George's 8th Year
Chapter One--Hogwarts
George Flaing walked alone through the great oak doors and passed into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, shoes scuffing along the outer walls. "Incredible" was muttered several times under a sharp intake of breath, staring unabated up at the loftiness of the room. No one was there to greet the new student, though the letter said to arrive promptly at 10am. Looking down, the silly looking Mickey Mouse watch confirmed the time and the Muggle sentiments of the wearer.
"Uh…. Hello? Is anyone here?" More silence. "YO!" Silence. "Anyone…..Anyone at all?" Hmmm, Walking further into the room towards another set of large oak doors. "Echo! Echo, Echo."
Great. Thought George. I've come all this way for a special appointment to meet up with the Headmaster and No one's here. I have the run of the school for myself…hmm, what to do, what to do…well, before I get caught, though with no one else here, it won't be very much fun. First things first…try to open this door. Hands gripped tightly around the wrought-iron door handles, Yanking with as much might as George's solid frame could muster--not a budge. So George, who was feeling a bit hyperactive anyway, proceeded to assault it-verbally "Let me in! Hey, you in there! I'm He-re! Where are you all? Yo teachers! Open up, damn door! Alohomora! Freakin…..I hate you door! Open Seasame-"
"You push it to open it, you imbecile." A cold and deep voice came from directly behind. "And you are?" A very tall and thin pale man was glaring down and obviously waiting for an answer. Didn't even hear him approaching. Darn. Hate that!
First instinct was to retort, 'You mama', or glare back 'what's it to you' but instead-chin thrust out-defiantly said. "George Flaing. I'm the new transfer student. I was told to come 2 weeks early to meet with the headmaster. Who are you?"
That question caught the sneering man off-guard apparently, "You'll find out in due time." Giving a very odd, side-long look, he continued, "You are coming from the Institute in Poland, correct?" Without waiting for an answer, he pushed open the doors into what appeared to be an antechamber of sorts and gestured with a long, knobby hand to follow.
"I personally think that the Institute is a waste of time and of students' education. There are no practical tests whatsoever, thus your old headmaster sends the lot of you out into the world with no real knowledge, just a lot of physical education classes under your belt. International Accreditation needs to A pity, truly. Churning out world-class Quidditch players, but not a single thinker amongst the many of you." Hm, if he was trying to win over new friends, George thought, he's doing a lousy job at it.
Looking at the man, assuming he was one of her professors of course, as he leaned back into an ottoman across from the one just claimed by George. Man, He's skinny! If he tried to pick his nose with those skeletal fingers, he'd probably bleed…or his hand might get sucked into that cavernous void that was his huge conk.
"Fascinating." George piped up, as she purposefully turned her nose up at him. Is there a point coming?! I love getting ripped apart for things wholly outta my control. Man, you're cocky. Losing patience, George stood up, drawing the attention of the complaining-professor, who turned cold, black eyes on George. "Um, could you show me to Dumbledore already?"
Likewise standing the man sneered, "He is to join you in a few moments, but as it's so obvious that you find my company so trying-let me assure you the feeling is mutual-I'll leave now." Inward cheer, inward cheer.
Sitting back down with a 'Humph' and a roll of the brown eyes, before surveying the professor, who was now stalking out of the doors they'd entered in only minutes before. "Headmaster Dumbledore will be here in a minute." Turning one last time, He pointed his finger and said, "DON'T touch anything. And DON'T move." Finally leaving, he muttered under his breath, "And she's supposed to be smarter than average? I can just smell a discipline problem about to start here…"
Ha Ha, just what she was looking--for someone to play with. This was going to be fun, as Georgie rolled her eyes once more and swore hopefully just loud enough for him to hear as he slammed the doors shut. Everyone called her Georgie, but she didn't feel up to volunteering that information out. She rolled her eyes once more, then she burped. She was always burping.
Scrutinizing the almost wall-length fireplace, George hadn't heard anyone else come in. Slowly running her eyes over the carvings and crannies, she jumped as a voice called out,"There's a secret latch there, you know."
Looking up, she saw seated on the couch, door closed behind him, sat an old, gray wizard with a jolly expression on his face. She stood up fully to regard him, smiling. "Headmaster Dumbledore. You must be Ms. Flaing. Pleasure to make your acquaintance young lady."
