𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 || 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲

↠𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈↞

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𝐒𝐍𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐆
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    "𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐃𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 expect us to keep track of all these names? Half of these goblins are called Ragnuk or Ranrok or something," whined Alex.

    "You have no choice but to memorise them," said Luxanna curtly, her own head buried in a Transfiguration textbook, "so stop whining and let me concentrate on my own struggles."

    Luxanna and Alex were sitting on a familiar dock which overlooked the castle and the lake, their school bags open wide and their books and parchments inked with notes scattered all around. The snow had melted, making for a suitable day for an outside study session, prompted by Luxanna who desperately needed to get her studies back on track. The books were of no help however, it was the practical part she was having trouble with.

    "You're doing it all wrong!" exclaimed Alex with a cheery laugh. He had been standing some feet away, but at the sight of her miserable wandwork he approached and sat down next to her. Lightly cupping her armed hand, he began to trace the motion, showing her how to perform the Switching Spell on the apple that was sitting in her lap. "Just... keep it slow and gentle. Be patient."

    Luxanna's stomach bubbled with irritation. Her fingers clenched more tightly around the handle, causing her focus to waver and ultimately snuffing out the spell. "I don't have the patience anymore," she mumbled, chucking her wand away to the side.

    "Where'd you find that snake?" asked Alex, pointing at Frost whose face was peeking out from behind Luxanna's bag.

    Luxanna's eyes widened and her breath quickened as she searched for a convincing excuse. "Oh, uh, I saw it roaming around the grounds on our way here," she said. "I thought it'd make a good guinea pig for my spell practice— Ow!" In response, Frost bit the finger that was caressing her head, then slid off into the grass and disappeared behind the bushes.

    "Guess the little snake didn't appreciate you calling it a guinea pig," said Alex in what he did not realise was a very accurate assessment. After a moment of silence, he asked, "What did you do with Selwyn, by the way? Did you find out what she was up to?"

    Right, Triss Selwyn. Of course, Luxanna had spent the better part of February trying to find out about what that mouse-faced girl was up to, but even with all the spying and prying, she hadn't come up with anything concrete, despite how overwhelming Selwyn's insinuations about having witnessed her scene with Weasley that night had been. "No," said Luxanna, still irritated by Alex's courtesies, in an abrupt, almost hostile manner. She sighed in an effort to ease the tension. "What about you? Did she say anything?"

    "No, nothing." Alex sighed in his turn. "But I believe Maisie isn't in on whatever Selwyn is planning. She's not like that."

    "How adorable... you've found yourself a new friend, have you?"

    "What are you on about? I've always been friends with Maisie."

    Luxanna clicked her tongue in irritation. Perhaps she ought to tell him to spend his afternoons with 'Maisie' instead, since he so obviously trusted her more. She needed peace and quiet to study, after all, and he'd been nothing but a distraction.

    "Alex," she began, fixing him with her gaze, "I have told you the sort of character Triss Selwyn is, haven't I? By extension, anybody who associates with her is not an ally of mine. Why do you intentionally refuse to believe me?"