Listen to the Whispers of Your Heart

[Bernice Nottingham]

Life was rather boring during the summer. She didn't get to be around her male friends as often as she was at school, and she surely didn't get to enjoy all of her classes and teachers. Bernice had been given the option to drop out of Hogwarts by her mother and get married right away, but she'd rather have her mother choose her husband for her so she could finish her education. Unlike some of the rebellious girls her age who wanted to choose who they married and believed that they should have rights as a human being, Bernice was perfectly fine being the property of her husband one day.

Dressed in a pale blue gown, the petite redhead made her way through the door of the book store, the tiny bell ringing as she entered. Her gaze moved over each shelf, looking for the section of textbooks and such. She'd been needing a certain number of them for her sixth year at Hogwarts, so she thought she might start reading them a little early.

Not too long after she entered the shop, a middle-aged woman followed Bernice into the store, looking straight at her. It was Betty Nottingham, the unmarried sister of her father who often chaperoned her. Bernice turned back to make sure it was in fact her aunt that followed her into the store—she wouldn't be caught dead without her chaperon in public. When she turned back towards the shelf, she ran straight into another person, knocking their books out of their hand. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, a worried expression on her face. Oh she hoped this wasn't someone important!

  

[Ellory Pendergast]

The talk with her mother had even creeped its way to her wardrobe, as instead of adorning one of her bright coloured dresses, Ellory walked in Whizhard’s Books dressed in a rather dull cream coloured dress, followed by the chaperon hired for the two unmarried Pendergast girls.

Normally, Ellory would be accompanied by her favourite Aunt Katherina, but the older woman was unwell, in a similar condition to Ellory’s sister Rosalind. Ellory did not feel quite as comfortable in the chaperon’s presence as she was in her aunt’s, but she was better than to not be allowed to leave home at all. With the weather and her sister ill, it was both terribly warm and terribly dull.

Holding two books on Astronomy, Ellory headed to the section with history books. Usually, she’d pick some light romance novel for the summer, but she didn’t feel like doing anything that involved romance these days. Those silly novels had only planted foolish and idealistic ideas in her head and if she was to read then she’d rather read books that would give her actual knowledge.

She had been rather caught examining a book about wizards in ancient Rome, so she didn’t quite understand when another customer bumped into her. At first she was perplexed, but when she recognized the girl, a tiny smile creeped on the edge of Ellory’s lips.

“Oh, it’s quite alright, Miss Nottingham!” she assured softly as she used her wand to gather the books in a stack and make them float back to her arms. “No harm done, see? Are you looking for something historical as well?”

  

[Bernice Nottingham]

Bernice was more than glade to see it was none other than Miss Ellory Pendergast who she ran into, rather than a married woman who would scold her or a man she'd be embarrassed by. She was also glad that the pureblood didn't seem upset with her for bumping into her, so a grateful grin crept up onto her lips.

"Oh, hello Miss Pendergast," she greeted, her gaze falling to the books in her fellow Gryffindor's hands. She herself was actually to get a book or two on Alchemy since she planned on taking those NEWT classes soon enough—at least she would be if she got an O on her Potions OWL. "I'm actually looking for a book on advanced Potions or Alchemy. Are there any that you know of that might help me prepare for NEWT classes?" she asked the older girl.

  

[Ellory Pendergast]

Having received a D in Potions, Ellory was hardly the most ideal person to ask about books on potions. After she had received her dreadful OWL scores, Ellory had attempted to avoid anything that had to do with the subject. While she was hardly great at potions, she had never expected to do that badly. She had received her mother’s great disappointment, for both her potions and charms scores. At least she hadn’t failed transfiguration or defense against the dark arts.

While she didn’t take the classes herself, though, she did have a sister who took Alchemy, so she remembered the covers of some of her books.

“I think I might know some!” Ellory replied. “My sister, Miss Rosalind Pendergast used to take Alchemy. We can go to the section with those books and see if I can find any of them?”

  

[Bernice Nottingham]

While Ellory might have loved Astronomy enough to be in that club, Bernice truly despised that subject in particular. She didn't doubt that when she received her OWLs near the end of the summer, there would be something less than a passing grade on that subject. Bernice also hated History of Magic, just due to the lack of using any magic in class.

It was basically a period where she sat at a desk, listening to the teacher lecture them on certain time periods and read certain textbooks. "That would be great, Miss Pendergast. I hope I do well enough on my OWLs to take Alchemy this autumn, but I bet I could get our Head of House's permission to take it even if I get anything less than an O," the redhead said, following the girl to one of the shelves.

