Chapter 6-Woodhouse and Werbles
The next morning Sadie woke up to find Emma's bed empty with the exception of a scribble pinned to the pillow.
Sadie-
B back after therapy. U may want 2 go 2 breakfast alone.
-Emma
Sadie was discomfited at the thought of going to the Great Hall alone, considering she did not yet know the way. So she decided to sit in the Common Room until Emma was done. She waited...and waited....and waited. Sadie propped her elbow on the plush arm of the chair and rested in chin in her cupped hand. She was not yet used to the early mornings. She drifted off for a few minutes before she woke with a start at the closing of a door. She glanced around the room and found the source. A young man, tall, scrawny, blonde, and shy-looking, had stepped out of the boy's area.
"Sorry if I startled you," he apologized.
Sadie smiled sleepily at him. "Thanks for waking me."
Their conversation would have ended there had not the blonde boy paused at the exit to the Common Room.
He gazed at her for a moment, brow furrowed. "Have you gotten breakfast yet?"
"Oh, I'm waiting for someone."
He glanced at his watch. "They're probably down there already, there's only ten minutes left."
Sadie stood up in alarm. "Ten minutes?!? I can't find my way down there /that/ fast," she cried mournfully, and flopped back down.
He studied her for a moment, looking indecisive. "You wanna walk with me? I could show you."
"You would do that?" Sadie replied hopefully. In response to the boy's nod, she jumped up and nearly skipped to the door. "Ok."
"I'm Kevin by the way."
"Sadie."
The whole way there they walked in awkward silence until they came to the doors of the Great Hall.
Not looking at her, Kevin mumbled, "See y'round."
"Bye," responded Sadie, a little perplexed at the whole experience.
---
Sadie would have welcomed some perplexity in History of Magic. Professor Binns was easily the dullest person (not that a ghost would really be considered a /person,/ even if he was one at one point) she has ever encountered. She thought perhaps if he even smelled strange it would have been easier to pay attention to his lecture on whatever he was droning on and on about. Sadie amused herself writing a note to Emma about that morning's little adventure.
Emma,
Hi, how're you? I was really mad at you this morning for not being there to walk with me to breakfast, but it gave me opportunity to expand my social horizons so to speak. I waited for who knows how long for you in the Common Room and dozed off in front of the fire. This Kevin guy woke me up and walked me to the Great Hall. He didn't talk to me the whole way down there. I wonder what was up. Well, I better go before Snooze Man over there catches me. Talk to you later.
-Sadie
Sadie folded the note and passed it furtively under her desk to Emma. Emma, looking straight ahead, took the note from her and unfolded it in her lap. She read it nonchalantly and glanced up at Sadie to give her a barely intelligible shrug.
Their next class was Care of Magical Creatures with the "big hairy guy named Hagrid". He greeted Sadie and Emma warmly when they approached his hut with their fellow stragglers.
"Sadie! Emma! Nice ter see yeh. Would yeh mind volunteering yerselves ter take 'round the boxes in back? Thanks."
Sadie and Emma walked around the back of Hagrid's hut and found four large crates, with loose lids on each. They each picked up one and walked around front. On their second load, the lid on Emma's crate slid off and a small, furry, purple kitten-like creature poked its head out.
"Werb?" it squeaked, looking around.
"Awwww!" cried Emma as she sat the box down and held out her hand for the creature to sniff. Hagrid came around the corner.
"C'mon Emma, got ter introduce them ter the rest of the class too."
Emma peered into the box at several other creatures similar to the one she was stroking. They were different colors and had various other limbs. One fluttered its little wings; another wiggled its toes on its webbed feet.
"What are they?" Sadie said softly, picking up her crate and bringing it around front, with Emma trailing behind her.
"Everybody gather 'round. I'd like yeh ter meet a litter of Werbles." One by one Hagrid pulled out the cute little creatures and set them down. The Werbles looked at one another and the students, and then proceeded in romping in the grass. Everyone thought they were adorable.
