1. Downward Spiral
Getting out of bed every morning, throwing on the same uniform, dragging her self out of the girls dorms and into those overcrowded halls seemed to be getting harder and harder for Lana. There was no motivation left and she felt like everything was so inconsequential. You aren't supposed to have this much existential dread at the young age of 17, but there she was, breaking all of the norms.
Lana Darcy used to be such a spirited girl, the model student and some may have said an overachiever. It never bothered her when the other students called her the "teachers pet", she's a Hufflepuff...what do you expect? Eager to please was how most Hogwarts Professors would have described Miss Darcy, but her attitude shifted drastically nearing the end of her 6th year.
I've been such an inconsiderate narrator, let me introduce you to our favorite little Huff.
Lana Cato Darcy, a 6th year Hufflepuff witch, with a knack for divination and an appreciation of potions. Lana comes from two prominent pure blood parents but has never seen the glory in being pUrebLoOd. Like I said, Miss Darcy was always a great student and made it her goal to be liked by every Professor, which she was...but then there was Professor Snape, who simply tolerated the silly girl. Miss Darcy has recently been slipping in her classes, she can't find the will to continue, and now, she's late for transfiguration with Professor Mcgonagall, again!
Lana raced out of the Hufflepuff common room, hopping while trying to slip on her socks and shoes, almost falling more times than she could even count. Going as fast as she could she tried to comb through her dark brown frizzled and knotted hair with her fingers, which was...unsuccessful.
"Shit, shit, shiitt!" She whined to her self as she ran down the halls.
Lana finally reached the classroom, luckily everyone was still settling into their seats. As quietly as possible, she scurried to her seat, thinking she was in the clear. That was until, she heard the loud and deliberate throat clearing from behind her. Lana slowly sunk in her seat and turned to look behind her, avoiding the disappointed look she knew her Professor had waiting for her.
"I've come to expect much more from you, Miss Darcy." Professor McGonagall said sternly.
"I'm really sorry Professor, I just got distrac-" Lana rambled before her Professor cut her off with the raise of her hand. Lana then sat there, feeling the other student eyes on her, it was so bloody uncomfortable.
Luckily the rest of class went smoothly, she hadn't gained any more unwanted attention. As the students packed up and prepared to go on to their next class, Lana was stopped by her Professor and asked to stay for a moment longer. She was so close to the door too.
Professor McGonogall ushered her over to her desk, Lana always admired the way she carried her self.
The two awkwardly stared at each other for a few seconds, Professor McGonogalls glasses balanced on the tip of her nose as she gave Lana a concerned look.
"Miss Darcy" she spoke "what is going on with you?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean Professor" Lana lied through her teeth.
The witch scoffed. "Miss Darcy, you've been late to almost everyone of my classes for the past three or so weeks. I'll ask again...what is going on with you?"
Lana stared back, blankly. She hated this kind of one on one confrontation.
"Oh!" Lana acted surprised "I'm sorry Professor, I just woke up late. I've been doing a lot of studying and I guess I lost track of time. I promise I'll get here on time, but I'm going to be late for potions as well, may I be excused?" Lana lied again, hoping her answer would be satisfactory.
Minerva McGonagall is no fool, but she knew the girl wasn't going to crack, so she let out a defeated sigh and motioned for Lana to be on her way. As she left she reassured her. "Darcy. You can always talk to me if needed." And flashed her a half smile. She tried her best to sound warm, but that just wasn't her strong suit.
Lana nodded and returned the lazy smile, then continued to the dungeons.
Lana rushed to the potions classroom, she could get away with being late to transfiguration, but Professor Snape was a completely different breed of teacher. Lana had McGonogall snowed, she was great in her class and the Professor realized her talent and would often praise her. Snape on the other hand, he wasn't won over so easily. It didn't matter how perfectly Lana brewed a potion or wrote an essay, she could never win him over, he simply tolerated her but never acknowledged her skill and definitely didn't praise her in any way shape or form. It's a fault of Lanas, to always need the approval from her teachers, and she had taken it quite seriously until recently. Whether it was being the first to raise her hand, or just out shining the rest of the students with her amazing work, she had to be the best.
Lana finally reached her class, and just in time. She darted to her seat, she didn't want to be up wandering around when Professor Snape arrived and be the one of he takes his attitude out on. She snickered at how grumpy he always seemed to be just as the door swung open, Lana appreciated his dramatic entrances. He had style. Professor Snape strutted to the front of the room and scanned the class before giving instruction.
"Turn to page, 238." He said in his signature grovely voice. "Of your copies of advanced...potion making" he drawled out his commands.
Lana quickly flipped through the pages, they were making a seemingly simple healing potion of some sort. As she read the ingredients list she felt a nasty headache approach, but that wasn't a new occurrence.
"Well. Gather your supplies then." You could taste the annoyance in his phrase, but when wasn't he annoyed with his students constant lack of common sense.
Everyone rushed to collect their supplies, there were only ten or so kids in the class, since it was an accelerated course. Lana wandered aimlessly to the supplies closet, earning a cocked eyebrow from the Professor. Very suddenly she felt light headed and dizzy, she went down fast. Hitting her head on the way down, she was knocked out. This caught the attention of the whole class, though small, if she were conscious her cheeks would be such a bright shade of red.
