July 19th, 1895 — Moony Home, Pennyworth, Early morning

I can lead with pride, I can make us strong
I'll be satisfied if I play along
But the voice inside sings a different song
What is wrong with me?

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OWL Results for Miss Anne Imogene Moony

ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVELS

Dear Miss Moony,

Below you will find the results of your Ordinary Wizarding Levels. Consider your results carefully when choosing your classes for the next school term.

Arithmancy	O
Astronomy	O
Care of Magical Creatures	O
Charms	E
Defence Against the Dark Arts	O
Herbology	E
History of Magic	E
Muggle Studies	E
Potions	O
Transfiguration	O

Yours sincerely,
Professor Meserimus Valendruis

Anne had been awake over an hour before her owl arrived, her energy fully focused on weathering this day, whatever it would bring. She was pleased to see the Slytherin Quidditch Captain badge enclosed with her OWL results. Her enthusiasm in her grades muted by the (still expected) lack of prefect badge. The lack of recognition was a dull ache in comparison to the sharp stab of last year. Now, she knew not to be seen bleeding.

Anne had memorized her OWL results with pride, could almost be happy about how easily she'd maintained her scholarship. The fact that she'd survived the boredom of Muggle Studies and History of Magic was worth a celebration of it's own. Anne wouldn't mourn them for a second.

It was all lessened by the conversation she needed to have with Mum. It's what brought her to the table so early this morning. She knew Ned would be out, mostly because she asked and offered him sickles for it. Mum kept impressive work hours, but even Saturday mornings were usually possible 'parenting' widows.

Anne rose early to make breakfast, an easy enough endeavor for someone who loved potions and a bit of fire. It hadn't hurt that Anne bought the ingredients out of her own earnings. Sitting patiently as still as she could, Anne sat at the kitchen table with breakfast served. It might have been the first time Anne didn't attack bacon and eggs with her teenage appetite. Waiting for her mum to join her, Anne couldn't help looking between witch and the parchment Anne left at her place at the table. She assumed her Mum would want the results from the source.

Waiting, trying not to come out of her skin, Anne was able to last all of a second after her mother opened the parchment to say, "I've kept my scholarship, mum. Worst mark was an E."

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Emilia Moony

The following 1 user Likes Anne Moony's post:1 user Likes Anne Moony's post
   Millie Potts

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MJ about made me cry with this one!
Thread Log | Help Anne Blame the DJ

Emilia was half-surprised to be beaten to the breakfast table by her daughter, and smiled a morning greeting to Anne before she sat down. She saw the crisp paper of O.W.L. results and started to open the envelope, looking up with another soft smile when Anne announced the results before she could even really look.

"Oh, darling, I'm so proud of you," Emilia said. She read through the parchment quickly, noting that Anne had not exaggerated, and that it was only Es and Os in front of her. "I never doubted you, but congratulations."

  

Anne knew mum was supportive, even if they weren't the sort of family that went about gushing their affection. That had been Anne, demanding snuggles and needing a constant reminder that hugs weren't meant to be tackles. Anne didn't think much of those days anymore. Anne loved more like mum and Ned now, the sort of thing you always knew was there and only a dolt would bother questioning. Anne was also (still) a little girl who would always grow a little bit taller when her mother's attention was on her.

"Thanks, mum. I made captain, too." Anne couldn't leave that out, even if quidditch wasn't the sort of thing that was truly impressive to Mum. Mum was smart, maybe the smartest person Anne knew. It was much more impressive to announce, "And I was accepted into Alchemy."

Anne's smile was genuine, a moment to bask in an achievement five years in the making. She'd earned this, and no purist prats could take that away. She didn't need a bloody badge to outshine the dolts around her. But outshining, achieving, meant making difficult decisions. She wasn't looking forward to this part.

"The problem is, I can only take so many classes now, and I have to drop some things." Anne felt her heart sink. This is where she would risk disappointment. "I have to drop Astronomy." Anne couldn't help her shoulders sagging. Astronomy was their thing. Ned was busy being good at everything before she was even born. It was hard to find a thing that Ned hadn't done first and somehow better without having to try. Then Anne found her mother's starcharts. It was drawing, math, puzzles, and stars. It was the key that made her feel most like mum. "I'm sorry."

