Before you met me, I was alright but things were kind of heavy, you brought me to life -- Fall 1991

I nodded and smiled slightly when she succeeded.  "That was excellent," I assured her.  "Like I said, you just need practice."  I was going to just walk away after that, but I felt somewhat comfortable with her -- which hardly happened for me at Hogwarts.  I was better off alone.  "Do you need help on any other spells or classwork?  I'm in my second year, I may have some pointers for you if I can remember the helpful tips I received about different things."

He said it was excellent, no one had ever said anything like that of things I had done except Draco. It looked like he was going to leave, which I was expecting, when he asked if I needed anymore help. I looked up at him curiously. He still wanted to help me though if he was just being polite I wasn't sure. I smiled shyly up at him, and actually answered his question. I was feeling more comfortable with him them I did with most everyone else. "I could use lots of help." I knew Draco wouldn't be happy about me asking him for help but if he could help me then I wouldn't have to worry about bothering Draco anyway. I felt like I was bothering Lincolin though. "I'm sure you have better things to do then help a first year though."

I shook my head.  "I really don't, I assure you," I replied honestly.  I would have ended up being off on my own with a book or something.  Books were the only way I could escape my reality most of the time.  "What would you like to start off with?  I will forewarn you, though, I'm good at a lot of things, but not people skills.  so if I come off as mean, I don't mean to.  I'm just trying to help."  I did not want to hurt her feelings if I got frustrated with her or anything.  I just was not used to speaking with someone for a long term conversation really.

"If you're sure." I replied hesitantly, starting to bit my nails slightly. I smiled up at him, "I'm not much of a people person either." When it came to anyone besides Draco, I didn't know how to act so I was usually either by myself or with Draco. "What do you know about Devils Snare? " I asked, using my free hand to get out my copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. I forced myself to stop bitting my nails as I though of what Father would say and do if he saw me. "I mean I know what it does but how do you remember what stops it?"

At least we both had an understanding then with not being a people person.  I flipped open to the page all about Devil's Snare.  "You see there where it says that it prefers the dark and damp?  Well, there's this little saying that the book doesn't have in it," I explained.  "It goes like this:  Devil's Snare, it's deadly fun but will sulk in the sun.  I always found the saying, since it rhymed, a little more helpful than just trying to memorize everything from the book."  I was not sure who told me that little trick; I did not believe it was Professor Sprout.

I looked at the page he indicated and nodded, "Deadly fun but will sulk in the sun." I smiled, "I think I could remember that. The rhyming does help a lot." I thought through the spells Father had tried to teach me and I had failed to learn. "Would something like Lumos Solem work against it then?"

I nodded.  "Yeah, it would.  I believe that on one of the exams Sprout gave, she had asked for a couple of different examples of what to use against it.  Lumos Solem works and so does the bluebell flames," I said.  I was not sure if Sprout would have a similar question or not on the exams for them, but I figured I could try to give her pointers on questions I could remember.

My eyes widened, "That was an exam question? Oh, I'm going to fail." I shook my head and looked at him with fear in my eyes, "I wonder what second years like....Is it any easier?" I pleaded with him to say it was, but knew he wouldn't.

"It's easier in the manner of speaking when it comes to organization.  But much more hectic in the material," I told her honestly.  "But at least you know the castle and sort of what the teachers expect and what to expect from the classes yourself."

I nodded, "I guess so." I said hesitantly. "What sort of things are you learning about though, now that you have the basics down?" I was interested to hear about second year. Maybe I could ask if I could borrow his books over summer break and start working on the spells and charms then. I knew we just met but he seemed different and it's not like I really wanted to spend time with Mother and Father while I was home.

"In DADA, it's basic dark creatures... which is interesting.  Herbology we get to go into greenhouse three, so that's a bit more risky but fun.  In Transfiguration we're doing beetles into buttons," I started to list off.  "We're goign to be doing the swelling potion with Snape soon.  Not sure how that'll go with certain students.  Charms we're doing slightly more complicated charms, but nothing too bad.  He has a whole list on the syllabus that I have yet to really start reviewing."  This year was going to be a mess, I could see it now.

"That seems like a lot of work. I think I know what my summer's going to consist of." I said, only being slightly sarcastic. If I could get my hands on second year books, I would spend my days avoiding my parents and my nights reading the textbooks with the Lumos charm. If not, I would use the Lumos charm to read more details of what I had learned this year so I wouldn't forget it. "Dark creatures does sound interesting though, any standout so far?"

I shook my head.  "Not until next year -- I can't wait to get my hands on a boggart," I said, thinking how nice it would be to put my family in place... I was certain that it would turn into one of my parents.  I just was not sure which one... but it would be wonderful if I could stand up to the boggart version of one of them... then maybe I could stand up to them in reality.

"Boggart?" I asked, "They play off fear right?" I wondered what my fear was, the obvious choice was Father. I hoped one day I could stand up to him. "What's the spell that gets ride of them? Riddiku....something?" I hoped I wasn't sounding stupid. This was apparently something else I would have to read up on during my summer.

I nodded.  "Yeah, it's riddikulus, I believe.  I have read ahead a lot in the Defense Against the Dark Arts book because it's just fascinating information," I told her.  It really was, too.  And I was grateful that older students let me look through their things along with Madam Pince having copies of old textbooks in the library to view.