Pretty View (Deirdre)

Aoife didn’t mind heights or bridges or whatever. She liked the view from the suspension bridge, particularly when it was almost curfew and the sun was starting to go down. That was the time right now, so after dinner she had come out into the grounds by herself. For some alone time. Even though she loved Phin and all her friends, sometimes they drove her mad and she just wanted peace and quiet. It was slightly hypocritical since she made so much nose and fuss herself, but she felt she had the right to just spend a couple of minutes alone every now and then.

The first time she’d come here had been in her second year and since then she had visited around this time in the evening various times. Not too often, though, for the experience may get less special and the view of the castle and grounds less impressive. This was her first time this year, but they were still in the first term so that didn’t mean too much. It was cold outside, but that was okay, she had a perfectly good coat over her casual clothes. Aoife did up the buttons on the front as she walked briskly along a path she knew led to her favourite bridge.

When she arrived, a huge smile spread across her face. it was beautiful. She used her arms to push herself up and sit on the side. It gave her a better view. Anyway, she was sure she wouldn’t fall and die from here, if she held on tight. It was no use worrying about health and safety because that was for stupid obsessive gits with no real lives. If she cared about health and safety, she would be a very boring person. She just carried on staring out into the distance. Pretty view.

Deirdre still wasn't sure why she had chosen this particular evening  to go out. She still had things to take to and chapters to read, but Marble had been meowing so very intensely during the parts of the day Deirdre was actually in the dorm rooms, so the girl decided to take her out for a walk. Which was stupid, because most cats hated walks.

Deirdre remembered that Maya had told her a while ago about her favourite places - the Clock tower and the bridges. The Slytherin was a very perceptive person, so Deirdre trusted her opinion. To the Clock tower both she and her cat had already been, and Deirdre had decided then and there that the stairs in the castle itself were more than enough for her. The view was rewarding, true, but she could only imagine the one from the bridges. She wasn't particularly sure if Marble would like it there, but then again, she liked the lake, and that was strange for a cat.

So they set off. Deirdre only knew one path that led to to a bridge and she hoped she got there soon. It was almost sunset and she wanted to see the view at its best.

When they got on the bridge, Deirdre was at a loss for words. The view really was breath-taking. She could see the whole of the grounds, and the castle, too! Lost in what she could see, Deirdre almost didn't notice another girl small frame on the side of the bridge.

She was sitting with her back to Deirdre, and she could make out was the gir's bright blue hair. No, that wasn't someone she knew.

Deirdre stretched out her hands a little before opening her mouth in case the girl got startled and fell off to her death," Hey, are you certain you're not going to fall off of there?"

What time was it? Would she get back to the castle and find she was really late for curfew? Ah well, that wouldn’t exactly be the end of the world. Aoife would be earning so many points this year it wouldn’t matter if she lost a couple now. Anyway, she could see another student in the distance coming this way so it couldn’t be time to go back just yet. She focused back on the view, the sun setting in the distance and the colourful pinkish sky with weird clouds scattered everywhere. Claire said that sunsets were slightly overrated in her opinion like usual her sister was totally wrong. The girl had never seen the view from here, so she wouldn’t know.

Because she had seen the figure coming from the path when she’d looked before, it wasn’t a surprise to hear a voice asking her about whether she thought she was safe. She rolled her eyes.

“No,” she smiled. “But if you don’t take risks, you don’t have fun.” At this point she happened to wobble a little, probably because she was talking and not concentrating, so she clutched the side instinctively. Even though there was only a slim chance that she would have fallen off then. Aoife replayed her quick words in her head. That sounded deep now she thought about it, but totally true. When she got in all those fights as a kid, she risked her teeth but she had fun. All the times she jumped out of trees and off small bridges, she risked cracking her skull but those were great times.

