Disclaimer- Thank you J.K. Rowling for granting this indulgence. Bethany "Brevity" Tilde and her parents are mine.
Date Modified- Monday January 25, 2010
A Different Kind of Girl
The Invitation to Change
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Many have passed through the halls of Hogwarts. I am just one of their number whose adolescence is forever enshrined within its confines. It's been ten years since I received my six outstanding N.E.W.T.s. You could say I never really lived up to my potential. I've been kind of different to a greater or lesser degree. Normal will never exist for a Muggleborn, as a result I quickly settled for mediocre. Don't get me wrong, being mediocre has its perks. My name is Bethany Tilde, you can call me Bet, but if you call me 'Beth' I'll hit you.
I've had a casual obsession with my school days ever since I received my invite to the class reunion. I've even pulled out my old Hufflepuff jumper just to look at. Northern Kentucky was hot and humid this time in June.
Even in Hufflepuff House I wasn't typical. Most Hufflepuffs never receive a single detention the whole seven years. That's okay 'cause I got enough detentions for all of them. As you can imagine most of my detentions where with the head of Slytherin House Professor Snape. One of these days the Ministry is going to declare Nation Detention Day and everyone is going to wear Snape buttons that say, "Snape gave me detention." Snape will preside over a National Detention Rally in a World Cup-sized arena. He hated me.
He hated my American Converse high-tops too, and whether my shoe laces were untied or Merlin forbid I tied them with magic in the hall. Detention. Since I always loved my soda and I'd order it special through a candy store in Hogsmeade. It's liquid candy so why not. Whether Snape caught me in the hall with a mug of coffee or cup of tea I'd get a detention. If I walked through a hall with a soda, I'd get two detentions. Maybe he was mad I didn't offer him one. Doing well in school was important to me, asking questions was my preferred method for attaining knowledge. Frequently I'd ask questions not just for my understanding but for my lab mates. Like a lot of the students I was intimidated by the cold Professor, I suffer chills just thinking about him, but somehow I could never really feel the fear I'd heard so much about.
You might think I'm crazy, and maybe I am, but I hope Snape is there at the reunion. It would be brilliant to just be myself and know that he can't take house points or assign me a detention or six. I can visit Mum and Da, just need to take my writing materials with me. The folks will be thrilled.
I went to the International Wizarding Consulate for a Portkey permit. My Portkey will take me tomorrow at four in the afternoon. I'll pack in the morning. The undetectable feather-weight extension charm on my hard-sided case aught to provide me with plenty of room for all my stuff and more.
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Author's Note Re-edited 25/1/10