c h e e r up (4th years)

[italia]

Today's lesson was probably the one that Ella liked the most out of any of the others she had ever taught. It had come time for her to teach her fourth years about cheering charms. They had worked on theory for the past few days, but today would be the practical lesson. Ella was prepared, especially for students that would cast with a heavier hand, with several empty, quiet rooms where giggling students could go to calm down.

Her chocolate brown robes billowed behind her as she paced to the front of the room where she proceeded to write Cheering Charms- Practical Lesson on the blackboard in her neat cursive. Ella then seated herself at her desk, waiting for her students to arrive.

[green]

Fiona surprised even herself by arriving early for charms- she usually got to class in the nick of time, just seconds before the bell would ring. But today she was so early that there weren't even any students there yet. "Good afternoon Professor Hollow," Fiona said politely, smiling up at the teacher, and then taking her customary seat on the left side of the classroom beside the large window.

[gooddontalwayswin]

Bella showed up to class early, even by her standards. She was the type of student that usually came in just before the crowd, but today Bella was only the second student to enter. "Good afternoon, Professor Hollow," she said with a smile to the charms teacher. Seeing that it was Fiona Weasley on the other side of the room, Bella opted to sit on the right that day. It wasn't that she hated Fiona, but Bella just tended to avoid the trouble-making Gryffindor.

[italia]

"Good afternoon Miss Weasley, Miss Malfoy," said Ella with a nod to each of her students that came in. It was no surprise to her that the two girls sat on opposite sides of the classroom, although considerably smaller than when she was in school there was still a bit of rivalry between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors- especially when it came to Quidditch. Ella was thankful the two houses would not be playing one another that term, it would keep student fighting to a dull roar. She brought her right leg over her left, crossing them at the knees.

[gooddontalwayswin]

Bellatrix nodded to Professor Hollow and then proceeded to set her bookbag down beside her desk. She figured she wouldn't really need her textbook this class if all they were doing was practicing cheering charms, but she had brought it just in case. Bella ran a hand through her hair, wondering where the rest of the fourth years were. She figured they would all arrive in one clump soon enough.

[mrpotter]

James walked into the classroom, looking just as stoic as always. He had been numb for quite some time, but he was used to it now. It actually made life easier to not feel much of anything, rather than being hungry or tired. "Good afternoon, professor," said James. He nodded to his cousin who was seated on the left side of the room before sitting next to Bellatrix. James assumed that she wouldn't mind his being there, he considered them to be something of friends.

[gooddontalwayswin]

Bella smiled as James took a seat next to her, finding herself rather glad that she was preferred over James' cousin. Or perhaps James was just sticking to the House lines, Bella couldn't be sure. "Hello James," Bella said, turning slightly in her seat so that she was facing him. She figured there was no point in sitting there and staring at the wall if James, whom she considered to be something of a friend, was sitting next to her.

[mrpotter]

"Hi Bella," James said quietly in return to her greeting. This confirmed to him that she didn't mind his being there, she seemed almost as if she were happy about it. He only hoped that Fiona wouldn't be angry about it, but they had never been all that close anyways. His cousin was a bit too much of a trouble-maker for his liking. Sure, she came up with some brilliant things like his Uncle George, but James felt she was just a bit too loud.

[gooddontalwayswin]

Bella smiled slightly, glancing at the door as a couple of people trickled in. "How are you?" she asked, her eyes on James once more. Bella had never really had many true friends, so she was glad that she seemed to have found one in James. It was nice to have someone to talk to who didn't just hang out with Bella because her parents were filthy rich.

[mrpotter]

"I'm tired," James commented with a shrug. There it was, one of the two things that was close to an emotion that he experienced in a typical day. He wasn't even sure that he would get angry anymore, although through his memories James couldn't recall a time where he got more agitated than a state of annoyance. "What about you?" asked James, figuring it polite to return the question.

[gooddontalwayswin]

Bella nodded and shrugged when the question was asked in return. "I guess I'm tired too," she said in reply. "Honestly, I can't really tell the difference anymore." Bella had been having sleepless nights for over a year, so she could no longer remember a time where she hadn't been tired. It had become the norm for her at this point.

[mrpotter]

James nodded, he pretty well understood what that felt like. He was infamous for having spells of insomnia for no apparent reason, where he would just lie awake in bed most of the night for weeks on end. Thankfully he had recently gotten out of one of those ruts, settling back into something of a sleep schedule. James just wished that classes didn't start so early, like most teenagers he liked to sleep in late.