A/N. And here's the second installment. I've decided to update every 10 reviews I get...sound fair? At the end of this chapter there is a quote from Princess Bride (yeah I know, totally cliche) about ROUS's. Just thought I'd credit that. Btw, I'm also open to suggestions on what you want to happen in this fic. Cheers, Potter-fans!
Vivianne was so thrilled by her sister's arrival, she insisted on taking Rio on a tour of Hogsmeade. This lasted the rest of the day, with little time for off-subject questions. Rio was wisked from shop to shop, barely able to take anything in before something new attracted her interest. It was not until the end of the day, when Rio sat waiting for Vivianne to return with butterbeers, that Rio recognized the feeling in the corner of her heart as homesickness. While she was certain butterbeers were fantastic (it seemed everything else in Hogsmeade was), Rio found herself longing for the sharp, invigorating taste of gingermead.
Vivianne returned looking flushed and perfectly content, a butterbeer in each hand. 'Does she ever miss Burgandy and Beauxbatons?' Rio wondered, watching her sister intently. Vivianne grinned. "Try this! It'll warm you from the inside, out."
Rio sniffed the butterbeer cautiously before raising it to her lips. She took a small sip. It felt as if the liquid were a soft heat, comforting her as it slid down her parched throat. Vivianne gave her sister another satisfied smile, with a cheerful "I told you so!"
Rio returned a lazy grin, blinking like a cat in the sun. Vivianne didn't know where her sister had gotten it from, but her eyes were a rich, golden colour. Vivianne watched those eyes scan the people in the pub, then fall inquisitively on her. "So, tiger eyes," Vivianne addressed Rio, "what do you think of Hogsmeade?"
Rio paused a moment; while obviously formulating her answer, Vivianne's hair caught the light. "Well, foxy lady, I'm impressed. It has everything a girl could ask for." She swallowed another gulp of butterbeer, then stared down at her mug. "Except maybe gingermead."
"Oh they sell gingermead...but only during the summer and fall. Is that what you'd rather have?" Vivianne's eyes filled with a sudden concern, twigging to Rio's homesickness.
Despite her sister's concern, the bitter edge of Rio's conscience chided her. 'Of course not. After all it is still the right season for gingermead in the fabulous Hogsmeade, England. Let me guess...what don't they have here? They have everything? Oh that's very well indeed. So tell me, why aren't you happy?' "No thanks, this er, butterbeer, is it...?"
Vivianne nodded and Rio continued, "...this butterbeer...c'est tres bon."
Vivianne gave her sister a patronizing look. "Now Cathriona Euphrase Tessyiur, I don't want to catch insulting Hogwarts students in French! If I do catch you I will take points from your house."
Rio was puzzled by the last part of this statement. "My...my house?"
Vivianne realized she had some explaining to do. "Students at Hogwarts are divided into one of four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each house is characterized by the personal qualities of it's inhabitants,--"
"So what house your are in depends on your personality?"
"Mm-hm." Vivianne was pleased. Rio seemed to be catching on fast.
"These houses, they are separate establishments, n'es pas?"
"No, all the houses are in the Hogwarts castle. Each house has its own common room and dormitories. People of the same year in the same house attend classes together. It's like your own student family."
Rio nodded to show she understood. "Interesting. Are people sorted anew every year?"
"Oh that's right! I forgot to tell you about the Sorting!"
"The Sorting?"
"First year students," Vivianne elaborated, "always try on the Sorting Hat, which looks into your mind and chooses which house you'll be in."
"Looks into your mind?" Rio was shocked. "Mon Dieu! Does it tell all your secrets to everyone? I'd file suit!"
Vivianne smirked. "Only Muggles file suit, Rio, and no the hat doesn't tell all your secrets. The only thing it calls out loud is what house you'll be in."
"So that happens the first year? Hm, looks like I missed my chance," Rio sighed nonchalantly.
"Nice try, but you'll be Sorted along with the first years."
Rio's eyes nearly jumped out of her head. "With the first years? How humiliating!"
"I'm afraid your poor ego will just have to cope, dear," Vivianne shrugged.
They finished their butterbeers in silence, Vivianne looking like a well-practiced law-enforcement agent and Rio looking like a prisoner who refused to be taken alive. It was not an adversarial silence, just an occupied one.
Rio still looked horrified as they went up to Vivianne's rented room. Iris promptly flew into the cage Vivanne had hung on the window ledge as Rio's trunk was floated in. "I've rented you your own separate room, Rio. It's right next to mine...the one on the left."
