Myra liked routines. She liked having a specific schedule of where to be at what time. She liked knowing that always had a place to be. She liked knowing that some days were in her control. She liked knowing that it would only take a large disturbance to make her go off on her routine.
Myra always stuck to her routine.
Once she came to the Potter mansion for the holidays, she fell into a routine. Every morning, she would wake up and quickly dress up. She would run downstairs, wolf down breakfast, and run out the door with her art bag. She had started going to the art college Marlene and Alice had gotten her admission to. She still wasn't sure how they did it, but she had a sneaking suspicion that they were the cause of her few missing artworks.
James and Sirius often walked her to and from the college. They would always try to get Myra to show them what she had done in class but she refused. To her, her drawings and paintings were always personal. Unless they were specifically made for someone, she wouldn't easily show them. Myra hadn't even shown Lily, Alice, and Marlene many artworks.
Myra, even after the past few weeks, could still vividly remember the first day of 'college'.
∞-∞-∞
"Aunt Euphemia!" Myra called out, slinging the bag that contained her art supplies over her shoulder. "I'm going to class. I'll be back around five or so."
"Okay, but take James and Sirius with you. I don't want you getting lost."
"And you're sending them?" After Aunt Euphemia let out a light chuckle, she called for James and Sirius. Together, the trio walked out of the Potter mansion. Well, Myra walked. James had skipped as if he was Little Red Riding Hood and Sirius had sashayed out with his hands on his hips. Never a dull moment.
They had walked down the streets, Myra occasionally checking the map to make sure that they were going the right way. James and Sirius were making jokes about what she was going to do in class. While they had entertained her at first, after a few minutes, they had gotten simply annoying.
"Hey, Pads. Guess what?"
"What?"
"You know how Myra's full name is technically Myra Potter?"
"Yeah? What about it?"
"Myra Potter is going to become a professional potter."
She had to endure that for the next ten minutes until they had reached the gates of the college. Myra had seen other students going in, but not many. Most of them appeared to be older than her but she could see a few who were around her age. Maybe.
As Myra had walked up to the entrance of the school, she could hear Sirius and James yelling at her from the gate.
"Be safe!" Sirius had called out.
"We'll come back at five so wait here if you don't see us!" James yelled.
"Don't leave without us!"
They sound like new parents letting their child off to school for the first time. Myra smiled and waved nonetheless before walking through the doorway.
It had taken her some time, but she found that class she was supposed to be in about ten minutes before the class started. She had paled before she even stepped into the class. Everyone, everyone, in her class was older than her, easily by at least two to three years. They were already sitting at desks, chatting to the others like they had known each other for ages.
Myra gulped and carefully made her way through the aisles, suddenly conscious of how much bigger her bag was than theirs. Theirs looked big enough to only hold a few cases of sketching and color pencils and a small sketchbook. Hers, however, had a set of eight shading pencils, a pack of seventy-two color pencils, three packs of charcoal pencils (one she was using and two spares), a whole box of acrylic paints, a tub of watercolor paints, a full set of brushes, three palette knives, a large, wooden palette and a sketchbook that was as long as the length from her elbow to her wrist.
She had taken a seat in the back, away from the others. When she sat down, she noticed that all the desks had a large board to put their materials on along with two side tables. Myra saw the others scatter their materials over one of the tables and throw their bag on the other as if they knew exactly what to do, as if they had been doing this for a while.
The professor had walked in and all the mutters from the students ceased, watching as she tiredly went to the front of the class and sat down at the desk. She had thick red curls spilling over her shoulders with bright green eyes. She wore a pair of round silver glasses that complimented her slightly oval-shaped face.
"So," She called out, her eyes roaming over the class. "You're here for the summer program because you couldn't afford the semester one." Her eyes went to Myra's desk. "I am also aware that we have a few walk-ins who submitted their works and were accepted. I am Cara Murphy. You may call me Cara, Ms. Murphy, Professor Murphy, whatever you want."
Professor Murphy got up from her seat and started to pace in front of her desk, her hands clasped behind her back. "I am very strict about the assignments I give. I expect them to be handed in on time, if not earlier. We will be exploring many mediums here so I expect you to also have these at home so you can complete your works. Since this is the summer program and we have to complete most of the portions from the normal classes, all the submission dates will be bumped up. You don't have to bring your entire bag to class every day, only the essentials such as a sketchbook, pencils, and erasers. This is so that you don't hurt yourself hurrying to class with the entire truckload of materials on your back."
Myra glanced down at her bag before looking back up to the professor, blushing under the few gazes she saw directed at her. Once again, the professor's eyes were on her and this time, they didn't look away.
Professor Murphy started the class with the basics even Myra knew. How to observe, drawing in proportion, scaling down large objects. By one, Myra's sketchbook was filled with rough sketches of pots, clay figures, glass bottles, and flowers from the garden outside.
"Alright, your assignment is to finish thirty rough sketches using the techniques we learned today and bring them by tomorrow!" Professor Murphy called out to the students as they started packing up. "Those if you staying for the afternoon class, you can just leave your things here. Ms. Potter, can I talk to you?"
Slightly startled, Myra stood up from her seat and went to the front of the class as the rest of the students filed out of the doorway. She noticed a few of them giving her pitied glances before the door swung close.
"You wanted to talk to me, professor?" Myra asked softly, looking at the edge of the desk. Professor Murphy nodded, looking down at her.
"Yes. I understand that you are the youngest of all my students, yes?" Myra nodded slowly, not understanding where the conversation was going. "And I know that you go to a boarding school which gives a lot of holiday homework. If I'm going too fast or you need more time for the assignments, feel free to ask, alright?" Her tone had softened at the end until it was like she was talking to her little sister.
