Just Checking in Open Closed

After walking back into the school from a particularly scorching Herbology class, Millie was pretty tired. She really enjoyed Herbology, though it wasn't a class that would help her towards her real goal; being a wandmaker. It was a fun class though, she was able to admit that. History of Magic was also really cool, even though she didn't really like history. Yeah, it was important to not repeat the bad parts, but other than that, it was pretty useless.

Dispersing into the Great Hall with another group of students, the chant of "Open it, open it" entered her ears. She curiously looked around the table. Open what? A can? Finally, she was able to spot the girl sitting diagonally across from her at the table. The girl had brown hair and black eyes, and looked upset at everyone else chanting. Millie wasn't in the mood for someone to have an outburst at the rest of the annoying students, so she put down her fork, and stood up at the table. A couple of people caught her eye, but she payed no attention.

"Someone opening their letter isn't any of your guy's business, so drop it." She snapped. Sitting back down at the table, she picked up her fork and began to eat the rest of her vegetables. 

The chants were briefly drowned out by a seperate feminine voice. Howler still in hand, the girl glanced down to see whom had intervened spotting a fellow girl who seemed particularly interested in the vegetables on her plate rather than whatever was transpiring at the table. Still, she had lent some sort of relief, not that it was going to fend off these students any way. Her remark caused only some of the students to break out into laughs and giggles, they deemed her not worthy of their attention as their eyes shifted back to the red enevelope. You couldn't have sent this at a more prudent time, could you have, Father?She felt a surge of anger at her parents, not that it was any of their fault when the owl arrived. Still, this was going to be quite a spectacles to say the least.

"Here, why don't I open it for you."A daring first-year would remark cracking up reaching a hand over to open the envelope."Don't you dare."The Gryffindor remarked rather coldly slapping his hand away as and he prepared to ready his retort, a look of anger on his face, the Howler exploded..figuratively that is. The red enevelope began to yell out it's contents as all Howlers do for everyone in the great hall to hear. This was going to be one thing she was not going to hear the end of for quite some time.
The Howler:

The red letter burnt up after revealing it's contents into a pile of ashes right in front of the girl, the resounding voice of her father echoing around the Great Hall as the girl took it all in. She knew exactly what he meant by this, not that she cared but she felt angry. The sounds of snickers and laughter behind her only added to her anger. She stood up swearing angrily and moved to confront the boy who had tried to open her letter."What is with you, huh?! Can't you just all leave someone in peace for a minute, huh?! You take joy at someone else's problems, you rat?!"She said getting up close and personal with the student. The Gryffindor had familial problems but she did not need the entire Hogwarts population knowing about it. That girl had been nice though, though Elena doubted she wanted to get into the middle of all this chaos that was unfolding. "What are you gonna do, little girl, hurt me?"He said leering at her. He was a bit taller than her so that wasn't helping her situation. She looked up at him tilting her head before spewing her next words laced with venom."I just might if you dont' back off, pal."THe Gryffindor said her fist curling into a fist.What are you doing, you fool, a Professor is bound to catch both of you.He simply smirked wider and covered a yawn with his mouth seemingly unfazed."I'd like to see you try, butterfly. You could barely hurt a fly."The tension was beginning to boil up catching the attention of students near them as they watched intently.

Man, kids are assholes.

They couldn't mind their own business, or keep to themselves. No, they were nosy and annoying, just how Millie hated them. It was like the world could do without little kids. Even if she was one, she was not very annoying. This poor girl, sitting across from her, was getting absolutely tormented by asshole kids. While ideas peered through Millie's eyes, all of them would get her, and the other girl, a years worth of detention. Not that it wouldn't be worth it, she absolutely hated little brats.

When the two other kids began standing up and arguing, Millie had a feeling a fight was going to break out. She herself stood up. Her tall figure fending both the boy, and the girl, off. Choosing words that were emotionally taxing, was going to be a sport in themselves. So many insults could be thrown, but none would do much damage. She had to choose something that would really hurt this daredevil idiot.

"Look, buddy, I know a lot of hexes that would make you the laughing stock of the year," She turned towards the boy. "But I can also get a professor and make sure you never come back to Hogwarts. Or you leave this poor child alone. Your choice." Her voice, normally high pitched and petite, was now full of pure hatred. Though it wasn't very obvious, one could tell that she was American. Not entirely, though.

Millie would willingly hurt a child to make sure someone else was safe, but that was definitely a last resort.

The stewing conflict was cut short by the arrival of the other Gryffindor girl, the one who had piped up earlir and she seemed as keen as Elena to put a dent or two into this boy. Speaking of which, the kid raised an eyebrow as he weighed his options. It was perhaps not the most prudent place for a conflict and the threat of hexes seemed to only offend him. This girl thought she could out-duel him. His expression quickly changed to that one of anger as he stepped forward attempting to display a menacing persona but was rebuffed quickly by one of his friends who shook his head urging the boy away from the girls. He simply smirked winking at Elena before walking off muttering something undecipherable under his breath. Elena still was quite on edge and for a brief moment grappled with the idea of firing off some mean spell or curse at his retreating back but common sense prevailed.Don't be stupid. I'm sure we'll see him around but not worth it."She exhaled letting loose a breath glancing down at what remained of that horrendous Howler brushing it underneath the table. She would rather not see the sight of that thing again. Though, it didn't help the fact that about all of the student population know knew what was in the Howler.

