Meeting |ELIZABETH|

[Thelma Ataman]

YOU TRIED SO HARD TO BE SOMEONE THAT

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you forgot who you are you
FILL SOME EMPTINESS 'TIL ALL YOU HAD SPILLED[/size][/color]
over now everything you have is so
FAR AWAY THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE[/color][/font][/center]

It was about one in the afternoon on a rainy day. The sun was completely hidden by clouds, and there was a hallowing wind, that would chill anyone to the bone. From Thelma’s office she couldn’t see anyone outside. Thank God for that, because if there was they would be blown right up into the sky. Thelma didn’t mind cold weather, as long as she was bundled up inside. Intense cold rainy weather was so much more fun to watch than regular sunny weather. The trees were dancing wildly; if they weren’t rooted into the ground they wouldn’t be standing so firm. It was neat to watch them sway back and forth, but they wouldn’t fall down.

Thelma was sitting on a posh couch in her office. Her office was located right next to her classroom. You had to go through her classroom to get into her office. Her classroom was bright and happy, but wasn’t even close to her office. Thelma’s office was bright, the walls were painted a dull rose pink, and she had vintage furniture sprawled across the room. Thelma was currently in the right corner of the room, sitting on one of the two couches. The couches were set up in an L position, and were facing a brick fireplace. The fireplace let off an extreme amount of heat, there was little to know reason for a heating spell when the fire was roaring.

Thelma wasn’t very dressed up for the occasion. She had a pair of simple khaki pants, a white blouse, and a grey cardigan. Her hair was down and straight as usual, and she was sitting with her legs in a cris-cross position. Her feet, which were covered in warm grey wool socks, hung naturally over the couch, like they were meant too. Thelma was being propped up by a medium sized pillow which was teal in color. Thelma stared into the fireplace deep in thought about everything that was going on in her life, which wasn’t much.

Thelma hadn’t really talked to any of the professors since school had started. She had spent nearly all of her summer away from the castle. Traveling through Europe with her parents was fun but Thelma was happy when she returned to the magical world. Thelma was supposed to be meeting with Elizabeth but as usual she was running late. They were supposed to meat at twelve forty five, and it was fifteen minutes past that. Thelma decided not to wait for Elizabeth for tea. Knowing that she would refuse to drink anything anyway.

With a wave of her wand a silver tray came over, laden with a kettle filled with water, tea bags, sugar cubes, and a large cup of honey. Thelma prepared her tea the way she liked it: Earl Grey, with three sugar cubes and two tablespoons of honey. With another wave of her wand another silver platter came zooming over, but this one was covered in different baked goods, sent from the house elves via Thelma’s request. Taking a bite into a cherry and dark chocolate cookie, Thelma gave a smile of delight.

Finishing off her cookie, Thelma heard her classroom door open. It was either a student with a question, or Elizabeth. Thelma hoped it was the latter but wouldn’t be completely shocked if it was a student. She would just have to wait to find out.

[ellie]

Elizabeth was late. She was always late—what else was new? She had stopped Thelma in the third floor corridor one evening and said that they needed to sit down chat. Nothing bad, just play “catch up.” They both worked at Hogwarts, but the Charms professor was busy teaching and the caretaker was busy doing whatever caretakers do that they never had time to sit and chat anymore. It was sad, really. Sometimes Elizabeth forgot that Thelma was even there—that was how little they saw each other. But today was one of those days that kept everyone inside. Even the students were in the common rooms, probably working on homework or practicing spells. It was a Saturday. Kids should have been outside for fresh air on a Saturday, but it was hard to do on a rainy day. Elizabeth hated rainy days. She couldn’t remember anything good that had happened on a rainy day like today. Except maybe—well, maybe not.

