Outfit

Sunday was a glorious day to be outside playing with friends, going on dates, or otherwise having a good time with leisure activities. Unfortunately, some people chose this day to play catch-up on their homework. The small Ravenclaw first year, Serenity Lee Thornton, was no different from the latter crowd. She had a pile of it and had been neglecting it because of all the chatter about the Valentine's Ball over the past week. It had been very distracting and she hadn't been able to get away from the drama or constant yapping from the older students either in the library (where some had been found snogging) or in the common room (giggling girls and bragging boys). Now that all the excitement was over, everyone had returned to their studies.

She was supposed to have had a lesson with Keegan today, but she had had to cancel it in order to complete Professor Trishna's homework she had started on Thursday. Upon the table near the fireplace where she had taken nest, there were several books she'd borrowed from the library on the science of earth, but not one of them was helping her at all. She simply couldn't understand why they would want to study the evolution of earth instead of the mythology of the stars! She smoothed back a strand of hair with a sigh before giving her parchment a furtive look and reaching for the third book in her pile. Carefully, the little Ravenclaw slipped it out from under the others, flipped trough the musty pages, and glanced between the diagrams by Darwin Ficklethesis and her notes that she'd taken from Professor Trishna.

"The earth is 4.64 billion years old," She was muttering out loud to herself, but a frown creased her lips. "This is stupid! Why can't it just say 'the earth was born from the Titan Gaea'? I can't stand science! I thought we were supposed to be looking at the stars from a wizard's point of view?"

Irritatedly, she slammed the book shut and dropped back on top of the pile. Her quill scribbled on the parchment a few meaningless doodles while she tried to think of the best possible answer to the question. She hated Astronomy already. It may have been important, but it was boring. At least Professor Austerlitz made sure that the students studied interesting things about history and let their minds explore the subject on their essays, but with Professor Trishna, it was all about the science. She groaned at her paper as if it was the parchment's fault for not coming up with a good answer to the questions about the earth's evolution. She would much rather be practicing jinxes in an empty classroom with Keegan...

Serenity wasn't the only one catching up on her homework. Eirene, too, had neglected her work yesterday in favor of getting ready for Valentine's Day and enjoying the festivities. She'd finished just about everything this afternoon but her Astronomy homework, which she'd written and re-written four times, still not satisfied that she understood what Professor Trishna was on about. Astronomy was one of her most difficult subjects. Eirene lacked the muggle background knowledge that gave some of the other first-years, like Cyhirae and Dahlia, an edge.

She hated that, and wasted a lot of time in class feeling jealous of them rather than paying proper attention to the lecture. But her frustration with her ignorance, and watching other students do much better than her, held her back just as much as her difficulty with the material.

Eirene poked her head up over her own pile of books when Serenity grumbled about what they were learning. Gleefully, she latched onto the complaint, and hovered closer to Serenity's nest so she could catch a glimpse of her paper. Her housemate had just slammed her book down and started scribbling doodles on her parchment. A rush of relief swept through her at Serenity's misery and troubles.

"Are those doodles supposed to illustrate something?" She asked skeptically, peering over Serenity's shoulder.

"You should draw a diagram of the earth. That's what I did. To supplement," Eirene paused dramatically, in hopes that the girl would notice and appreciate the big word. "To supplement the two-foot essay I wrote," she proclaimed proudly.

Though Eirene looked mighty pleased with herself, she wrung her hands, concerned that the essay she'd written was not correct at all, and that Professor Trishna would give her a big fat 'T' on the assignment!

Entering the almost empty common room, Cy spotted two of her roommates buried in books and talking about their recent Astronomy homework near the fireplace. Normally she would ignore them, as disturbing others who were studying when all you wanted to do was chat was bad form, but she couldn't help but wander over when she caught  a few snippets of their conversation.  Having trouble with Astronomy was something completely foreign to her, but then again having listened to lectures about the subject since before she could understand it gave her an unfair natural advantage.

"To supplement the two-foot essay I wrote."