She turned around to see who it was. The familiar Hufflepuff uniform and cool hair caught her attention. “Deirdre!” she beamed. But then her smile faded a bit, because she remembered that this wonderful girl was actually a filthy liar. “You told me that there were wizard haribos. That was a lie.” Her face was incredibly serious. This was a serious matter. Haribos were beautiful and the supposedly friendly nice Hufflepuff had brought her hopes up then crushed her dreams.

Shun this Hufflepuff. Shun her.

The blue-haired girl wavered a little as she spoke, so Deirdre kept her hands outstretched in case she decided to fall off the bridge and to her death. What the other was saying sounded deep, but Deirdre knew it wasn't entirely true - 'fun' was a wide conception and different people had fun in different ways. For example, the Hufflepuff found joy in reading, but that took no lives (most of the time).

The other girl turned around to see who was talking to her and Deirdre could finally see her face. She almost tripped over Marble in her shock, then - she knew this girl! It was Aoife, the joyful and sheep-loving Gryffindor whom she'd met in her third year and who hadn't had an idea of the wizarding world back then. Since when was her hair blue, though? The colour itself was really eye-catching, but wasn't it a bit early for her to dye her hair? Deirdre shrugged that thought off, deciding it a tad hypocritical as she pulled on the rare brownish streaks in her own dark hair.

Aoife had also recognized her, because she screamed her name out with such enthusiasm that Deirdre feared that this was the time she would surely fall of and crack her blue head open down on the rocks. Before the Hufflepuff could smile back, though, Aoife's face became serious and Deirdre should've seen it coming when the other accussed her of lying about wizard Haribos. She had lied, true that, but it was two years ago, and if she remembered correctly, Aoife had said 'You have to have Haribos!', and you don't disagree with overly-exitable children.

As it seemed a serious matter, and Marble's hissing indicated she hadn't liked Aoife's tone, Deirdre replied in the swiftest way possible,"Well, what did you think the Haribo 'Magic Mix' was? You can't tell me those aren't for wizards!" Deirdre remembered the packages of sweets Monique used to bring home from London when she and Derek, Deirdre's father, were still together.

Another person who seemed surprise by her… new appearance. Aoife supposed Deirdre couldn’t possibly have recognised with her back turned and her hair a completely different colour from the last time that they’d talked. It was acceptable that she looked shocked. But she was sick of people looking shocked. They had looked shocked when she got pretty and wore lipstick and they had looked shocked when she turned up with bright blue hair. Was it really so unexpected, with all the stuff she did? Well, maybe the lipstick. And she had always preferred green to blue, so maybe people thought she would choose that colour. But green hair would just make her nose look big.

That cat didn’t look very happy. Grumpy, moody thing. It was hissing at her. At least it was, well, loyal to its owner. Her own cat Smartie preferred to wander herself and she rarely got the chance to actually spend time with him. That was fine because he obviously didn’t like her that much anyway, not like he had when he was a tiny new-born kitten. Maybe cats just didn’t like her in general. And that was why this beast and her own pet were being mean.

The cat wasn’t worth her time. She looked back at the older Puff girl who surprisingly had an argument for her haribo outrage. She was shocked when Deirdre was finished. “Those are WIZARD sweets?” Aoife asked in a distressed tone. “I didn’t know that! Why can muggles buy them? And why don’t they do something magical like chocolate frogs?” Now that she thought of it, they were great sweets and it would make sense because they had that weirdly magical sort of taste… she thought. “That’s amazing!” She wanted some more. “Do they sell them in Honeydukes?” she wondered. This Hufflepuff was no longer shunned.

“What year are you in now, Deirdre?” She must be REALLY old, like sixth or even seventh year! Hogwarts was so weird now. Aylee was gone. Her friends in older years were in really old years. Everyone had got old and there were loads of little kids who weren’t really that little, but whom she regarded as little because she was actually OLD! It was terrible.

Deirdre could tell Aoife didn't appreciate her shock. She'd most likely misjudged the reaction - Deirdre did like her new appearance, just didn't excpect it, though she probably should've. Blue suited her, in a way.

