An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
Post by Amara Seabrook on Aug 31, 2019 19:23:26 GMT 10
Amara busied herself with the mirror while Nordstrom talked, keeping herself neutral yet clearly listening. She was hiding her vulnerable state a bit better than when she'd entered, though it was a lot of effort and she was a bit easier to read than usual. Mentioning Hathmore was no mistake on her part, yet also wasn't too keen on going into detail about it or the history involved there.
She checked her hair and straightened her tie, then sighed. She much preferred Nordstrom's method of questioning, silently wishing she was the fellow Slytherin instead. Not that she thought much of Maples, just that she was being annoying right now, but Amara appreciated those with tact.
It was just a question of how much she should reveal. Hathmore offered to assist her during the class, which he hadn't done for others as far as she'd seen. It was risky, yet perhaps if she was the first one to speak then that meant Amara had the advantage and controlled the flow of information. There was no hiding the time she took to reply, which the other two girls would surely realise meant Amara did indeed know more than she was letting on. So yes, she needed to control the outcome - not just hope Hathmore would never give too much away.
'Hathmore always had an interest in teaching those who are worthy and with untapped potentials,' Amara said, keeping her attention on her tie to avoid making eye contact even via the mirror. It added a sense of casualness to her words, as if the history wasn't as deep as it was. 'He was my tutor for a while. He often received requests from the Ministry - not surprising, given his extensive knowledge and power, but I never got the impression he cared for their superficial summons. Hathmore was in Slytherin with Snape.'
When Nordstrom asked why Amara hated Hathmore, and the stupidity of that line of questioning which followed, Amara gripped the sink again. She glared, body tense and restraining herself. Her wond felt awkward between her hand and the porcelain, but it kept her from using it.
'That is none of your business,' she hissed angrily, the shot Maples a dark look. 'And I was not crying. I may be powerful and superior, but I have bad days too! I just needed a moment, and you decided to be nosy as if I owed you anything.' Amara felt her rage bubbling higher and tried to get it under control, but the subject of her family and Hathmore's betrayal added to the mix of things already overwhelming her.
She shook her head and refused to look at anyone, gripping her wand tight enough to trigger sparks from it as she stormed to a bench. Amara sat, and bent to fuss in her bag as a means of distraction and hopefully to signal for the others that she was busy - and leave her the hell alone before she started jinxing someone.
”You’re a godsend, thank you.” Kat always loved when Nyx helped her get ready. Despite Kat’s unruly hair and the tangles Nyx’s touch with the brush was gentle. When others tried to brush Kat’s her they were always rough on her locks, but not Nyx. She was however right about Kat’s ends being fried. ‘I wonder if I should cut them off,’ Kat thought. It was just one more thing she’d have to think about before tomorrow.
By this point Kat could tell when Amara was trying to play it cool, her movements in the mirror looked forced and her words were calculated. Kat scoffed at Amara’s response and gave Nyx a raised eyebrow. ‘Well that wasn’t anything we couldn’t have already figured out,’ She thought. Kat could tell Nyx was digging for more personal information just like Kat was but on a more logical level. However Amara made it clear she wasn’t going to talk about anything remotely personal. Especially when she hissed at Nyx for asking too many questions. ‘I knew that was coming’ Kat thought.
Kat could also tell their time in the bathroom was coming to an end. Amara’s wand was starting to spark and she had made an effort to move away from then and pretend to look busy in her bag. Kat was secretly grateful that she would be getting a break from her. ‘You’ll just have to see her tonight,’ Kat told herself sullenly. She sighed and looked at Nyx “Ready? I’m sure we can find something else to do... maybe we could ask Professor Snape about Hathmore?” She asked. Kat wanted real answers and she knew Nyx did too. If Snape and Hathmore were in the same house they could have certain dirt on each other. And right now Kat honestly felt more comfortable asking Snape questions than Amara.
