Peace and...Almost Quiet

Aliena wandered around the library, searching the many shelves for a book she could read. She found that she spent a lot of her time here, despite her usual lack of interest in reading. Today, however, had been busy, and she just wanted some peace and quiet.

The shelves were filled with old books, just waiting to be read, but not one caught the Hufflepuff's eye. So, she closed her eyes and chose at random. The book she pulled off of the rickety old shelf, was leather bound, and quite dusty.

Aliena wandered over to one of the empty chairs, surrounding a small table and sat down to read. However, she didn't get very far into the book when she heard people's voices coming closer and closer, disturbing her quiet.

She stood up and walked around the table and peered around the bookshelf. "You ruined this book, you fix it!" the librarian yelled at a student. She couldn't really see who it was, but she was sure she wouldn't know who it was either way, seeing as it was only her second year, and even so, she barely knew ten people at this school.

The two argued on and on for minutes, so Aliena stepped in.

"Could you please be quiet, some of us are actually trying to read." she said feeling rather annoyed at being interrupted during her reading.

Savannah pulled book after book off the shelves, giving them each a cursory glance and a flip through before discarding it for another, dropping it into the growing pile at her feet.

What was with this library and not having what she wanted? Maybe staying at Hogwarts for break hadn't been the best idea ever. But going home...she didn't want to face that empty house without Rosie there.

This was better.

At least, it would be. If it wasn't for the people in this blasted school who wouldn't stop talking. Her eyes narrowing, her fingers stopped halfway for another book, tempted to dive into her pocket and pull out her wand and hex the bloody losers to death.

That didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Moving around the bookshelves nearer towards them, she found herself almost disppointed to find a younger student already there. Oh well, why not help her out?

She wasn't the one who people thought was crazy.

"And if you don't," she added, sliding out from around the last corner, her blue eyes flashing. "Then we'll show you just how much we value our silence."

Aliena glanced at the girl, who looked at least one year her senior, and smiled. She was thankful that the girl had stepped in and helped her. Once the other students had finally stopped arguing, Aliena cautiously eyed the brunette, before deciding that it would be safe to talk to her.

She slid out from behind the shelf that hid most of her from view, and slowly walked over to the third year. Clearing her throat, and getting some courage, she said, "Hey, um, thanks...for helping me out. I thought they'd NEVER shut up. So, thanks a ton."

She tilted her head slightly towards the other girl, at least giving her the acknowledgement she deserved. A year ago and in her place, Savannah wasn't so sure that she'd make that same decision. That didn't mean that she was in any way respecting the girl, but she had admit that what she'd done made sense.

So you'll stop hurting people now, Vanna? And helping them instead?

"Not a chance," she murmured, her lips hardly moving as she spoke, though they did lift into a smirk.

Humming softly, she gave the older students glares, shooing them with her hands. They were gone in moments. Blinking after them for a second, she shrugged it off, turning back to the younger girl. "It's fine, really. I don't like the arguing much either."

Ali smiled at the girls words, then extended her hand. "I'm Aliena Collier, by the way. Most people call me Ali, but by most people I mean like one person..umm..yeah...nevermind, I'm sorry." she said lowering her head and hand in embarassment.

She wasn't exactly ashamed of the fact that she had next to no friends, but she didn't think that it was right to pour all of her silly second year problems onto someone she just met.

Besides, this girl didn't really seem like the type who would be interested in listening to her woes.

Looking up again, she found that she didn't really know what to say to the brunette, after her embarassing introduction. "Erm...What's your name?" she asked politely.

Savannah blinked down at the hand. What was with people and acting like they were so posh and important? Even when her mother had been Deputy Minister, had she felt the need to shove both her hand and last name at people?

She thought not.

But either way, she reached out a hand, gripping hers firmly. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Are you always this shy?"

Letting go of her hand, Savannah watched the girl for a moment, her blue eyes more curious than anything. "Savannah. Third year Gryffindor."

Aliena stared up at the girl and nodded when she asked her this. "Nice to meet you. And yes...I am. I'm not the best at making friends." she replied to the girl, she now knew as Savannah.

'Savannah'. she thought to herself. It was a very cool name in Ali's mind, not something she'd think up easily on her own.

Deciding not to linger and bother this girl much longer, Aliena sighed and said, "Well thanks again...I'll just go." Smiling briefly up at Savannah, she turned around and walked back to her reading spot.

She sat down onto the old wooden chair and flipped her book open again. Now that it was quiet, she was actually able to figure out what the old book was about.

It turned out to be a volume about vampires, which greatly interested the young Hufflepuff. She knew this school had vampire students, but not once had she ever met one. However, she secretly wished that she would one day.

She shrugged a shoulder. "We were all like that once, weren't we? We weren't born surrounded by people who love us, after all." No, you had to work at that, and sometimes that didn't happen. Did her mother love her? She wasn't even sure anymore.

Savannah tilted her head, her eyes not straying from the girl as she moved away. But she stayed where she was, only jolted into movement at Ava's voice.

