[History] Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand (all years)

This class was different. Perpetua sat there, chewing on her lip thoughtfully as she listened to her classmates’ discussion getting more and more heated. She had thoughts on the matter, too.  However, the Ravenclaw was shy and didn’t like speaking up in class.

Besides, she wasn’t stupid. She had to share a dormitory with Rowen and she didn’t share her dormmate’s point of view. She was not going to pluck up courage and speak her mind just to have Rowen against her. No, that wasn’t worth it. Maybe, if Rowen had been in a different house she would have attempted to join the conversation but as it was - no chance.

Perpetua was glad, though, that some Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs spoke up because the things Rowen said were just impossible to leave uncommented. While the girl would not draw her wand herself, she could understand the sentiment there. Her mother was muggleborn and had had a rough time in the past. Her bloodstatus did not make her any less worthy or talented. In fact, Perpetua thought that her mother was a very powerful witch.

The lesson ended quite abruptly and Perpetua was surprised that only a few students were told to write an essay about the Witch Hunts of the 14th century. The girl thought that it wasn’t fair. Homework was meant to deepen the knowledge and help to memorise things. Maybe, if she found the time, Perpetua thought that she’d write an essay herself. With her O.W.L.s coming up this year it was probably a good preparation.

[out]

Rowen rolled her eyes at Soléy's insult; the Ravenclaw was an excellent listener; it was caring about other people that she could never get quite right. Turning away from the Hufflepuffs, Killian, Pixie, and every other damned student out to gang up on her, Rowen focused on the professor. Not that she much cared to listen to the older witch anymore either. This lesson had gone to the trolls, and Rowen knew she'd learn nothing from it now. As it often was, the little Ravenclaw decided if she wanted to learn something, she'd have to figure it out on her own as Hogwarts could not be relied on. The school either spews falsehoods and propaganda or blatantly ignores their students' need for more academics and fewer nonsense sports.

And honestly, if she wanted to learn about Muggle History, Rowen would have signed up for Muggle Studies class. She kept to herself, even as Jae egged her on again by calling her sexist, and then the professor stepped in, and Rowen smiled sweetly at the Hufflepuff boy with earrings. And then the class ended, and Rowen packed up her belongings carefully before heading out of the door. Wand in her hand, Rowen forged ahead. If one of them, or many, decided to wait for her in the hallway, she'd be ready.

/out

Really, Soléy thought to herself as she caught the other witch's eye-roll, Rowen Reinhardt is just simply unlikeable. She had all but stopped paying attention to the class at this point, and started mentally outlining the essay she had to write instead. She was neither a hardworking nor lazy student– she just wanted this piece of homework to be done with as soon as possible so she could stop thinking about it, not that it made a difference if she paid attention or not as the class has seemed to reach its natural lull, and most students had gone silent just as she had.

She perked up a little in her chair when she heard her name called and given praise, or what sounded like praise to her anyway, for her correct answer, then visibly wilted again when she didn't hear any extra points awarded for Hufflepuff. Still, if the topic was going to be revolving specifically around the Statute of Secrecy next lesson, then maybe there'd be less room for the class to derail like today's had, even if it sounded much more like a typical History of Magic class and was going to be decidedly less... eventful.

Professor Ellington announced the end of the class with a flick of her wand, and with that thought in mind, Soléy packed up her things and began making her way dutifully to her next class.

At the sound of his name on the professor's lips, Jae turned to her, his brows flying up, hidden beneath his dark hair. "For what?" he said outraged. "For the earrings? You have got to be kidding me," he added, hating that smarmy smile on Rowen's face. As if she was above all of this. She probably thought she was coming out of this smelling so sweet too, just expressing her views, keeping to her traditions, yet her thinking was so totally backwards, he wasn't quite sure how they were still occupying the same plane.

Jae sat back in his chair, his arms crossed, visibly angry and upset, not only other the day's lesson but also the punishment and he refused to look at the professor even though he wanted to glare at her from now until the rest of eternity. Instead he gazed out the window until the moment they were dismissed and he grabbed his bag and stomped a path to the door, not even bothering to wait politely as other students exited their chairs.

He needed to get out of there before he did something he really regretted. Especially since he would have to be spending time later with both Professor Ellington and Reinhardt. Jesus Christ, could this day get any worse.

/end