Origami Daffodils
The walls are adorned with rich emerald green and silver accents, creating a striking contrast that embodies the house's identity. The dorm is thoughtfully arranged, featuring plush, dark wood bed frames draped in luxurious bedding that invites restful slumber. Beside each bed lies a stylishly crafted vanity, complete with ornate mirrors framed in antique silver, offering the perfect setting for personal grooming and expression. Warm, ambient lighting enhances the overall atmosphere, casting a soft glow that compliments the intricate details of the room. I happen to share my dorm with Boudica Burke (long brown hair that falls to her shoulders in large curls and pale white skin, her brown eyes are bright and curious), Nymera Greengrass (delicate and tall for her age the brunette girl sports a long, flowing mane of hair, a fair skin that has some freckles on it and big, expressive eyes), and Clover Macnair (blonde curly hair, that falls past her shoulders, though it is normally kept pulled back in a bun to keep it out of her face and deep green eyes). Each of us, at our vanities, applying our rouge and perfume, styling our hair; anything to look pristine for the day. My uniform is freshly starched, my makeup is perfectly symmetrical with a classic red lip and smokey eye.
I spent the morning in boring student council and Prefect meetings, luckily I managed to sneak a bit of breakfast before it, yet even through the morning meetings I got to watch the Hufflepuff Quidditch team practice out the window. I got to catch glimpses of Alice flying on her broom; her short shoulder-length light brown hair, and those hazel eyes. I know that someday I’ll have to leave her but I’m selfish, she is my light. So sweet and kind, a little fiery at times. I get to see her every day during 2nd period Herbology and 7th period History of Magic.
Alice Fortescue, daughter of Byron Fortescue and Celia Culpepper. Both of her parents died when she was young so she lives with her grandfather, Florean Fortescue, and her younger brother Robyn, above Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley. She is 5 feet 3 inches tall with shoulder-length light brown hair, fair skin dotted with freckles, and hazel eyes. A spitfire who loves plants, a chaser on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, and a member of the Frog Choir. She is a pureblood despite her modest upbringing. I befriended her in 2nd year; we first held hands as more than friends in 5th year, studying for our OWL’s had truly bonded us, I had never felt such love before. I received O’s in all my OWL’s subjects. I took Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Astronomy, Study of Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. She took Defence Against the Dark Arts (O), Charms (E), Herbology (O), Potions (E), Transfiguration (O), History of Magic (A), Astronomy (A), Care of Magical Creatures (O), and Study of Ancient Runes (A); her grades were all promising to the school counselor.
I walk into Herbology and sit next to her, holding hands under the table, as Professor Sprout tells us all about the plants we are working on today. Alice sketches the mallowsweet plant, primarily green and yellow with orange blossoms, in your notebook; I merely listen to the teacher as I slowly rub my thumb against the top of her hand. I can smell the sweetness of the mallowsweet, the earthiness of the greenhouse itself, and the coconut and lemongrass scent of Alice’s shampoo. Once the lecture is over we spend the rest of the class replanting the mallowsweet.
Lunch period is spent sitting, listening to Burke and Greengrass argue over attractive boys. I work on my homework and eat as they chitter-chatter away, trying so hard to keep my eyes off Alice as she sits with her Hufflepuff friends, Amelia Bones and Amos Diggory. I try not to be jealous of her friends but it seems like she really, truly cares about them. I’m not sure the same can be said of my so-called friends. With a sigh, I go off to my next class.
7th period, History of Magic, is always the most boring. We had to listen to Professor Binns’ lecture for nearly 2 hours and honestly, I spent most of that time daydreaming about Alice as I played with the origami daffodil she left me. I dream of us being able to be married, a soft domestic love that I know we’ll never have. I dream that she’ll sit in a rocking chair, making her origami, while I put the kettle on for us.
After 7th period, I go to Madame Pomfrey’s office for my apprenticeship hours. I make sure every prescription bottle has all its information, and that none of the potions or salves have gone bad, reorganizing all of the containers. I make sure all of our files are in order based on the last name in the file cabinets. I mark down the medications we are low on: Wiggenweld Potion, Burn-Healing Paste, and Mandrake Restorative Draught. I sign each patient in and out as Madame Pomfrey demands. There is little else we can do then send word to Professor Slughorn asking him to please make more. After every patient, I have to strip the PVC sheets off the beds, wipe them down with sterilizing wipes, and put on new PVC sheets. My job isn’t complicated in any sense of the word most of the time, but it is something to do and it looks good on my CV for when I apply to midwife training upon graduating. Sometimes I get lucky and she allows me to practice basic healing spells like Episkey (heals relatively minor injuries such as broken noses and split lips), Anapneo (clears the target person's throat if it was blocked; an example would be if one was choking), or Brackium Emendo (can be used to mend broken bones). No such luck today, just the usual.
Towards the end of my shift, Alice comes in to get her bandages changed from a Quidditch accident over the weekend. The medical wing is fairly busy so I simply pull her aside, check how it’s healing, and apply new bandages. I try not to think about the fact that this is allowing me to touch her in public, that I’m getting to be close to my love. When I finish her off my shift is over, I pick up and we leave, heading to the library together.
I open up various medical and healing textbooks, taking notes on everything, although I’m done with all my homework I want to be prepared for anything Madame Pomfrey may throw at me. Alice isn’t even bothering to study anything, she is making more origami daffodils. She makes the regular hexagon featuring six crease lines, applying various valley folds and squash folds, and rotating all six shells in the counter-clockwise direction. The yellowed paper makes it look even more realistic. As she completes each one she hands them to me, one might think these daffodils are her version of the thousand cranes tradition.