Bear with me, I'm a novelty [Zoe!]

“Thus, this is why, the cure for scrufungulus continues to be debated to this day…there.”

Seva lay down her quill and yawning, stretched out her arms high above her head, shaking out her writing hand to get out the kinks. Despite a hand cramp and a crick in the neck, Seva certaintly didn’t feel as if she’d only just come up for air after having been at the café for much of the morning. It being lunch time, and a weekend, Ingle Lowe was packed and Seva considered herself lucky to have secured a table, despite all of the hustle and bustle. Before finishing the essay, she’d done two other assignments, written a letter to her grandparents in France and wrote herself a schedule for the week. It was, by all accounts, an uncharacteristically productive day for the young Healer in Training. It wasn’t until then that Seva remembered why it was she had all the time on her hands – she was unemployed, again. Crinkling her nose in consternation, Seva slid the Prophet out of her bag and unfolded it in front of her.

It should not have surprised Seva that even the classifieds section of the Daily Prophet was flashy; its pages alive with glittering borders and potential employers waving frantically and pointing down to their ads. Her eyes were already watering from all of the reading she’d already done, but she was determined to comb the pages until she found something suitable. While it wasn’t entirely necessary for her to pay for her own schooling, she wanted to become financially independent. That, and it didn’t hurt to have a little pocket money for the occasional shopping trip and other “necessities”. More than anything else, as busy as she was at Dilys Derwent, she wanted something else to fill in her time. She craved activity and felt cagey when she didn’t have something to do.

After only five minutes of combing the ads, she was not only growing bored but hungry, too. She ignored the rumblings of her stomach and the empty mug in front of her, resisting the urge to get up for her fifth cup of coffee. For once, she was heeding the warning of her shaking hands and bounding pulse as a sign that no, she did not need any more caffeine at the moment. Seva closed her eyes for a moment and massaged her eyelids, debating whether or not she should stay at the café or go home and veg. As her eyes fluttered open, she thought she recognized someone that had just joined the line and her gaze followed them as they made their way to the counter. It didn’t register with her just how long she’d been staring, or the fact that she’d gotten comfortable, resting her chin in her hand and zoning out entirely, her gaze zeroing in on their turned back.

Zoe knew better than to be spontaneous. Planning and forethought were embedded deep into her bones, and yet somehow, that didn't stop her today. I'll just surprise him, take him out to lunch, it'll be great. Wrong. She'd just come from the ministry where she'd discovered her poor father, Cecil, waist-deep in some case that, of course, he couldn't talk about. After the initial surprise, hugs, and pleasantries, he was back to business, frantically explaining that he simply couldn't get away for lunch as his assistants bustled around him, file cabinets magically opening and slamming shut with no discernible pattern. Feeling terribly out of place, she told him that she understood, but really, she didn't. He had to eat, right? Not to mention it was a Saturday, his schedule was always lax on Saturdays. She was being selfish, but it was hard to avoid it at this point. Zoe was an introvert through and through, but that didn't mean that she wanted to spend her whole life in isolation.

She quickly left the ministry, and headed for Diagon Alley. She made her way to Slug & Jiggers Apothecary, where she'd quickly greeted her mother amidst the scurrying crowd of patrons. Of course Diagon Alley would be a zoo on a Saturday. After leaving the apothecary, Zoe found herself immersed in thought as she sauntered down the cobblestone streets of the narrow alley. The world around her was moving so quickly that she almost felt as though she were trapped in slow motion. She was enveloped by a sinking feeling; knowing that she was truly alone. Many of her school friends had immediately gone to some sort of profession, her parents still immersed in their busy work, her siblings still studying away at Hogwarts. She wondered what was happening at Hogwarts right now. Perhaps it was nearly time for a Quidditch game? Jaxson was early into his sixth year, she strained herself to remember what he might be learning. It was all in vain; a petty attempt at distracting herself from the present. She needed to come into her own, and she needed to do so quickly.