As they were leaving and about to go out the door Kat turned around and looked at Amara. ‘This girl has obviously gone through something traumatic,’ Kat thought taking some pity. ”I’m sorry if I insulted you, I was just hoping we could get along... and get to know each other.” After a brief pause Kat decided to ad vulnerably. ”I don’t have a lot of close friends in Slytherin... they just don’t seem to get me.” And with that Kat left the bathroom.
It was clear that Amara was withholding information, given the amount of time she took to respond. But ultimately understandable. Amara Seabrook just wasn't the type to disclose personal information easily—or at all, really. Nyx knew she likely wouldn't get all she wanted from the Slytherin, but an effort had to be made. The Ravenclaw even wanted to create a follow–up discussion, one asking the next big question: if Hathmore "didn't care for their [the Ministry of Magic's] superficial summons", as Amara had stated, then why did Hathmore save the note—and use it as what appeared to be a bookmark—to this very day? The question was begging to be spat out, the words lingering along the partition of Nordstrom's pillowy lips.
Unfortunately, any chance of having her curiosity discussed was instantly shot to hell. Seabrook had gone from zero to one hundred in a second flat, her hands gripping the sink ahead of her. She appeared to be restraining herself, and to Nyx, it seemed like she was putting forth a great deal of effort to do so. Nordstrom raised a brow at the scene Seabrook was causing, finding it all quite dramatic. "Was this what you were dealing with?" Nyx whispered to Kat, her eyes locked on Amara like titanium staples. If Seabrook was going to enact an offensive attack, Nordstrom would be ready to defend both herself and Katherine; who knew Professor Hathmore's barbaric lesson could've come in handy and so soon.
However, there wouldn't be a need for an impromptu duel today. Amara had stormed away from the two friends, before dropping her weight onto a nearby bench and getting lost within her bag. Nyx watched Seabrook in the distance, before acknowledging Maples' idea. They both needed to exit the Grand Bathrooms; the atmosphere was contentious and there was no chance for reconciliation today, despite any wishes for such. Nordstrom trailed behind her Slytherin ally, listening to the words Katherine left behind for her bunkmate. Poor, Kat, Nyx thought to herself, watching her friend head out into the corridor. Nyx gave Amara one final glance and one final word. "We may have a common enemy, Seabrook," she began, her words soft but stern, "And with a united front, he'd be at the end of our collective resistance." Nyx clutched her bag, her low heels clicking as she strode out of the lavatory.
Last Edit: Sept 1, 2019 7:49:28 GMT 10 by Deleted: I replaced my placeholder text with Nyx's final words and exit.
Post by Amara Seabrook on Sept 1, 2019 3:08:14 GMT 10
Amara was finally alone.
She could hardly believe it, but the pesty company had left and she was alone to her thoughts. It's what she'd wanted when she got there, yet now she wasn't so sure. Her thoughts weren't exactly good ones. She left her bag alone, forgetting what she'd even intended to use as a distraction. She stared at her wand for a moment, then sighed. The weight and heaviness lifted from her shoulders as she no longer had to put on an act or mask. No one else was there, as far as she knew.
And just like that, everything that overwhelmed her enough to seek solitude in the nearest bathroom came rushing back. Her father, Hathmore, the nightmares...
'UGH,' Amara yelled, kicking one of the lockers much harder than her toes appreciated. She made a mental note to repair the dent before she left, but yanked out her hair tie so she could rake her hands through her dark hair. It didn't help much, but she had to something to keep her hands busy. Blowing up the sinks and cursing stalls wasn't going to solve anything.
Her energy drained fast. She pressed her back to a non-dented locker and slid down it, hunched on the floor to hug her knees. She refused to cry, but Amara knew fighting it was just another waste of energy. For now, she just rested her chin on her knees and stared across the room at the base of the sinks.
[OOC: I'll edit my post if needed when Nyx makes her post, for anything Amara would respond to or otherwise.]
