Silent Year

Please forgive the title. Um...I'm afraid I need a little help. I don't know how to reply to reviews! If someone could please tell me how to reply to reviews, it would be greatly appreciated!

So, as before, I own nothing but my original characters, and I make no profit from my writing. Please enjoy the chapter!
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This room was set up much like the other one with only a long aisle separating the boys. She tapped on the door with her heel and the quiet call to enter sounded out from the Potions master. The young woman entered the classroom quietly; the sound of the bubbling cauldrons was comforting. The room was full of second and third years. There seemed to be more freedom in this class, as they talked softly to one another. The Potions master stood quietly in front of his own cauldron.

The young woman stood quietly, five books in her arms, and she waited quietly to be acknowledged. “Miss Quiari, you’ve brought the books I’ve asked for?” the Potions master asked, and the young woman shrunk down slightly before nodding silently. “We’ll see, step forward.” Said the Potions master, and she instantly took a step forward, her heels clicking softly as they always did. The boys’ eyes turned to face her, but she seemed to have more confidence in the dark. Her hair seemed to glow, as did her eyes, these glowed a soft green. The Potions master stepped out from behind his large cauldron and took a book, carefully examining it before putting it aside. He did this with every book and then nodded. “You seem to be fairly efficient.” He said indifferently, and then he turned his back on Quiari. “It is said, Miss Quiari, that those from the forest lands have keen noses, eyes, and ears. Is this true?” he asked, and the young woman looked to the ground, grabbing her left arm in her right hand.

“Tell me, what potion am I having the class brew?” asked the Potions master, and the young woman looked away, turning her eyes to the stone. Her breathing was shallow, barely there, and her shoulders didn’t move. Her mouth opened, but then quickly clamped shut. “Miss Quiari!” the Potions master’s voice grew loud in the small room. The young woman snapped her eyes up.

The class watched the scene unfold. The young woman stood silently, glasses reflecting the contents of the potion brewing in the Potions master’s cauldron. The young woman looked away at the Potion master’s brutal gaze. The Potion master sniffed and smirked. “I don’t see what Master Karkaroff wanted in bringing a librarian here. Much less one who’s too stupid to realize the difference between a sleeping potion and a killing potion? You are dismissed.” Said the Potions master, and the young woman bowed slightly before turning and walking out of the classroom quietly. She shut the door quietly behind her and then walked back to the library. Back to the silent solitary of the high tower that looked out over the icy wasteland. Back to the tall windows, back to the dust and grime and smell of decaying insects. The young woman picked up book after book, placing them in neat rows on the bookshelves.

The library doors suddenly burst open and in ran a third year, raven hair pulled back into a low ponytail that hung to his waist. The dark red Durmstrang robes he wore billowed out after him as he dashed to a far corner of the library, ducking beneath a table. There was a bloody gash along his face, and his hands were cut up too, it seemed. The two took each other in for a moment, each a little shocked, and then three more boys dashed into the library, their eyes scanning the library before falling upon the solitary librarian, who had a book clutched tightly to her chest. “He’s not here, but we’ve found something much better.” Said the leader, and he walked towards the librarian, who took a half step back, knuckles turning white from gripping the book so hard. “What’s your name, sweetheart?” asked the leader, and the young woman crushed the book to her, moving her other leg back. The leader reached out to touch her, but she turned and dashed then, running into the bookshelves with only the click of her heels to follow her. The boys just stood for a moment before the leader laughed. “Well, now that we know where you are, I can pursue you at my own leisure.” He called into the bookshelves and then they left.

The young man took in a shaky breath, had he not breathed through the entire ordeal? He sat quietly, bleeding quietly as well, and then the young woman peered around a book shelf at him. She still had the book clutched tightly to her chest. She took a few steps forward and then stopped, just taking him in before she gripped the book even tighter and walked forward. She stopped beside the table and then knelt down, just looking at the young man. He was doing the same; they were just looking at each other. The young woman put the book down on the floor quietly and reached a hand forward to the young man’s cut cheek. She stopped, hesitating before she touched the wound, and then she reached tentative fingers forward. The young man drew in a breath and the young woman’s eyes went slightly wider before her lips curved up slightly in a smile that was barely there, and she then ran her long fingers over the wound, cupping her hand over his cheek. His dark blue eyes watched her every move, she blushed slightly before a blue light surrounded her hand.