"Likewise, Sir." She replied, impressed with his niceness and all, well compared to the last thing she saw in here. "And the latch is on the fourth bunch of carved grapes on the right of the grating." She said, smiling to herself.
He smiled even bigger at that. "I see what they say about you is true. So lets sit down and discuss this coming year for you. Please take a seat."
George ambled slowly over-such formalities went against the grain for her, but she figured she'd get used to it, or else stick out like a sore thumb.
Dumbledore began: "You have completed your seventh year at The Institute of Poland, and you've been studying advanced healing and magical-physics under your former Professors at the school. However-now this is all according to your recommendation letter from your old Headmaster-you now wish to relocate after school to a country in the West, preferably here. To be taken seriously for any real job you will have had to spend at least one year at an approved school. We generally do not take students from The Institute, as the curriculum is so very different from our own here, but we are making an exception in your case.
"Now, your Headmaster writes also that though you are very clever, but that you tend to fall behind when a lack of motivation, or challenges, becomes present. So, this year at Hogwarts will be for you as challenging and stimulating as we can make it for you. We hope also that this may be the beginning of the acceptance of many young people from many other schools as well. So we shall see how we progress in time, won't we?" He winked at her.
Great, she thought, nodding to him, If I screw this one up, I'll screw it up for others too, Sacre! She cringed inwardly.
"Now if you follow me, I'll show you up to my office where we'll sort you and you can meet the other Heads of the Houses. You've already met Professor Snape." He said, standing up and walking for the door.
"Nice guy." She said drolly.
"Yes, he is. I've known him for many years now. A better Potions Master is not to be found in all of Europe." Dumbledore spoke warmly of the jerk. "You've yet to meet Headmistress McGonagall, she's just as fascinating. She teaches Transfiguration." George felt a bit silly as he misinterpreted her comment, but, ah, heck. No harm done, she thought as they marched upstairs together.
A few hours later she was settled into her own room in the very bowels of the castle. As she was older (and technically a full-fledged wizard, as she had graduated), she'd turned 21 last May. Dumbledore believed it wouldn't be fair to the younger students to have to live with an adult, but she really though he was trying to make sure she got some privacy. Also to maybe keep her from feeling humiliated having to live with students who might be quite a bit younger. So she got her own room. Thank you Dumbledore, she thought to herself, with a smile. It was tiny, and dark, and the stone walls were freezing. But nothing she couldn't fix up to be fun.
George had argued up in that office with the sorting hat when it wanted to place her in Slytherin as the only person she'd met from there was that Professor, but it reasoned with her telling her it knew what was best for her. "Fat chance, you tattered know-it-all…." She had muttered only to be drowned out by the deafening --SLYTHERIN! Geesh, there's what-- Six people in the room? They could probably hear that all the way back in Poland. She hated being told what to do. Now she felt kinda grumpy.
After that, they had gotten to know more about her background and some basics of her year with them. She was to only attend certain classes, as some she would excel in them beyond what the Professors would be able to teacher her, while in others, she was very far behind. Everyone in the office knew that was owing to the philosophy behind The Institute, and not to any fault of hers, yet she had chosen to go there.
Everyone except the sour Snape stayed around to introduce themselves and chat for a few minutes, and she was really beginning to feel the effort they were putting into making her feel welcome here.
They worked out her living arrangements--she would get complete free-range of the library--but she was to adhere to the rest of the schools rules just as the other students must. When the meeting was done she'd also worked out a schedule to be informally tested be each professor and to do a little bit of catching up if need be, over the next two weeks.
They should have had me come in a month early, she complained to the dark walls of her room.
Her room was by way of a private study that was really more of a lounge, the first door on the left off of the Slytherin Common Room. The private study she shared with Professor Snape AKA Grumpy-Attitude Stick-Boy as she had dubbed him, and another empty set of unused quarters snaked off into the stone. There were, initially supposed to be three teachers living down here in the dungeons sharing this common study room, but no one wanted to be near Snape or the Dungeons or the Slytherins--George couldn't tell which, so that left these open for her.