Deirdre bent down to pet Marble's jet-black head to calm her down. Aoife didn't seem to appreciate the cat's defence systems, so it'd be best if both of them were kept apart. Usually Marble never liked Deirdre's aquintances - so far, only Maya had been able to play with the feline. The girl remembered how Marble had once scratched across a boy, Malcom's, face with her sharp claws once she'd realized Deirdre didn't like him. Well, she was loyal.

Aoife was visibly calmed down when Deirdre finished speaking, and immediately resorted to asking questions. The Hufflepuff concluded that she hadn't really changed much since her first year, save for the new and bright hair colour.

"Well," Deirdre answered, matter-of-factly, "my personal theory is that the ministry makes those to find common ground  with the muggles, somehow." Aoife was thrilled.

When the Gruffindor asked what year Deirdre was in now, the girl was reminded how old she was actually getting. Soon, she had to graduate, and she didn't know what she was going to do after. Live with her mum for awhile, perhaps?

"Oh, I'm sixth-year now.", she replied. Deirdre remembered she'd met Aoife when she was a third-year still, so that meant...? "And you're a fourth, yeah? How is magic for you?"

Wow, that was so clever. “Does that mean there are secretly wizards working at Haribo?” Aoife asked excitedly. She could have a part-time job there making secretly magic muggle sweets! That would be so cool! But maybe she wanted to have a part-time job at the Ministry of Magic because they were obviously super cool if they were behind the idea of awesome wizard haribos!

Obviously she didn’t have to have a part-time job alongside her sheep charities, but if she had time she wanted to! There were all these really cool jobs in the wizarding world that she never would have dreamed of when she first came to Hogwarts. Nevermind that now, she would decide what job to do when it came closer to the time to graduate. Or after that. There was no rush and she could just leave the big decision until last minute, that was fine.

“You’re so old!” she observed with wide eyes. When she’d met Deirdre she was sort of young and here she was now, preparing to graduate, like people seemed to be doing. It was sad. All the old nice people were abandoning her now. True, the evil graduation plot had gotten rid of Jen and Ryland but it had also pushed Ella and Aylee out of the Hogwarts doors into the bitter reality that was the real world. Soon, it would take Deirdre, Kynan, Evan. Then AOIFE. Oh no! “In seventh-year, what are you going to do? You have to leave a mark, something for everyone to remember you by! Blow up the Ravenclaw table on the last day or something!” She was already thinking about her final statement, but hadn’t got anything brilliant yet. She would definitely throw a huge party though.

She nodded. Yeah, she was getting old too. “Magic is awesome!” she beamed. “Hey, I can do something really cool!” She pulled her wand from her pocket and her teal beret from her bag. Magic better not fail her now. The bluehead whispered the incantation and grinned proudly when her beret started flashing different colours. After Leblanc had performed it, she had found out how to perform the spell herself and now she was the best!

Now, this was more like the excited little girl Deirdre'd met before. Aoife started asking questions again, and Deirdre was happy to work on her theory some more, " That could be it, yeah. There is no law forbidding it, is there?" Come to think of it, wizards had a choice in career - it was magic or not. Maybe she would note that.

Deirdre didn't wince all that much at Aoife's comment - the girl was obviously blunt about everything - but there were aspects in it she couldn't agree with. She was still merely fifteen, a tender age that shouldn't evoke drastic decisions like pondering job options! But in a way, she was older that most people at Hogwarts - no fun was entitled to her.

When Aoife mentioned blowing up the Ravenclaw table, Deirdre did something that probably sounded like a chuckle and a snort's offspring to anyone with ears," Why would I do that?". Her amusement lasted for a while, before something clicked to Deirdre and she reached down to pet Marble," I don't think anyone's going to remember much of me, though. I'm just not so sure about doing something grand, you know?" Come to think of it, with Aoife being Aoife, she didn't really know. Deirdre's life never went big, but she didn't mind much, she'd built it that way, so why would she do anything to be remembered?