Her stomach grumbling (she had come for lunch, after all) she made her way to one of the best restaurants in the alley: Ingle-Lowe. It was packed, naturally, but the scent of coffee and baked bread were gently drifting through the air, and she knew it would be worth the wait. She folded her arms as she patiently waited, trying to focus on her immediate surroundings to avoid disappearing into her thoughts. So many witches and wizards, some families, with young children still awaiting to attend Hogwarts. A nearby woman bounced a toddler on her knee as she ate her soup. Ah, to be young and carefree again. In the corner, an old man with a scruffy white beard ate a sandwich as the Daily Prophet hovered open just above the table. Every few minutes, he'd gently wave his hand and the page would turn. Ah, to be skilled enough to work wandlessly. Even in a place packed with strangers, where each table of people held a different set of circumstances, she somehow felt out of place.

Finally she approached the counter, and ordered her favorite: the potato soup pleasure with a tall glass of iced raspberry tea. The young girl at the register smiled as she took Zoe's sickles, and told her to find a seat. Finally confronted with the inevitable, Zoe turned to try to find a spot to call her own. Again she felt very small, as the room around her echoed with conversation. Almost like a sixth sense, Zoe felt a pair of eyes upon her, and she turned a little to the left to find... was that, Seva? Her immediate instinct was to turn away and pretend she hadn't spotted her, but the would of course be rude (and obvious.) Maybe she could quickly look past her, as though she'd missed her in a passing glance? No, it was too late, their eyes had met. Perfect. She and Seva had known each other for quite some time now, ever since their time together in Dumbledore's Army. Seva had been a Gryffindor, and she was certainly kind, but she'd always been a bit too... unique for Zoe's taste. She was an eccentric character, that's for sure, but: she had an empty seat at her table. When in Rome, Zoe, when in Rome.

Gently straightening her robes, she began to make her way towards Seva's table, putting a smile on her face and trying to be charming. "Seva? I can't believe it, it's been too long!" Zoe said, making a small (and awkward) wave. She rested her hand on the back of the empty chair. "Mind if I join you?"

So bouncy…

As Zoe turned around, it didn’t register right away who it was that she’d been staring at all this time. Instead, she was entranced by the way the woman’s hair moved as she walked. It wasn’t until Seva’s eye flit down to the face it framed that she recognized Zoe Whitmore. Seva felt herself stiffen the slightest bit, why she didn’t quite know. Although Seva was a few years older than her in school, she and Zoe were in Dumbledore’s Army together and knew each other in passing; they weren’t quite enemies, but then again they weren’t quite friends either. Seva always got the impression that Zoe saw her as a specimen in a jar – or at least, that’s the way Seva caught Zoe looking at her sometimes. They’d only ever exchanged pleasantries or had the briefest of conversations on a particular spell or another. For a moment, Seva hoped that Zoe would ignore her and walk away, but instead that woman was walking towards her. Seva smiled weakly as Zoe approached.

“Zoe Whitmore! I thought that was you.” Seva returned her wave with an equally half hearted one of her own. “It has, definitely, been ages. Please, sit!”

Seva relaxed some and sat back, gesturing openly at the empty chair across from her and moving her papers and books out of the way. It took all of her willpower not to pick up the paper again and continue to browse, as if to pretend that Zoe was just borrowing the space. She thumbed idly at the corner of the Prophet as if still considering this before folding it up and sliding it into the outside pocket of her messenger bag. As she looked up at the former Ravenclaw, the smile on her face was not nearly as fake as it was when Zoe first walked over to her table. The initial awkwardness had worn off considerably and Seva was feeling much more comfortable; as comfortable one could be when faced with sharing space with someone they barely knew. 

“Please excuse my mess…I’ve been here since half past nine.”

You would think it'd get easier, being awkward all the time, as Zoe had always been just a little too analytical to be a "people person." It didn't. Seva had in fact recognized Zoe, and with a gesture towards the empty chair, she invited her to sit. Zoe did, rather hesitantly, as though she were waiting for a gotcha! Instead, Seva relaxed a little as she began to clear some of her things off of the table. Seeing all of the books and papers, Zoe began to wonder what she'd interrupted. Seva thumbed at the corner of her Daily Prophet for a moment before slipping it into her bag, and she met Zoe's eyes with a smile. “Please excuse my mess…I’ve been here since half past nine.”