Well? Follow her!


And obediantly, she did, watching the girl read as she neared her. The Gryffindor looked curiously at the book, and as soon as she read its title, figuring out its contents, she was by her in a flash, tugging the book away.

"Why are you reading a book on vampires?" she snarled, the memories of that older Ravenclaw besmirching vampires still fresh in her mind.

When the girl Aliena now knew as Savannah, snatched her book out of her hands, Ali stood up faster than a bludger. "Hey! Give that back!" she said, almost yelled. When Savannah asked why she was reading the book, Aliena instantly shyed away.

"Well, I-I," she began to stutter, unsure of what to say. Savannah looked like she was about to kill her right here on this nice floor.

"I, was just curious, is all. Is there any harm in wanting to read more about a creature as-as...wonderfully...marvelous as the vampire?" she asked getting some of her confidence back.

She wasn't sure why Savannah had taken her book and yelled at her. Aliena was merely curious to know more about the creature she so desperatly loved.

She grew up with stories about vampires and despite her parents disapproval, Aliena couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to meet a vampire in person.

She could only dream...

"Why should I?" Savannah scoffed, tossing the book from hand to hand effortlessly, her gaze never leaving the younger girl's face. It wasn't as if the girl wasn't being suspicious, shying away like she had something to hide. This girl wasn't innocent, she decided, her gaze narrowing. And for that, she needed to be punished.

"Yes," she said bluntly, crossing her arms, the book held close to her chest. "Because you're lying." Leaning down towards the younger girl, her blue eyes flashed, danger shining in them. "And do you know what we do to liars around here?"

Why were there so many vampire haters around here? Merlin, it was a good thing she was getting to them. With her, they'd only get a good beating. Karma would have killed them.

Aliena didn't know what to do at this point. The girl was treating her as if she was lying, and had even called her a liar. But she wasn't, she wasn't lying, she was telling the truth.

She looked up at Savannah, who stared down at her with the same look that gave Aliena chills. What was she supposed to say?

Shaking her head, she wondered if maybe crying would make her stop picking on her, but then she realized that it might make her seem weak. So Ali did something she never would normally do.

She decided to stand up for herself, well...it seemed like that in her eyes when she said, standing up to her full height:

"Look, I'm not lying. Give me veritaserum, and you'll see that I am NOT a liar! I was merely reading about something that I have been interested in, since I was little girl." she said raising her voice slightly, knowing she'd get in trouble for it later.

"I have nothing against vampires, if that's what you're implying, in fact, I think that, besides dragons, they are the coolest creatures ever! Just because you're older than me, doesn't mean you have the right to tell me what I can or cannot read!"

By saying all of that out loud, Aliena felt better. She felt stronger, proud of herself for standing up to this girl that she had just met.

Normally she would have just shyed away, mumbling an apology and walked out of the room. But today, today, she felt like a whole new person.

Savannah raised an eyebrow at the girl as she stood up a little taller. She did realize that she was still shorter than her, right? Shaking her head, she let out a little snort. Children.

They were all so weak, so childish. Had she been like that last year? No. She'd spent practically the entire year worried that she was causing the misfortune around her.

And the year before that, she'd been kidnapped.

And though that had seemed to fade away with time, the memories still haunted her. She'd been through more in three years than this girl could possibly even dream of.

"So? You could be descended from a whole family of vampire hunters, raised to know everything there is about them since you were a child so you can behead them." Her eyes narrowing, she stepped closer to Aliena, wondering how long someone would be knocked out if they were smacked upside the head with this book.

An expression of uncertainty flickered across her face for a moment, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared. Dia. Her Dia. Her little dragon, currently up in the her dorm. That seemed highly suspicious that the girl would choose that to say. "Vampires aren't creatures," she said softly, her voice full of venom. "They're people. The fact you'd call them creatures...Well obviously you have something against them."

Pulling out her wand, she twirled it around her fingers, her gaze never leaving the younger girl. "Of course I can. Because I'm older, you thick prat. And also, because I'm older, think of all the spells I know that you don't. Just imagine."

Aliena was getting tired of this girls attitude, and this whole argument. She had done nothing wrong, and she didn't even know this girl who was judging her over a BOOK.

"Look, I don't know what else I can do except apologize, even though I technically haven't done anything wrong. If you want to keep thinking that I have something against vampires, then fine, think that. I really don't care." she said shrugging her shoulders and glaring at her.

"And you should know, that just because you're older doesn't make you any smarter." she said finally.

She didn't want to stay here much longer, especially if she was being judged and yelled at. So, without looking at the brunette, she turned and left, making her way to the exit.

When she was out of ear shot, she let the few tears she had been holding back, fall down her pale, and slightly rosie cheeks. She suddenly felt so stupid at that moment, for thinking for one second that she could make a friend out of this girl who had helped her, but clearly that wasn't going to happen.

Maybe she was better off on her own, with no one to judge her for what she did and how she acted. Quite frankly, being alone sounded pretty good to her at the time.