Cyhirae raised an eyebrow at Eirene, "Is the two feet with or without the illustration?" While being snippy at Eirene could be fun, Cyhirae had no such quarrel with Serenity and had no desire to drag her in the middle of Cy and Eirene's spat. Smiling at Serenity (and pointedly ignoring any response about her comment from Eirene), Cy quickly glanced at her essay. "Maybe I could help you out? I've already finished mine."

There wasn't a doubt in Serenity's mind that Eirene could be the most obnoxious person in the world when they were around others in their year. That is to say, when first years from other houses were present. Of course, there couldn't be a more annoying study partner than Eirene, either, but on occasion, she could be quite enjoyable. All she had to do was tone down her know-it-all, look-at-me, I-know-everything attitude. When that happened, like tonight, Serenity actually welcomed the company to have someone to complain to or ask for help.

"Are those doodles supposed to illustrate something?"

Serenity looked up at Eirene from her doodle of a Puffskein with her eyebrows raised. She shook her head.

"No, it's a Puffskein. I've been thinking about getting one for a pet. I saw them in a store window at Diagon Alley, but mum said we couldn't afford one."

She copied Eirene by also leaning over to get a look at the perfectionist Ravenclaw's essay. If anyone was skilled at making a classmate feel terrible about not putting in enough effort or as if no matter how hard they tried the work would never be good enough, it was Eirene. Unintentionally, sometimes, but all the same, Serenity Lee suddenly felt awful that she wasn't pouring over her work the way Eirene was. It was so neat and long!

"You should draw a diagram of the earth. That's what I did. To supplement--To supplement the two-foot essay I wrote."

The smaller Ravenclaw cracked a grin and burst into a fit of giggles. It was so funny when Eirene used long words to impress people. The things she put herself through just to make herself look good was something worth laughing about, but Serenity didn't mean it in a mean way. Cyhirae came up to the pair of them yet Serenity couldn't stop giggling.

"Is the two feet with or without the illustration?"

The giggles erupted into laughter as the Ravenclaw started rocking back and forth in her seat holding her sides. She had no idea why it was so funny, it just was! When she couldn't breathe anymore, she managed to calm herself down, though she was still giggling a little bit.

"Maybe I could help you out? I've already finished mine."

"That would be great, Cy, thanks," she grinned. "I have no idea how to answer 'how do we know these animals existed?' seriously. My grandfather's an Archaeologist Professor, but he only digs up artifacts. I don't think he's ever come across something like what your dad showed us. I could send him a letter and ask him, but I don't think it's worth it. It's just an essay."

She stood up and dug around through the stack of books she had on the table, looking briefly through each one before tossing them aside in a pile on another area of the table. Finally, she grabbed a book on magical creatures and showed it to Cyhirae.

"This is all I was able to find on stuff like that and they don't tell me much about Precambridge lifeforms." She rolled her eyes. "Do you have any of those books your dad said he had?"

"That would be great, Cy, thanks," Serenity grinned. "I have no idea how to answer 'how do we know these animals existed?' seriously. My grandfather's an Archaeologist Professor, but he only digs up artifacts. I don't think he's ever come across something like what your dad showed us. I could send him a letter and ask him, but I don't think it's worth it. It's just an essay."

Cyhirae smiled, "Actually your grandfather would know. Archaeology and this stuff go hand in hand though the things your grandfather deals with is obviously much more modern. The reason we know they exist is actually quite simple, and its a similar reason that your grandfather knows the civilizations he deals with exist, its what they left behind. There are thousands of fossils of these creatures that make up the fossil record and also let us know when they existed as well as that they did."

"This is all I was able to find on stuff like that and they don't tell me much about Precambridge lifeforms. Do you have any of those books your dad said he had?"

Cyhirae tapped her chin, "Not on me, but we can go to his office and borrow them, Dad won't mind. He has quite a few good ones that we can use though unfortunately the best ones are from his DVD collection." She pouted, "And we can't watch those here."

