September 15, 1892 — Ravenclaw Head of House quarters, Ravenclaw Tower
Basil loved being Ravenclaw Head of House… it was everything and nothing that he’d expected. It was still disconcerting not being in his room adjacent to the Transfiguration classroom, but he'd always missed the view from Ravenclaw Tower. It had always been more familiar and comforting than the view out his own window in Wellingtonshire, at the very least. It was from his place by the window that the brunette ran a hand through his hair. (His hair was still somewhat neat from his pre-term cut, but was starting to grow out. Mama would be telling him it was time to consider another trim soon.) Basil sighed. He was starting to feel some of the pressure to perform as his duties expanded. Pressure from whom, he wasn’t sure exactly. His family couldn’t have cared less… they were proud, he supposed, in their way. But they didn’t understand the responsibility it took. The rest of the staff seemed to regard him the same as before too, thankfully -- even Headmaster Black; not that the man acknowledged him any more than usual. Still, Basil felt the added responsibility on his shoulders like a coil of weights. He hadn’t stumbled yet but…
Shaking his head of these thoughts, the professor turned back to his quarters and moved towards the bed where Duchess was lounging in a ray of sunlight that streamed in through the window. He settled next to her and scooped the pretty feline up into his arms. Then, burying his face in her fur, Basil let out a warm breath. He could hear the cruel voice in his head chittering behind the conscious stream of thoughts. Doubts, fear, anxieties... all of them were heavier on his shoulders than any real expectations. He wished he could just banish them entirely.
Diana Selwyn & this muse song