The sixty-two-year-old woman climbed the steps of the castle until she finally reached the third floor corridor. The Charms classroom (and office) was located there, and the two women had agreed to meet for tea in the Charms professor’s office. Ellie wasn’t picky about things like that, but she was starting to wish she’d ask to meet someplace else. It was moments like these when she realized how old she was; her age just started to sneak up on her. Sixty two was a lot of years to live; she couldn’t imagine being a hundred and sixty-two, like some of the wizards she’d met before. She hoped she died before she got that old—maybe in her eighties or nineties, about as long as a Muggle lived. That was wishful thinking, though. She was in pretty good shape, except for smoking habitually and drinking occasionally, so she had a feeling she’d live to be well into her hundreds.

As the woman approached the Charms classroom, she took a moment to break. She had practically jogged up the stairs until she reached the third floor. She was out of breath, which was to be expected from someone with lungs like hers. Her husband always said that smoking would kill her, but she never listened. She was starting to wish she had. Once she caught her breath, she walked at a moderate pace down the corridor, the soles of her tennis shoes tapping lightly against the stone floor. Pat. Pat. Pat. She finally reached the Charms room and opened the door slowly. There was nobody in there. She walked across the classroom and over to the woman’s office door. She knew Thelma was inside waiting for her, so she didn’t bother to knock. She just opened the door and went right in.

“Hello there,” she said cheerfully. She did not apologize for her lateness. Thelma would understand. Everyone did because everyone knew that Elizabeth Weston was always late. She smiled from ear-to-ear, her cheekbones rising so high on her face that it looked like it might hurt to smile that wide. But that was just how her cheekbones were; they were high and rounded, and she looked like a happy little squirrel with acorns stashed away in his mouth. She plopped down on the couch, just a few inches away from Thelma. She immediately kicked off her tennis shoes and crossed her legs. She was not trying to match the professor, just trying to get comfortable. Ellie was definitely not your average sixty-two-year-old caretaker. “How are you? Are your classes going well? Are the students behaving?” she asked. She spoke quickly, barely taking a fraction of a second to breathe. Nobody knew how she did it—finding the energy at her age to bounce around and be fully alive. She was definitely an inspiration and sometimes even a breath of fresh air, especially to people who really needed it.

[Thelma Ataman]

An apology for lateness form Elizabeth wasn’t expected. She had learned that from the very first time they met. Thelma wasn’t the least bit shocked that Elizabeth was late, nor did she apologize. It wouldn’t be Elizabeth if she did. “Oh hello,” Thelma grinned, “I almost forgot I had company coming.” Thelma added jokingly. Thelma was all about manners, she knew that Elizabeth would refuse tea, but she would ask any way. “Would you like tea, or anything else to drink?” Maybe she would say yes, it was cold outside, and a nice cup of hot tea would do anybody some good.

Thelma looked up to Elizabeth. Not so much as in a motherly way, more as in what Thelma wanted to be. Thelma didn’t know Elizabeth exact age, nor did she care to ask, but if she had to guess she would have to say mid fifties. It seemed as she was still going strong. Thelma assumed that it wasn’t an easy job to be the caretaker and Hogwarts, it was a big school and there were a lot of occupants. Thelma knew she couldn’t be the caretaker; she would die, having to walk up all those stairs, and make sure everything was in tiptop shape. Just another reason Thelma looked up to Elizabeth.

“The classes are going extremely well, I’m doing well you know just hanging in there.” Taking a sip of her tea, “They are behaving quite well, but you know someone’s going to act up soon, and I’m just waiting for that to happen, “Thelma finished off her sentence with another sip of tea. Sadly her tea cup was running dangerously low, she had maybe half a sip left, and she still wanted more. She had a tiny stove in the far left corner of her lounge. “Excuse me I have to go boil some more water,” Thelma slowly got up and walked over to the stove. With a wave of her wand, water was in a tea kettle, and it was waiting to boil.

Thelma wasn’t so much a lazy person, but she didn’t like to waste energy. She did not want to have to walk all the way back over to the couch, and then go all the way back over to the stove when the water boiled. She decided to stay over by the stove. “How’s the job going? And more importantly, how are you?” With a loud whistle, the milky white kettle signaled that the water was ready. Picking up the kettle, Thelma made her way back over to the couch. Pouring herself another cup, of the brew, and making it just how she liked it. “You know your really missing out.”