Eirene had no idea why Serenity was laughing so hard, but she ignored that and Cyhirae's question about her essay, listening with an annoyed air as they discussed the assignment.

"Precambrian," Eirene interrupted, correcting Serenity's pronunciation. She was starting to feel left out, and she didn't know how else to make her presence known. Someone like Serenity would appreciate the correction, she assumed.

"I want to help too," she huffed at Cyhirae. "The professor might give us extra points if we ask him for help. Maybe he'll look over my essay in advance," Eirene thought out loud, already gathering her things so they could go to Professor Trishna's office and ask to see his books.

Something was nagging at her, and she hovered by Serenity. "What's a Dee-vee-dee?" She asked her in a whisper, hoping Cyhirae wouldn't overhear.

"Precambrian," Eirene had corrected her.

She ducked her head a little in apology, but smiled at Eirene. Certainly she welcomed the correction. Others might have seen it as an annoyance, but deep down, Serenity hadn't been entirely sure that she'd said it right. Modest as she was, she was always prepared to admit that she was wrong..if she was. It was quite frequent, actually, and she'd be the first to say it out loud.

"Thanks," was really all she said, however.

"Actually your grandfather would know. Archaeology and this stuff go hand in hand though the things your grandfather deals with is obviously much more modern. The reason we know they exist is actually quite simple, and its a similar reason that your grandfather knows the civilizations he deals with exist, its what they left behind. There are thousands of fossils of these creatures that make up the fossil record and also let us know when they existed as well as that they did."

Serenity perked up and smiled at Cyhirae. She was really smart, like Dahlia, and wondered if Dahla would be upset with her for seeking Cy's help rather than hers. Although, Serenity had been feeling left out between Dahlia and Venora. Things happened between them and other Hufflepuff first years in the common room that she simply couldn't fit into; it was like a whole group of people sharing an inside joke. It wasn't that she was jealous, just left out. With Cyhirae, Xander, Pippa, and sometimes even Eirene, the little Thornton girl wondered if maybe she really did belong in Ravenclaw rather than Hufflepuff.. That was a disturbing thought that Venora would certainly not welcome.

"I'll write him a letter, then."

"Not on me, but we can go to his office and borrow them, Dad won't mind. He has quite a few good ones that we can use though unfortunately the best ones are from his DVD collection. And we can't watch those here."

"I want to help too. The professor might give us extra points if we ask him for help. Maybe he'll look over my essay in advance."

With a shrug indicated towards Cy on Eirene's wanting to help, she smiled and stood up to also gather her things. The note would be prepared tonight and she'd be able to send it off tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully, he'd get back to her quickly on the matter. Serenity really needed help in understanding all of this ancient earth stuff. Mythology was so much more interesting; she'd enjoyed Professor Woolfolk's lessons, but she wasn't about to admit that to Cyhirae.

"What's a Dee-vee-dee?"

Her eyebrows raised in surprise when she looked at Eirene. The girl's voice was so quiet that she almost hadn't caught it. She imagined the girl was a bit embarrassed by not knowing what that was. Serenity glanced at Cyhirae, then back to Eirene.

"You were raised in an all-magical family? I didn't know that, Eirene." She gave the girl a friendly smile, not at all fazed by the girl's bringing up, and kept her voice to a whisper. "A DVD is a disc that you watch movies on. Movies are like...like the pictures in the Daily Prophet. They're moving pictures, but they do a lot more than wave. They tell stories through moving pictures. It's really exciting, though that depends on the movie."

The girl pulled her bag over her shoulder and looked around the common room curiously. There were a lot of students, but she couldn't find Xander or Pippa among them. Maybe Xander would like to come for an adventure? It seemed like it would be an adventure: three Ravenclaws running around Hogwarts at night to a Professor's office to ask about dinosaurs. That sounded lovely, though not as thrilling as the original plan to steal the Sorting Hat and ask whether or not he could put Serenity in Hufflepuff. Her smile faded to a frown. Suddenly, she realized that she might not want to ask the hat at all...