UM
written by Louisa S R W
I call her UM. She was shy, but smart, and in Gryffindor. A pleasure to say I know her.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
2
Reads
690
Harriet Kruger
Chapter 2
He then decided that he wanted to show the first-year students what they could look forward to in their lessons. I decided to enlighten them, and so began our duel. I won’t say that I didn’t delight in casting a spell or two but I was reminded that I needed to get to my own lessons. I also mentioned to the students that it was for demonstration purposes only, not that I suppose they listened. They were far too admirable of the fact that I was allowed to shoot spells at him and then able to transfigure into a doxy and escape jinx. Whoever said that Snape was not fun clearly never lived with him.
I admit I may have got a little carried away, I was asking random questions like their names or what a Pogrebin’s favourite food because I was ushered out of the classroom in the end. One of the girls was so scared that in reply to her name all she could manage was UM, Um, Um. My reply was a slightly unsympathetic, “in this class you need a better answer than UM” but I think it taught a valuable lesson.
A few weeks had past and I had all but forgotten about my encounter in Defence against the Dark Arts with the other students, when a young Gryffindor student with blonde hair came up to me at dinner. I was chatting to my friends and thinking more about Fred and George, who were not at school anymore. Ginny looked at me and smiled.
“Yes?” I tried to be the good Head Girl that I was supposed to be but I suddenly recognised her. It was the girl from the classroom. “Hi, Um” I smiled and she understood that it was all in good humour “how can I help you?” she shuffled her feet and sat down next to me.
“I, I, I’m supposed to make friends and I’m not doing very well at that and I don’t think Professor Snape likes me very much. Not like he likes you!” I noticed a crowd of several people listening in on this Seamus, Cormac, Neville, Hermione, Leanne, Ginny…
“I’m not the one to ask about making friends” I turned bright red.
“You know though, the trick is not to try so hard” I tried to hide my nerves.
“Professor Snape doesn’t like people who don’t work hard but he will also punish you if you work too hard. He calls it finding a balance. It’s all about being able to maintain that balance”.
“Friends-wise, maybe do the same. Start down there with the other first-years it’s a great time to get to know people. Give it a go I said and let me know if it works out.”
Her name was obviously not UM. It was Harriet Kruger. I have tried many times not to call her um but I can’t. It always comes out as “Hi UM, what are you up to?”. The next year I was training at the Auror Office of the Ministry of Magic and UM was in her second year of Hogwarts. I was frequently called back to Hogwarts by Headmaster Snape, proving to Death Eaters such as Pius Thicknesse and the Carrows that I was loyal to my family. During my visits back to Hogwarts I would speak to Ginny, Neville and UM in particular because we had become quite close. I have written how when I was young Tonks became a sister figure for me and I would like to think that myself and UM shared the same relationship.
As a second year she didn’t fight at the Battle of Hogwarts but she went on to be a first-grade witch and very skilled in History of Magic. She graduated Hogwarts in 2005 and is now a magihistorian. with a speciality in Nordic Mythology.
I admit I may have got a little carried away, I was asking random questions like their names or what a Pogrebin’s favourite food because I was ushered out of the classroom in the end. One of the girls was so scared that in reply to her name all she could manage was UM, Um, Um. My reply was a slightly unsympathetic, “in this class you need a better answer than UM” but I think it taught a valuable lesson.
A few weeks had past and I had all but forgotten about my encounter in Defence against the Dark Arts with the other students, when a young Gryffindor student with blonde hair came up to me at dinner. I was chatting to my friends and thinking more about Fred and George, who were not at school anymore. Ginny looked at me and smiled.
“Yes?” I tried to be the good Head Girl that I was supposed to be but I suddenly recognised her. It was the girl from the classroom. “Hi, Um” I smiled and she understood that it was all in good humour “how can I help you?” she shuffled her feet and sat down next to me.
“I, I, I’m supposed to make friends and I’m not doing very well at that and I don’t think Professor Snape likes me very much. Not like he likes you!” I noticed a crowd of several people listening in on this Seamus, Cormac, Neville, Hermione, Leanne, Ginny…
“I’m not the one to ask about making friends” I turned bright red.
“You know though, the trick is not to try so hard” I tried to hide my nerves.
“Professor Snape doesn’t like people who don’t work hard but he will also punish you if you work too hard. He calls it finding a balance. It’s all about being able to maintain that balance”.
“Friends-wise, maybe do the same. Start down there with the other first-years it’s a great time to get to know people. Give it a go I said and let me know if it works out.”
Her name was obviously not UM. It was Harriet Kruger. I have tried many times not to call her um but I can’t. It always comes out as “Hi UM, what are you up to?”. The next year I was training at the Auror Office of the Ministry of Magic and UM was in her second year of Hogwarts. I was frequently called back to Hogwarts by Headmaster Snape, proving to Death Eaters such as Pius Thicknesse and the Carrows that I was loyal to my family. During my visits back to Hogwarts I would speak to Ginny, Neville and UM in particular because we had become quite close. I have written how when I was young Tonks became a sister figure for me and I would like to think that myself and UM shared the same relationship.
As a second year she didn’t fight at the Battle of Hogwarts but she went on to be a first-grade witch and very skilled in History of Magic. She graduated Hogwarts in 2005 and is now a magihistorian. with a speciality in Nordic Mythology.
