May 8th, Marine Garden Party — Padmore Park/Black Lake
Henri had tried to like plants, honestly. It was one of the few Hogwarts subjects that her mother had thought was perfectly appropriate for a young lady, unlike transfiguration (which had a hint of dishonesty to it, transforming a thing into something it wasn't) or defense against the dark arts (which Henri had only been allowed to continue with at NEWT level because she needed at least three classes and she hadn't many other options based on her OWL scores). She'd taken Herbology all seven years at school, and had tried to feign an interest in the greenhouse at the Pendergast School, but really she had never seen the appeal of flowers. If she were to have a garden, it would only have contained carnivorous plants, she thought — so that anyone who intruded would be eaten. She could sit all alone in the center of her garden looking lovely and serene and if anyone tried to approach her and talk to her, they would die a painful death before they could reach her, and she would just keep sipping her tea.
Of course, these were not things she mentioned to anyone else. She didn't say anything about plants to anyone, unless pressed to make conversation about them, and as a result everyone assumed she must be just as interested in flowers as most young women her age — case in point, the absurdity of primroses at her debut. They were going to stay for the ball here tonight, even though the society was probably beneath them, according to Mama. Henri just knew there would be another corsage, or a flower headdress, or something along those lines which she would be forced to wear. Dreadful, but she would endure it.
Right now they were walking through the tunnel — Henrietta trailing behind her mother and sister as much as she dared, so that she wouldn't be called upon to contribute to their conversation, though hopefully not far enough behind to be called out for dawdling. They had just gone around a corner, and Henri was enjoying having just a moment out of their sight, slowing her steps deliberately. As she did so, the water at one side of the tunnel rippled slightly, then began to part. Henrietta watched with wonder as a new little bubble of the pathway opened up, a divergent path. She hadn't known the tunnel's magic was equipped to have multiple routes, but — if she went left when her family had gone right, she might have several minutes to herself, and when she reunited with them she could claim she'd taken a wrong turn. That prospect was too tantalizing to pass up, and Henri took a few tentative steps out into the new pathway. The heel of her shoe caught on a bit of rock — they hadn't prepared the ground here to be smooth as they had in the main tunnel, and Henrietta frowned at the ground, wondering at the difference.
Note: the tunnel is not supposed to open up new pathways and Henri is wandering off into the Black Lake. This will become relevant in a few posts!
Of course, these were not things she mentioned to anyone else. She didn't say anything about plants to anyone, unless pressed to make conversation about them, and as a result everyone assumed she must be just as interested in flowers as most young women her age — case in point, the absurdity of primroses at her debut. They were going to stay for the ball here tonight, even though the society was probably beneath them, according to Mama. Henri just knew there would be another corsage, or a flower headdress, or something along those lines which she would be forced to wear. Dreadful, but she would endure it.
Right now they were walking through the tunnel — Henrietta trailing behind her mother and sister as much as she dared, so that she wouldn't be called upon to contribute to their conversation, though hopefully not far enough behind to be called out for dawdling. They had just gone around a corner, and Henri was enjoying having just a moment out of their sight, slowing her steps deliberately. As she did so, the water at one side of the tunnel rippled slightly, then began to part. Henrietta watched with wonder as a new little bubble of the pathway opened up, a divergent path. She hadn't known the tunnel's magic was equipped to have multiple routes, but — if she went left when her family had gone right, she might have several minutes to herself, and when she reunited with them she could claim she'd taken a wrong turn. That prospect was too tantalizing to pass up, and Henri took a few tentative steps out into the new pathway. The heel of her shoe caught on a bit of rock — they hadn't prepared the ground here to be smooth as they had in the main tunnel, and Henrietta frowned at the ground, wondering at the difference.