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MJ about made me cry with this one!
Thread Log | Help Anne Blame the DJ

Quidditch captain, alchemy — things were aligning so that Anne would be able to do anything she wanted to when she finished her O.W.L.s. Emilia's smile was glowing until her daughter mentioned dropping astronomy.

"Oh," Emilia said, "And what are your curating your courses for?"

She already knew the answer. But she wanted Anne to say it, out loud, because she was going to end up begging another family member not to do this.

  

Anne couldn’t catch her scowl in time to stop it but managed to smooth it into a slightly more acceptable frown. Anne had practiced this conversation in her head for months now. There was a very, very specific order in which she was ready to do this, and they all required not answering that question without laying out her argument. Not falling into that trap, mum.

“There’s this stupid rule that I can only take seven NEWTs. That’s stupid, because I had ten OWLs and didn’t crack like an egg.” Of course, there were plenty of people that couldn’t handle what Anne could. Why did she have to be limited by other people’s limits? Insulting.

“I’m dropping Muggle Studies and history because you couldn’t pay me galleons to take another day of them. I’m adding alchemy, so I have to drop two more things. I love creatures and it’s the only class that I can’t practice on my own after school. But I don’t want to work with them as a job, so I can’t justify keeping it.” Anne’s lips nearly disappeared as her frustration bled into her tone. These sorts of decisions were pointlessly hard, and this could have all been solved by letting Anne do what she pleased. She knew her limits better than that prissy bat of a headmaster.

“Mum, I’m brilliant at astronomy. Like, really brilliant. But I’m that way already because of you. Taking the class means having to write novels about things you’ve already taught me. And I’m not going to need it for a job.” Anne’s pride would never have her working with her mother. There were very few people in the world that could make Anne feel mentally small. Mum was at the top of the list. The thought was exhausting.

“I want to keep Arithmancy. I don’t think it will be hard, but I love it and I’m good at it. I could get better on my own, but I think it will set me apart most when I graduate.” Anne caught her lip with her teeth. She’d come to the end of her list. Anne couldn’t keep her foot from tapping. She felt her stomach knotting; every second she didn’t say it made her less “thoughtful” and more “coward.” Lovely.

“I’m thinking the Ministry after I graduate.” Anne Imogene Moony, you bloody coward. Her internal berating sounded a lot like mum at the moment.

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MJ about made me cry with this one!
Thread Log | Help Anne Blame the DJ

Her daughter was talking too much; Emilia knew how Anne was when she had practiced, and right now she seemed practiced. She was explaining why the classes she didn't want to take were irrelevant, but she was not saying anything about the classes she wasn't dropping. And while she did not admit it, the horrors of Anne wanting to become an auror would be easier to handle if her daughter would admit it.

"Tell me more about the classes you would keep," Emilia instructed, as if she had not already gone through the list in her own mind.

  

Anne was stiff as a prisoner on the gallows as she waited. Any second now, mum would call her on her evasion and the disappointment lecture would begin. That's how Anne had rescripted this conversation in her head; she did not like that her mother was deviating from the script. This felt distinctly like a trap.

Cautiously, Anne offered the obvious answers. "Potions, of course. Even though I'm sick of the old sod of the dungeons." Remembering she was talking to her mother and that respect towards authority was important or some other nonsense, Anne offered offhandedly, "Sorry, Professor Old Sod." Fine, she wasn't sorry. "Have to keep Charms and DADA, those are the best classes for wandwork." Anne wasn't stupid enough to add 'and dueling.' "Transfiguration and Alchemy, because those will actually take work, and I'm tired of being bored."

"And found out I have to keep Herbology if I'm going to," Anne clicked her mouth shut. There it was, there was the trap. With an intense wave of irritation that she'd walked right into that, Anne decided she wasn't in a position to play dumb now. It wasn't a role she'd ever been good at. Taking a deep breath, feeling more and more like the gallows would be an improvement, Anne delivered, "I've got to keep Herbology to qualify as an Auror. And I'm going to qualify." And for the first time in her life, Anne wondered just how far a mother's love could go.

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MJ about made me cry with this one!
Thread Log | Help Anne Blame the DJ