Professor Pembroke was dead.
Death was part of life, of course. Goodness knew the Ravenclaw was aware of this—she grew up on a farm, after all, had claimed the life of a chicken with her own hands. She knew, too, that many of the students at Hogwarts had lost loved ones in varying tragedies, not least of which was the incident with the dragons just a few weeks previous. Cora, though, was fortunate. Death had existed as a fact of life to her, rather than a force with which she was in conflict, something that affected her personally.
Until now.
She had liked Professor Pembroke. He had been a kind instructor, one that did not seem to mind that she was quiet. Muggle studies had been a class she genuinely looked forward to, a haven of familiarity in a world of the fantastical. And now a key component of that was gone.
Cordelia Best now knew someone dead.
Though apt to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, the Ravenclaw entered the familiar classroom that now felt ailen, filled to the brim with trepidation. Her heart sank when she saw the wizard poised at the front of the room: the new school referee. Cora took her customary seat instead of turning on her heel and fleeing the scene.
Miss Yarwood asked the question Cora had been thinking—or might have been thinking, were it not for a building roar in her ears. She vaguely registered a curse from one of the other girls in the class.
When the professor asked if they had any questions, it ocurred to Cora that she ought to ask something, but she couldn't quite think what, and her tongue felt very strange in her mouth, and—
—and she fainted.
Death was part of life, of course. Goodness knew the Ravenclaw was aware of this—she grew up on a farm, after all, had claimed the life of a chicken with her own hands. She knew, too, that many of the students at Hogwarts had lost loved ones in varying tragedies, not least of which was the incident with the dragons just a few weeks previous. Cora, though, was fortunate. Death had existed as a fact of life to her, rather than a force with which she was in conflict, something that affected her personally.
Until now.
She had liked Professor Pembroke. He had been a kind instructor, one that did not seem to mind that she was quiet. Muggle studies had been a class she genuinely looked forward to, a haven of familiarity in a world of the fantastical. And now a key component of that was gone.
Cordelia Best now knew someone dead.
Though apt to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, the Ravenclaw entered the familiar classroom that now felt ailen, filled to the brim with trepidation. Her heart sank when she saw the wizard poised at the front of the room: the new school referee. Cora took her customary seat instead of turning on her heel and fleeing the scene.
Miss Yarwood asked the question Cora had been thinking—or might have been thinking, were it not for a building roar in her ears. She vaguely registered a curse from one of the other girls in the class.
When the professor asked if they had any questions, it ocurred to Cora that she ought to ask something, but she couldn't quite think what, and her tongue felt very strange in her mouth, and—
—and she fainted.