Who: Vee and Bet Where: Hogwarts Library When: Friday Afternoon What: Plan on Sneaking Out
Elizabeth walked briskly from her muggle-studies class towards the library. There was a smile on her face that was becoming more and more permanent than it had in months, and it had nothing to do with the fact that Professor Bradley was absolutely smashing. She was looking forward to the weekend with the utmost excitement that she was hard-pressed not to tell the world about it.
Not that Bet had the complete inability to keep a secret; it was only a slight one. What's more she'd been living the past the fortnight on multiple cups of caffeine because of her passing fancy and rumpy pumpy with the thing called insomnia. It had been a momentary love affair that'd left her usually quick mind much slower than usual and her already loose tongue free than a three year-old running starkers. In shorter words, Bet was exhausted beyond imaginings and no man, no secret, no thought was safe. Especially since she was in a good mood and had decided to stop walking around like a stropped cow. The potentiality of rule-breaking did that to a person.
Steps quickening to a skip that caught too much momentum, Bet skidded into the library, shooting Madame Pince a sheepish smile when the mostly taciturn librarian gave her a glare.
Victoria was running late. Not that this was an unusual occurrence but if she was late for study group again there was going to be mutiny. But she had to get a book from the library before she headed back to Gryffindor tower. Yes, the logic of this was odd even to her but when a girl needed a book a girl needed a book. And she needed a book badly. And not just any book, oh no. She needed a romance novel of some sort because she was getting that "no one will ever fancy me" feeling again and romance novels usually cured it for short periods of time.
"Speaking of stroppy cows." Bet whispered to herself, before grinning and giggling softly. Sliding quickly into a near-by seat she pulled out her books so that she could start her home-work. She wanted it all done before either Belinda or Saffron could ask. Belinda, because the other girl more than likely already had hers done and she always liked to hold that fact over Bet's head. Like it was the muggle-borns fault like there were more important things than homework. Things like insomnia, and boys, and magazines, and nightmares, and food, and boys, and matchmaking, and being moody, and staring at the lint on her uniform.... Plenty things were more important than homework. A fact that Saffron understood but refused to take as an excuse. Which was why Bet was in a hurry to get it all done right there and then. Because she knew that her cousin would use unfinished homework as a reason to stay at Hogwarts and not go and party.
Victoria made a beeline for the alcove that housed Hogwarts' small collection of popular novels, but on her way she nearly tripped over a book bag. She glanced to the side with a biting remark already poised at the tip of her tongue...until she realized it was Bet.
"Homework?" she asked the other girl.
Elizabeth blinked at the familiar sounding tone, which she really hadn't heard as much as she would have liked lately, and turned in its direction with a wide grin wreathing across her face. "Vee! Oh, my goodness how have you been? I haven't seen you since we ran into each other during the Sorting Ceremony in September which before then had been since ..." A sudden frown marred Bet's pretty face, her peaches complexion paling slightly as she did when thought about IT. "Azkaban." She really hated that word and she hated thinking about it even more. But she knew that she had not, not saying anything was worse.
"Yeah, not the most pleasant of memories that. How have you been?" Vee shifted her weight slightly from one foot to the other.
"Horrid and horrible really, but my family's good about it. School's not half the distraction I'd like it to be but I'm dealing, yeah. How about you?"
"I'm dealing. I'm sure that a psychiatrist would say that I'm not dealing well but I'm doing the best I can. My mum sent me a letter telling me that she's taking off for parts unknown."
"I never really understood that phrase, 'parts unknown'," Bet said with a small shake of her head. "Am I guessing for good this time?" Brown eyes searched Vee's resigned face. The two girls had shared a cell in Azkaban. She had been the one who kept Bet talking realizing quickly that it would help keep the Ravenclaw as sane as possible. Bet talked and Vee listened and gave the occasional advice and the frequent smart comment. However, there had been a once and a while when Vee had talked and Bet had understood and listened. The topic of Vee's not-quite-so-steady mum was one of those occasions when the survival roles had switched.
Vee nodded, "Seems she has a yen to visit the States. Christmas Holidays are going to be bloody awful but, other than that, it isn't like I'll miss seeing her or anything."
Bet's brows rose, "That's true. She wasn't around much anyway."
"Exactly."
"You shouldn't think about it. I know just the thing for you not to think about it. Come out with us this Saturday."
"Come with who where?"
"Me, Belinda Sheffield, and Saffron Capper. " The dyed red-head leaned in and whispered lowly.
"We're sneaking out of Hogwarts to go to a rave."
"You've got to be shitting me. A rave?"
"Shhhh." Bet had the presence of mind to caution even as she grinned widely at Vee's reaction.
She accredited the Gryffindor's extensive language to all the books she knew the other girl read,
"I shit ye not." That and an unnatural amount of muggle TV. "A rave." Bet confirmed.
"How are we sneaking out?" Vee asked as she slid into the seat next to Bet. Mutiny was ensuing as she spoke she was sure. But some things were more important than whether or not her fellow Gryffindors killed her. And this was one of those things.
"I'm not sure. Belinda and Saffy don't trust me with the plan. Well, Belinda doesn't tell anyone much of anything and Saffron is just being petty."
"And you think they'd be alright with you inviting me?"
"Of course they will be." No years of Azkaban, hot pokers, or lack of chocolate would ever be able to diminish Bet's ability to lie through her teeth. Belinda was the Queen of
Type your cut contents here.
Evasive Tactics, Saffron of Telling it Straight but neither of them could tell white lies (or the dirtier ones) as well as Bet. Though, she had to admit this time she wasn't exactly lying. If she told them to accept that the fact she had invited someone, they would be. And Saffron, at least, would be nice about it.
"Okay then, I'm in."
"Brill! We'll come by your tower to pick you up. Be waiting outside your portrait around nine."
"I'll be there."
Bet grinned,
"It'll be best to get you as quickly as possible. Now, I hate to be rude but I should finish all of my homework or Saffron will never let me hear the end of it. She can shove off homework for Quidditch and to read her ridiculous pirate books but I can't to socialize." She rolled her brown eyes in mild irritation. "You're welcome to stay though." She quickly added, with a smile.
"I have to go too. I was just picking up something to read on my way to study group. I'll see you tomorrow night at nine."
Bet smiled, nodded, and waved,
"See you."
Vee picked up her still slightly waterlogged book bag and headed for the front of the library.