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Chapter 3
A few weeks later, Ginny was sitting with some of her friends in her year outside after all their classes. Luna Lovegood was reading a new magazine about sky spirits, and a hufflepuff in their year, Julia, was working on some herbology work, her black hair with rainbow highlights wrapped up in a bun and a Star of David necklace hung around her neck as she leaned over her book. Ginny herself was half-writing down new ideas for products for the store and half-thinking of a hundred other things. It was a tranquil scene, and it was unaffected by the addition of their slytherin companion, Becca, who dropped their bag and laid on their back all with a quick and soft thud. They slid their hands behind their head and gazed up at the passing clouds with a sleepy smile.
After a few moments, Julia mused, "So, what does the slytherin think of their new house master?"
"Professor Evans? Well…she's something alright" Becca snorted, "After years of Snape, I'm not sure what to think of a house master that smiles on a regular basis. And in the dungeon no less! It's inconceivable, but it somehow happens!" This prompted various amused responses from the other three. Becca smiled in return, "But seriously, I really don't know how to feel. The first day was interesting. She added green banners and other small décor to the common room that kind of makes it…nice. I mean, she added heating too, so that's a plus. Called it a reverse Housewarming gift. It can get chill down there sometimes, especially at night. Now it feels like a place people would actually want to live in. It still has the dungeon feel, but like a dungeon that was turned into a room. Her presence is warm too. She's definitely trying to make a good impression on us and trying to make her mark on the house, but she's not forcing anything. It's easy to tell she wants to get to know us and have us ease up to her. At least she holds back enough so we don't play group bonding games or something ridiculous like that." Becca sighed and rolled over onto their stomach and rested their chin in their hands. "Patient and firm yet friendly and determined. Five galleons says she'd be a hufflepuff," they concluded.
"I thought so as well" Luna lightly chimed with agreement.
"A hufflepuff as slytherin house master? Well isn't that something" Julia mused.
"Yeah, but it's not so bad. I think we could use a bit of whatever she is in our house. She's really calming and welcoming, and sincere about it too. She's really aware of the state of most of us, and she's real gentle about it. It's not pity, it's unbiased and open. Like she's experienced in this sort of stuff. Emotions and fears and everything. Makes you wonder why she'd want to teach DADA and be slytherin house master in the first place…" Becca trailed off with a vulnerable somber expression they reserved only for this group. Immediately there was a flower crown on their head, breaking the air of melancholy around them. The culprit was back to reading her magazine.
"The flowers keep off bad energies that feed on sad thoughts, which make one feel worse" Luna stated matter-of-factly in her light-hearted voice.
"I should probably know that" mumbled Julia, now looking even harder at her book. Becca responded simply by smiling softly, closing their eyes and thankful once again to have ended up with such good friends. But one had been uncharacteristically quiet. "Yo, Weasley, you still with us?"
Ginny was startled back to reality at the sound of her name, and then settled back into an unreadable expression. "Yeah, I'm here."
"What are you thinking about?" Becca grinned and kicked their legs playfully.
"Too much" Ginny sighed and said annoyed, "There is something about Professor Evans that seems very very familiar and I can't place the feeling and I'm getting more bothered by it each class".
"You think you need a Rememberall?" asked Julia.
Ginny shook her head, "No, it not that kind of feeling. It's not a forgotten thing, it's like a thing I have felt before but it's not exactly."
"You're having déjà vu over someone you've only recently met?" Becca asked confused.
"A little. Like I said, the feelings are not completely the same."
"Like they are related?" inquired Luna, "Like both sources of the feelings are related in some way?"
"I-I guess so. That feels the most right, at least" sighed Ginny.
A few quiet and content minutes pasted until Becca noticed Professor Evans walking on the other side of the plot. "Hey look over there." The other three turned curiously, and the four of them watched brown-skinned woman as she walked through the pathway to the other building, politely nodding to the passersby. In her right hand was a black cane, which she tapped on the ground when she walked.
"Does anyone recall her having a cane?" asked Julia. The three shook their heads.
Becca scrunched her brow, "Now that I think about it, she had it this morning, but not during class or all of yesterday."
"I don't recall ever seeing her with it" Luna said.
"Neither do I…" Ginny said thoughtfully as she felt that familiar feeling rise once again.