She kept her hand on his cheek after the light had died and the salamander scurried in, and the young woman gasped before drawing her hand away. She stood up quickly and went over to the salamander and picked it up gently before taking the note off of its back. She opened the note and then collected six books, dashing out of the library still blushing. The young man sat for a second more and then brought his fingers up to his own cheek, where the gash should have been. He gasped slightly and then looked his hands over; there were no cuts, no blood. He looked at the door where the young woman had departed, and then he emerged from under the table and stood up, walking out of the library and down the tower steps to the lunch hall. As usual, everyone turned to face the young man, who was miraculously healed. No one said anything, though, as no one really cared about bullying at Durmstrang.

The young man sat down at a table, and the other boy smiled at him from across the table. This boy had feathery blonde hair, sun bleached to be extra pale, nearly white, and pale skin as well. “You escaped, I see.” He said; his voice was deep and warm. “Barely.” The young man’s voice was quiet, which made it seem lower than the blonde’s. The blonde nodded. “That’s good, we don’t want a death now, do we?” he asked, and the young man glared at the blonde. “Sod off.” He said quietly, and then the door opened to reveal the young woman. The hall went silent and all the boys stared at her. She was clutching a book to her chest, and her eyes were hidden behind her bangs. “You have my book then?” asked the Transfiguration professor, and she nodded before taking a tentative step forward. Her heel clicked loudly on the stone. “Nobody told you to move forward!” the Potion master’s voice was harsh, and the young woman stopped dead, bowing and then taking a few steps back, moving outside of the doorway. “Reglus, she is here because I asked for a book. That is not your call.” Said the transfiguration teacher icily, and then he turned warmer eyes to the young woman, who still stood in the dark of the hall.

“Come on, Quiari, don’t mind him. Some people don’t appreciate the idea of having a librarian.” Said the transfiguration teacher, and the young woman gulped, wishing she could sink into the floor…to disappear. “Step forward.” Said the transfiguration teacher, and she took a step forward, then another, then another. She didn’t look up, nor did she look at the floor. She looked at an in between place, neither up nor down. She walked forward quietly, the only sound was the heels clicking so softly on the stone, and she was soon at the staff table. She stopped here, still in that in between space, and the book was still clutched tightly to her, her knuckles were white. “Thank you, Quiari, now if you would be so kind as to give me the book.” The transfiguration teacher said, and the young woman’s neck turned red at her blush. She seemed to pry her hands from the book and then she handed it up. The Potions master’s eyes bored into her profile, and she could feel it. She stayed still though, and didn’t move a muscle. “You may go now, Quiari.” Said the transfiguration teacher, and Quiari bowed before turning and walking away. Her muscles were shaking with the forced restraint. She had forced herself to go at a walk and not run out of the room.

“Miss Quiari!” called Karkaroff, and she stopped. Right in front of the door, she’d nearly been free…but freedom was not going to be easy to access. “Tomorrow you will join the boys in Physical Education.” Said Karkaroff, and she sighed before turning and bowing. “You may go now.” Said Karkaroff, and she backed out of the doors, they shut behind her. She dashed along the halls, running up to the library, and she slammed the tall wooden doors shut behind her, breathing hard. She caught her breath, standing in the dark library, and then she waved her hand and blue flames shot out and lit long forgotten candles. The blue flames turned fiery orange when they made contact with the candles, and the library was instantly lit with flickering lights. She sighed and left the doors, walking forward, and she picked up a few more books and began the process of shelving them. Snow fell outside the large glass windows, windows which hadn’t been opened in years. The black clouds obscured the moon from sight, and the only light was from the candles. The girl sighed and then began sweeping the stone floor carefully. Whenever she’d come across a book, she’d pick it up and shelve it.

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Well, the second chapter is up! WEWT! (yes, I know it is spelled 'woot', but I say it as 'wewt')Please review and the next chapter will be up soon! Thank you again! ~Nezumi-kun