After getting settled--she'd brought mostly books and 'toys' as she called them--she sat on her four-poster bed musing to herself. What a freakin day! Crazy. She'd gone from her light and airy modern school with it's modern buildings, dress-code and ideas, to this! It's almost medieval. Dungeons and castles and…what the heck kinda bed is a four-poster bed?! "Tie me to the bed posts!" George actually sang that lyric from one of her favorite Muggle songs out-loud, laughing at herself afterwards.
It's all like a fairy-tale or something, except she didn't feel like a fairy-tale princess, she snorted at the idea. George, or Georgie as her friends called her and she refered to herself, was tall and solid--not at all the dainty, swooning fair type. Her background was some sort of Islander so she was dark, with a large mischievous smile, and dark eyes that hid under her dark brow. She was also the color of light mocha…so she was used to standing out already in a crowd and getting the, 'what are you?' double take. But she didn't care.
Georgie loved being outdoors and hiking about. She was also still rumored to climb trees which at the age of 21, would have been totally looked down on had it been true. Which of course it was. Also she often swore like a Muggle-sailor, which was pretty bad. Nope, no skirts, no golden locks, none of that crap. She was a realist, and logic and history told her that most of the stories were just wishful thinking.
But on seeing this place called Hogwarts, she's almost believed otherwise.
So here she was on her first night, ho-dee-hum, everything done, dinner's been eaten…. What to do? She poked her head out into the Lounge, making sure it was empty. Sure enough. She hopped on over to her bookshelf against her wall and grabbed a book of Garfield comics. Heh heh heh, she smiled devilishly to herself, nothing like Garfield.
She opened the door and ran out with a squeal as she slammed her door unnecessarily behind her. She skidded around a corner to the back of a very warn, green fabric couch and flipped herself over the back of it and on the cushions. Ah, just like home, she thought to herself, Socks on my feet and Garfield in my hand. She began to read…
Severus Snape's ears were assaulted by the snorts and raucous laughter of his new neighbor. He groaned and hoped--prayed--that she'd go away, disappear, and that this wasn't typical behavior for her. It wasn't that he had anything to do, but it was just the fact that if he had, he wouldn't be able to do it. And she was in shared area, which meant, quiet area. At least it had when he had it all to himself.
He didn't know what to say when a few days earlier Dumbledore had approached him laying this out as a possible scenario. He'd argued with the man for half an hour, but to no avail. Snape had just hoped she'd get sorted into another house. No such luck. What had really irked him was when Dumbledore had said, "Severus, who know, a new neighbor will be good for you-open up the windows and let a little breeze blow through that old place. A young person and a new face could do you good."
But he didn't need the breeze blowing through, upsetting his papers and turning over his old books. He didn't need another person infringing on his space, his quarters. Damnit! And his eardrums right now. He pushed his chair out and stood up away from his desk, leering at the door it was coming from
"HA! That Odie, he's so cool. It's like he likes to be pushed off……"
"MISS….Flaing." Georgie whipped her head around to see tall, pale, and pale and unpleasant himself entered the other side of the room. When he just stood there, she furled her brow and prompted, "What?!"
"Must you be so loud? Isn't it enough to enjoy your literature without forcing it's effects on those around you."
"Sorry…well, honestly, I'm not all that sorry, but I reckon in the name of neighborly-ness and all I'd have to say something. I just laugh a lot, and laughing loud's the best--dontcha love this stuff?" Indicating the comic. She smiled and sighed nervously.
Professor Snape's face contorted and it looked like he was having a difficult time keeping his emotions in check. He walked around until he was directly in her line of view, but he didn't sit down.
"Aren't you supposed to be extraordinarily smart?" He said focusing in on the colorful book in her hand. "You're reading a child's book. That wouldn't seem to offer you anything close to a challenge." He smiled sarcastically.
"I dunno. Smart? Yeah, tests say so, but what do tests know about people. I'm an idiot savant--emphasis on the idiot part. But being smart really isn't such a big deal, other thing's matter more in life of course." She knew she was baiting him into a conversation--probably an argument, but what the hell, might be fun.
"Spoken like a real student of The Institute," he sneered at her. "Thank you," she immediately countered.