The trunk floated out, seemingly of its own will, and a distant "thank you," was heard. The girls dispersed to separate rooms to ready themselves for bed.
After a long shower Rio felt a lot better. She changed into her nightgown and went to sit at the old, worn vanity, where she sat plaiting her hair and listening to the mirror's idle chatter. A knock at the door pulled Rio out of her reverie. "Oui?" she called out, then bit her lip. She remembered she was in England now, and no one would understand her French. As a matter of fact, it would probably isolate her. "Who is it?" Rio called again. The muffled voice of Vivianne gave an incoherent reply.
Rio opened the door and let her sister in. Vivianne promptly ran over and jumped in the middle of the bed like an excited child. "C'mere, sister honey; your braid is crooked and I need to tell you what's on tomorrow's agenda."
Rio padded over to the bed and sat cross-legged, facing away from Vivianne. "Listening," she acknowledged.
Vivianne's fingers removed the hair ribbon at the base of the braid and began untwisting the locks of hair. "I'll French braid it for you, dear," her voice smiled.
A half-grin disfigured Rio's composed expression. "Merci."
"Alright, tomorrow I'll be heading up to Hogwarts for a staff meeting. It'll last a couple hours at the most. Professor Dumbledore likes to keep these meetings fast-paced and short. Your options for tomorrow are as follows: come with me up to Hogwarts, or brood around here till I get back."
Rio thought a moment. A school full of harassed teachers having been pulled from their summer break did not seem like the safest atmosphere to subject oneself to. However, teachers were often much more friendly toward students before the start of term. Maybe this would be a rare chance to get on a few good sides early. "I'll go with you and meet your fellow academic freaks then," Rio said lightly.
"You better not call them that to their faces, imp, or you'll find yourself in a hospital wing with an unwilling nurse. Happy start of term to you," Vivianne laughed.
Rio couldn't keep from giggling herself. It was a humourously pitiful scenario. "Save your pearls of wisdom for tomorrow when I'll be more likely to remember them...how's the braid coming?"
"Done," Vivianne said, sliding off the bed to her feet. "Goodnight little rodent," she called good-naturedly, pulling the door closed behind her.
A muffled, "Goodnight rodent of unusual size," followed Vivianne down the hallway, causing her to reflect on how good it was to have a sister.
End Notes: Special thanx to Fawkes and Laima for reviewing!
Vivianne was so thrilled by her sister's arrival, she insisted on taking Rio on a tour of Hogsmeade. This lasted the rest of the day, with little time for off-subject questions. Rio was wisked from shop to shop, barely able to take anything in before something new attracted her interest. It was not until the end of the day, when Rio sat waiting for Vivianne to return with butterbeers, that Rio recognized the feeling in the corner of her heart as homesickness. While she was certain butterbeers were fantastic (it seemed everything else in Hogsmeade was), Rio found herself longing for the sharp, invigorating taste of gingermead.
Vivianne returned looking flushed and perfectly content, a butterbeer in each hand. 'Does she ever miss Burgandy and Beauxbatons?' Rio wondered, watching her sister intently. Vivianne grinned. "Try this! It'll warm you from the inside, out."
Rio sniffed the butterbeer cautiously before raising it to her lips. She took a small sip. It felt as if the liquid were a soft heat, comforting her as it slid down her parched throat. Vivianne gave her sister another satisfied smile, with a cheerful "I told you so!"
Rio returned a lazy grin, blinking like a cat in the sun. Vivianne didn't know where her sister had gotten it from, but her eyes were a rich, golden colour. Vivianne watched those eyes scan the people in the pub, then fall inquisitively on her. "So, tiger eyes," Vivianne addressed Rio, "what do you think of Hogsmeade?"
Rio paused a moment; while obviously formulating her answer, Vivianne's hair caught the light. "Well, foxy lady, I'm impressed. It has everything a girl could ask for." She swallowed another gulp of butterbeer, then stared down at her mug. "Except maybe gingermead."
"Oh they sell gingermead...but only during the summer and fall. Is that what you'd rather have?" Vivianne's eyes filled with a sudden concern, twigging to Rio's homesickness.
Despite her sister's concern, the bitter edge of Rio's conscience chided her. 'Of course not. After all it is still the right season for gingermead in the fabulous Hogsmeade, England. Let me guess...what don't they have here? They have everything? Oh that's very well indeed. So tell me, why aren't you happy?' "No thanks, this er, butterbeer, is it...?"