"Yer ter keep after 'em each class and learn ther ways. Go ahead an' pick one and get ter know it. You'll have till the end of class ter decide. Get in ter partners, s'not enough ter go 'round otherwise."
Sadie sat in the grass with Emma, watching the Werbles tumble about, trying to get an idea of their personalities. As they watched the group of them and her peers interaction with them, Emma pointed out a neon purple one with white splotches and a claw tail. It circled the group, watching from the outside in. Sadie got up and walked softly towards it. It shied away from her for a moment until she held out her hand and sat down a few feet away. It watched her for a moment and padded over to investigate. It let Emma pick it up and it huddled in her arms.
"Hagrid? We picked ours."
"Good. A'right, time fer yer next class, gather 'em up and put 'em in the crates before yeh leave. Yeh'll be learnin' lots more 'fore we're through."
Walking to their next class, Runes, Emma asked, "What are we gonna name her?"
"We get to name them?"
"Sure do. Any ideas?"
Sadie thought for a moment. "Did you notice the white stripe on her head?"
Emma nodded and thought a moment. "Angel then?"
"Perfect."
Runeswas informative, but the teacher, Professor Brodeur, sounded like an encyclopedia.
"Runes are the ancient characters used in Teutonic, Anglo-Saxon, and Scandinavian inscriptions. They were probably first used by East Goth wizards, who are thought to have derived them from Helleno-Italic writing, and through powerful magic, made them what they are today. Runes are adapted to carving on wood and stone and consist of vertical, diagonal, and a few curved lines. The first six runic signs are for /f, u, th, o (a), r, c (k),/ hence the name /Futhorc/ for the runic alphabets. There are two alphabets, one of 16 signs and the other of 24 (the same 16 with 8 additional signs). We will start with the Younger, smaller one, and if you take Advanced Runes next year, you'll learn the Elder, larger one."
His lecture was frequently interrupted by remarks towards Draco and his horde, whose mischief was directed towards Sadie. Sadie chose to ignore them, but Brodeur was thoroughly annoyed with Draco by the end of class.
After Runes was lunch, which wasn't exactly noteworthy. In contrast, their next class, Spell Creation, was exceptionally intriguing. Their teacher, Professor Armstrong, had them sit in alphabetical order. It was rather trying to many of the students' patience, including Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who had that class also, because for the first time in their academic career, they were unable to sit together.
Halfway through Professor Armstrong's explanation of the process of Creating spells, Ron raised his hand and waved it around.
Armstrong looked at him over the top of her glasses. "Can I help you?" she asked archly.
Ron put his hand down and looked around for a moment. "Well, err, my brother gave me a spell that I'd never heard of, and it didn't work. If I Created it, would it work then?"
"Ask me again when we are in the lab," she stated, and continued orating just as though she had never paused.
Their brains chalked full of new information, Emma and Sadie talked their way to Transfiguration, taught by Professor McGonagall. Sadie wasn't exactly thrilled about the prospect of that class, considering her first impressions of her.
"Remus?" Sadie stopped dead in the doorway. "What're you doing here?"
Remus looked at her pleasantly. "Nice to see you too. Professor McGonagall had business with the Headmaster, and asked me to fill in, since I was in the vicinity."
"Well, cool! What're we doing today?"
"Nothing, really. She said she'd just do whatever she was going to do next class."
"Oh, ok. Better and better."
The class trickled in and greeted Lupin warmly. "Hey, it's Professor Lupin!!!" "Hiya Professor!" "Cool! He's back!" were among the comments made.
Sadie stuck around with Remus after everyone else left, since Emma had gone to the library to read up on Spell Creation. Sadie made herself comfortable on a desk.
"So, how's it going?"
"Fairly well, and you?"
Sadie smiled and shook her head. "Too bad I wasn't here when you were teaching full time."
Remus chuckled. "Not that I was really teaching full time, I had to take a break every full moon."
"True."