"Come now, oh learned and informed child," he practically spat out. "What could be more important than knowledge? With knowledge comes power, as the saying goes…"
"The best thing knowledge brings you are opportunities: the opportunity to see what the world holds for you and opportunity to make informed choices. Knowledge for knowledge sake is stupid." Georgie practically spat out the last word as if hurling it right at him. "As for power," She was eyeing him now and smirking. "Power is the most destructive and dehumanizing objective for those around you I can think of, because to have power you must have it over someone else. When people aim for attaining various degrees of wealth, love, or fame-these rarely infringe on the surrounding people and their comfort or feelings. Power-seeking bastards are in it for the control-and that directly hurts. And no one has the right to do that to another human being, damnit, no one."
"When I was eight years old I had a tyrant for a teacher-I'll never forget him. He used to bellow and rant and rave about everything we did wrong, he was always right of course," she smiled to herself at this recollection sadly. "He used to terrorize one child in particular-she used to go home and cry every night. But the thing of it is, that he probably was feeling so incredibly shitty about himself," Professor Snape's eyes were glittering with fury now, either from her language or her rant in it's entirety, "That he had to take it out on kids. What a pathetic and low man…." She dropped off. Then looking up, "Oh, but that was a little much wasn't it. I can get a tad bit carried away, up on my soapbox and all….Is there a reason you're still standing? Sit down already-there's nothing the matter with these couches." She winked at him.
He scowled and marched away to the furthest couch from her--which was only perhaps six or seven feet away anyway. He hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of pure junk falling from this girl's mouth--he was speechless. He was also feeling very putout as this was how he'd be spending the rest his evenings for the rest of this long school year.
Georgie smiled to herself and went back to her comics, thinking he's not so bad…. Well, yes he probably is, he's just too shocked to scream at me.
Georgie called up from her book, barely looking up, "So Professor, where you from?"
He slowly turned his head and stared at her wit a face totally unreadable and devoid of expression. "Why do you ask?"
"Simple enough question, didn't mean to stump you over it. Just trying to get to know you, no ulterior motives if that's what you think. No, actually I just wanted stalk your family home, so of course I'd need to know where it was." She laughed at herself and rolled her eyes. "Geesh, a reason? Duh."
"My parents are Welsh, I was born in London. I live here. Is that good enough for you?"
"We weren't going for what was good enough for me, 'cause if we were, your name wouldn't have been brought up in the conversation." She smiled, feeling back in her element again.
"Ms. Flaing, this is really very-"
"Okay, it's your turn to ask a question." She interrupted, throwing her book down beside her and feeling playful.
"I have no desire-"
"You have to, It's the quickest way to get to know your neighbor. Come on, you've been dying to ask something!"
"This is ridiculous. And I don't HAVE to do anything." But she persisted on, annoyingly. He considered for a moment, then gave in. "Oh, fine, but only because I have nothing better to do." And she'd probably annoy me with something else. He thought quickly to some neutral question--he would've asked after the weather if he thought it'd get her to shut up. Finally he settled with, "Where is your family from?"
"I am from Polynesia. My father's family is from England, My mother's family is from Canada. I was born in the US-and am thus a citizen of that place, but I've lived the last few years of my life in Poland. There, that wasn't so bad was it?" She coddled. Then she burped. And smiled sweetly afterwards, "'Scuse me! Wakka-wakka-wakka!"
"That was disgusting." He hastily stood up, as Georgie nodded in agreement. "I have no further desire to get to know you tonight, Miss. If you will excuse me…."
"You're excused. Now goodnight, sleep tight-don't let your big toes fight!" She virtually yelled after him as he breezed out of the room.
Now alone with his thoughts, Severus Snape welcomed the near-silence emanating from the lounge. He sat at his stark desk, head in his hands with his fingers massaging is temples. He didn't know what exactly to make of his new neighbor. She was vaguely interesting, supposedly intelligent, but horrifically annoying and childish. He couldn't see where this relationship was heading: either to tolerance or a full out hatred. Though he did know for certain that as of this moment he didn't hate her. She hadn't given him a reason for it….yet. But the school term hadn't even started yet, he mused as a tight smile began to form about the corners of his lips. I'll be watching and waiting for her to screw up, he thought sardonically, and then….I'll nail her to the wall.
