From the Ashes

Who: Z and Adam
What: The start of weekly DADA tutoring and a conversation about Dark magic and wards
When: BACKDATED Tuesday, January 5
Where: The DADA classroom and surrounding environs

Z liked to think that she was watching the clock tick like a sleek predator waiting out its prey but really, she was watching it like something helpless that was praying for divine intervention. Today was the worst day ever. Z had woken up around 5 am from near-nightmares about time travel. The sheer amount of magic she'd been exposed to the past weekend was still sending her senses reeling and the vicious fighting and deaths she'd seen in the past were still affecting her. The loss of William's friendship stung and Z was still trying to sort out how she felt about Gerard being a werewolf and having to fight him off to protect Professor Lazzara.

Z had also woken up covered in sparkles and when she'd flailed and fallen out of bed due to the potent combination of almost-nightmare and glitter, she'd realized she was trailing them. This wasn't the worst reaction she'd ever had to her cat allergy potion (Z was pretty sure this had happened a couple times, though the colors might have been different-once when she was eight and delighted by it, once when she was thirteen and she'd be appalled, and again during her last year of high school, which had "forced" her to skip so not to freak out the muggles) but it was still annoying. No one wanted to be trailing multicolored sparkles, especially to the second-ever class they had to TA. Worse, it was Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. And Ryan Ross. First thing in the morning.

Z's life sucked.

Charms had been all right, though she couldn't quite meet Nate Novarro's eyes (she'd spent large parts of the holidays avoiding him like the plague) and Herbology continued to confuse her. Also, there was dirt. Somehow Z'd managed to sparkle through the dirt. Potions had actually been really good, but Runes ruined her day. The sixth years were all bastards who needs to die and Ryan Ross seriously needed to get his shit together and actually figure out how to teach. It was so close to 3:50 pm and Z was so close to freedom.

Finally! Freedom from Runes. Z was the first one out of the room and intended to back to her dorm and have a wonderful, glorious and otherwise amazing nap until dinner. Then her planner started shrieking at her about being late. Z checked it and swore. Defense Against the Dark Arts tutoring with Professor Lazzara, 4pm.

Fuck her life.

Z turned abruptly and started trudging towards the DADA classroom.