0.24 - A Wizard's Guide to Pop Culture (the prologue)
“Rebecca Arncliffe, I cannot believe you!” Yvonne hissed as they walked around Hogwarts’ corridors, “Again?! You know the ghosts that reside here are as nosy as the students!”
“It’s my relief stash, Yve. You would have one if you gave in and tried,” Rebecca hissed back, “And there’s no way your Prefect ass is going to report me—I know what you did last summer.”
“Just…don’t make it obvious,” Yvonne said in defeat.
“Hey, Becca,” Celestine descended the staircase behind them and began to whisper, “Why did I see a pack of cigarettes under your bedsheet?”
“It’s one of her skeletons in the closet,” Yvonne replied, “Her ‘relief’ from the pressure of having too many electives.”
“It feels nice, alright?” Rebecca rolled her eyes, “Aren’t you off to Muggle Studies, Celestine?”
“I am,” Celestine nodded and shrugged, “I don’t know where Yutaka is.”
“She’ll be there at class—she’s probably too busy touching up her makeup.”
When Celestine entered the Muggle Studies classroom, the first thing she saw was Yutuka, who had a fresh face of makeup. She couldn’t help but laugh at how much the girls she was rooming with knew each other well.
“What are you laughing about?” Yutaka wondered and made space for Celestine as she sat next to her.
“Just how the other girls get you.”
“That’s what five years of rooming together gets you,” She shrugged and brought out her Muggle Studies book and notebook.
A few minutes later, the professor of Muggle Studies, Professor Burbage entered and began teaching the classroom about pop culture and its impact on society.
“So, for this lesson’s task, you must form a group of four and present a summary of the lesson. Due next week, and see you then.” And then she left, leaving Celestine agape.
“Ugh, another group task,” Celestine groaned before looking at Yutaka, “Not that I don’t mind, it’s just-”
“Tiring? I know, don’t worry,” Yutaka agreed, “Now we just have to find our other half and then we can start researching.”
“Hey, Amano, mind if we join you?” A Hufflepuff asked Yutaka. He seemed as though he were wrapped around her finger.
Celestine turned around and asked who the Hufflepuff was, but Yutaka ignored her and let the guy sit around the table, followed by Diggory.
“Make sure you do your weight this time, Anthony,” Yutaka rolled her eyes as she saw Anthony pout at her, making baby faces and such.
“I always do: don’t tell me you’re doubting me!” He whined.
During all that, Cedric turned to Celestine and began to talk to her.
“I’m Cedric Diggory, I think it’s my first time seeing you around.”
“And I’m Celestine Potter—I’ve been around but I guess I just haven’t made much of a scene.”
“Oh, ‘Potter’?”
“Harry’s cousin. Unexpected, right?”
“A bit, but don’t worry about you being different in my eyes after that information.”
“I’m quite flattered, Diggory,” Celestine teased, “Very much flattered.”
“Okay, enough with the flirting,” Yutaka snapped, “Let’s get this done, alright?”
The three nodded and lent an ear to the Ravenclaw as she proposed an idea to finish the summary in a few days. She proposed that Celestine and Cedric focus on the history of pop culture, while Yutaka herself and Anthony focus on the impact of the culture in the Muggle world and the Wizarding world.
After class, Cedric and Celestine head to the Library to begin on their part, mainly because they wanted to get the task out of the way and move on.
“So, Yutaka and Anthony,” Celestine began as to not make the walk awkward, “I kind of sensed something between them.”
“Obvious, wasn’t it?” Cedric smiled as he opened the door for her, “Yeah, Anthony kind of courted her before Yutaka’s reciprocation fizzled. His never died, though.”
“Isn’t that kind of hurtful?” She settled her bag on a nearby table as she began rummaging through bookshelves, finding books that could at least be helpful to their research.
“What is?” He followed pursuit, making sure to be just as efficient as she was.
“Being left with your emotions as the other moves on—can’t he move on?”
“He doesn’t want to: she was the first girl to interact with him.”
“Talk about girl crazy.”