Where All the Books Live PV Finished

Today was the day. Today was the day Brynlee started her amazing journey at Hogwarts. She didn't currently have a class, but she still wanted to begin filling her brain with knowledge, so she nearly ran to the library. As soon as the doors open, Brynlee's jaw dropped. Yes, she spent half of her time at home in the Salisbury libraries, but never in her life had she seen this many books. There were shelves upon shelves upon shelves. She even considered doing the Belle twirl, with her arms spread out wide.

She started running her fingers along the spines of the book, taking a deep breath and letting the smell of books overwhelm her. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. Brynlee smirked softly as she looked around. “I’m going to read… at least half…” she whispered softly to herself. She went back to the entrance and started at the nearest bookshelf. She picked up the first book closest to the right on the very bottom shelf, and read the title.

“Quidditch Through the Ages, by Kennilworthy Whisp…” She smiled softly and held the book close to her chest. She looked around for a place to sit, spotting a seat near a girl who was also reading a book. Shrugging and deciding it might be a chance for new friends, she skipped over and plopped down next to the girl, opening her book and starting on page 1.

As she was finishing the 3rd chapter, she felt a bounce near her and lowered the book.

A blonde girl landed just next to her, opened a book and started to read. Meenauh glanced around in surprise and noticed a lot of empty seats, but the girl has chosen particularly the one she was sitting at. Any person who attended the library not to study something in particular, but just to read, was a potential partner in her future research. Or just someone with the same passion she could engage in discussions with.

From what she observed during their yet short stay in the school, students either made friends on their way to Hogwarts and if failed, they were desperately searching for any person they could reach, who could become even potentially a friend. Because going to Hogwarts does feel like moving. And moving is like a small death — you have to say goodbye to the old life, mourn over it and greet a new one. And both mourning and striving for new horizons felt better with a friend next to oneself.

She raised the book again and sat in a more comfortable pose. Her neighbour seemed to be very engaged in the book she was reading, although less than a minute has passed since. That was a good sign. And Meenauh already got the hang of how to carry on a decent conversation with a wizard, especially after the unbelievable reciprocity with the noble girl in the Great Hall. But still she didn't want to lose an opportunity to practice. Fortunately, the topic was completely not among her strong sides and the girl seemed quite engaged in it, so she could clear up a few matters that seemed illogical to Meenauh.

"Interested in Quidditch?" she said without taking her eyes off her own book, preliminarily catching the title of the book the girl was reading, "I don't get the game at all, to be honest. What's the real thing about it?"

Indeed, Brynlee was very interested in the book she was reading. She noticed the girl next to her lower her book and glance at her, but she didn’t pay any mind to it. She would’ve done the same thing if someone sat next to her and started reading, so she shrugged it off and continued to read. After a couple of moments, she heard the girl next to her speak up. "Interested in Quidditch? I don't get the game at all, to be honest. What's the real thing about it?"

Brynlee shrugged and also didn’t look up from her book. “Maybe,  I don’t know yet. I’m not particularly interested in Quidditch,  but I am interested in reading the entire library, and this just happened to be the first book.” She laughed. “But ask me when I finish the book and I might have a different answer. It seems really interesting and fun, and it would build up my strength and focus. See, I want to be an auror, so being a jack of all trades is desirable.”

She turned the page in her book and read another paragraph before glancing over at the other girls book title. “Are you interested in… Untransfigurables?” She raised an eyebrow, That’s a new word…. “Tell me, what is an untransfigurable?”

"Well, I've come here to read at least half of the library, and this happened to be the title of a book that seemed to be interesting enough to read a bit farther than just the title. So we're in a similar position, but as I've already progressed a bit, I can share what I've already learnt," she put down the book to her knees, though keeping one finger inside as a bookmark, and looked at the girl, "It's a book about the matters and essences that should never be transfigured under any circumstances because it can lead to catastrophes or lethal consequences. For example," she opened the book again, turned a few pages back to the beginning and continued, "we shouldn't ever transfigure anything into liquid or gas. So not into water or air. Because air is breathable and liquid evaporates, which someone can breathe in. And also nothing should be transfigured into anything that can be burnt because it will produce smoke, which someone can breathe in as well. And then there are a lot of examples, which may discourage very curious students from trying such transfigurations," she closed the book again and half-turned towards the girl.

A girl in Slytherin robes, who spent time in the library, actually wanting to read the whole library just for the sake of it. What if the Sorting Hat was really malfunctioning? Or if we assumed it was conscious — gone mad. Or maybe the whole Hat thing was just a joke and it selected the House completely at random. Because if not, then it seemed the world started to bring similar-thinking people together for some epic quest.

"An auror, you say? It's a rare thing to see such a young person already so determined in aspirations and knowing which path to choose after graduation. You must have some history in the family that makes you have such a desire, mustn't you?"

Brynlee looked up from her book, as not to be rude while the other girl was talking. The way she spoke made Brynlee's face light up into a smile. She sounded so... Intelligent, and well-spoken. When the girl finished her explanation, Brynlee nodded in understanding. 

