Books, books and books (Rowan) [PG-13]

Misha always found only one thing wrong about libraries. She couldn't take any of her animals in. Even if she understood reason long ago, it was still annoying. But for the silence and smell of all the books here, she was willing to sacrifice anything. Mum took her to the Diagon Alley on her way to work and promised to pick her up again, on her way back. That meant whole day in a library, just for herself. What could be better? Misha quickly made her way towards her favourite sections. She made a quick stop in muggle section to pick up some of the muggle books she was eager to read.

She simply loved Stephen King and Terry Prachett. So she picked up The Green Mile and Good Omens, before she left for section with curses and potions. After picking up about five books that caught her eye, she went right to the second floor of massive library, to the very back. There was her favourite place. It was a table with two very comfortable sofa's on each side, one of the private zones, which was usually full, if you didn't come early enough. It was lucky opportunity, and Misha didn't hesitate to take it. She pulled the curtain and separate herself from the rest of the library in sort of a small room. She threw her bag with snacks and drink to the corner, put books on the table, picked The Green Mile and made herself comfortable in the sofa, ready to start reading.

Rowan made her way to the library in Diagon Alley. Her Aunt had some errands to run, and had given her niece permission to head to one of her favorite places: the library. Rowan simply loved being surrounded by so many books, and relished the idea of attending Hogwarts soon, what with its massive library she had heard so much about. Walking in, she handed in her previously checked out books and headed to the reference section of the library. Picking up a couple books on astronomy, she then made her way to the fiction section to find some books on myths and legends. Finding a few that struck her interest, Rowan headed upstairs to read her spoils.

Seeing the curtain drawn in one of the more private areas of the library, Rowan sighed softly and sat in one of the overstuffed arm chairs after stacking her books neatly on the table in front of her. Slipping her shoes off, she curled her legs under her and began to read...

Misha heard silent sigh from behind the curtain just in the moment she opened her book. She knew well how it feels to must stay out of those zones. And she also knew, that one more person here wouldn't really bother her that much. So she got up again and looked from behind the curtain so only her head could be seen. "Sssss! Hey you!" she whispered towards a girl sitting not far from her place. She figured it must have been her, the disappointed person. "I am here alone, I am sure I have plenty of space to spare. If you want," she suggested, still whispering, with a small encouraging smile.

Rowan looked up from her book at the whispered call from behind the curtain. Offering a small smile of her own, she nodded and scooped up her books and shoes, and slipped behind the curtain. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose..." she whispered back as she took a seat on the sofa opposite the stack of books that belonged to the girl. Rowan understood what it was like to want to read alone, and if that was what the girl wanted, she didn't want to be the one to keep her from that.

Misha sat back down and decided too to put her shoes down and put on special warm socks her mum got her somewhere in muggle London. "Nah, if you are not planning to turn loud music on or stuff like that, I don't really mind. I am Misha by the way," she introduced herself with a smile as she sat comfortably in her sofa, book in her hands.

With a small smile, Rowan set her books on the table and picked up the one she had been reading before she was invited to join Misha in the more private reading area. "I wouldn't think to turn on loud music unless it was just me, and even then, I probably wouldn't. I like reading without music most of the time," she said as she turned so her back was against the armrest of the chair. "It's nice to meet you, Misha. I'm Rowan," she added, her brown eyes bright.

Misha smiled in return. "You are not attending Hogwarts, right? I never saw you there," she said matter of factly. "Truth is, I don't meet many people out of my house, so I guess it's possible we simply didn't meet just yet," she added. It was hard to guess how old Rowan was, she didn't seem much younger than Misha herself, if any. And Misha kind of welcomed idea of having possible friend in school. She wasn't specialy social, she had friends of course, but not a sister in crime she was looking for. That kind of person, who would spend whole day in library with her, just reading. And Rowan seemed really nice to her.

"I will be attending Hogwarts this fall! I'm so excited! What house are you in?" Rowan asked, excited to meet someone who she would be going to school with and a potential house mate, to boot! She didn't know many people, and while she liked people, she was often a little on the shy side. Since Misha was already at Hogwarts, then she was older, but just by looking at her, she really didn't know how much older.

"Ravenclaw, going to third year now," Misha replied, with pride in her voice as she talked about house she wasin. Her dad probably alredy saw her in Slytherin when she was so much like him in many ways, but she always secretly wanted to be in her mother's house. She felt more for Ravenclaw than for Slytherin. "I actually spent my entire life at Hogwarts. My dad is a gamekeeper here," she explained with smile. "It's beautiful place. You will love it. Remind me to show you library once we have a little time to explore. I know the castle like nobody else," she added.

Rowan was intrigued to hear that Misha was in Ravenclaw and even more so to hear that she grew up on the grounds. "Wow..... Really? That must be an amazing place to grow up..." she said in awe, her brown eyes bright and wide. Thinking about her parents, she didn't know which house she would end up in. Looking down at her open book, she thumbed the pages with a sigh. "I don't know which house I'll be in. Both my parents were in Slytherin..." she said softly. Rowan didn't really feel like a Slytherin, then again, she didn't know what she felt like. She knew about the houses, but didn't know where she might fit. She glanced up at the mention of the library and smiled sweetly. "I'd like to see the library. I've heard it's huge!" she said happily.

Misha smiled. "Yes, I suppose it is. Grounds are amazing, castle itself is just awesome. I guess I am lucky to have the opportunity to explore all the hidden places sooner than anyone else," she said, thinking about her home. "My dad was Slytherin, too. My mum was a Ravenclaw. I myself got hatstall between Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. I decided for Ravens, because I feel the most towards the house. But don't worry, Sorting Hat doesn't sort only according to your heritage. If you don't want to be Slytherin, you won't be. I don't know many, who would be disappointed by their house. And if they were, it took them few months, but they grew to love their house. Sorting Hat knows where to put you," Misha tried to cheer Rowan up a bit and calm her down in the same time. "Library is indeed huge, but there is lack of muggle books, so when I have some time, mum takes me here on her way to work, so I have whole day to spend with my most beloved pieces," she replied.

Rowan's eyes grew a little happier at the thought that the Sorting Hat didn't just take into consideration what houses your parents were in. That, really, it was sort of up to you to pick where you want to be. Or, at least, the hat took that into consideration. "My aunt seems to think that I might be a Ravenclaw. She never says why, but she makes little comments about it often," Rowan said quietly, blushing slightly. Hearing about the library helped to sooth her even more. "I've not read many Muggle books. Are they any good?" she asked.

Misha smiled. "And do you wish to be Ravenclaw? Do you feel like one?" she asked. "Not all of them, but I have my favourites. Those two specialy," she said as she showed The Green Mile and Good Omens to Rowan. "The Green Mile is a very beautiful, strong and sad story about muggle prison for the worst criminals sentenced to death few decades ago, one mouse and one miracle. I read it every time I can. And Good Omens is about gods. Basically. It is comedy, I would say. But one has to read it to understand what I mean," she introduced the books.