Lana Darcy used to be such a spirited girl, the model student and some may have said an overachiever. It never bothered her when the other students called her the "teachers pet", she's a Hufflepuff...what do you expect? Eager to please was how most Hogwarts Professors would have described Miss Darcy, but her attitude shifted drastically nearing the end of her 6th year.
I've been such an inconsiderate narrator, let me introduce you to our favorite little Huff.
Lana Cato Darcy, a 6th year Hufflepuff witch, with a knack for divination and an appreciation of potions. Lana comes from two prominent pure blood parents but has never seen the glory in being pUrebLoOd. Like I said, Miss Darcy was always a great student and made it her goal to be liked by every Professor, which she was...but then there was Professor Snape, who simply tolerated the silly girl. Miss Darcy has recently been slipping in her classes, she can't find the will to continue, and now, she's late for transfiguration with Professor Mcgonagall, again!
Lana raced out of the Hufflepuff common room, hopping while trying to slip on her socks and shoes, almost falling more times than she could even count. Going as fast as she could she tried to comb through her dark brown frizzled and knotted hair with her fingers, which was...unsuccessful.
"Shit, shit, shiitt!" She whined to her self as she ran down the halls.
Lana finally reached the classroom, luckily everyone was still settling into their seats. As quietly as possible, she scurried to her seat, thinking she was in the clear. That was until, she heard the loud and deliberate throat clearing from behind her. Lana slowly sunk in her seat and turned to look behind her, avoiding the disappointed look she knew her Professor had waiting for her.
"I've come to expect much more from you, Miss Darcy." Professor McGonagall said sternly.
"I'm really sorry Professor, I just got distrac-" Lana rambled before her Professor cut her off with the raise of her hand. Lana then sat there, feeling the other student eyes on her, it was so bloody uncomfortable.
Luckily the rest of class went smoothly, she hadn't gained any more unwanted attention. As the students packed up and prepared to go on to their next class, Lana was stopped by her Professor and asked to stay for a moment longer. She was so close to the door too.
Professor McGonogall ushered her over to her desk, Lana always admired the way she carried her self.
The two awkwardly stared at each other for a few seconds, Professor McGonogalls glasses balanced on the tip of her nose as she gave Lana a concerned look.
"Miss Darcy" she spoke "what is going on with you?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean Professor" Lana lied through her teeth.
The witch scoffed. "Miss Darcy, you've been late to almost everyone of my classes for the past three or so weeks. I'll ask again...what is going on with you?"
Lana stared back, blankly. She hated this kind of one on one confrontation.
"Oh!" Lana acted surprised "I'm sorry Professor, I just woke up late. I've been doing a lot of studying and I guess I lost track of time. I promise I'll get here on time, but I'm going to be late for potions as well, may I be excused?" Lana lied again, hoping her answer would be satisfactory.
Minerva McGonagall is no fool, but she knew the girl wasn't going to crack, so she let out a defeated sigh and motioned for Lana to be on her way. As she left she reassured her. "Darcy. You can always talk to me if needed." And flashed her a half smile. She tried her best to sound warm, but that just wasn't her strong suit.
Lana nodded and returned the lazy smile, then continued to the dungeons.
Lana rushed to the potions classroom, she could get away with being late to transfiguration, but Professor Snape was a completely different breed of teacher. Lana had McGonogall snowed, she was great in her class and the Professor realized her talent and would often praise her. Snape on the other hand, he wasn't won over so easily. It didn't matter how perfectly Lana brewed a potion or wrote an essay, she could never win him over, he simply tolerated her but never acknowledged her skill and definitely didn't praise her in any way shape or form. It's a fault of Lanas, to always need the approval from her teachers, and she had taken it quite seriously until recently. Whether it was being the first to raise her hand, or just out shining the rest of the students with her amazing work, she had to be the best.
Lana finally reached her class, and just in time. She darted to her seat, she didn't want to be up wandering around when Professor Snape arrived and be the one of he takes his attitude out on. She snickered at how grumpy he always seemed to be just as the door swung open, Lana appreciated his dramatic entrances. He had style. Professor Snape strutted to the front of the room and scanned the class before giving instruction.
"Turn to page, 238." He said in his signature grovely voice. "Of your copies of advanced...potion making" he drawled out his commands.
Lana quickly flipped through the pages, they were making a seemingly simple healing potion of some sort. As she read the ingredients list she felt a nasty headache approach, but that wasn't a new occurrence.
"Well. Gather your supplies then." You could taste the annoyance in his phrase, but when wasn't he annoyed with his students constant lack of common sense.
Everyone rushed to collect their supplies, there were only ten or so kids in the class, since it was an accelerated course. Lana wandered aimlessly to the supplies closet, earning a cocked eyebrow from the Professor. Very suddenly she felt light headed and dizzy, she went down fast. Hitting her head on the way down, she was knocked out. This caught the attention of the whole class, though small, if she were conscious her cheeks would be such a bright shade of red.