A/N--Hullo, pleae R/R. Let me know what you think. Cheers, Virgil
Chapter One--Hogwarts
George Flaing walked alone through the great oak doors and passed into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, shoes scuffing along the outer walls. "Incredible" was muttered several times under a sharp intake of breath, staring unabated up at the loftiness of the room. No one was there to greet the new student, though the letter said to arrive promptly at 10am. Looking down, the silly looking Mickey Mouse watch confirmed the time and the Muggle sentiments of the wearer.
"Uh…. Hello? Is anyone here?" More silence. "YO!" Silence. "Anyone…..Anyone at all?" Hmmm, Walking further into the room towards another set of large oak doors. "Echo! Echo, Echo."
Great. Thought George. I've come all this way for a special appointment to meet up with the Headmaster and No one's here. I have the run of the school for myself…hmm, what to do, what to do…well, before I get caught, though with no one else here, it won't be very much fun. First things first…try to open this door. Hands gripped tightly around the wrought-iron door handles, Yanking with as much might as George's solid frame could muster--not a budge. So George, who was feeling a bit hyperactive anyway, proceeded to assault it-verbally "Let me in! Hey, you in there! I'm He-re! Where are you all? Yo teachers! Open up, damn door! Alohomora! Freakin…..I hate you door! Open Seasame-"
"You push it to open it, you imbecile." A cold and deep voice came from directly behind. "And you are?" A very tall and thin pale man was glaring down and obviously waiting for an answer. Didn't even hear him approaching. Darn. Hate that!
First instinct was to retort, 'You mama', or glare back 'what's it to you' but instead-chin thrust out-defiantly said. "George Flaing. I'm the new transfer student. I was told to come 2 weeks early to meet with the headmaster. Who are you?"
That question caught the sneering man off-guard apparently, "You'll find out in due time." Giving a very odd, side-long look, he continued, "You are coming from the Institute in Poland, correct?" Without waiting for an answer, he pushed open the doors into what appeared to be an antechamber of sorts and gestured with a long, knobby hand to follow.
"I personally think that the Institute is a waste of time and of students' education. There are no practical tests whatsoever, thus your old headmaster sends the lot of you out into the world with no real knowledge, just a lot of physical education classes under your belt. International Accreditation needs to A pity, truly. Churning out world-class Quidditch players, but not a single thinker amongst the many of you." Hm, if he was trying to win over new friends, George thought, he's doing a lousy job at it.
Looking at the man, assuming he was one of her professors of course, as he leaned back into an ottoman across from the one just claimed by George. Man, He's skinny! If he tried to pick his nose with those skeletal fingers, he'd probably bleed…or his hand might get sucked into that cavernous void that was his huge conk.
"Fascinating." George piped up, as she purposefully turned her nose up at him. Is there a point coming?! I love getting ripped apart for things wholly outta my control. Man, you're cocky. Losing patience, George stood up, drawing the attention of the complaining-professor, who turned cold, black eyes on George. "Um, could you show me to Dumbledore already?"
Likewise standing the man sneered, "He is to join you in a few moments, but as it's so obvious that you find my company so trying-let me assure you the feeling is mutual-I'll leave now." Inward cheer, inward cheer.
Sitting back down with a 'Humph' and a roll of the brown eyes, before surveying the professor, who was now stalking out of the doors they'd entered in only minutes before. "Headmaster Dumbledore will be here in a minute." Turning one last time, He pointed his finger and said, "DON'T touch anything. And DON'T move." Finally leaving, he muttered under his breath, "And she's supposed to be smarter than average? I can just smell a discipline problem about to start here…"
Ha Ha, just what she was looking--for someone to play with. This was going to be fun, as Georgie rolled her eyes once more and swore hopefully just loud enough for him to hear as he slammed the doors shut. Everyone called her Georgie, but she didn't feel up to volunteering that information out. She rolled her eyes once more, then she burped. She was always burping.
Scrutinizing the almost wall-length fireplace, George hadn't heard anyone else come in. Slowly running her eyes over the carvings and crannies, she jumped as a voice called out,"There's a secret latch there, you know."
Looking up, she saw seated on the couch, door closed behind him, sat an old, gray wizard with a jolly expression on his face. She stood up fully to regard him, smiling. "Headmaster Dumbledore. You must be Ms. Flaing. Pleasure to make your acquaintance young lady."
