9
Wes
The Hogwarts library was always a good place to do suspicious things. It was dark and warm and usually pretty empty. Hiding in the stacks was easy since there were so many and it wasn't a surprise to find couples making out in the shadowed corners. Of course, there was the occasional study group or research project, but most of the time students were in the library to do something they really shouldn't be doing.
"I still don't understand why you can't be my Ravenclaw interviewee." I complained as Maggie and I entered the library on Sunday afternoon.
"Because I found someone better!" Maggie exclaimed. "You don't want me answering your hard hitting questions anyway."
"You just don't want to."
"Oh shut up."
I followed Maggie as we weaved through the bookcases and paper covered tables. There were more people than usual in the library, probably because it was a Sunday and no one ever did their homework at the beginning of the weekend. The librarian, Madam Pince didn't look very pleased that there were teenagers plaguing her library. By now her angry whispers became just simple background noises.
"Do I know who it is?" I asked, glancing around uselessly. There were way too many Ravenclaws to pick out the right one but I attempted anyway. "Is it a boy or a girl?"
"No and girl." Maggie replied, sounding unusually excited. It was kind of alarming to see her so happy about something, I began to get nervous.
I was about to say something when she abruptly halted in front of a cluttered table and moved aside to reveal my Ravenclaw interviewee. It was indeed a girl, with golden hair held up by two pencils and huge eyes framed with sharp eyeliner. She had a band tee-shirt on and her nails were painted shiny black.
"Wes, this is Evie. She'll be your new interviewee."
Evie reminded me of what middle aged people were afraid there children would turn into. She had a punk look to her that made her slightly intimidating and she seemed like the kind of person that listened to obscure alternative bands. But the weirdest part was that all of that was contradicted by her bright hair and innocent face and the way her hands fidgeted around. She greeted me with a warm smile.
I pulled my camera out of my bag and sat down across from Evie who was straightening up papers and stacking books. Each time I thought she was done she would frantically move another item on the table. Eventually Maggie took her hands and folded them on top of the table. She muttered something that sounded like an apology and hid her face.
"Alright kiddos I have to go do some studying but have fun. You'll be fast friends trust me." For some reason I had the feeling that was sarcasm in her voice but there was no turning back now.
"Ok Evie, I just need you to say this when I turn the camera on." I explained, scribbling the opening sentence on a stray piece of paper and handing it to her. "Then I'll ask a couple questions and you just have to answer honestly."
"I think I can do that." Evie said, sounding both carefree and hesitant like she was going to mess up. She reminded me of myself a bit which made me like her a lot more. I pressed record when she seemed to calm down a bit.
"My name is Evie Hale and I've agreed to be a part of the Potter Generation." She said with a surprising grin. It was hard not to smile back at her.
"My first question is, how do you think people would describe you?" I asked, repeating my usual opening question. It helped to get to know who I was interviewing and made it less boring than just the usual getting to know you questions.
"They wouldn't." Evie shrugged, her smile fading only a little bit. Her eyes flicked down to her hands which were still fidgeting nonstop.
"What do you mean?"
"No one really knows I exist." She answered, her cheeks tinging pink. "I'm sort of just...there. I'm the Room of Requirement of people. I appear when you need me and disappear when you don't."
"Well, how do you feel about that? Why do you think no one knows you?" I frowned, hoping in the back of my mind that this could somehow have something to do with the Potter Generation and not just Evie's social problems.
"I don't really mind I guess. I'm just your average witch, you know? I don't save the wizarding world on a daily basis or have unnatural skills with magic. I'm mediocre." She gave the camera a small smile as if realizing she had gotten too serious. "No one really cares about you when you aren't Harry Potter."
Fireworks exploded in my head when she said that. I could see it then, the audience frowning at her words, realizing how true they were. Every student in our grade that wasn't somehow related to Harry Potter would understand and the same fireworks would go off for them too.
"That's a fantastic answer, Evie-"
"Oh baby Jesus, we need to hide now." Evie suddenly whispered, standing up noisily and pulling me from the table. Before I could say a word she had already dragged me behind the nearest bookcase and was peering through the slots in between books. In .2 seconds she had switched personalities.
"What's going on?" I whispered, glancing at my camera that was still rolling. I figured I should probably turn it off but for some reason I thought this might be something I should get on tape.
"There's just this guy and he... he kind of has a thing for me." Evie replied nervously, her nose pressed against the books in front of her. I pushed aside a couple books beside her and looked out to where we were once sitting.
"Ian?" I asked, spotting the Hufflepuff who was pulling books off of shelves like any normal person would. "I thought you said no one knew who you were."
"They don't. But he does. He's my next door neighbor."
"Really? So are you guys a thing?"
"No! I don't like him like that but he likes me like that and I really don't like that. He's always talking to me and smiling that stupid smile. I started avoiding him awhile back because my life was turning into that Taylor Swift song. You know the one, you belong with me?"
"You do like him then?" I asked, starting to get extremely confused. A first year girl passed behind us and gave us a dirty look that would please Madam Pince.
"No I don't like him!" Evie said a lot louder than she should have. Ian looked up from the book he was reading and glanced in our direction. Evie squeaked and ducked down, sitting on the floor and pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Are you sure he's not just being nice? He talks to everyone, it's sort of his thing." I reasoned, remembering my interview with him earlier that week.
"Trust me. He's obsessed."
"Hey Wes. Hey Evie." Ian said, entering our hiding spot with enough nonchalance that I wasn't sure if he even knew we were there in the first place. Evie popped up beside me, brushed off her jeans, and muttered a vague hello that didn't sound like much at all.
"Hi Ian." I smiled. "We'd better get going." I grabbed Evie's wrist like she did to mine and pulled her away from Ian who looked totally unphased.
"Thank you thank you thank you."Evie mumbled, clutching my arm and bowing her head.
"You're lucky I like you."
The different personalities of Evie Hale had grown on me in only a half hour and I was starting to get why Maggie looked so excited. She really did have good taste.