Last Edit: Sept 1, 2019 3:08:27 GMT 10 by Amara Seabrook
Post by Lucas Mardling on Sept 1, 2019 3:27:35 GMT 10
Lucas, sitting cross-legged on a closed toilet lit inside a locked stall, had covered his mouth in effort to stay quiet the entire time. He was no stranger to stalking around the girls bathrooms in search of gossip, but wow. He knew his classmates voices well enough to know exactly who was there, though names were mentioned a times anyway. He hadn't expected Amara to show up though.
First point of interest - Amara wasn't herself. He knew that, but not the extent of it. Second - Nyx and Tiana were Quidditch captains now? That was interesting. Katherine and Amara were confrontational, which wasn't odd for Amara but was considering they were both Slytherin classmates. Lucas had to resist finding a way to peek at them and see Amara - given what was being said it must be rough. What confused him was that it actually bothered him. "Worried" might be the better word, but that was even more confusing so he stuck with "bothered".
There was a lot to process. The juicy information about Hathmore was something he made strong mental note of, but a lot was going on in that bathroom. He expected something useful and blackmail-worthy, and while he certainly got that, it was worst than he expected. It went well until the end - then it wasn't funny or interesting anymore.
Lucas quietly made his way to the stall door and unlocked it. He peered into the bathroom, able to cover his mouth again fast enough not to shriek when Amara kicked the locker. He stared, stunned, and didn't dare move - like a prey animal caught in the vicinity of something hungry. Then she sank the floor and something shifted in him.
He didn't know what to do at first. Logic and reason told him to flee while he could, as she still had her wand and had damaged school property without it. But seeing her so...Human, well it messed with him. He'd seen many sides of her over the years, especially their time as children running away from adults and responsibilities during boring functions, but this was something else. He was older now, more mature and able to see things differently. And in that moment, Amara wasn't the scary Slytherin Queen he'd come to fear. She was a person, like anyone else. More to the point, she was broken too. Like him.
And yet, he still didn't know what to do or how to react. Lucas did a silent prayer in his head, then carefully approached her. He sat beside her, eyebrows raised curiously, and waited to see how she'd react. Any sudden moves and he was out of there, though even Lucas probably wasn't that fast when trying to avoid one of Amara's hexes.
'Rough day?' Lucas kept his tone light and casual, trying not to sound nervous though that was probably a lost cause. 'Anything I can do?' He was an idiot for suggesting it, but he had no idea what the heck he was supposed to do. Risking his life to comfort someone wasn't something he made a habit of.
Post by Amara Seabrook on Sept 1, 2019 3:37:48 GMT 10
Amara tensed and gripped her wand when spotting movement out of the corner of her eye. She scoffed, rolling her eyes when she saw who it was. Then she remembered he'd have had to be there the whole time, meaning Lucas heard everything. That was bad, especially given his reputation for scheming and blackmailing. No secret was safe, surely.
'Still sneaking around the girls bathrooms, Lucas?' Amara mocked. 'Don't you have anything better to do?' She hugged her legs tighter, though was utterly confused when he moved closer. Amara's heart raced, though she remained still and watched him intently. Then he sat beside her, not saying a word at first, and just...What was going on? He should be fleeing her like everyone else did. He wasn't exactly known for his bravery, even if they had history.
'We're hardly friends.' Amara rested her chin on her knees again, deciding he was safe enough company that she didn't have to be on intent guard. 'I doubt there's anything even you could do. Why do you care, anyway? Looking for blackmail? I'm not so stupid as to tell you anything worth using.'
Harsh words were easier. He'd sat beside her and was nervous, yet he was there...Amara didn't know what to do with that. It wasn't like him, and it annoyed her that she didn't mind it. His company was much better than Nordstrom or Maples. Than anyone, she would even guess. Why? Sure, he had amazing hair and she liked the sound of his voice but...Seriously. It was Lucas Mardling. She should tell him to go away as easily as anyone else.
Post by Lucas Mardling on Sept 1, 2019 3:49:55 GMT 10
He hadn't expected a friendly welcome, but Lucas was surprised she made no move to hex him or yell at him to leave. Mocking him was hardly considered strange from Amara, even in the circumstances. He was starting to see it for what it was though. How could he not, with the acts he puts on as well or methods used to keep people at arms length? They had more in common than he'd realised.
