The Keeper and Kadid

3 - Conversions

Waking up in her four poster bed, Louise threw on a baggy t-shirt and leggings. As she laced up her shoes, she could see through the windows the fog lurking on the ground, looking menacing. Just before she was out on the grass, a professor ran into her, making her stumble.

"And where do you think you're going?" He had inquired in a slow voice.

"Well dumbledore said that it was ok if I went for runs in the morning, assuming I stay on hogwarts grounds, which I will do of course."

"And why would you do such an activity?" The greasy haired man asked.

"I enjoy it." Was all that Louise replied, and with that she let all of the worries of the past two days, the burdens of moving to a new country, and intimidation of the classes before her float away. Ever since the age of ten, when Louise first told her parents of how she hated what they did to other people for power, they were furious, so the little brown haired girl kicked off her shoes, ran in the cold green grass all the way to a tree, which she climbed, forgetting all that had happened that previous hour. Then at eleven when her parents called her a "shrink" and that it'd ruin her father's political career if it was found that his daughter was an alleged witch, she ran. It was a safe haven for Louise, for she could leave all the worries surrounding her behind.

Once back in her dorm, Elena told her of the class schedule, the first one being Defense against the dark arts. Following after, was herbology, care for magical creatures, and topping the day off with potions. Immediately entering the classroom was a chalkboard covered with numbers and ingredients, making Louise's heart rate increase.

"Don't worry, if you had great grades in California, then you'll probably have the same here." Elena had reassured her earlier that morning. And right she was, Louise loved all of her classes, especially history of magic for she learned of all the injustices facing non-humans.

After talking with Elena, the attention of Louise was directed in an instant when she heard the familiar voice "If everyone will take a look at the seating chart, I should find it necessary considering the distractions among us." The teacher announced, eyeing what Elena and Louise called "The future witch and wizard models" consisting of Hannah, Cedric, Josh, and Cathleen.

Muttering to Josh, Cedric said annoyed, "you've got to be kidding me I'm all alone?"

After reviewing the board three times, Louise discovered her name to be nowhere on the seating chart. Walking up to the teacher she asked as politely as possible, "Um Mr my name isn't on the seating chart." This obviously did not go over well.

"Mr you say? You will address me as professor, sir, or professor snape do you understand me? I am not a married man and I take great offense in what you just said. And why don't you be a problem solver and find an empty desk Miss?" Snape exclaimed making the whole class go silent.

"It's Miss Kadid sir. And I apologize if I offended you, it's just that in California it was much less formal, some teachers even had their students on a first name basis." Louise replied, staying calm on the outside but anxiety getting the best of her on the inside.

"Well if you couldn't already tell, this isn't hippie, vegan, easy going California now is it Miss Kadid? Now take your seat, 10 points from Hufflepuff for informalities."

It took all the strength inside Louise to not defend the state that essentially raised her. In Massachusetts, she had to be a stiff, good, studious girl, since her father was mayor of the county. But California welcomed her with open arm and sun rays. As all of this was whirling in her head she didn't even notice when the brown haired boy said, "Don't hope you'll warm up to him anytime soon."

"Everyone has their bad days." Louise replied as she looked over the supply for the potion to be made. Whether she liked it or not, Professor Snape would be her teacher for a while so she had to make it work.

"For snape it's more like 365 bad days in a row."

"Kindness is a good gift and is the only socially obligated thing that can be regifted."

"You don't have to be a hufflepuff in front of me, Miss Kadid. What's your real name anyways? I would check the seating chart but as you can tell you're not there." The boy said gesturing his hand to the board.

"Funny. Louise Kadid, and I've been told from my good old pal Mr. Snape you're Cedric."

"That's pretty, but I want to know your entire name, the nitty gritty."

Panicked for a second, Louise remembered in the back of her head that Elena told her Cedric was a half blood, but raised in the magic world.

"Mayella Jean Louise Kadid, hold on how am I supposed to measure this?"

"Wow quite a mouthful. Well you measure it."

"Oh really that helped tons. The thing is it's not in the metric system." As an instinct, Louise shot her hand up but Cedric was quicker because before it got 6 inches above the desk it was intercepted by his warm hands, grabbing her wrist.

"Sorry, but I'd hate for you to get detention. Cleaning out a cabinet isn't a job for someone as pretty as you." Cedric said, blushing like a tomato.

"So you think I'm pretty?" Louise smirked, shocked that the Cedric Diggory called her that.

"Well of course. I could tell you how smart you are as well if you'd help me with history of magic. And I could help you with conversions. How about next Thursday at 8?"

"I'll have to check but I think I can make it."

"Perfect it's a date." Cedric replied, smiling as he picked up his books, exiting the classroom.

While Louise was down in the dirt picking out weeds for the first Herbology class, she told Elena the whole exchange between Cedric and her.

"How can you get a date with Cedric Diggory on the first day of classes while all i got was a bloody detention." Elena complained.

"I'm just as shocked." Louise shrugged, trying to hide the smile.

Meanwhile up the hill, the class was disrupted as everyone watched the trio of third years punch the infamous Draco Malfoy.

"That bushy haired girl know how to pack a punch that's for sure."