In Finding My Honor

Chapter 11: The Girl in the Hot Pink Sweater

That afternoon on her way back from the dorms, Violet was stopped by Aurora Sinsitra, the Astronomy teacher and Head of Extra Curricular Activities.

"Miss Ward," the woman called, her nose buried deep inside a large scroll of parchment. Violet narrowed her eyes with dubiety. What had she done now?

"You have been assigned Nymphadil Lèving," said Professor Sinistra shortly.

"Pardon me...but I don't quite understand," Violet stared blankly at the professor who had yet to look up from her scroll.

"For tutoring of course!" Violet's jaw dropped, she had completely forgotten about signing up for the program at the start of the year. She felt a feeling of regret creep up her spine, but pushed it away promptly, keeping and optimistic mind.

"You'll be meeting her at the library tonight, just before super," and with all the information given, the old witch turned to leave, but then stopped herself, "Oh, and could you inform Ginevra Weasley that she's been appointed Dennis Creevey."

"Er...I think it's best if you tell her, Professor," Violet muttered, ignoring the narrowed stare Professor Sinistra gave her.

Upon entering the library, Violet remarked that it was awfully busy considering that it was a Saturday evening. Multiple students sat in both groups and in solitude among the numerous tables. Others strolled up and down the aisle, disappearing and reappearing behind tall bookshelves. Violet scanned the room, realizing she had no idea who Nymphadil Lèving looked like nor what House she was in. She spotted two girls sitting alone on either ends of the room. The first, a Hufflepuff, had curly blond hair and seemed preoccupied with the large book in her hands. With further inspection, Violet concluded that she was too old for tutoring, definitely in her fourth year. Thus, she turned towards the other. The second girl was much more petit. She wore a hot pink sweater, with a dancing elephant sown on the front, which contrasted with her chocolate colored skin. Despite being out of her school uniform and robes, the red and orange Gryffindor tie still hung around her neck. A pair of glasses rested on her button nose, and Violet noted that they were definitely not like any she had ever seen. The two spectacles were shaped like spikey clouds, while a thin line of gold traced the glass edges. She looked up immediately as Violet approached.

"Hi, I'm Vio—"

"I'm Nymphadil Hypotia Lèving," the young girl declared, one short arm outstretched to its fullest. Slightly taken aback, Violet looked at the girl's brown penetrating eyes and shook her hand.

"Hypotia? Like the Greek mathematicien?" Violet asked, sitting down across from her. Nymphadil blinked at her for several instances before answering.

"No, like Nymphadil Lèving,"

"Right..." Violet cleared her throat, "So, I'm Violet, and as far as I'm aware I have been assigned as your tutor."

Nymphadil nodded so vigorously that Violet was afraid she would hurt herself, "Yep! That's correct; you're going to help me becoming super smart. That's what I want be when I'm older, you know. I'm going to be a genius!" The young girl reached under her, and with just a little bit of struggling manage to plop several textbooks onto the table, the top of which bore the title "One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi: Level 1".

The rest of the session was spent with Violet helping Nymphadil with an essay on what allows Flobberwom mucus to thicken potions.

"You should add a sentence here," Violet said as she corrected the first draft of the essay. She drew and arrow and spoke out loud as she wrote, " 'When boiled, the chemical structure of the Flobberworm mucus decomposes. Thus, the modified substance will effect the potion in—' "

"Don't you mean 'affect' instead of 'effect'," Nymphadil interrupted, a sagacious twinkle in her eyes.

"Uh..." Violet looked down at the parchment, "Yes, I guess you're right."

What an...interesting girl...Violet smiled to herself, but it wasn't until later, when she talked with Alyssa about her tutee, that her thought really took true form. Born in Paris from a French witch and a Scottish wizard, Nymphadil was supposed to attend Beauxbaton Academy of Magic, but for a reason unbeknownst to the common knowledge of all others, she turned up to platform 9¾ on September 1st, 1996.