'If I had something better to do, then I'd be doing it,' he replied. 'Nordstrom and Maples tried to get information out of you, but I've done that dance a million times before. You don't share things unless you want to. I've no reason to blackmail you, Amara. I never need to.' And he wouldn't. Not just for his own safety, but there was never a reward great enough to tempt him. He couldn't do that to her, not when there were times when she made him feel less alone or weird.
'I never said anything about caring.' He shrugged. 'But...Well, I suppose I do.' Lucas tried to play it off with charm and amusement, but he couldn't fake it. He did care, and he wanted to help her. 'Would you like a friend? I know I'm not worthy of it or have anything much to offer than being someone who'll listen and not judge you...But, I'd like to be your friend.' He stared at his hands, annoyed that he couldn't talk himself up.
It was easier to act all confident and superior around those who didn't matter, but Amara was one of the only people who were at risk of knowing his secret - how his parents abandoned him and basically disowned him, and how he wasn't nearly as rich as he ought to be as their sole heir. They didn't care about him, leaving him at Hogwarts to rot. Lucas had seen and met Amara's parents and knew they weren't as doting on their daughter as public appearances suggested either.
'Is it...Well, your father?' Lucas said it quietly, as it was a dangerous words to say around her. He didn't know much of anything about the situation, just the smallest bits that helped him guess there was a reason she lost her temper at anyone who dared mention her parents. Apparently he was being foolish and self-sacrificing today. Had Professor hathmore's dummies given him a head injury?
Post by Amara Seabrook on Sept 1, 2019 4:04:18 GMT 10
Amara was only vaguely aware of what he said, feeling more overwhelmed with the uncertain situation and company. She bit her lip, fighting the urge to cry as some form of release for everything going on. The nightmare was still fresh, even after a whole day.
She scoffed, not believing he actually cared. Yet she still hadn't yelled at him to go away. She'd even put her wand on the floor beside her, freeing her hands. Well, she could always punch him if needed. One didn't become an amazing beater without the physical strength to smack bludgers with heavy bats.
She frowned, turning to properly look at Lucas. His attention was on his hands, but she considered his words that time. His charm and confidence were dropped, as much as her own arrogance and confrontational rage. Amara realised Lucas had done those things before - and he had listened to her, no judged, in the past. All those times they hid under tables, chased house elves, or mixed weird things into people's drinks. Those countless dull parties when everything back then was an adventure. They were friends? Was that what it was?
And then he was stupid enough to mention her father. Amara hissed, body tensed and ready to fight, but the energy wasn't there. It fizzled out. And this time was different because Lucas had actually met her father. She studied him a while longer, scared to confirm anything in case he was lying about not using any of it against her. But the emotions were too much. She stopped caring - stopped trying to control everything.
It finally happened. Her eyes welled with tears and she bit back an audible sob. Amara fought to keep herself from losing it completely, but it was too much. She couldn't keep doing this, pretending she was just angry and ruthless. Pretending that she couldn't get hurt.
So she did the stupidest and most Gryffindor thing she could have in that moment - Amara told Lucas things were worst at home with her father's expectations and temper, and how she'd been having nightmares that won't go away but are getting worst, and then she mentioned how she hated feeling alone in it all. No one understood what it was like, being the powerful heir of an ancient pureblood family. How she had the strength and vulnerability to even talk was beyond her. She kept it brief, but the truth spilled out before she could stop it - too busy trying not to humiliate herself further by crying.
It was a different kind of exhausted. Amara would withdraw at any sign of him rejecting it or avoiding the contact, but she reached to loop her arm around his. She didn't know why, perhaps in search of something warm and real. She leaned her head towards his shoulder and sighed, just staring at the base of the sinks once again. She felt calmer, yet her heart raced. The whole moment didn't even feel real, but he did. Lucas was warm and somehow comforting - the contact she craved.