"If you don't mind professor," Myra whispered, "I'd rather not let that happen. I don't want you to give me any favoritism. If the rest of your students face the deadline, then I do too."
The professor gave her a look before crossing her arms. Jerking her head to the door, she said, "The college provides lunch for the people staying for the afternoon class. You go on, get out." Myra tensed and nodded, quickly leaving the room.
After a very small and lonely lunch, Myra went back to the art room a bit earlier than usual. By now, the sun was right at the top of the window, shining brightly into the classroom. Myra went back to her seat and noticed how the shadows fell across each other, the yellow light turning the slightest bit of purple from where the curtains overlapped.
Well, I have an hour. Myra brought out her color pencils and started carefully drawing out the room, making sure that the perspective of the room was right. As the minutes ticked by, the room on Myra's page constructed itself into existence. She liked how far she had gotten in the hour. A new record.
When she felt a tap on her shoulder, she thought that Heaven and Hell had split apart and allowed a ghost to pass through their barriers. Her hand jerked and she accidentally drew a brown line where the bright blue bag of another student rested on the table.
"Sorry!" The person exclaimed, quickly taking their hand off of Myra. "I didn't mean to scare you!" The person came to the side where she could see their face.
It was a boy. A boy with dark blonde hair and green eyes. She recognized him as one of the students in the morning class. He gave her a bright smile.
"Hey, you were in the morning class! I recognize you. My name's Jacob Andrews. I'm here for the afternoon class."
"Me too," Myra replies quietly. As she turned back to her drawing, she saw Jacob Andrews move away in the corner of her eye.
Now that she knew that he was there, she couldn't lose herself in painting. Her eyes always kept him in the corner of her vision. So, it surprised her when he started picking up his things and moving to the back, to the empty space right next to her. Myra felt her hands start to grow a little bit sweatier when he sat in the chair next to her.
"That looks really good," Jacob said, pointing at her sketch of the room.
"I-it's only a s-sketch," Myra stuttered, not looking up. She felt her lips twitch up when he gasped loudly.
"What? Really? This is so good! I could never do anything like that." He stated, pulling out his own materials and opening his own sketchbook.
They say in silence until Professor Murphy walked in. She seemed a bit surprised that two students were already inside but she didn't say anything, only putting her things on the desk and making her way to them. Myra could feel her peering over her shoulder and it made her tense up again. The professor didn't say anything, only humming before moving to Jacob's desk.
Soon, the class was filled up again. Myra saw a few people from the morning class, but most of them were new people.
Once again, Professor Murphy introduced herself to the students and began the basics again. However, the students from the morning class were required to study objects based on what they learned in the morning.
So, Myra began drawing out an arrangement of glass bottles and flowers. Occasionally, she felt a tap on her shoulder from Jacob but didn't turn to him until he threw a piece of paper on her desk. He's a lot like Sirius, isn't he?
"Psst!" Jacob hissed. "I need to ask you something." Myra turned her head to the side, keeping one eye on her work as she finished off the reflection of the flower on the bottle.
"Yes?" She asked softly, not wanting to alert Professor Murphy who was helping another student.
"How did you get the reflection? I can't get it right." Myra glances up and carefully watched the professor as she leaned over to Jacob's table.
"You have to..." Myra froze, quickly straightening in her seat as Professor's eyes flicked to her. Jacob huffed once before going back to his own piece.
At the end of the day, Myra was packing up her things when she heard someone clear their throat. Jacob was standing with a bright smile and her sketchbook in his hand.
"I didn't want you to forget this," He stated. Myra gave him a small smile and put it in her bag.
"Th-thanks." Silently she picked her bag up and moved through the desks. She heard Jacob following her, making the hairs on her neck stand up.
When Myra got to the main doorway, she saw James and Sirius standing at the gate, waving excitedly at her. She smiled at them, waving back. She saw that James was carrying something and when he held it up, her heart leaped.
"A donut!"
∞-∞-∞
After that, her class had progressed rapidly, Myra was often stuck in her room trying to finish assignments before the deadline. Professor Murphy still seemed to go a little easier on her (which she didn't like) but didn't think anything about it.
Jacob has become her friend after a few days, always accompanying her to lunch and dropping her off at the gate. She found it a bit strange how easily she accepted him as a friend compared to how long it took for her and James to become good friends. I must be getting less anxious than I thought. Jacob had met both James and Sirius, immediately hitting it off. They all shared the same personality. Loud, outgoing, and eager for mischief. Since Jacob was only three years older than them, the age gap didn't bother the other two as much as it could have. It often made her wish that Remus was here to help reel them in.
Sometimes, the four of them would go to a nearby cafe. The first time they went, James, Sirius, and Myra had all been confused about how muggle currency worked. James almost pulled out his galleons before Sirius stopped him. Now, Myra learned to carry around a little bit of muggle currency, just in case.
On the weekends, she would race around on the broomsticks with James and Sirius. Sometimes, she would try to get the other two to do their homework with her, but they always opted for roaming around the neighborhood instead. She also went to visit her grandparents. They were always delighted to have her around, even when Grandmother didn't always remember who she was.
Every two days, she would send a letter to Remus, telling him about how things have been. Sometimes, Remus' letter would reach her before she sent hers. She enjoyed reading his letters, always saving them for the evening, right before she went to bed.
It was nice having good thoughts before she slept. It drove her nightmares away.
∞-∞-∞
So the summer moved on. Myra was always excited about facing another day. She was excited about going to art class, spending time with Jacob, laughing with James and Sirius, coming home to Aunt Euphemia's home-cooked meals, writing to Remus.
Myra finally found constant happiness in her life. And she could never imagine losing it.
---
The normal chapters are some of my favorite.
Question of the day: How's school treating you? ✨
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