Quote:
Originally Posted by
HOPEendures 
Hope grabbed the door and pulled it closed after the girl had finished the riddle and said thanks. "Let's get one little thing clear real quick. I don't like people who self loath over the stupidest of things." Okay, even to her own ears that sounded mean and harsh and it wasn't her intention to be mean towards Gwen.
"HOWEVER, I have one exception to each rule I have and for this rule you are that exception." Hope gave her a soft smile and placed a hand on the girls shoulder. "I don't usually do the whole friend thing and I don't lend shoulders to cry on and I really don't tolerate people who can't seem to get past their own self doubt. However, you are my friend and I am going to be here for you. We will get you through this together. I still believe that you can do it on your own though."
She gave the girl a nudge forward toward the knocker. "The best advice that I can give you is to practice. Get another riddle and keep trying. I meant those words I said at the feast. You were meant to be in this house. The hat is never wrong. I also mean what I just said. I'm here for you."
Out of the knockers mouth came. "What is the beginning of the end, the end of time, the middle of yesterday, and nowhere in tomorrow?" Hope looked at Gwen. "Are we going to go in or are we going to stand here all night?" She wasn't going to answer it...well, she would after the other Ravenclaw gave it three tries.
Gwen took a step back. Was Hope not going to let her in? That was a little rude. Her defensive New Yorker kicked in.
"I don't like people in general, so I think it's safe to say we shouldn't worry about liking each other." She snapped the words more harshly than she probably should have, and instantly regretted them when Hope said the next bit.
"Um, thanks," she said, refusing to look down, meeting Hope's eyes the whole time.
"Sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it." Really. It was just a sort of automatic reflex, when someone was rude, you were rude back. However, the world kept working because of people who were smart enough to pick their battles. Hope seemed like a generally kind person, and it was the wrong battle to pick, arguing with her over something that wasn't actually mean.
The knocker said it's riddle and Gwen almost laughed. She didn't even have to think about that one, it was too easy. She looked over at Hope.
"We are going in. The answer is the letter 'e'." See? That was the second riddle she'd figured out by herself. Maybe Hope was right. Maybe it would just take her a while to get the hang of it, but when she did, she intended to be an amazing Ravenclaw.
"Thank you, Hope," really. Because just giving Gwen the answer did nothing to help her learn. Hope was right, as usual.