Deirdre smiled at Aoife's demonsatration at what was obviously a spell taught by Professor Leblanc. " Bravo!", she clapped cheerfully. She remembered how, about two years ago, Aoife had told her she could only do the Fire-spell.

Aoife snorted. "What, you think I know or care about wizard laws?" Obviously it was great there were rules to stop murder and stuff but she hadn't become familiar with any of them. Did that mean she could get arrested for doing stuff she thought was alright but actually wasn't? Wizards had that cool prison, though. "But the rule people are very stupid if they make rules like that," she nodded. "They're meant to like and get on with muggles, anyway." So there were probably hundreds of witches and wizards at haribo.

"Well, because it makes a statement," she said as though it was super obvious. "Ravenclaws need more excitement. It would give them something more to talk about than books. I mean, there's the Slytherin table but that would be less fun." She didn't mention the Hufflepuff possibility. Big surprise to all her housemates. Maybe Deirdre's name could be on a plaque!

Now, her old friend was GOING to plan something big, whether she liked it or not. And the bluehead was going to help. "I'm going to help you!" she announced. "I have some ideas. For starters, you could use your evil murderer cat for something." It was scarily evil, that cat. "Or you could draw unicorns and potatoes on Gray's face while he sleeps." Aoife didn't hold much respect for the head. What had he ever done for her? "There are plenty of things you could blow up, the library, house tables, the STAFF table! Do it in front of everyone, whatever it is!" Between them, they were going to concoct a great plan to make sure EVERYONE knew Deirdre Seamore's name before she left.

It was wonderful, this spell. She balanced the flashy beret on her head, very carefully so it wouldn't fall of the bridge. If it did, she would climb after it! Actually, she would use accio. Smart. "Thanks! I can do loads of good spells now, when I do OWLs I might not pass but I'll have a flashy beret on!" This was the spirit that would help her pass! With the beret, there was no need to study. It was pointless.

Deirdre chuckled quietly - no, she didn't actually think Aoife cared any about the muggle laws. The girl apparently had some pretty interesting views of the wizard law system, but for the most part, Deirdre agreed with her. "Yeah, they sometimes do make stupid rules." After all, the Hufflepuff had just recently (last year) throughfully studied the Ministry for her career plans (and had ended up still as unsure of her future as she'd been two years ago).

Aoife started explaining what a statement could mean for Deirdre - apparently, Ravenclaws needed more excitment, and Slytherins did, too. Aoife quite obviously didn't suggest neither Gryffindor nor Hufflepuff as possible victims for any charades she could be planning.

She was actually planning something - somethings - as it turned out when she started enthsiastically explaining to Deirdre how Marble, the 'murderous cat' (a name which no one could object to), could be of use, how Headmaster Gray's face would look decorated with rainbows and about the various things she could blow up. Deirdre inwardly groaned at Aoife's promise to help her make a so-called 'statement'. "Is that necessary? I really don't feel keen on making anyone explode.", she tried to protest, It was probably futile, she thought as she looked at the bluehead's excited face.

Deirdre smiled (wildly) at Aoife's claim about her OWLs, saying, "That's the spirit!"

Wow, Deirdre actually genuinely agreed with her. Aoife grinned. “DID YOU KNOW that no non-human creatures can have wands?” she said excitedly, but sort of sadly. Maybe she should work in the Ministry, in a high level position, so that she could change all this! Aoife O’Donnell, Minister of Magic? “No exceptions! And that’s not fair! Prejudice against all magical creatures! What harm would it do to let a unicorn have a wand?” Unicorns weren’t evil, just the sort of animals which would use human magic for beautiful, charming and good reasons, right? But she didn’t know how they would hold a wand. Maybe in their mouth? They’d find a way, she was sure.