"Half past nine?" Zoe said in disbelief. "You must be very hard at work on something. I hope I'm not interrupting too much," she offered in earnest. Zoe saw the waitress approaching with her iced raspberry tea. She accepted it with a nod, and gently drank from the glass. The liquid was cool and refreshing, and it made her realize how thirsty she'd really been. She set the glass on the table, and subtly looked around the restaurant, not wanting to seem rude, but also unsure what to do next. "So, Seva, what's new with you? It's been years since we've had a chance to catch up, especially now that things have... settled," Zoe said, tiptoeing around the topic of the war.

Subconsciously, Zoe could feel the cogs of her analytical brain began to whirr as she started dissecting the situation. Seva's body posture was relaxed, though guarded, and the tension still remained. How could she diffuse it, though? A list of topics began popping up in her mind, like a running list appearing next to Seva's head. Graduation, professions, her family, where she's living now; all plausible, but all rather boring. Somehow she felt like she needed to prove herself to Seva, likely more for her own personal benefit than for Seva's. Although she had been desperate for a human connection, maybe this was her chance? All I know about is medicine. She began to consider those topics; life in Andorra, stories she'd heard from Beauxbatons students, her recent work in trying to unearth new medicinal properties of hellebore. Of course these were of interest to her, but how would Seva feel about them?

As the girl began to speak, Zoe actively re-targeted her concentration. Focus, Zoe. Listen.

“Oh, this and that. I’m normally not this productive but lately I’ve been noticing how much of a lay about I’ve become.”

Seva blushed then and her shoulders lifted ever so slightly into a shrug, feeling almost as if she owed Zoe more of an explanation than that. The fact of the matter was that up until two weeks ago, Seva had been on the verge of failing out of Dilys Derwent and it took hours of studying and offering to do extra work while at St. Mungo’s for clinicals to offer any sort of redemption. Seva was feeling directionless even now and more overwhelmed than she could ever begin to express in words. So, Zoe’s apparent interruption was actually a welcome reprieve from the feeling that the word was closing in on Seva from all sides. Suddenly, Seva was feeling a sense of gratitude toward the younger woman and had to bite her tongue against uttering a heartfelt thank you to Zoe, which she was not only too proud to do but unsure as to how it would be received. 

“No, you’re not interrupting at all. In fact, you saved me, I needed a break.”

What’s new with me? Seva raised an eyebrow quizzically, pondering the question. A lot had changed since Seva graduated, a full two years before the woman sitting in front of her. How to fill in all that time in just a few brief sentences? Seva’s time in the DA had her sure that she wanted to be an auror, fighting the good fight and defending all that was good. At the same time,  she wanted to do something more with her life, something that she felt was off the beaten path but that would do more good than what could potentially turn into a life of fighting with the climate the wizarding world was in during her school years. So, Seva for the remainder of her school years Seva set about taking the needed courses to become a healer like her father’s mother before her.  After graduation, she applied to Dilys Derwent and was overjoyed when she was accepted. In addition to her classes, she worked a handful of jobs here and there, earning money and experience alike, but never feeling as if she would stay for long.

The year after graduation, her first year of Derwent, was a difficult one. Not only did she feel as if she was biting off more than she could chew, the world around her was in upheaval and so tenuous and fragile that she felt at first that she’d made the wrong choice. She should be out there, she’d thought and when the opportunity presented itself, she jumped at the chance to help not only her former comrades, but her alma mater and the wizarding world itself. Seva fought alongside students, faculty and the Order and after the battle was over and the wounded needed to be tended to, she found that she hadn’t made the wrong choice after all. There was something about helping the helpless that tugged at her heart and she knew that she was meant to heal. She returned to Derwent after the war with a newfound drive to succeed and dove into her studies with zeal. The next year passed by quickly, so quickly in fact that she was surprised she was already not just twenty years old, but halfway through the program.

