Year/Job
Professor of Care of Magical Creatures
when I think too much about it, I can't breathe. |
Sol
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Post by Elsie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 15:49:02 GMT -8
Despite having lived almost four decades, Elsie felt completely out of her depth when it came to reconnecting with her siblings. Ella and Sophia had been kinder to her, more understanding. They were almost finished with Hogwarts and had lives to live, goals to achieve, and thought bygones should be bygones. The turbulent relationship she expected with the twins was practically nonexistent and Merlin was she grateful for that. Lachlan had refused all forms of contact from her... It was a dead end with him. If Elsie was stubborn, then Lachlan was an immovable force. Once he had his mind set or his feelings hurt, it was virtually impossible to sway him. She hoped time would dismantle his anger towards her. Elsie dearly missed her little brother.
Laurie was the one who puzzled her. The Ravenclaw was unlike any of her siblings-- she was the odd one out. Elsie knew how that felt, but even still, their mom and dad had been far more present in her life than Laurie's. All Laurie knew was that the important people in her life left when things mattered most. Elsie hated herself for abandoning Laurie, but even so late in life, she knew there was a chance to repair her relationship with Laurie, piece by piece.
It was a cold day, but not unforgiving. The snowing had stopped days ago, but Hogwarts was painted with sheets of white, footsteps and snowmen littering the campus as evidence the students hadn't been completely snowed in. She bundled up, scarf covering half her face and hands tucked before her knees. She felt like a kid that didn't know the answer to a tough question-- Giving Laurie her space felt like the correct thing to but then again... was that pushing her further away? She sighed to herself, squeezing her eyes shut when a familiar voice called out to her.
Laurie Greer
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Year/Job
6th Year
Tried to drift dear but don't know how... |
Sol
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Post by Laurie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 15:53:45 GMT -8
Laurie had been feeling weird ever since she got the shit beat out of her by that stupid Poppy Carmichael. And she was left by herself, with her best friend taking her to the infirmary instead of her sister. There were certain duties Elsie had, like taking care of disruptive students, but she was also her big sisters! Weren't big sisters supposed to protect their siblings? She guessed, in a way, Elsie was protecting Laurie. But it still hurt her a bit. Things had been so weird the past week that Elsie hardly knew what to do with herself. Not weird bad. But not weird good. It had been a perfect balance of weird. Still, though, Laurie didn't like this whole in between with everyone. She had a million and one things on her plate and hardly enough time to do them all. Could the days get like four extra hours so she could fit everything in?
Quidditch practice had been cancelled for the day and Laurie was grateful. The girl wandered the grounds, pondering to herself as she did so. A soft hum left her throat, a familiar song her mom used to sing her and her siblings when they were babies. In the distance, she noticed a familiar redhead. Elsie! She lifted her hand, going to greet her sister with a smile but hesitated. Did Elsie have weekend duty? Was she being a professional fancy professor? Taking a few seconds to approach, she finally called out. "Elsie!" She greeted with a small smile, finally upon her sister. "What are you doing here? Surely you don't have to stay weekends too.."
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Year/Job
Professor of Care of Magical Creatures
when I think too much about it, I can't breathe. |
Sol
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Post by Elsie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 15:57:42 GMT -8
Elsie's eyes lifted to Laurie, a pleasant smile spreading on her face. "Laurie. What a treat seeing you here. I hope you're keeping warm." She said, patting the clean, snow-free spot beside her. "Come. Make yourself comfortable." She noticed that her younger sister had forgotten her scarf-- Elsie wasn't surprised. She'd watched Laurie forget quills and papers and books. It was as though she had a storm of thoughts happening all at once and the girl had trouble keeping up with each one. "Take this..." Elsie wrapped the scarf around the younger Greer, making sure she was nice and warm. "Someone has to take care of the creatures on the weekend. Juniper helps a lot with the creatures-- but I just worry in the winter. Some of them hate the snow..." And what else was Elsie going to be doing? After hearing what Poppy Carmichael had said about her, she wanted to stay far away from the Leaky Cauldron for a few weeks... "Now what are you doing wandering the grounds? I would think that the castle was far warmer than out here."
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Year/Job
6th Year
Tried to drift dear but don't know how... |
Sol
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Post by Laurie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 16:01:32 GMT -8
Elsie was quick to greet her which melted some of the ice that had formed over her heart since they'd last seen each other. And she even took the time to wrap her scarf around her. Laurie had been a bit chilly... And Elsie noticed. Maybe she wasn't so terrible after all. "It sucks that you don't get a day off. Like it's kind of weird that this is your job. Don't you think? I mean I don't think it's weird, of course! But if I had to teach here... I just think it would be kinda strange going from student to professor..." Elsie probably put enough distance between herself and Hogwarts that it was normal, but still. Hogwarts was her second home, and she was sure it was similar for Elsie. Dwindling it down to just a job seemed almost wrong. "I just wanted to get some fresh air. My roommates busy and I got a little bored by myself. I wanted to see the snow." She explained, getting comfortable on the bench which was cool to the touch. "I always hated snow in London. It was so... icky. But at Hogwarts it's--"
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Year/Job
Professor of Care of Magical Creatures
when I think too much about it, I can't breathe. |
Sol
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Post by Elsie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 16:05:30 GMT -8
"Magical?" Elsie cut her sister off, anticipating her neck words. "Hogwarts has that kind of affect on certain things." She sighed wistfully, looking out at the snow covered grounds. It was serene, and silent, as if there was no sound at all. The cold breathing of her sister was the only thing to indicate Elsie hadn't lost her hearing completely. "You're not wrong though, Laurie. It's really weird being a professor here. It's like... I feel my age, of course, but there's so many memories in these halls. So many things that happened to change who I am as a person... Part of it is weird, yes, but the other part is thrilling. I get to experience Hogwarts as a Professor, and isn't that wonderful? I get to teach the next generation of witches and wizards that magical creatures are friend, not foe..." Nudging Laurie slightly, she froze and stopped the action. "Are you okay? Did Madam Lenora patch you up?"
