It's Quieter In Here Than Out There

Finding somewhere quite to study was becoming impossible. It was difficult enough for a person who never really applied herself as much as she was trying to do now. To be able to do so without distraction was even more difficult. That was what make the broom cupboard so attractive. All Lucie needed was the light charm on her wand and she could easily read through her notes and textbook. Writing was a pain but reading was possible.

She bowed her head closer to her History text as she tried to make out the words she was reading on some big scandal in the French Ministry more than a hundred years ago. Just as she thought she was beginning to understand what she was reading there was a knocking on the door. Lucie buried her head closer but now couldn't read the words. Another knock on the door sounded and Lucie gave up. She slammed the book shut and stood before pushing the door open. "What?" she snapped.

Jonas had passed this door so many times in his short first year at Beauxbatons, but he wasn't quite sure what was behind said door. It had him curious.

In this incredible school, there was so much magic. Magic floors, magic rooms, magic lights, magic paintings and so much more. What was behind this door could be the most magic of all, as far as he was concerned.

Jonas knocked once lightly. There was no response, but he knocked again just to be polite.

When there was no immediate response, he touched the doorknob. But suddenly, the door opened, making him jump. He cringed in fear at the sharp tone of the girl who was inside.

"Oh! Sorry!" he said to her. He took a step backward. "I didn't mean to bother you! I just wanted to know what is in that room," Jonas explained.

He didn't want to further annoy the girl, but he still didn't know what was inside.

"Is there magic in there?" he asked after a moment. He smiled, "And if there isn't, why are you in there?"

Okay. Maybe she had over-reacted just a little bit but she had assumed it was some couple looking for a private place to snog. Instead she found herself fast with a first year.

Lucie gave the boy a shamefaced look. "I'm sorry for snapping at you like that. It's a broom cupboard," she explained. "Nothing but brooms, mops and buckets in here." She stepped aside so he could have a look and see she was telling the truth. It really was a wonder that some students thought such a place was good for kissing in. Not even if that cute seventh year she'd begun noticing suggested they get some privacy in there would convince her otherwise.

"Well I guess the mop and broom might be charmed for the caretaker to do the cleaning faster," she suggested. Lucie bent down to pick up her text book and held up for the boy to see. "But really, I was only in there to study. There aren't many places around here quiet enough to do that. If you ever need a quiet place I'd suggest going into a broom cupboard. Just make sure it's only you. It's far too cramped for more than one."

"That's okay," Jonas replied. He leaned into the door a little bit to get a better view. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but that he wanted to see for himself. It was just cleaning devices, like the older girl had said, "Can you play Quidditch on these kind of brooms?" he asked, mostly joking but at the same time curious. Jonas, even though all of his immediate family had played, really didn't understand the sport at all.


"Why aren't you studying in the library? Isn't it quiet there? Or the captain and prefect lounge?" he asked, noticing the Captain badge on the older girl's school robe.

Lucie shook her head. "They're ordinary old brooms for sweeping. Even if you could charm them to fly I doubt they'd go very fast." Of course ordinary for wizards was a little bit different to ordinary for muggles. She tapped the handle of one broom with her quill. "I've seen the caretaker using them to sweep the floor."

"The prefect lounge?" she asked with a wide-eyed stare. "I've only been in there once and it frightened me." Well she had only been eleven at the time but Lucie hadn't dared step one foot back in that room ever again. "All those prefects with their badges and me with just this?" She flicked the captain's badge she'd had longer than any prefect had their badge. That wasn't hard considering she'd been a first year when she received the badge. It was different though. They could report her for breaking any rules. She couldn't do the same to anyone else.

"Oh? So the real brooms are more special? You don't pick how fast they go?" Jonas asked. Even after taking Flying classes, he wasn't quite sure how brooms worked. He was pretty sure the only reasons he passed at all were because of his family and friends. Jonas was lucky to have them in his opinion.

"Hmm... Did you try being nice to the Prefects?" Jonas asked. He couldn't imagine his cousin reporting anyone unless they were mean to someone. But then again, she had both badges. But did that make any difference? "Are you older or the same age as them?"

Lucie was a little confused by his question. "It depends on which brooms you are calling real brooms. Personally I believe all are real. Even the one in my house back home which doesn't move unless you pick it up and sweep with it is real." She touched one of the brooms in the cupboard. "If this wasn't real I couldn't pick it up. I think though that the speed of the brooms for the pitch are determined by the manufacturers. The maximum speed I mean. You can make it go slower."

She shook her head. "I'm nice to everyone. They were just...well I was only eleven when I got this." Lucie pointed to the captain badge. "And the youngest prefects are always at least fifteen. If you're eleven in that room with prefects it feels very intimidating. Well at least it did for me." But that didn't explain why at sixteen she still was reluctant to re-enter the room. Lucie had no answer for that.