!! It's about time. Okay. You all know I love feedback, so, whadda ya think?
The first month of school was not easy for Miranda. She was constantly messing everything up, and she wasn't used to that. There were countless times when Miranda was on the verge of tears because she couldn't do anything right, and the teachers repremanded her for it. The chemistry skills she had already learned on her own helped her to do well enough in Potions, but thanks to Professor Snape, that class was just as bad as all of the others.
"You know, with all of those books she reads, you'd think she'd be smarter." Miranda overheard one of her fellow students saying.
The other student involved in the conversation laughed. "Muggles." he scoffed, "It amazes me that Dumbledore still lets the stupid gits in. They're obviously good for nothing."
"I hear her parents are rich." the first boy put in, "Maybe they found out about the wizarding world and bribed Dumbledore into taking her."
Both boys burst out laughing.Miranda clenched her teeth and willed herself to keep walking and not cry.
~*^*~
Bill climbed through the portrait hole and went into the common room.
She wasn't there.
Bill sighed. He hadn't seen Miranda in Charms class that morning or at lunch. He was worried.
He finally reasoned that there was only one place she could be. He eyed the stairway to the girls' bedrooms warily.
He braced himself and ran up the stone stairway until he reached the door marked 'FIRST YEARS'. He hesitated for a moment before turning the doorknob and entering the room.
It turned out to be exactly like the boys room with large four-poster beds complete with scarlet drapes. The only difference was the decoration on the walls and covering the dressers. It could only be described as *girly*.
One dresser, however, was instead covered in a simple black cloth and stacked high with various books. On the wall above her dresser hung a large picture of a strange-looking man with grey hair that went out in every direction imaginable. And even more strange ... he didn't even move. But then, he had heard that muggle portraits were like that.
It was at that moment that Bill remembered why he was there, and recognized a muffled crying sound coming from the bed beside the strange poster.
"Miranda?" he asked tentatively.
"Go away." came the tearful voice behind the drapes.
"Miranda, I was worried --"
"I'm fine." she cut him off.
"You don't sound fine." he said.
"Yeah?" she asked, "What do you care anyway?"
Bill fell silent. He wasn't quite sure what to say to that.
"Just leave me alone, okay?" she said impatiently.
"No." Bill said with a resolution that surprised even himself.
Miranda made an agitated sound and threw open her drapes. "What do you want from me, anyway?" she demanded.
"I want to know what's wrong." he said simply.
"As if you'd understand."
"I might."
"How can you?" she finally exploded, "You've been a wizard all your life. You can do any spell you want right off the top of your head!"
Bill was surprised at this outbreak. It was, quite possibly, the most words he'd heard from her at any one time. "You have your own talents ..." he managed weakly.
"I just don't understand why I'm here if I'm not any good at magic." she said, sounding very defeated.
Bill hesitated for a second. " ... you'll learn."
"When??" Miranda finally exploded, "When will I learn? That's what I want to know, because right now, I'm at the bottom of my class and I've ..." She trailed off, her momentary change in persona obviously scaring her.
"-- and you've never been there before?" Bill asked tentatively.
"Just leave me alone." Miranda said, "I have to deal with this on my own."
"But, Miranda --"
"Leave me alone." Her voice was hushed, but the tone was cutting, forcing Bill to obey, but not without saying one last thing.
"You know, Miranda, it would really do you some good to let people help you out once in a while." He had barely finished his sentence when a glare from Miranda ushered him out the door.
~*^*~
It was right before Potions class. Bill looked at his watch and sighed. The arrow was dangerously close to 'class time' and Miranda's seat remained unoccupied. He got even more worried when Professor Snape walked to the front of the room and began his usual lecture at the beginning of class.
Miranda was missing yet another class.
With one more worried glance at the door, he went about taking notes.
" ... it was discovered that certain kinds of cactus needles work exceptionally well in accentuating the potentcy of -- Miss Figilsteen," The name made Bill's head snap up. "would you care to explain why you are late?"
"I ... I got lost ..." was her response. Obviously, she'd have to be taught some better excuses.
"Indeed." Snape said sourly, "Ten points from Gryffindor. Please take your seat, Miss Figilsteen."
Miranda took the empty seat next to Bill.
It was always risky businness for a Gryffindor student to attempt to talk in Snape's class, but Bill waited until Snape's eye was on the other side of the room and cautiously whispered, "You doing better?" over to Miranda.
Miranda answered with a barely visible shrug.
Bill was about to ask, 'Is that a yes shrug or a no shrug?' when he noticed Snape looking in his direction again.
It would have to wait.
A/N: Part four is done!!!!! It's about time. Okay. You all know I love feedback, so, whadda ya think?