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Year/Job
6th Year
Tried to drift dear but don't know how... |
Sol
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Post by Laurie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 16:09:09 GMT -8
Magical was definitely the word to describe it. She remember the slushy snow turning icy, causing her to slip and fall on too many occasions. The snow never lasted too long in London before cars turned it brown and horrible. But at Hogwarts, the only people to have disturbed the beautiful blanket of white were students that decorated the lawn with snow angels and snowmen, battling with snow balls and ice forts. They were kids, of course, but it felt like they were little kids playing make pretend with their siblings and friends on a snow day. Her sister's concern made her flinch and look away, staring at the grey mittens which rested on her knees. Took you long enough, Laurie thought to herself with a sigh. It wasn't in her nature to be resentful, but how could Elsie not send her an owl, or maybe a passing word of concern? Elsie probably didn't even realize how much it affected Laurie to be ignored by her. "I'm okay. She gave me a potion-- Poppy didn't break anything, you know. But, Merlin, can she pack a punch..." Laurie said softly, not sounding as chipper as earlier. She was allowing her emotion to show, a flaw she'd yet to correct around her sister.
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Year/Job
Professor of Care of Magical Creatures
when I think too much about it, I can't breathe. |
Sol
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Post by Elsie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 16:14:25 GMT -8
"That's good. She's a great healer..." Elsie could hardly take the awkwardness. They were flesh and blood for Merlin sakes! But it wasn't Laurie to fault over the tension, it was her. She'd done very little to reach out to Laurie since returning... How could she complain over the awkwardness when she'd done nothing to fix it. "Look Laurie," Elsie began, knitting her hands together, foot tapping feverishly against the snowy cobblestone, feeling her breath get stuck in her chest. Anxiety. That feeling was long forgotten in the mind of daredevil Elsie Greer but a 16 year old could induce it only after a few minutes of talking. "Laurie, I'm really sorry. I don't know... I don't know where to start. I have no idea what I'm doing and I'm new to this whole--" She gestured between them. "I'm really sorry for disappearing. I can't expect you to forgive me, I know but... I just.. I want to let you know that I'm here. For you. In whatever capacity you'll let me."
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Year/Job
6th Year
Tried to drift dear but don't know how... |
Sol
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Post by Laurie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 16:18:32 GMT -8
The tension between estranged siblings was palpable and uncomfortable. Laurie had half a mind to leave before they just sat in pregnant silence waiting for the other to make small talk-- but Elsie shocked her, yet again with her apology. She went quiet, still staring at her mittens as emotion swelled in her throat. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel like crying? It wasn't as though Laurie had just rebuked her existence and told her to go die in a ditch. In fact, it was quite the opposite. She felt a lump forming in her throat and tears fill her eyes which she quickly swiped away. No words could adequately convey the relief that washed through her body, so instead of trying to muster some sort of horrible sentence, she turned to Elsie and threw her arms around her sister, wrapping her in a tight hug that she didn't plan on letting go anytime soon. "Elsie..." She choked out softly. "I missed you so much."
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Year/Job
Professor of Care of Magical Creatures
when I think too much about it, I can't breathe. |
Sol
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Post by Elsie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 16:22:30 GMT -8
Laurie's silence pained her, and Elsie almost had half a mind to tell her that she could hate her all she wanted like Lachlan but the huge made all those thoughts disappeared. It took Elsie a few seconds to react to the girl but slowly, she wrapped her arms around the youngest Greer and hugged her tight, eyebrows furrowing as she swallowed thickly. "I missed you too Laurie, you have no idea." She murmured to her sister, just holding her for a moment. It was only a start, but what a start it was...
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Year/Job
6th Year
Tried to drift dear but don't know how... |
Sol
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Post by Laurie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 16:24:58 GMT -8
"I don't know why you left..." Laurie began, still clinging to her sister as if she were a child scared of the dark seeking her oldest sister for consolation. "But I'm so glad you're back..." She wept out, clinging to her jacket like if she didn't Elsie would disappear again. Laurie remembered feeling so angry, but in that moment she'd never felt mad at Elsie. Only heartbroken that she didn't get to know her sister until now. "I'm not mad. I could never be mad... I just... I just missed you and wished you were hear all those years ago and, Merlin, I'm so glad you're here Elsie.. I'm so so glad... I'm glad you're safe and okay and I-- Please don't leave again..."
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Year/Job
Professor of Care of Magical Creatures
when I think too much about it, I can't breathe. |
Sol
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Post by Elsie Greer on Jan 27, 2024 16:30:27 GMT -8
It was a relief to hear those words from Laurie's mouth. She was taken back to her last argument with her parents-- she'd been young when she left, but Laurie was even younger. There was screaming and yelling and throwing. It was spite filled, slinging venom back and forth. 'You're not the daughter we raised!' Isla had sent her way. 'You didn't raise me! You raised Lachlan! I raised myself while you pressured me my entire life to fit whatever image you wanted for yourself. I'm not you mom. I'll never be good enough for either of you!' Tears had stained her face that day, and she left without another word. Not a goodbye. No letter. Nothing to indicate. She just... vanished. At the time, it was the best thing for her. She had to escape her family and her situation. She'd only been a kid back them... But still. Laurie was only a kid now. Pulling back, Elsie shook her head, swiping the tears away from her eyes. Sometimes looking at Laurie was like looking at a mirror-- they were too similar. "Laurie, I promise you. I am not leaving again... Back then-- I was a different person. There were so many things happening... I'm not going to leave you again, I swear."
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