Chapter 22: Helping Out Friends, and The End Of The First Year (1/2)
On an ordinary day, Quinn was studying in peace at the library. He was reading a book that expanded upon the resonance between prime numbers in the field of layered rune cluster structuring. It was a sixth-year book that intersected the subjects of Arithmancy and Runes. It was a fascinating book that Quinn found in Flitwick's weekly recommendation.
”Hey, Quinn.” Quinn heard a voice calling out to him. He looked up and found his year mate Katie Bell standing in front of him. Quinn put on a smile and greeted her, ”Ah, Ms. Bell. How are you? I haven't seen you since before the Christmas break.” They were already in January, so it had been nearly a month since Quinn had talked to Katie.
”I am fine, thank you. May I sit? I have a favor to ask of you,” said Katie, and Quinn motioned her to sit.
”If I can help, I would be glad to help,” smiled Quinn, ”So, what is the favor you want to ask?” Quinn had slowly built a friendly reputation among his housemates and the few people he knew outside of his house.
Katie looked nervous as she played with her fingers. She waited for a moment before asking, ”Do you remember the Transfiguration homework that Professor McGonagall gave us two weeks ago?”
Quinn nodded, urging her to continue, ”I kind of got busy and haven't made much progress on it... So, I was wondering if you could help me with it.”
”Oh, my! What happened to the outgoing Katie Bell?” chuckled Quinn as he looked at the embarrassed Katie. He paused for a moment before saying, ”You don't have to be nervous, Ms. Bell. I am your friend and a Ravenclaw at that. You don't have to be nervous when asking me about homework or studies. I would be happy to help you.”
Katie looked visibly relieved at Quinn's words and sighed in relief, ”Oh my god! I was so nervous. I ended up spending all my time at the Quidditch field watching the Gryffindor team and hanging out with them.”
Quinn chuckled before warning, ”Okay, now I did say that I would help, but I would only supply you with a list of things that you have to cover in that assignment and where you can find those things. You still would have to read all it and write it down in your own words.”
Katie shook her head, ”It is alright. I would appreciate any help.”
Quinn nodded and took out a sheet of paper and split it in half. On the split paper, Quinn wrote the topics that one needed to cover for the assignment, then he mentioned the books and the chapters in the books where Katie could find the points. He mentioned the chapter, so she didn't have to flip through whole books, given that she was short on time.
After finishing writing, he slid the paper to Katie's side and said, ”If you read everything on there, you would be able to complete your assignment in no time.”
Katie looked at the paper weirdly as she was used to parchment instead of paper. After holding the sheet of paper and feeling the thinness of it, she read the contents. Her jaw dropped when she read it and gawked, ”You remember the chapter number?!”
Quinn shrugged and gave the one excuse that always worked when it came to academics, ”What... I am a Ravenclaw. Plus, I revised the assignment yesterday, so I remember it. No big deal.” Quinn lied through his teeth; he had completed the assignment the day McGonagall had assigned it and hadn't even touched the parchment it was written on, much less revise it.
Katie nodded dumbly and spoke, ”Anyway, thanks for this. This would make my work so much easier. Seriously, thank you.”
Quinn shook his head and spoke, ”Don't mention it. You can come to me if you ever have a problem with studying. I will be glad to help, but please don't tell anyone. I don't want random people coming to me asking for help. I am only doing this because you are a friend.”
Katie nodded and then excused herself. Quinn looked at her retreating back and thought, 'Maybe I will start it next year.' Quinn had an idea he wanted to try, but he decided to wait till the next year before starting the plan he had in mind.
Quinn was about to get back to reading when someone once again heard someone call out to him. He looked up and saw Marcus Belby standing with nervousness clear on his face.
”Belby, what is it?” Quinn questioned his roommate.
Marcus fidgeted and softly asked, ”Hey Quinn, you know the homework McGonagall gave us two weeks ago...”
”You too? Come on, man, you are a Ravenclaw,” joked Quinn as he gestured Marcus to sit down. ”So, why didn't you do the assignment?”
Marcus scratched the back of his head and answered, ”I found a great book on Herbology and forgot to do my homework. I am embarrassed.”
Quinn fought the urge to laugh, 'Of course, he forgot his homework because he found a book. Such a Ravenclaw reason.'
Quinn took the other part of the split page and wrote the same thing as he had written for Katie. He slid the page to Marcus, ”Here you go. Read this, and you will be able to complete the assignment.”
Marcus picked up the sheet and read the contents, ”Interesting, I have read one of these. Don't you find it interesting how the density of an object affects the wand movement of the transfiguration.”
Quinn nodded, ”Of course, the amount of magic changed with volume and density. Conversion of material also dictates the complexity and method to mold magic to transfigure the objects.”
Marcus nodded, and without saying a word, left while staring at the sheet. Quinn followed Marcus with his eyes and saw he was heading to the Transfiguration section of the library. Quinn shook his head with a smile before going back to his book when he heard another voice, ”Hey, man.”
Quinn looked up to find a Hufflepuff standing there with a smile on his face. ”Can I too have one of those sheets? I, too, forgot to do my homework.”
Quinn smiled, ”Buzz of dude. I don't know you. I couldn't care less if you get a troll in the assignment.” The tone of his voice was warm, but the message was anything but warm and fuzzy.
Quinn then proceeded to ignore the unknown Hufflepuff and finally was able to return to his book.
- (Scene Break) -
On a usual Saturday, after spending some time at the library, Quinn was walking towards the staircase to go to the Room Of Requirement, but he froze when he heard Flitwick call out to him, ”Mr. West, fancy meeting you here. I hope you wouldn't mind walking with me.”
Quinn unfroze and turned back to face Flitwick with a smile, ”Good Afternoon, Professor Flitwick. Of course, I wouldn't mind walking with you.”
Flitwick caught up with Quinn, and they walked together. ”So, where are you heading to, Mr. West?”
Quinn politely answered, ”I was at the library and am heading to the common room. What about you, Professor?” Quinn was going to the seventh floor, but there was nothing above the fourth floor that would have anything to do with a first-year like Quinn. There were Arithmancy and Runes on the sixth and seventh floor, but Quinn wasn't a third-year. So, he could only saw the Ravenclaw common room that had its entrance on the fifth floor.
”Excellent, I am heading to my office, so we are going to the same floor. I have something to talk to you about?” Quinn mentally groaned as he now had to walk to the common room before going to the Room Of Requirement.
But he was curious what Flitwick wanted to talk to him about, ”What is it, professor?”
Flitwick looked at Quinn with twinkling eyes and asked, ”Have you finished the homework that is due this coming Monday.”
Quinn nodded with a smile, ”Yes, professor, I have completed it and can give it to you right now if you want.” He had completed the homework on the day it was assigned, in the class itself.
Flitwick chuckled and spoke, ”Of course, of course, you are never late on assignments. Why would you be? You complete the homework in the very same class it was assigned.”
Quinn's breathing hitched as he froze for a step before speaking awkwardly, ”Ah, so you knew about that, huh.”
Flitwick laughed in his squeaky voice, ”Of course, all the professors know that you do your homework in the class. It was one of the first things we talked about you during the faculty meeting.”