“I’m a healer in training now – attending Dilys Derwent – and currently unemployed. Other than that, nothing is really new, I would say. You caught me looking for a side job and finishing up an essay on Scrofungulus. Fun stuff,” she finished, a genuine smile on her face, her eyes crinkling with amusement. “What about you, Zoe? You’re probably off doing something fantastic and being successful and the like.”

Zoe was relieved to learn that she hadn't interrupted Seva; she didn't have to feel like a nuisance. She was admittedly annoyed with herself as she took another sip of her tea. She was one of the smartest girls in her class; she shouldn't have this much trouble being social. She blamed Jehenne de Brigue, as she had done with many of her recent shortcomings. It was hard to be surrounded by people who were so comfortable. Did no one else there have trouble making the switch and moving up in the world? The proverbial clouds hanging over head parted as Zoe learned that Seva too was a healer-in-training. Bingo.

"Wow, Dilys Derwent, that's very cool!" Zoe said, quickly reacquainting herself with her animated mannerisms of excitement. She relaxed in her chair, rested her hands on the table with a little more freedom, and leaned into the conversation just a bit more. "I myself am studying over in Andorra at the Jehenne de Brigue Institute," Zoe said, with just a touch of boasting beneath her words. Ironic, she thought, to be prideful of such a recent burden. As the conversation flowed, Zoe felt more and more connected to the woman. "Ah, unemployed, that's me as well," she offered. "I've been pretty busy with my schoolwork and lab time. I probably should find something though, it might help me make some more connections." Zoe felt uneasy as the final sentence slipped out. Was it wise to reveal her recent struggles, even in passing? She thought about trying to recover, but stopped herself. Seva deserved better than a weakly offered cover up; Zoe would let it lie.

"Scrofungulus, eh?" Zoe said of Seva's essay.  "That's a nasty bit, isn't it?" She said, shaking her head slightly with uneasiness. "Can be fatal, in some cases, right?" she inquired. "Unfortunately I've yet to learn a great deal about actual diseases, other than what I've researched on my own. I'm still stuck in the foundation subjects," she said dryly. She wasn't interested in hiding her disdain. Sure, the basics are important, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they're interesting. "How are things at Derwent? I mean I did apply there but I was pretty interested in going abroad after all that's happened," Zoe said, plainly. "I'm sure it's probably structured differently that things at the Institute." Feeling much more comfortable with their shared interest, Zoe sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, focusing intently on the conversation. She was still quite hungry, though, and hoped the waitress would bring her food soon.

How strange, Zoe pondered; seeking solace from a former frenemy.

Seva quirked an eyebrow and her eyes crinkled in amusement, noticing that Zoe seemed to be getting more relaxed. At least, that’s what she could infer from the other woman leaning forward in an easier, less stiff posture. It made Seva feel much better about the situation, knowing that Zoe felt comfortable enough around her to let her guard down. Her eyebrow inclined further, joined slowly by the other when Seva detected the slight tone of haughtiness in Zoe’s voice as she mentioned Jehenne De Brigue. She hoped that Zoe wouldn’t noticed her look of surprise and slight distaste, especially as both women were literally just starting to feel more at ease. Seva took a gentle cleansing breath and smiled warmly, her actions belying her internal desire to let out a groan. As soon as she exhaled, she was distracted from her momentarily displeasure by Zoe’s commiserating with her. Seva’s expressive face couldn’t help but hold back a look of complete surprise. It was reassuring to know that she wasn’t the only one; something she already knew, but welcomed actually hearing someone attesting that they were “in the same boat”, so to speak.

“Well, it makes me feel better that someone else is looking as well.” She sighed, “You know, I probably shouldn’t bother, but you’re right, it’s nice to make more connections. I’ve been – well, I’ve been so lonely.”

Seva looked down at her hands, turning them over as if to pretend that she was examining her nails. In truth, she was embarrassed to have admitted something like that to someone she once looked on as something of a rival. Luckily, she didn’t have to ponder over their past tension too long because Zoe spoke again and was asking about her essay Seva’s eyes met the woman’s face again and she smiled again, a genuine smile this time. It was nice that someone was asking about her and her interests and Zoe seemed sincere in her curiosity. The disease certainty was a nasty bit, she knew about it firsthand since her Uncle had contracted it not long before Seva started Hogwarts. She wasn’t sure if she should share that though, not knowing whether Zoe would find that interesting or see it as boring minutiae.