Amara chose to live in the moment. Because soon after, her sense would surely come back to her and she'd think she'd gone mad telling him anything or trying to actually seek comfort. Amara Seabrook just didn't do those things, with anyone. She couldn't. And yet, she also ran out of the energy to care. She wasn't even sure if she knew who Amara Seabrook was anymore. Not what her father wanted her to be, that's for sure.
Post by Lucas Mardling on Sept 1, 2019 18:03:01 GMT 10
The whole situation wasn't going as Lucas expected it to, and while that was a great thing for his safety it was also something new. Like something had shifted between them, and he felt weird inside - an excited sort of sick. A fluttering? Whatever it was, it was distracting. He could hardly believe it though, that Amara hadn't lashed out at him besides a few choice words, and she'd even put her wand down. It was what he'd wanted to achieve that year, yet a part of him always assumed he'd fail.
As expected, the mention of her father didn't go well. Then she was studying him and Lucas' nervousness grew. She was finally noticing him and his brain failed him. He needed to say something witty but it was slow to form. 'I know, I'd want to stare at me all day too,' he said in boast of his good looks. He frowned when tears welled in her eyes though. Oh no, don't cry - he didn't know what to do when people cried!
Lucas didn't dare move as she reached to him. A part of him preferred it when she hexed him, as at least then he knew how to react - and he wouldn't feel weird inside like he did now. Wait, did he have a crush on her? Oh no, that would be annoying. He'd seen how people with crushes made a fool of themselves. Not that Amara would ever like him anyway. Best not to think about it, right?
She seemed calmer, at least. Lucas was baffled and it took his brain a while to catch up with what was happening. Surely this was real, and he hadn't been caught then killed in that stall? He waited a moment, checking she wasn't tricking him (girls had done that to him before), then slowly accepted what was happening. He leaned his cheek to the top of her head, just resting it there and hoping his presence was somehow a comfort to her.
He hadn't expected to feel the way he was. Lucas struggled to remember the last time someone had even hugged him. It unsettled him to realise he honestly could not remember who or when, as it had been such a long time. He was a naturally affectionate person usually, with those he was close to, but of course he actually needed people he was close to for that. And no one liked him enough for that. Yet Amara...Something was different there. He liked it, and never wanted the moment to end. Not unless it meant she was happier now and somehow he'd helped her. He wanted her to be okay.
But it felt like cheating. Lucas believed in a fair exchange when it mattered. Sure, he scammed younger years all the time but tended to be more genuine with those closer to his age or who he knew. Amara was being impossibly vulnerable and all he'd done was sit there. He hadn't asked her to be that way around him but still.
'I get it, you know,' he said. Lucas winced, forgetting that talking could break the moment. 'It's not easy, being us. Our families, our birthright, and all that nonsense that comes with it. I'm just saying, you don't have to pretend with me. We both hide the parts of us we don't want others to see - the scared part, the overwhelmed part...I don't know why, but we do. My parents...'
Lucas hesitated. He glanced towards the entrance area of the bathroom, but couldn't see the door clearly from where they were. He didn't want to move, not ever, but if he intended to go through with his fair share of vulnerability he had to make sure no one was listening in. Reluctantly, he shifted away as gently as he could and offered his hands - intending to pull her to her feet. Once up, he moved so he could watch the door - after checking the stalls were all empty.
'My parents,' he continued, staring at the bathroom floor. Oh, ew! He'd been sitting on the floor of a girls' bathroom! He shuddered, already planning a shower once they were done. It looked clean enough but still, ew. 'My parents don't want me. I wasn't the perfect heir they wanted, I guess. They left me here to rot, and I guess that's exactly what I did.' He frowned, head bowed in shame. He wasn't good enough for his own parents, so he clearly wasn't good enough for anyone else. Why pretend otherwise?
Post by Amara Seabrook on Sept 1, 2019 18:39:01 GMT 10
Amara wanted to sleep. her nightmare had cut that short, and Lucas was surprisingly quite comfortable. She wanted to stay there all afternoon, but even in the wonderful moment she knew that couldn't happen.