"Likewise, Sir." She replied, impressed with his niceness and all, well compared to the last thing she saw in here. "And the latch is on the fourth bunch of carved grapes on the right of the grating." She said, smiling to herself.
He smiled even bigger at that. "I see what they say about you is true. So lets sit down and discuss this coming year for you. Please take a seat."
George ambled slowly over-such formalities went against the grain for her, but she figured she'd get used to it, or else stick out like a sore thumb.
Dumbledore began: "You have completed your seventh year at The Institute of Poland, and you've been studying advanced healing and magical-physics under your former Professors at the school. However-now this is all according to your recommendation letter from your old Headmaster-you now wish to relocate after school to a country in the West, preferably here. To be taken seriously for any real job you will have had to spend at least one year at an approved school. We generally do not take students from The Institute, as the curriculum is so very different from our own here, but we are making an exception in your case.
"Now, your Headmaster writes also that though you are very clever, but that you tend to fall behind when a lack of motivation, or challenges, becomes present. So, this year at Hogwarts will be for you as challenging and stimulating as we can make it for you. We hope also that this may be the beginning of the acceptance of many young people from many other schools as well. So we shall see how we progress in time, won't we?" He winked at her.
Great, she thought, nodding to him, If I screw this one up, I'll screw it up for others too, Sacre! She cringed inwardly.
"Now if you follow me, I'll show you up to my office where we'll sort you and you can meet the other Heads of the Houses. You've already met Professor Snape." He said, standing up and walking for the door.
"Nice guy." She said drolly.
"Yes, he is. I've known him for many years now. A better Potions Master is not to be found in all of Europe." Dumbledore spoke warmly of the jerk. "You've yet to meet Headmistress McGonagall, she's just as fascinating. She teaches Transfiguration." George felt a bit silly as he misinterpreted her comment, but, ah, heck. No harm done, she thought as they marched upstairs together.
A few hours later she was settled into her own room in the very bowels of the castle. As she was older (and technically a full-fledged wizard, as she had graduated), she'd turned 21 last May. Dumbledore believed it wouldn't be fair to the younger students to have to live with an adult, but she really though he was trying to make sure she got some privacy. Also to maybe keep her from feeling humiliated having to live with students who might be quite a bit younger. So she got her own room. Thank you Dumbledore, she thought to herself, with a smile. It was tiny, and dark, and the stone walls were freezing. But nothing she couldn't fix up to be fun.
George had argued up in that office with the sorting hat when it wanted to place her in Slytherin as the only person she'd met from there was that Professor, but it reasoned with her telling her it knew what was best for her. "Fat chance, you tattered know-it-all…." She had muttered only to be drowned out by the deafening --SLYTHERIN! Geesh, there's what-- Six people in the room? They could probably hear that all the way back in Poland. She hated being told what to do. Now she felt kinda grumpy.
After that, they had gotten to know more about her background and some basics of her year with them. She was to only attend certain classes, as some she would excel in them beyond what the Professors would be able to teacher her, while in others, she was very far behind. Everyone in the office knew that was owing to the philosophy behind The Institute, and not to any fault of hers, yet she had chosen to go there.
Everyone except the sour Snape stayed around to introduce themselves and chat for a few minutes, and she was really beginning to feel the effort they were putting into making her feel welcome here.
They worked out her living arrangements--she would get complete free-range of the library--but she was to adhere to the rest of the schools rules just as the other students must. When the meeting was done she'd also worked out a schedule to be informally tested be each professor and to do a little bit of catching up if need be, over the next two weeks.
They should have had me come in a month early, she complained to the dark walls of her room.
Her room was by way of a private study that was really more of a lounge, the first door on the left off of the Slytherin Common Room. The private study she shared with Professor Snape AKA Grumpy-Attitude Stick-Boy as she had dubbed him, and another empty set of unused quarters snaked off into the stone. There were, initially supposed to be three teachers living down here in the dungeons sharing this common study room, but no one wanted to be near Snape or the Dungeons or the Slytherins--George couldn't tell which, so that left these open for her.