“Well, I have experience with it. My uncle contracted it when I was much younger, but it was caught before it got very serious. It made me want to be a healer, though, seeing how well he was taken care of.”

Seva reached up and scratched uneasily at the nape of her neck, almost wishing she hadn’t brought the subject up in the first place. She hadn’t expected Zoe to take any interest in her essay. Regardless, the topic was out in the open now and Seva just hoped that Zoe wouldn’t pity her at all. Once again, Zoe’s next question was a welcome distraction from Seva’s musings. She smiled and titled her head to the side slightly in curiosity. Zoe applied there, too? It made her wonder if things would have been different between them if Zoe had attended Dilys Derwent. Seva thought for a minute or so, trying to piece together how one would sum up everything about Dilys Derwent in just a few sentences. Granted, Zoe wasn’t asking about Seva’s years there but she felt she couldn’t avoid incorporating her own experiences in. It also didn’t help that she knew nothing about Jehenne de Brigue. She decided just to wing it, instead of pondering over it endlessly like she was wont to do if allowed.

“I’m not confident it’s too much different than Jehenne de Brigue. It’s four years in total; there’s clinicals all four but after two you’re paired with a full-fledged healer for the remaining two years. Then, there’s an exam at the end of four years that’s only two hours.” Seva paused for a moment, noticing that a waitress was approaching with a tray and set about clearing her things to make room. “Your lunch, I believe, mademoiselle.”

Sorry if this sucks, I can fix it!

She was glad to be able to offer some sympathy to Seva, and she knew she'd made the right choice in telling the truth about her loneliness. She quickly realized that she and Seva were far from rivals; in fact, it appeared that they were on the same team. She smiled warmly as the girl reciprocated a desire for companionship. It seemed that coincidence wasn't the force that had led Zoe to this table. She couldn't help but wonder what might've come to pass had she and Seva bonded like this before, back at school, when things were so different. It was almost bewildering how much had changed since then. It was, quite literally, a whole new world outside the walls of this restaurant.

Zoe tensed as Seva explained her connection to scrofungulus. I'm such a twit, she thought to herself. "I'm really sorry about your uncle, Seva" she said quickly. "I didn't meant to bring up any bad memories. At least it helped you find your path," she offered in diversion. She could see Seva rest her hand on her neck, as though she were uncomfortable. She quickly perked up though as they began to discuss their schools, much to Zoe's relief. She listened to Seva as she explained the nature of Derwent's program, but before she could speak, the waitress appeared with her soup. Finally, Zoe thought loudly. Although, to be fair, had it been that long? She'd been so lost in thought trying to communicate again that the commotion around her had gone virtually unnoticed. Regardless, she smiled as the waitress set the bowl of potato soup before her. "Looks lovely," she said to the girl, who smiled and headed off.

The soup was hot, little billows of steam rising from its surface. Zoe took a subtle whiff of the soup, her stomach giving a final grumble beneath her robes. Reaching for her wand, she softly motioned and sent the spoon spinning around the bowl, stirring the soup. Now returning to the conversation, she considered what had transpired. "Ah, yes, the program," she began. "Well at the institute we go for six years, generally; the first four spent the same as yours, it sounds, but the final two allowing us to specialize under a master healer," she finished, taking another sip of her iced tea. "I'm hoping to study pharmaceutical magic of sorts; maybe create new potions to change the way we treat disease," she said, reminiscing on her hours spent in the potions lab. "We'll see, though," she said plainly. She grabbed the spoon as it looped around the bowl, bringing some soup to her lips. Sipping it cautiously, her hesitancy worked in her favor. "Too hot," she said to herself, muttering a quick charm towards her bowl. A quick flash of blue light pulsed through the liquid, and she was relieved to discover that she'd gotten it just right. "Temperature can be so tricky," she said, to no one in particular.