"I enjoy teaching, however, so it's nice to be back, even if it's just substituting. The students, of course, are the biggest perk. It's so refreshing to interact with so many intellectual young minds. Adults are so boring."
Just then, Kevin poked his head in. "Ah, Kevin," smiled Remus. Remus turned to Sadie. "Sadie, this is Kevin--"
"We've met," interrupted Sadie. Kevin smiled hesitantly.
Remus looked surprised. "Oh, okay. Kevin needed a little extra tutoring in Mer-ish, for his exams, since they always do so much review."
"Oh, really? I could use some help too, if you can?
"That would be fine; I'm sure Kevin and I could use some company."
"Great! I'll see you tomorrow then, Emma's probably done."
"See you later."
***
Sadie found Emma in the library, poking around. "Hey you."
Emma glanced up. "Hello. Come help me find a good book."
This was no easy task, as at least ninety-five percent of the books were academically themed. However, they did find one that interested Emma.
"You do realize that that's 2500 pages, don't you?"
"Mm-hmm."
"And that it's about a village of /tiny blue gnomes/ of all things?"
"Mm-hmm."
"That are attacked by a dark wizard and his insane cat on frequent occasions?"
"Mm-hmm."
Sadie sighed as Emma plunked the book on the check out counter. "So you're actually gonna check it out?"
"Mm-hmm."
Sadie looked at the cover critically. "Can I borrow it when you're done?"
Emma grinned.
Madam Pince read the cover. /"Smurfs: What the Muggles Don't Know/.... interesting."
***
After dinner Sadie and Emma went to the Common Room and took their normal seats.
"You know how to play wizard chess?" Emma inquired after a few minutes of silence.
"Nope."
"You wanna learn? You can't be a self-respecting magical person if you don't know how to play wizard chess."
Emma taught her until Astrology called them away. Sadie summed that up well. "Stargazing with Slytherins. /Ugh/." Throughout the evening, even with the various distractions, a thought nagged at the back of Emma's mind. Sadie was going to tell her something last night. And it was something Emma needed to know.
The next morning Sadie woke up to find Emma's bed empty with the exception of a scribble pinned to the pillow.
Sadie-
B back after therapy. U may want 2 go 2 breakfast alone.
-Emma
Sadie was discomfited at the thought of going to the Great Hall alone, considering she did not yet know the way. So she decided to sit in the Common Room until Emma was done. She waited...and waited....and waited. Sadie propped her elbow on the plush arm of the chair and rested in chin in her cupped hand. She was not yet used to the early mornings. She drifted off for a few minutes before she woke with a start at the closing of a door. She glanced around the room and found the source. A young man, tall, scrawny, blonde, and shy-looking, had stepped out of the boy's area.
"Sorry if I startled you," he apologized.
Sadie smiled sleepily at him. "Thanks for waking me."
Their conversation would have ended there had not the blonde boy paused at the exit to the Common Room.
He gazed at her for a moment, brow furrowed. "Have you gotten breakfast yet?"
"Oh, I'm waiting for someone."
He glanced at his watch. "They're probably down there already, there's only ten minutes left."
Sadie stood up in alarm. "Ten minutes?!? I can't find my way down there /that/ fast," she cried mournfully, and flopped back down.
He studied her for a moment, looking indecisive. "You wanna walk with me? I could show you."
"You would do that?" Sadie replied hopefully. In response to the boy's nod, she jumped up and nearly skipped to the door. "Ok."
"I'm Kevin by the way."
"Sadie."
The whole way there they walked in awkward silence until they came to the doors of the Great Hall.
Not looking at her, Kevin mumbled, "See y'round."
"Bye," responded Sadie, a little perplexed at the whole experience.
---
Sadie would have welcomed some perplexity in History of Magic. Professor Binns was easily the dullest person (not that a ghost would really be considered a /person,/ even if he was one at one point) she has ever encountered. She thought perhaps if he even smelled strange it would have been easier to pay attention to his lecture on whatever he was droning on and on about. Sadie amused herself writing a note to Emma about that morning's little adventure.
