Phosphenes

“Master Ravenclaw, please.” Rowena said, believing firmly between clear boundaries between teachers and students. “Well Miss. Zhu, that is quite a hefty request. One could say I would need a whole class to teach it.” There was a slight bit of amusement in her smile, “Are you in my divination class? I do go over all the western techniques, but if you’d like to teach us a bit more about the Chinese ones, that would be very welcome.”

“I apologize, Master Ravenclaw.” Matilda dipped her head slightly, and then nodded, “I have enrolled in the class, yes.” She blinked, a bit confused, and a bit taken aback at the suggestion. “I am not trying to teach. I would just like to learn if that’s alright with you. It’s- I read something of interest to me. It’s about seers. They can predict the future, am I correct?”

“I really did,” she gushed, as much as she can complain about her family (and as much as they deserve it), she adores them all. “My brothers both had children this year, and their babies are so adorable! Adorable little things! It was hard to leave.”

“That’s nice.” She offered a polite smile that felt a little too forced. They both had brothers with children, but how different was it for the two of them. While Bella found it hard to leave, Matilda couldn’t wait to leave. 

“Adequate is an interesting way to describe the time you spent away from us,” he replied with a raised eyebrow, “I hope everything was alright at home?” His concern extended to all of the students under his care. After all they were the future generation that would leave them forward. “I had a very enjoyable holidays, things were quiet for once. Though I’ll be the first to admit that it is nice to be back in the swing of things.”

“Home was the same.” Matilda shrugged. She had the feeling that if she used the word ‘adequate’ once more, he was going to ask about that too and she wasn’t sure how to explain everything that had happened there. “I’m sure things will be much less quiet now with everyone back. The castle... it enjoys that bustling energy.” The longer she stayed, the more she was starting to learn of that unique magic she sensed when she first arrived. 

“Yes, but even back home it’s too cold.” and her father of course spends hours talking about places that are warm all year round, just to make her suffer even more. “That is so far away! Did you come using a portkey? Home is nowhere interesting, northern england.” 

“Yes, the portkey. It does make traveling much faster, though it also makes me slightly nauseous.” That part of traveling she could do without. “Northern England,” she mused. She was always curious with the rest of the world, parts she was unfamiliar with. “It sounds interesting, did you enjoy your time back home?”

“Me too, though I wish I could have gone somewhere a little less cold. Yes, definitely wish I could have escaped this chill for a while.” she adds with a little laugh, sitting down on one of the tables, “where is home for you?”

“You don’t like the cold? Is it colder here than at your home?” She couldn’t help the small smile at the girl’s antics, sitting on tables and complaining about the weather. “My home is in China, and it is.. about as cold. Where is home for you?”

Bella had been trailing Matilda for two corridors, trying to make sure if it was really her friend or a stranger who looked like her. Standing at the door, she shifted from one foot to another, impatient for a glimpse of her face. That voice… definitely Matilda. 

Interrupting the other person in the middle of their greeting, Bella plopped in front of Matilda, grin stretching from ear to ear. “And where did you go?”

Matilda blinked as she looked away from the other person and saw the Gryffindor right in front of her. “Miss Br- Bella.” The two knew each other enough that she figured she could afford to be less formal around the younger girl. “Good morning. Did you mean during the holiday? I went home, and what about yourself?” 

Stood at the front of the classroom, Salazar finished drawing the simple explanation of the difference between poison and potions when he noticed the first student. Moving over to his desk, he lifted the steaming goblet of tea to his lips. “Good morning Ms. Zhu,” Salazar said with a smile, “I hope you enjoyed the holidays.”

“It was..” she lingered, trying to find the right word to describe it. “..adequate.” In all honesty, she was just glad to be back. Matilda shook her head to clear her thoughts of the past, and offered the founder a small smile in return.  “How was your holiday Mr. Slytherin?”

Phoebe smiled, and pushed her kitten away who was battering at her ankles and took the woman’s hand. “I’m alright, I slip pretty often, which isn’t very good. But I’ve a high pain tolerance, this is nothing,” the Hufflepuff dusted off her think linen pants of snow and dirt. Then she looked down, “My flowers…” they were crushed and sad looking, scattered poppies and violent that her cat was batting at.

“You should be more careful to watch where you’re going.” She blinked as she glanced at the fallen flowers. Without saying a word, she leaned down to pick some up. She inspected the poppy and violet, then handed it to the girl. “They’re not too badly ruined. I’m surprised you were able find flowers in this weather.”

@zhumatilda

Rowena was nose deep in her calculations for the coming year’s star charts when she finally heard the knock at the door. “Come in,” She said, and without touching her wand it swung open of its own accord. It took her another moment to tear herself away from her quill and look up. “Miss. Zhu.” She said with a warm smile. “Sorry, once I get focused on something it’s hard for me to notice anything else. How can I help you today?”