All of those ideas sounded pretty good, but they had to narrow it down. Too many crazy statements would ruin the surprise elements and people would grow tired of Deirdre. And not put her name on a plaque, poor thing. “Well, something is necessary!” she exclaimed. “I suppose you don’t HAVE to blow something up, but it would work best. You could blow up the Hufflepuff table and then make a magical banner explode in the air which says “GOODBYE HUFFLEPUFFS” and rain sweets on your housemates!” Aoife noticed then how enthusiastic she was getting about this and decided to pipe down a little bit. “You could dye your hair a bright colour. But that’s already been done. Even if you don’t want it to be outrageous, it has to be public. In the Great Hall, at dinner.”

“Are OWLs hard?” she asked curiously. She was wondering if she should actually do a bit of real studying early on. In summer, or even this year. While it was unlikely that she would get around to it then, she may as well make stupid plans that she would only ignore.

Deirdre's brows pushed together, "You do know that most non-human creatures are magical on their own, don't you? Giving them wands would be both unneccessary and unhelpful, as they wouldn't have any idea how to use them to their advantage." She was aware she was lecturing, but it was such a part of her personality now that she didn't even bother to slow it down.

Aoife's tone had changed to utter determination, and Deirdre already knew there was no way she was getting out of whatver crazy idea the girl would settle on. Deirdre paled when 'blowing up' was mentioned again, but this time, Aoife's ideas seemed more... human-friendly. Deirdre thought for a bit before murmuring, "I suppose dying my hair could do." Her fingers played with the blond streaks in her otherwise black hair. "But I don't think it would do for all of it, it's too dark..." She trailed on, noticing the change in Aoife's expression. Oh, no, had she just agreed on an idea?

"Well, yes, of course." They had been, even on her. She hurried to explain herself further, "They're not too bad, but you can never start studying too early." She had some suspicions Aoife wasn't keen on starting to revise at all.

Oh. Aoife’s eyes opened in awe. “That’s so clever,” she whispered. “And you’re right!” They COULDN’T give magical creatures wands. Because animals were awesome already, and it would be a waste of money to get them wands because they would probably just stand on them or something. Because they wouldn’t understand that wands were for awesome magic. Of course, she had known that in the first place. Totally. She was just testing Deirdre on her COMC knowledge.

“Really?” she beamed. An idea that they agreed on?! “I still think it needs something bigger and more dramatic, but if that’s the one you think’s the best, then let’s go with hair dye!” Deirdre was the older and wiser one, and Aoife trusted her to make an intelligent informed decision. “It doesn’t have to be all of it - you could have rainbow streaks!” And she had become excellent at the colour-changing charm, so she could do it for her Hufflepuff friend!

Yes, she had suspected that was the answer. But she imagined some OWLs would be much more difficult than others. Like Potions, that would be a nightmare. Then Deirdre changed her answer, and added a remark about early studying. As if that would change her mind. This girl seemed to be very Ravenclaw-y for a Hufflepuff, so she wasn’t going to take advice about studying from her of all people. That would be like taking studying advice from Aylee. “Yeah, maybe,” she said vaguely, just so she didn’t say no straight out.

Deirdre rubbed her temples tiredly. "Does it have to be rainbow streaks? Just blonde would be fine...", she trailed off, fingers still twirling in the already coloured parts of her hair. And she'd thought they'd been going all out. Blonde - she could and had handled, but rainbow was not going to be an option. She'd already intrusted her hair to Aoife, though, and if her crazy hair colour was anything to go by, Deirdre's most valuable atribute was doomed. She could already invision her own bald scalp and a proud Aoife in the background.

Marble meowed next to her leg, dragging her mind out of that particular gutter, and Deirdre remembered why she was actually on the bridge in the first place. The chapters she was suppossed to be reading right now came back, flooding her mind and serving as a nice distraction to rainbow coloured hairstyles.

"Look, I still have work to do back at the dorms...", she said to Aoife tiredly. "Could we discuss your ideas tomorrow, for example? Or some time later?" She'd already promised, so the was no backing out anyway.

Deirdre picked Marble up, listening to Aoife as she spoke, and already thinking about that Charms homework that was due in a day.