Emma,
Hi, how're you? I was really mad at you this morning for not being there to walk with me to breakfast, but it gave me opportunity to expand my social horizons so to speak. I waited for who knows how long for you in the Common Room and dozed off in front of the fire. This Kevin guy woke me up and walked me to the Great Hall. He didn't talk to me the whole way down there. I wonder what was up. Well, I better go before Snooze Man over there catches me. Talk to you later.
-Sadie
Sadie folded the note and passed it furtively under her desk to Emma. Emma, looking straight ahead, took the note from her and unfolded it in her lap. She read it nonchalantly and glanced up at Sadie to give her a barely intelligible shrug.
Their next class was Care of Magical Creatures with the "big hairy guy named Hagrid". He greeted Sadie and Emma warmly when they approached his hut with their fellow stragglers.
"Sadie! Emma! Nice ter see yeh. Would yeh mind volunteering yerselves ter take 'round the boxes in back? Thanks."
Sadie and Emma walked around the back of Hagrid's hut and found four large crates, with loose lids on each. They each picked up one and walked around front. On their second load, the lid on Emma's crate slid off and a small, furry, purple kitten-like creature poked its head out.
"Werb?" it squeaked, looking around.
"Awwww!" cried Emma as she sat the box down and held out her hand for the creature to sniff. Hagrid came around the corner.
"C'mon Emma, got ter introduce them ter the rest of the class too."
Emma peered into the box at several other creatures similar to the one she was stroking. They were different colors and had various other limbs. One fluttered its little wings; another wiggled its toes on its webbed feet.
"What are they?" Sadie said softly, picking up her crate and bringing it around front, with Emma trailing behind her.
"Everybody gather 'round. I'd like yeh ter meet a litter of Werbles." One by one Hagrid pulled out the cute little creatures and set them down. The Werbles looked at one another and the students, and then proceeded in romping in the grass. Everyone thought they were adorable.
"Yer ter keep after 'em each class and learn ther ways. Go ahead an' pick one and get ter know it. You'll have till the end of class ter decide. Get in ter partners, s'not enough ter go 'round otherwise."
Sadie sat in the grass with Emma, watching the Werbles tumble about, trying to get an idea of their personalities. As they watched the group of them and her peers interaction with them, Emma pointed out a neon purple one with white splotches and a claw tail. It circled the group, watching from the outside in. Sadie got up and walked softly towards it. It shied away from her for a moment until she held out her hand and sat down a few feet away. It watched her for a moment and padded over to investigate. It let Emma pick it up and it huddled in her arms.
"Hagrid? We picked ours."
"Good. A'right, time fer yer next class, gather 'em up and put 'em in the crates before yeh leave. Yeh'll be learnin' lots more 'fore we're through."
Walking to their next class, Runes, Emma asked, "What are we gonna name her?"
"We get to name them?"
"Sure do. Any ideas?"
Sadie thought for a moment. "Did you notice the white stripe on her head?"
Emma nodded and thought a moment. "Angel then?"
"Perfect."
Runeswas informative, but the teacher, Professor Brodeur, sounded like an encyclopedia.
"Runes are the ancient characters used in Teutonic, Anglo-Saxon, and Scandinavian inscriptions. They were probably first used by East Goth wizards, who are thought to have derived them from Helleno-Italic writing, and through powerful magic, made them what they are today. Runes are adapted to carving on wood and stone and consist of vertical, diagonal, and a few curved lines. The first six runic signs are for /f, u, th, o (a), r, c (k),/ hence the name /Futhorc/ for the runic alphabets. There are two alphabets, one of 16 signs and the other of 24 (the same 16 with 8 additional signs). We will start with the Younger, smaller one, and if you take Advanced Runes next year, you'll learn the Elder, larger one."
His lecture was frequently interrupted by remarks towards Draco and his horde, whose mischief was directed towards Sadie. Sadie chose to ignore them, but Brodeur was thoroughly annoyed with Draco by the end of class.