She blushed when he leaned on her head, which wasn't terribly uncomfortable. Her father had arranged many dates on her behalf before, but none of those boys had the kind of warmth or patience that Lucas did. It was making her uncomfortable though, as Amara Seabrook didn't get close to people. She couldn't. Yet...Oh, why was it so hard?
She rolled her eyes at his quip, refusing to grow his ego by complimenting his good looks. Amara still longed to run her hands through his hair and was plotting the perfect excuse to do that later. She listened carefully as he spoke, her emotions bubbling again when she realised he would mean it. Lucas would know some of what it was like, coming from an equally powerful and ancient family. She wanted to protest that she never got scared, but lying was exhausting. Lucas understood.
Gasping, Amara leaned back a little to look at him when he mentioned his parents. In all the years they'd been at Hogwarts, not once could she recall him ever mentioning his parents. Like with her, no one dared bring it up. Not because he reacted angrily like she did, but because Lucas was an expert at evading the subject. She'd met his parents briefly and could understand some of why, but to hear him talk about it...To have him entrust that to her?
She frowned when he pulled away, but quickly realised why. Her sense returned and Amara grimanced - realising where she was and that the bathroom was not the ideal place for such a conversation. Anyone could walk in - even a Gryffindor! She eyed his hands for a moment, then grabbed them - letting Lucas pull her to her feet. Amara quickly withdrew, then joined him and check the stalls. She used her wand, loudly zapping the doors open.
Amara wanted to know everything, yet she refused to be hypocritical in that sense. For a moment she considered if perhaps she'd been a little too harsh with Maples. She quickly dismissed that thought and focused on Lucas.
'They're wrong.' Amara reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze if he didn't pull away. 'Your parents don't know you. And you're not rotten, Lucas.' She didn't know what else to say. There were too many similarities. How could she reassure him he wasn't awful if she was in a similar situation yet believed herself just as awful. And he didn't go around cursing people.
It was getting too personal. Amara needed some fresh air - a moment to process it all and what this shift between them meant. She dropped her hand and sighed, looking around the bathroom.
'We should get out of here. Anyone could walk in,' she said. 'Thank you, for being here - for telling me things. We should talk again, in a better setting or circumstance. How about the common room later, after dinner?' Amara suggested. It wasn't the safest place in the world, but at least it was safe ground with only fellow Slytherins around. Including Maples, she supposed. Ugh.
'I'm going to change. Get myself sorted out, I guess. A nap would be good.' Amara didn't want him to think she was trying to get away from him, so she reached to place her hand on his arm and gave Lucas a genuine smile. The best she could muster, anyway. 'Thanks,' she said again, and grabbed her bag from by the bench. With a final nod of appreciation, Amara hurried from the bathroom and yelled at anyone who crossed her path on her rush towards the dungeons.
Post by Lucas Mardling on Sept 1, 2019 18:48:03 GMT 10
Amara's words hit Lucas pretty hard, as he could tell she wasn't just saying them. She actually believed it. He wasn't sure he could as well, but appreciated it nevertheless. He was far from worthy, but at least Amara didn't think too lowly of him. When he held his hand, his heart raced again. He quickly looked away, blinking fast to keep his eyes from giving him away.
Then it was over. Like a popped bubble, their moment came to an end - but not without an invite to spend time together later. That surprised him most, and Lucas gladly accepted. Not sure what to say, he just watched her leave. Lucas was pleased with himself. Sneaking around the girls bathroom, as others often called it, had turned out to be one of the best things he'd done. He'd learned so much and even got to bond with Amara. Whatever happened for the rest of the day, Lucas was feeling pretty good about himself.
He gave the bathroom another glance over, cringing at the thought of having spend so much time in it, then headed to check himself out in the mirrors. After his third hair check, Lucas straightened his tie and strolled out of the bathoom. In a good mood, he decided to head to the Entrance Hall and try his luck and earning some Galleons.
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