Gwen Moore headed down from the castle, her trunk levitating in front of her. It wasn't easy for her to get it all the way down there but she managed to make it all the way to the tavern - only dropping it once when she lost concentration when a particularly beautiful bird flew over her head. Wanting to watch it, she'd forgotten what she'd been doing until she heard the dull 'thunk' of the trunk hitting the ground. Looking around quickly, she was grateful to see that no one should have been able to see what had happened. The last thing that needed to be going around was the Sir Gryffindor's sister was so flaky that she'd lost control of a spell because of a bird! What would his friends think of her then!
While technically, Helga was family, Gwen knew that Rowena was a bit more exacting about magic and, though she was about to become a teacher, someone that was supposed to be her peer messing up magic might not have looked so good. And Salazar, who knew what the often taciturn man thought of her but he'd agreed to Godric's suggestion that they hire Gwen to teach. The last thing she wanted was for him to think that trust was misplaced. As she didn't think any of the other teachers were in residence yet, she wasn't quite so worried about them.
Levitating the trunk once more, she continued down the path and into the village. There were a few strange looks cast in her direction. After all, a well born lady did not often go around without an escort. However, she was here on Hogwart's business. Her brother had just escorted a young lady up to the trading post to work until school started and Gwen's job was get a jump start on the girl's reading and writing lessons. Plus, Kimberly might need clothing to wear to school and would definitely need a cloak. Thus, after the lunch hour had concluded, Gwen arrived at the Tavern where Godric had arranged for the girl to work in exchange for a place to sleep and food.
Once in the door, she looked around, waiting until she saw the bartender. Explaining who she was, the man agreed to give the girl an hour or so in order to get things settled for school. Gwen gave him her sweetest smile and then headed upstairs. The barman had said he would send the girl up. Thus, Gwen and her trunk waiting in a narrow hallway for Kimberly to join her.
Kimberly was not used to this type of work has never spent time in the Taverns back at home. She had been happy though that Godric had been nice enough to get her a job. The girl was not used to working with the other patrons. She would spend most of her time back home cleaning the house along with making sure the food and stuff were prepared properly. She knew when seen the older gentleman again would have to make sure he knows how thankful this all was. Kimberly was currently taking a plate to pay customers when seen a girl walk.
The witch set the plate down before turning to see the lady had a huge chest with her. It was interesting to see what might be in that since she was coming into the taverns. Kimberly started to get an idea of who it might have been when watched her carry the trunk up the stairs. This was going to mean that she was sent by Godric to help. It was proven more when the bartender called her over saying that she now had an hour's break to go upstairs to her room.
She worked on putting the dishes over where the others were before taking one of the towels and moving up the stairs towards her room. Kimberly stopped at the top of the stairs watching the woman wanting to work on learning what she could before actually working on moving forwards and talking to her. “Hello, the bartender sent me up there saying that you needed to work with me on my break.” She was not sure how to introduce or talk to her.
Kimberly smiled a little as then feeling self-conscious worked on playing with the hem of her dress. It was not the best, but she was going to make them proud by doing whatever she could to be the best. She was nervous about going to school and learning things.
Gwen stood there, trying not to fidget while she waited. Fortunately the young lady did not take very long before she joined her upstairs. Upon the greeting, Gwen straightened a little, trying to give off the air of respectability and maturity. It was difficult, considering there could not be a great many years difference between the two of them. This might very well be the case with many of her students and she was just going to have to get over it. As were they.
Fortunately this one seemed hesitant enough, which might make the tutoring go more smoothly. "Hello Kimberly. My name is Lady Moore and I am the reading and writing teacher from the school. I am so grateful that you can take some time to sit with me for a little while. Sir Gryffindor suggested that you could use some assistance in getting yourself ready to attend Hogwarts this fall so here I am." She gave the young lady a kind smile.
"Might we go into your room? It might make all this a bit easier if we are not standing out in the hallway for everyone to hear your business," she suggested, looking at the three doors on the floor and wondering which belonged to the young woman. Or if she even had a place up here. For all she knew, the girl was only entitled to a place in the kitchen...
No, knowing her brother, he would make certain she had a warm place to live along with a job. It was just the way he was.
Kimberly nods softly to Lady Moore when she talked about working heading into her room to work on doing some things. She went to fumble with her door little nervous since was not sure if she would be ready for everything that the woman in front of her was wanting to do. “Of course, The bartender just told me that you were up here for me. Plus they're only a few rooms up here and most of the others are already downstairs.” Kimberly was already nervous because was not very good at reading and writing. This meant that she was going to get judged for sure but at least it was before school started.
Kimberly open the door moving to hold it open for the woman to walk in and decide where she wanted to sit. The room was bare just the basics of what was normally kept stocked in here and another dress. Kimberly did not mind that it was small and cozy since made it easier to clean. She wanted to make sure that it was kicked out tomorrow for some reason the room would have been how she left it if not better.
The witch tried her hardest to keep her emotions in check because blowing this place up would not be a good thing at all. “Sir Gryffindor has been nice to me throughout my travels. I would be happy to use my lunch breaks and other free time to sit down with a smart woman. If this will help me get ready for the school then happy to do it.” She was nervous though not sure if ready to admit that just yet
"Excellent," Gwen said cheerfully as Kimberly opened her bedchamber door and let her in, taking a quick peek around inside just because she was curious as to the type of room that the tavern offered. It was nothing unexpected a raised platform in the corner with a few thick furs to serve as a bed. A small, low table and chair, and a single hook to hang things from - clothing, outerwear, weapons. It was spare but would serve for the next month.