After Runes was lunch, which wasn't exactly noteworthy. In contrast, their next class, Spell Creation, was exceptionally intriguing. Their teacher, Professor Armstrong, had them sit in alphabetical order. It was rather trying to many of the students' patience, including Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who had that class also, because for the first time in their academic career, they were unable to sit together.
Halfway through Professor Armstrong's explanation of the process of Creating spells, Ron raised his hand and waved it around.
Armstrong looked at him over the top of her glasses. "Can I help you?" she asked archly.
Ron put his hand down and looked around for a moment. "Well, err, my brother gave me a spell that I'd never heard of, and it didn't work. If I Created it, would it work then?"
"Ask me again when we are in the lab," she stated, and continued orating just as though she had never paused.
Their brains chalked full of new information, Emma and Sadie talked their way to Transfiguration, taught by Professor McGonagall. Sadie wasn't exactly thrilled about the prospect of that class, considering her first impressions of her.
"Remus?" Sadie stopped dead in the doorway. "What're you doing here?"
Remus looked at her pleasantly. "Nice to see you too. Professor McGonagall had business with the Headmaster, and asked me to fill in, since I was in the vicinity."
"Well, cool! What're we doing today?"
"Nothing, really. She said she'd just do whatever she was going to do next class."
"Oh, ok. Better and better."
The class trickled in and greeted Lupin warmly. "Hey, it's Professor Lupin!!!" "Hiya Professor!" "Cool! He's back!" were among the comments made.
Sadie stuck around with Remus after everyone else left, since Emma had gone to the library to read up on Spell Creation. Sadie made herself comfortable on a desk.
"So, how's it going?"
"Fairly well, and you?"
Sadie smiled and shook her head. "Too bad I wasn't here when you were teaching full time."
Remus chuckled. "Not that I was really teaching full time, I had to take a break every full moon."
"True."
"I enjoy teaching, however, so it's nice to be back, even if it's just substituting. The students, of course, are the biggest perk. It's so refreshing to interact with so many intellectual young minds. Adults are so boring."
Just then, Kevin poked his head in. "Ah, Kevin," smiled Remus. Remus turned to Sadie. "Sadie, this is Kevin--"
"We've met," interrupted Sadie. Kevin smiled hesitantly.
Remus looked surprised. "Oh, okay. Kevin needed a little extra tutoring in Mer-ish, for his exams, since they always do so much review."
"Oh, really? I could use some help too, if you can?
"That would be fine; I'm sure Kevin and I could use some company."
"Great! I'll see you tomorrow then, Emma's probably done."
"See you later."
***
Sadie found Emma in the library, poking around. "Hey you."
Emma glanced up. "Hello. Come help me find a good book."
This was no easy task, as at least ninety-five percent of the books were academically themed. However, they did find one that interested Emma.
"You do realize that that's 2500 pages, don't you?"
"Mm-hmm."
"And that it's about a village of /tiny blue gnomes/ of all things?"
"Mm-hmm."
"That are attacked by a dark wizard and his insane cat on frequent occasions?"
"Mm-hmm."
Sadie sighed as Emma plunked the book on the check out counter. "So you're actually gonna check it out?"
"Mm-hmm."
Sadie looked at the cover critically. "Can I borrow it when you're done?"
Emma grinned.
Madam Pince read the cover. /"Smurfs: What the Muggles Don't Know/.... interesting."
***
After dinner Sadie and Emma went to the Common Room and took their normal seats.
"You know how to play wizard chess?" Emma inquired after a few minutes of silence.
"Nope."
"You wanna learn? You can't be a self-respecting magical person if you don't know how to play wizard chess."
Emma taught her until Astrology called them away. Sadie summed that up well. "Stargazing with Slytherins. /Ugh/." Throughout the evening, even with the various distractions, a thought nagged at the back of Emma's mind. Sadie was going to tell her something last night. And it was something Emma needed to know.