She ate her soup rather quickly to appease her growling stomach, although she actively tried to slow herself down to avoid seeming rude. "Sorry," she explained, "guess I didn't realize how hungry I was." She met Seva's eyes again, and smiled. "What about you, Seva," she inquired, "what are you wanting specialize in?" She figured, like most wizards, she'd want to work at Mungo's some day. Zoe herself was particularly excited to intern there some day, even though she would likely end up working for a private research lab professionally. She felt very at peace as she chatted with Seva, her soup warming her to the core. Today had certainly made a turn for the better.

Disclaimer: this post is meant to be like ridic short. jsyk.

"Oh don't be!" Seva said with a warm smile. "It was so long ago and like I said, it was caught early. Some anti fungals and he was just fine!"


Seva listened as Zoe explained the program at Jehenne de Brigue, mildly intrigued by the subject matter. She wasn't bored, per se but out of all the topics the former acquaintances could have been discussing, the was among the driest of them. It was welcome, however, to have someone to talk to about the healing art and her love for it. Zoe was proving that she wasn't nearly as stuffy as Seva remembered her to be. Could she possibly making a new friend? The idea made a warmth well up in Seva; it made her a great deal happier than the thought of all the enemies she'd made in recent months. Seva quirked an eyebrow as she came out of her reverie just as Zoe was whispering about the temperature of her soup. Odd bird.

"Six years?" She said quizzically. "That's quite a long time, I thought four additional years of school was just enough for me." 

Seva watched quietly as Zoe ate her lunch, not wanting to interrupt while the girl sipped her soup. She seemed to be enjoying it; it did look quite good, after all. Her own stomach grumbled, but she could allay her hunger just yet; she had no more money and had food waiting in the fridge at home. Instead, she quietly started to gather up her things while Zoe sipped away at her soup, not knowing that she was torturing the woman sitting across from her with every quiet slurp. The latch of her messenger bag snapped closed and Seva moved the strap to the crook of her arm, looking nonchalantly down at her watch. It was getting later in the day than she expected and she hadn't meant to dally for this long. There were jobs and apartments to be had! With that in mind, she stood up slowly and looked down at Zoe.

"Listen, Zoe. I really have to run, I meant to have at least inquired at one shop by now. It was really, really lovely seeing you again. I will owl you, promise. Right now, though, I really must be going. Ta!" With that, she turned and started off across the busy café, stopping for a moment to wave over her shoulder. In another blink of the eye she was gone having stepped out into the throng of people walking down the Alley. 

Zoe was relieved to learn that she hadn't caused any offense with her scrofungulus comment. She was also a bit surprised to learn that Seva didn't seem to have any interest in a specialty; or at least none that she wanted to share. Zoe did agree that six years was a long time to go to school, but that was the plan... at least for now. Conversation lulled as Zoe sipped her soup, as she wasn't really sure where to head next with the conversation.

She noticed as Seva began to gather her things, and suddenly Zoe felt as though she were putting her out. Seva had been here first, after all. I'm so bad at this! She noticed as Seva glanced to her watch, and considered speaking up, but instead, Seva took the lead. It appeared that she had to get going, and Zoe understood. She hadn't planned for this little lunch encounter, and it sounded like she really needed to get a jump on her job search.

Seva was excited to hear that Seva would owl her, that would be a great way to keep in touch! “Wonderful, can't wait to hear from you!” Zoe offered. She smiled, spoon in hand, as Seva headed for the door through the sea of patrons. She smiled widely as Seva waved back at her over her shoulder, and returned the gesture with a small wave of her own. With that, Seva disappeared from sight, and Zoe returned to her soup. She continued enjoying the warmth of her meal as she considered what had transpired. Nice girl, that Seva, she considered, still a bit odd, though. Zoe chuckled a little to herself as she reminisced over the conversation. Scrofungulus at the lunch table; what a master socializer she'd become. In all honesty, she was very glad to have enjoyed the unexpected novelty of Seva's company.

With that, she let her mind wander back to her to-do list as she enjoyed the rest of her bowl of soup.