  

[Ellory Pendergast]

Ellory supposed that Alchemy was an interesting enough class and if she had had the proper OWL score she might have considered taking it. It was the notorious Nicholas Flamel who taught it, which was quite the big deal. Just like being taught transfiguration by Falco Aesalon or potions by Gunhilda of Gorsemoor. That also made the class a lot more difficult, as it’d be twice as hard to live up to Nicholas Flamel’s expectations than any other professors.

“I am sure you got nothing less than an O,” Ellory commented. She didn’t know how good Miss Nottingham was academically, but she assumed that someone who wanted to take Alchemy was good at potions. It was hardly an easy class that everyone could take, so anyone who wanted to do so had to be really serious about it.

The two Gryffindors reached the section that contained the appropriate books and Ellory carefully examined the shelves before she pulled out a particularly fat tome from the shelf. “I believe this one is what my sister studied while at school,” she explained and handed the book to Bernice. “And this-” she took out another book, “is a quite interesting read as well.”

She gave a few moments to the girl so she could check the books out, before asking: “So I take it that you like potions?”

  

[Bernice Nottingham]

Bernice Rufina Nottingham

Nicholas Flamel teaching Alchemy was one of the main reasons Bernice wanted to take it. She knew he was probably the biggest expert on the subject in the world, so she didn't doubt he'd give his students the best education he could. There was just something about her potions class that made her love it above all the others, but she couldn't quite put a finger on what it was. "Thank you, Miss Pendergast," she said politely, glad that at least one of her house-mates believed in her ability to do well.

Bernice watched the older girl take the books off the shelf, her eyes widening at the size. There was no way she was going to read this before she went back to school! She opened her arms to take the book and began examining the covers before opening them to see what was in the Table of Contents. "These seem like interesting books. I might just have to purchase them," she decided, placing them down onto a small table next to the pair. When Miss Pendergast asked her about potions, she smiled.

"Yes, I do love potions. My liking towards the subject actually started from a liking of Herbology, and it slowly got me interested in using certain plants in potions. I've always loved those two classes, along with charms, but I strongly dislike History of Magic and Astronomy," she confessed, the corners of her lips twitching.

Tag: Ellory

Word Count: 239

Outfit: link

  

[Ellory Pendergast]

“I see we are quite different!” Ellory commented light-heartedly. Astronomy and History of Magic were hardly the most popular classes among the students of Hogwarts, but Ellory liked them nonetheless. She loved observing the night sky and learning about different time periods in history. They weren’t considered as important as charms or potions, so Ellory actually got to enjoy them.

“I always enjoyed those two classes,” she said. “I used to like charms in the beginning, but nowadays I prefer transfiguration. Learning how to do conjurations this year was truly spectacular. Are you planning on keeping transfiguration after your OWLs?”

  

[Bernice Nottingham]

Bernice was one girl who had a strong tolerance for differences among her friends. No two people were meant to be exactly alike, and Bernice sure wasn't about to interrogate Miss Pendergast as to why she preferred those classes. Offering another grin of acknowledgement, Bernice nodded her head, looking towards the shelf. "I do not see the logical point of view as to why we need to learn Astronomy, but I do see the importance of History of Magic—that is why I tolerate it," she said playfully, glancing back at the older girl.

"Transfiguration? Oh yes, I do. The subject's quite fascinating, but I doubt I got an O on it. I put in a lot of time and effort perfecting simple transfiguration spells, but I've always had trouble turning animate objects into inanimate objects," she explained with a mock scowl. "I assume you're going to take Transfiguration as well next year?" she asked.

  

[Ellory Pendergast]

Ellory fought the urge to comment that girls like them didn’t really need any of their classes. Spells made life a lot easier, but with servants and a life of leisure, women didn’t really need most of their classes. Ellory had never seen her mother brewing potions and casting anything more than a summoning charm, when she couldn’t bother to walk all the way to another room in order to get something. With that knowledge in mind, Ellory had taken to actually enjoying the classes she liked, rather than trying hard like most boys had, if they wanted a proper job at the Ministry.

“Of course,” Ellory replied. Even Professor Beckett suddenly decided to retire and Black hired someone like Professor Argyle, Ellory would have the needed grade to continue with Transfiguration. She was truly good in that class, even if it was the only “serious” one she was good at.

“Well, unless you need help locating another book. I think I will be on my way!” Ellory said. She didn’t want to be out of the house for too long, lest her mother got the wrong impression and her chaperone did seem to be getting impatient.