'Thanks for the help. I thought for sure I was gonna have to convince him otherwise."She added to the girl extending her hand to shake the others. Perhaps not all the kids here were that much of jerks, there were the special ones and that she liked."Elena Jangleton."There weren't many who would willingly involve themselves in other people's problems, not that she expected anyone to but help was appreciated. A feeling of brief guilt swept through her for a moment, the fact that she had to rely on others. Time after time, it felt like she was always being helped by others even in the most simple of tasks. It did sort of annoy her, not that she didn't appreciate it but it made her feel..incapable in a sense."Sorry for bothering you..that looks like a good meal."The girl added nodding to the plate of vegetables. She had barely time to scoop up a plate before that accursed Howler had presented itself."Well, probably not gonna hear the end of this for quite a while."She eyed the other students who would briefly give glancing looks at the duo of them quickly looking away and breaking into their own conversations about what had just happened, she assumed. Gossip, it really was a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands.

Millie made a rather crude gesture at the boy as he stalked off. The professors, luckily enough, seemed to miss the Gryffindor doing so. Or, more likely, they just didn't care. Which was as worrying as it was good for the girl. Not that she was sneaky, quite the opposite.

The girl who she had so valiantly defended, introduced herself as Elena, and Millie smiled kindly. She had a feeling that this girl had a story, and she desperately wanted to know it. However, the only way to keep herself in this girl's "good" book, was to keep up at her kind self- not that it was hard.

"I'm Euphrasia, but I prefer Millie." She said, shaking Elena's hand. The girl made a comment on Millie's food, and she looked down at her plate. The feeling of hunger went away, but she still quietly chuckled, anyway.

Elena claimed that nobody would hear the end of her dilemma for a while. Millie shook her head, but secretly, she agreed. She had been at Hogwarts too long to think that people would just forget this, the incident was something that would go down in Hogwarts history.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry," She said. "People are assholes."

The name in itself was a mouthful to say and she dared not even try the attempt at pronunciation. It sounded like one of those exotic names from overseas or something, it definitely didn't sound like any English name she had heard so far but who was she to judge anyone? Thankfully, though, the female provided a far more simpler alternate version and was probably one Elena was going to remember to be fair."Millie it is then."The Gryffindor said grinning slightly. The initial attention that had been drawn to them seemed to die down as the students returned to their meals and whatnot. A few seconds of excitment and drama than back to normal..that usually was how the routine went at Hogwarts. She waved away the apology merely shrugging."No need to be sorry for what someone else did. Honestly, I am used to all the snide remarks by now, it seems to be a common pattern around these parts, I've seen."Annoying as it was, there were those who just had to know everything about everyone. Maybe she should have sent a hex or two after the supposed bully, would have taught him a lesson or two.Just leave it, you have more pressing problems like how to respond to that lovely Howler Dad sent.

"Although I doubt there would be many who would want to poke fun at you considering how you handled that entire thing, Gryffindor at heart, huh?"There was also those people who seemed to possess courage the size of an football field willing to throw themselves into literally anything, it seemed like. She still wondered how the Sorting Hat had deemed her fit for this House, well, time would tell. The offending owl that had brought said Howler seemed particualry interested in pecking at what remained of the letter, ashes and all that."Those things are quite loud..you probably heard every single word, huh?" It was a rhetorical question at most, not that she minded expanding on what had transpired to the Howler, she was sure there were going to be a lot of questions regarding this incident.

As if Millie wouldn't go through the entire event again just to know that it would end. It felt good to do some good, and she definitely didn't mind making a friend or two out of it. Enemies could always be dealt with, even if it took some time. Grudges could always be resolved.

She always had an eye for doing good, even if it was in the midst of bad. It wasn't hard, especially when she was constantly eager to prove herself good. Her parents still thought she was a monster because they were biased. Biased about how she could speak to snakes and serpents. It was a dark art, to be a Parselmouth, and her parents didn't seem to care that Millie was just a child. "You-know-who was a child when he became evil!" Her father proclaimed.

But that was bullshit. Nobody was born evil, and Millie was only seven when she found out about the ability. Her parents were stupid. That was it.

"I think being a "Gryffindor at heart" is a pretty good way of putting it," She agreed, nodding. "Nobody has a perfect family, though."

Millie smiled softly. She pulled her wand out of her pocket, and clutched it in her fingers. If someone came back, she'd instantly hex them. There was a difference beteen taking a precaution, and just waiting to hurt someone. She chose the former.

She nodded to that. It was true, nothing was ever perfect, that was just how the world was though it
felt she had gotten the short straw of the lot. People could be jerks as the other girl had so clearly stated and they tended to make it known especially if you weren't up to their standards of perfection."Those are some true words right there."She said smiling slightly."Though it seems like Gryffindor is best suited for you judging from what I just saw, don't even know what the Sorting Hat saw when he placed me in this House but here I am, I suppose."That was still a concept she struggled with. All her life, Elena had been the most antisocial, shy and defintely not brave, she was the opposite of what a Gryffindor was supposed to express. So why, what had the Hat seen in her that had caused it to place her in the house of heros? Her parents had nearly lost their marbles after finding out the results, they were proud Slytherin graduates and not afraid to put it out there so of course, having a Gryffindor daughter would stain their lovely little reputation, not that the girl cared.

"You mind if I snag a seat next to you. Somehow, I don't think that crowd looks that welcoming."The girl said half-jokingly nodding to where they had sent the boys packing who were muttering among themselves casting dark looks at the duo but saving the snide remarks.. perhaps for an later time. This wasn't the last time she would hear of them, that much she was sure of. She glanced at the owl that had brought the accursed Howler in looking up at her innocently unaware of the hell it had unleashed in the Great Hall today."You couldn't have waited a bit, could ya?"She sighed eyeing the bird who seemed completley unconcerned. Upon affirming the fact it would not be getting a reply, the school owl took off its wings beating back the way it had come. "Well, looks like we won't b using live targets for spell practice today, it seems."She chuckled eyeing the wand in Millie's hands.