After getting settled--she'd brought mostly books and 'toys' as she called them--she sat on her four-poster bed musing to herself. What a freakin day! Crazy. She'd gone from her light and airy modern school with it's modern buildings, dress-code and ideas, to this! It's almost medieval. Dungeons and castles and…what the heck kinda bed is a four-poster bed?! "Tie me to the bed posts!" George actually sang that lyric from one of her favorite Muggle songs out-loud, laughing at herself afterwards.
It's all like a fairy-tale or something, except she didn't feel like a fairy-tale princess, she snorted at the idea. George, or Georgie as her friends called her and she refered to herself, was tall and solid--not at all the dainty, swooning fair type. Her background was some sort of Islander so she was dark, with a large mischievous smile, and dark eyes that hid under her dark brow. She was also the color of light mocha…so she was used to standing out already in a crowd and getting the, 'what are you?' double take. But she didn't care.
Georgie loved being outdoors and hiking about. She was also still rumored to climb trees which at the age of 21, would have been totally looked down on had it been true. Which of course it was. Also she often swore like a Muggle-sailor, which was pretty bad. Nope, no skirts, no golden locks, none of that crap. She was a realist, and logic and history told her that most of the stories were just wishful thinking.
But on seeing this place called Hogwarts, she's almost believed otherwise.
So here she was on her first night, ho-dee-hum, everything done, dinner's been eaten…. What to do? She poked her head out into the Lounge, making sure it was empty. Sure enough. She hopped on over to her bookshelf against her wall and grabbed a book of Garfield comics. Heh heh heh, she smiled devilishly to herself, nothing like Garfield.
She opened the door and ran out with a squeal as she slammed her door unnecessarily behind her. She skidded around a corner to the back of a very warn, green fabric couch and flipped herself over the back of it and on the cushions. Ah, just like home, she thought to herself, Socks on my feet and Garfield in my hand. She began to read…
Severus Snape's ears were assaulted by the snorts and raucous laughter of his new neighbor. He groaned and hoped--prayed--that she'd go away, disappear, and that this wasn't typical behavior for her. It wasn't that he had anything to do, but it was just the fact that if he had, he wouldn't be able to do it. And she was in shared area, which meant, quiet area. At least it had when he had it all to himself.
He didn't know what to say when a few days earlier Dumbledore had approached him laying this out as a possible scenario. He'd argued with the man for half an hour, but to no avail. Snape had just hoped she'd get sorted into another house. No such luck. What had really irked him was when Dumbledore had said, "Severus, who know, a new neighbor will be good for you-open up the windows and let a little breeze blow through that old place. A young person and a new face could do you good."
But he didn't need the breeze blowing through, upsetting his papers and turning over his old books. He didn't need another person infringing on his space, his quarters. Damnit! And his eardrums right now. He pushed his chair out and stood up away from his desk, leering at the door it was coming from
"HA! That Odie, he's so cool. It's like he likes to be pushed off……"
"MISS….Flaing." Georgie whipped her head around to see tall, pale, and pale and unpleasant himself entered the other side of the room. When he just stood there, she furled her brow and prompted, "What?!"
"Must you be so loud? Isn't it enough to enjoy your literature without forcing it's effects on those around you."
"Sorry…well, honestly, I'm not all that sorry, but I reckon in the name of neighborly-ness and all I'd have to say something. I just laugh a lot, and laughing loud's the best--dontcha love this stuff?" Indicating the comic. She smiled and sighed nervously.
Professor Snape's face contorted and it looked like he was having a difficult time keeping his emotions in check. He walked around until he was directly in her line of view, but he didn't sit down.
"Aren't you supposed to be extraordinarily smart?" He said focusing in on the colorful book in her hand. "You're reading a child's book. That wouldn't seem to offer you anything close to a challenge." He smiled sarcastically.
"I dunno. Smart? Yeah, tests say so, but what do tests know about people. I'm an idiot savant--emphasis on the idiot part. But being smart really isn't such a big deal, other thing's matter more in life of course." She knew she was baiting him into a conversation--probably an argument, but what the hell, might be fun.
"Spoken like a real student of The Institute," he sneered at her. "Thank you," she immediately countered.