Gwen wondered what the young woman would do when she saw the bedrooms that Rowena had designed. She had seen the Gryffindor ones - had been quite envious of those beds. Had her brother not provided one for her own room, she may very well have forgone teaching and been a student just to sleep on one of those magnificent new padded beds.
"Very nice. Well, I am certain that you have to eat yet as well and there is much for us to do so let us get started. For starters, you might want to take a chair at the table. It will make everything easier." She levitated the trunk into the corner of the room, then knelt down to open it with a simple wave of her wand. It took three tries but finally it opened to reveal some clothing as well as the slate and tin of chalk with which the girl could practice.
"Now then," Gwen stood up, items in her hand, "how much experience would you say you have had with writing? For example," she set the slate down in front of Kimberly and then opened the tin of chalk, "Do you know the letters of the alphabet?"
Kimberly walked over towards her desk and table moving to set down after watching the older woman working on putting things into the corner of her room. She already was getting overwhelmed with the fact that this was happening. Kimberly was going to be going to a school to work on learning things that only the wealthy and fancy were allowed to have. She was just happy to have a bed and roof over her head at night. “I do have to eat but if have to work on skipping a meal till later to work on studies I am perfectly fine with that.” It was true before coming to this place she had been lucky to get one meal a day. Plus if she did not eat every meal she have a little more money to spend since not have to pay for it.
She turned toward Gwen from her chair and worked on looking at the slate and chalk that was set in front of her. “I have a little experience from having worked with my father down at his blacksmith shop. He also wanted me to know the basics of the language so that was not getting undercut or something when working with local traders for goods might need around the house.” Kimberly worked on taking a piece of chalk from the tin. The alphabet was something simple since did not have to put it together. Words were the harder part as she tried to think what might be asked next. Kimberly worked on slowly righting out each letter next to the other. The letters were not pretty but at least could read them.
Gwen tried not to hover as the young woman copied the alphabet for her though it was a small room and not the easiest of tasks. Once Kimberly had finished, she took the slate and studied the shaky script. At least she knew the initial letters, which would be progress over a great many who would be coming in and would not know them at all.
"Very good, you just require a bit of practice with them to neaten things up but that is simply a matter of time. I would think within the month, you could have handwriting as well as mine," she insisted, wanting to encourage Kimberly. And luckily, the young woman would have that month to practice in between working at the tavern and sleeping. Even just an hour a day would help her.
"Now then, we move on to something a little more difficult," she said, sounding a little apologetic. "Reading. As you know your letters..." She headed over to her trunk and pulled out to thin books; one from the Gryffindor library - a primer which had taught all three Gryffindor children to read as well as one that was a bit more complex. "We will start with the primer and see how far you have progressed."
Gwen opened to a random page which contained three simple lines. If she struggled with this, then this is where they would start. If she could easily read them, however, then they would move on to the advanced one that would be closer to what would be expected of her for classes.
She handed the treasured book over, knowing the three sentences by heart. She asked, "Can you read this page for me?" There was no judgement in her voice, only curiosity.
Kimberly smiled a little when heard that with practice she could get better at her writing. This was not something that others had tried to help her pursue. The family back home just wanted her to know enough to get swindled. Then when on the road running there was not a reason to work on writing anything down because they were always on the move. “I promise when not working to keep working on the writing so that by the time next month rolls around, I will be ready.” “I know my reading is not that good.” She went to work on looking at the page trying to make words on some of the sentences in this book. Kimberly worked on trying to figure out all the works on the page not realizing this was as hard as thought would be. “One of them says, Arther holds out his sword. That only one I know for sure though. The next sentence has the word dog in it. There is also something about a shop in the last one.” The girl frowns as moved to work on holding the book back out for her to take back. She failed that test for sure but had to stay calm so as not to make something explode. “My father taught me the basic things. Like what might need when going to the store to get food. Plus things he needs around his smithy.”
01-14-2022, 04:51 PM (This post was last modified: 01-14-2022, 04:53 PM by Gwen Moore.)
Gwen nodded, pushing the book back towards the young woman, taking out her ledger book. With her wand, she wrote down Kimberly's full name and a quick assessment of her initial testing. Once that was recorded, she closed the book and returned it to her pocket along with her wand. "Keep the primer for now; you will need it to practice. The farther ahead you are when you get to school, the better off you will be." She informed Kimberly. "I will come down twice a week to assist you as much as your time allows. Just take care with the book; I will need it for other students when the school year begins.
"Now then, we need to tackle the other matter that brings me down here - supplies. Sir Gryffindor said that you needed clothing for school and we need to make certain that your wand and the required cloak for school is in your possession. Which would you like to take care of first?"
Kimberly moved to work on holding the book close to her for a while wanting to make sure that kept it safe. This was something that they were willing to work on trusting her to keep the book and not destroy it. “Don’t worry I promise to work on keeping this in the room, so they don’t get ruined.” She was going to make sure to study it every night till learned every sentence in this book. “Thank you again for helping me with my studies. My father made sure since mother died at an early age that I knew basic things to go shopping while he and brother worked.”
Kimberly was dreading talking about the supplies. She has only been working here for a small time of things. The witch had not saved enough money yet to buy everything that was going to be needed to go to this school. Sir Gryffindor had been nice enough though and said would help. This was where she was going to have to just relax and allow it. There were people out there that would want to help if given the chance. “I not sure which would want to take care of first. Sir Gryffindor on our travel here told me that the wand is most likely the most important. I have these two dresses already that can wear if need be. Blowing stuff up because get nervous or emotions are not controlled is a different story.”