"Yes, that does make sense, doesn't it?" She chuckled softly and fully closed her book, turning to the girl as well. She studied the girls face for a moment, mentally nodding. The girls eyes were... Hard, yet caring. She could tell that there was more to her than what she put up for others to see, and she made it another goal of hers at Hogwarts to reveal the truth behind her eyes. 

When the Gryffindor, Brynlee finally noticed the robes, spoke up about aurors, asking if her family had any history, her face lit up entirely. "Oh, yes, oh yes! My older siblings, Day and Lily are aurors! They graduated from Slytherin when I was seven, so... 4 years ago. Ever since then, every time they come home, they tell me, mum, and dad their stories, but after dinner they would pull me aside and tell me all of the gruesome details…” She sighed softly, remembering all of the wonderful stories she’s heard. “Ever since then, I’ve wanted to be an auror. Mum isn’t too happy about it, since she keeps telling me she wants at least one of her children to make it to 50, but I’m determined to become the best auror there’s ever been!”

Meenauh politely listened to the girl opening up about a piece of her personal history and attentively observed the girl. Big eyes full of passion and desire to become not one of the best, but the best. She didn't want to shatter her hopes with plain scepticism or depreciate her ambitions, because why would she do it to a person she met a minute ago. And with that passion in the heart, the probabilities of becoming an auror could be quite high. Still, she couldn't resist checking the capabilities of the girl to think and judge objectively:

"I think you know that to become an auror you have to train your strength and agility no lesser than your intelligence. My father explained that sometimes a skill of dodging a hex will save your life rather than a defensive spell you'll be able to put up fast. And how are you going to train yourself physically and also practising in spells, if you plan to read the whole library?"

She shifted a bit in the chair, putting her legs below her thighs and herself to the most comfortable position she could manage. And then returned her inquiring attention to the girl.

As the girl talked, her bright face fell to a thoughtful one. She'd never thought about it like that... "Well... I could... Read while I train? Yeah! That'll work! I could have the book in front of me while I do push ups, suspend it in front of me while I'm doing sit ups..." Her bright smile returned, and she nodded, proud of her new plan. "I also have the summer to physically train, but for spells... I could work on them while reading. You know, be reading a book of aurors and practicing the Defensive spells we're going to learn in Defense Against the Dark Arts!"

She laid her book on her lap and watched as the girl changed positions. "What about you? What do you want to do? I think you'd be a good professor, the way you explained the book. Maybe even the Transfiguration professor!" She smiled again, then frowned. 

"Oh, my gosh! I am so so so sorry, I haven't introduced myself." She held out her hand towards the other girl. "Brynlee Avalon Sage, Slytherin First year, future Auror, at your service." She did a playful little bow and laughed. She looked around the library again and sighed. "I'm really going to like it here..." 

Meenauh naturally laughed when she tried to imagine push-ups while reading a book or practising spells while reading the whole library. But at least the girl had been creative, which was one of the skills Meenauh appreciated and actually searched for in people she planned to partner with in any endeavour. Her childish naïvety amused Meenauh, but she knew deep down that the girl would grasp every opportunity to follow her dreams and make them come true. Whatever it would take.

"What do I want to do? A professor?" she laughed, "Isn't that obvious? I'm going to overthrow the government of magical Britain, of course," and she laughed again but with fake evil laughter, she didn't know she could actually produce. 

After several seconds she stopped and her face turned serious again:

"Honestly, I have literally no idea. It's just the second day of school, I know nothing about my skills or powers, nothing about what can or cannot be achieved. I always imagined that there's a long path towards determining what exactly your true nature is. You're kind of lucky that you already know whom you want to become, although I think that may change as you'll grasp more and more knowledge. At least you have a goal, which is already better than most the young people out there," she said in the most supportive and maybe a bit flattering manner.

Suddenly the girl's eyes turned full terror as if something really bad happened in the back of her mind. And then she went too apologetic for not introducing herself. After the introduction took place, Meenauh responded to the handshake: "Meenauh, like 'me' and 'now'. Nice to meet you, Brynlee. I hope you don't mind if I'll not be calling you with your full name."

Brynlee smiled when the girl laughed. Step one, complete. She chuckled as well, even though she didn’t know why they were laughing. As she talked, she continued to laugh, which made Brynlee smile even more. But when her laugh turned evil, Brynlee’s eyes widened and her smile dropped. She didn’t not believe the girl, since she does have that overthrowing type of aura.

When her face turned serious again and started to talk, Brynlee let out a small sigh of relief and laughed. "Hmm... I could see you as minister of magic..." She chuckled and shook her head. “Honestly, don’t worry about it too much, you still have 7 years to figure it out.”

If Brynlee noticed the flattering, she didn’t care, but she did blush slightly. “Thank you… You’re right, I could change my mind, but as of right now, I’m very determined to become an Auror.” She smiled softly. “Meenauh… What a pretty name! It’s very unique.” She smiled wider, having a little flirtatiousness to it as well.  "Oh, don’t worry about my real name, I just introduce myself that way. You can call me Brynlee, Bryn, Ava, Lee, Sage, I don’t really care.” She thought for a moment. "Meenauh, you don't have to if you don't want to, but... Do you want to be friends...?" She bit her lip and watched Meenauh's face, waiting for an answer.