"Come now, oh learned and informed child," he practically spat out. "What could be more important than knowledge? With knowledge comes power, as the saying goes…"
"The best thing knowledge brings you are opportunities: the opportunity to see what the world holds for you and opportunity to make informed choices. Knowledge for knowledge sake is stupid." Georgie practically spat out the last word as if hurling it right at him. "As for power," She was eyeing him now and smirking. "Power is the most destructive and dehumanizing objective for those around you I can think of, because to have power you must have it over someone else. When people aim for attaining various degrees of wealth, love, or fame-these rarely infringe on the surrounding people and their comfort or feelings. Power-seeking bastards are in it for the control-and that directly hurts. And no one has the right to do that to another human being, damnit, no one."
"When I was eight years old I had a tyrant for a teacher-I'll never forget him. He used to bellow and rant and rave about everything we did wrong, he was always right of course," she smiled to herself at this recollection sadly. "He used to terrorize one child in particular-she used to go home and cry every night. But the thing of it is, that he probably was feeling so incredibly shitty about himself," Professor Snape's eyes were glittering with fury now, either from her language or her rant in it's entirety, "That he had to take it out on kids. What a pathetic and low man…." She dropped off. Then looking up, "Oh, but that was a little much wasn't it. I can get a tad bit carried away, up on my soapbox and all….Is there a reason you're still standing? Sit down already-there's nothing the matter with these couches." She winked at him.
He scowled and marched away to the furthest couch from her--which was only perhaps six or seven feet away anyway. He hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of pure junk falling from this girl's mouth--he was speechless. He was also feeling very putout as this was how he'd be spending the rest his evenings for the rest of this long school year.
Georgie smiled to herself and went back to her comics, thinking he's not so bad…. Well, yes he probably is, he's just too shocked to scream at me.
Georgie called up from her book, barely looking up, "So Professor, where you from?"
He slowly turned his head and stared at her wit a face totally unreadable and devoid of expression. "Why do you ask?"
"Simple enough question, didn't mean to stump you over it. Just trying to get to know you, no ulterior motives if that's what you think. No, actually I just wanted stalk your family home, so of course I'd need to know where it was." She laughed at herself and rolled her eyes. "Geesh, a reason? Duh."
"My parents are Welsh, I was born in London. I live here. Is that good enough for you?"
"We weren't going for what was good enough for me, 'cause if we were, your name wouldn't have been brought up in the conversation." She smiled, feeling back in her element again.
"Ms. Flaing, this is really very-"
"Okay, it's your turn to ask a question." She interrupted, throwing her book down beside her and feeling playful.
"I have no desire-"
"You have to, It's the quickest way to get to know your neighbor. Come on, you've been dying to ask something!"
"This is ridiculous. And I don't HAVE to do anything." But she persisted on, annoyingly. He considered for a moment, then gave in. "Oh, fine, but only because I have nothing better to do." And she'd probably annoy me with something else. He thought quickly to some neutral question--he would've asked after the weather if he thought it'd get her to shut up. Finally he settled with, "Where is your family from?"
"I am from Polynesia. My father's family is from England, My mother's family is from Canada. I was born in the US-and am thus a citizen of that place, but I've lived the last few years of my life in Poland. There, that wasn't so bad was it?" She coddled. Then she burped. And smiled sweetly afterwards, "'Scuse me! Wakka-wakka-wakka!"
"That was disgusting." He hastily stood up, as Georgie nodded in agreement. "I have no further desire to get to know you tonight, Miss. If you will excuse me…."
"You're excused. Now goodnight, sleep tight-don't let your big toes fight!" She virtually yelled after him as he breezed out of the room.
Now alone with his thoughts, Severus Snape welcomed the near-silence emanating from the lounge. He sat at his stark desk, head in his hands with his fingers massaging is temples. He didn't know what exactly to make of his new neighbor. She was vaguely interesting, supposedly intelligent, but horrifically annoying and childish. He couldn't see where this relationship was heading: either to tolerance or a full out hatred. Though he did know for certain that as of this moment he didn't hate her. She hadn't given him a reason for it….yet. But the school term hadn't even started yet, he mused as a tight smile began to form about the corners of his lips. I'll be watching and waiting for her to screw up, he thought sardonically, and then….I'll nail her to the wall.
A/N--Hullo, pleae R/R. Let me know what you think. Cheers, Virgil