Vivianne nodded and Rio continued, "...this butterbeer...c'est tres bon."
Vivianne gave her sister a patronizing look. "Now Cathriona Euphrase Tessyiur, I don't want to catch insulting Hogwarts students in French! If I do catch you I will take points from your house."
Rio was puzzled by the last part of this statement. "My...my house?"
Vivianne realized she had some explaining to do. "Students at Hogwarts are divided into one of four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each house is characterized by the personal qualities of it's inhabitants,--"
"So what house your are in depends on your personality?"
"Mm-hm." Vivianne was pleased. Rio seemed to be catching on fast.
"These houses, they are separate establishments, n'es pas?"
"No, all the houses are in the Hogwarts castle. Each house has its own common room and dormitories. People of the same year in the same house attend classes together. It's like your own student family."
Rio nodded to show she understood. "Interesting. Are people sorted anew every year?"
"Oh that's right! I forgot to tell you about the Sorting!"
"The Sorting?"
"First year students," Vivianne elaborated, "always try on the Sorting Hat, which looks into your mind and chooses which house you'll be in."
"Looks into your mind?" Rio was shocked. "Mon Dieu! Does it tell all your secrets to everyone? I'd file suit!"
Vivianne smirked. "Only Muggles file suit, Rio, and no the hat doesn't tell all your secrets. The only thing it calls out loud is what house you'll be in."
"So that happens the first year? Hm, looks like I missed my chance," Rio sighed nonchalantly.
"Nice try, but you'll be Sorted along with the first years."
Rio's eyes nearly jumped out of her head. "With the first years? How humiliating!"
"I'm afraid your poor ego will just have to cope, dear," Vivianne shrugged.
They finished their butterbeers in silence, Vivianne looking like a well-practiced law-enforcement agent and Rio looking like a prisoner who refused to be taken alive. It was not an adversarial silence, just an occupied one.
Rio still looked horrified as they went up to Vivianne's rented room. Iris promptly flew into the cage Vivanne had hung on the window ledge as Rio's trunk was floated in. "I've rented you your own separate room, Rio. It's right next to mine...the one on the left."
The trunk floated out, seemingly of its own will, and a distant "thank you," was heard. The girls dispersed to separate rooms to ready themselves for bed.
After a long shower Rio felt a lot better. She changed into her nightgown and went to sit at the old, worn vanity, where she sat plaiting her hair and listening to the mirror's idle chatter. A knock at the door pulled Rio out of her reverie. "Oui?" she called out, then bit her lip. She remembered she was in England now, and no one would understand her French. As a matter of fact, it would probably isolate her. "Who is it?" Rio called again. The muffled voice of Vivianne gave an incoherent reply.
Rio opened the door and let her sister in. Vivianne promptly ran over and jumped in the middle of the bed like an excited child. "C'mere, sister honey; your braid is crooked and I need to tell you what's on tomorrow's agenda."
Rio padded over to the bed and sat cross-legged, facing away from Vivianne. "Listening," she acknowledged.
Vivianne's fingers removed the hair ribbon at the base of the braid and began untwisting the locks of hair. "I'll French braid it for you, dear," her voice smiled.
A half-grin disfigured Rio's composed expression. "Merci."
"Alright, tomorrow I'll be heading up to Hogwarts for a staff meeting. It'll last a couple hours at the most. Professor Dumbledore likes to keep these meetings fast-paced and short. Your options for tomorrow are as follows: come with me up to Hogwarts, or brood around here till I get back."
Rio thought a moment. A school full of harassed teachers having been pulled from their summer break did not seem like the safest atmosphere to subject oneself to. However, teachers were often much more friendly toward students before the start of term. Maybe this would be a rare chance to get on a few good sides early. "I'll go with you and meet your fellow academic freaks then," Rio said lightly.
"You better not call them that to their faces, imp, or you'll find yourself in a hospital wing with an unwilling nurse. Happy start of term to you," Vivianne laughed.
Rio couldn't keep from giggling herself. It was a humourously pitiful scenario. "Save your pearls of wisdom for tomorrow when I'll be more likely to remember them...how's the braid coming?"
"Done," Vivianne said, sliding off the bed to her feet. "Goodnight little rodent," she called good-naturedly, pulling the door closed behind her.
A muffled, "Goodnight rodent of unusual size," followed Vivianne down the hallway, causing her to reflect on how good it was to have a sister.
End Notes: Special thanx to Fawkes and Laima for reviewing!
