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.
Misuk caught MJ's look, curious about her smile, and did look into Toby's direction after all - quickly enough to notice that particular parcel. They turned to MJ again, snorting ever so slightly before picking up the conversation again.
Well, at least this was their plan, as the end of breakfast was also announced and it would be time for classes. "Let's go!" Misuk agreed, standing up and taking their backpack to wear on their back properly.
They waved at Ryan and Joe as well, seeing across the room if they could spot familiar faces, before leaving the hall.
Post by Luckett Langford on May 27, 2022 0:46:17 GMT 10
Amelia was right. He didn't need his picture on the front page of the Prophet for his win to matter. He also didn't need it mentioned for it to mean something. His table was celebrating him and their house, and at the end of the day, it was Hufflepuff's praise and recognition that meant the most above any vain form of glory. And it wasn't only their praise that mattered, but some of his nearest and dearest: Professor Sprout, Amelia moments ago, and now Sophia.
A rushed breath that hinted at becoming something more of a chuckle than a chuff pushed out from Lucky's lungs through his nostrils as he smirked against Sophia's squashing, excitable hug. He hadn't had a chance to see her after the tournament yesterday, so seeing her now brought a flood of emotions, all twisting and flowing and flying around his head, filling his big ol' heart.
'Thank you! I fared pretty well, didn't I? Especially against the Ashworth sibs. But I'll admit, I couldn't have won without some of the best cheerleaders around.' He grinned like a cheshire cat, shooting Amelia a wink and gently rubbing Sophia on the shoulder. 'I heard the pair of you in the crowd, you know. You gave me those extra shots of adrenaline I needed to bring it home, and yeah. Just happy you were there. Both of you.' His hand lingered on Sophia a moment, giving his best gal pal's shoulder a squeeze then releasing it.
Langford stuffed more of his meal into his face, his eyes moving from his plate, to Amelia, then Sophia. They traveled back and forth in this manner as he chewed on both his friends' words and his meal, only once distracted by the flickering of nearby candlelight as some movement of air encouraged them to dance and flicker. There was something comforting in knowing that his closest friends were proud of him. It was reassuring to know they had believed in him too, a sensation he hadn't even realized he'd been seeking until that moment. It meant the world.
Soon enough, food disappeared from the tables including the plate Lucky was working on. He groaned, slamming an open palm against the table in protest. But he reckoned it was alright. He'd already eaten what felt like a whole day's worth of food in one sitting. Good thing Lucky planned to scavenge the grounds today in search of ingredients. That'd burn some calories.
'Well, I guess breakfast is over, girls.' He conceded as he dropped his utensils on the table and took up a napkin to scrub at his lips and the areas around them. 'And you bet. I'll see you in Charms. I'll be outside til then. Ingredient hunting and all that.' He playfully griped, pressing his hands into the table and lifting himself up to stand from the bench.
Looking down as he stood, Langford offered his friends one more open smile, one that perhaps carried with it an aura of hopefulness as his feet carried him toward the exit. He hoped it wouldn't be too cold outside. He just wanted to get this search over and done with.
Post by Jaxen Ashworth on May 27, 2022 1:25:48 GMT 10
Jax let out a small cry of dismay when the food vanished from the table, taking with it his half empty cup of orange juice. He'd intended to finish that. It was likely Ezra's fault for distracting him from his task of clearing his plate, but he wouldn't hold it against his little brother. He was just excited to have him and Reena back at Hogwarts- Jax would certainly be excited to be back, if it wasn't for the threat of his approaching OWLs
"Sorry bud, I gotta go..." he apologized to Ezra, disentangling himself from his brother's vice-like grip. He grabbed his bag and waved goodbye, with an unsaid promise of seeing him later that day. Class would be starting soon and if he had any chance of passing his exams, he couldn't afford to be late.
Post by Tobias Twiggs on May 27, 2022 1:46:57 GMT 10
Toby finished off his breakfast sandwich before wiping his hands down his robes to rid his fingers of the grease- an action his mother most definitely wouldn't approve of. He didn't care, when his mum wasn't around he didn't have to find a napkin- he was a free boy.
"Come on, lets get to class" he muttered to Ryan and Joe, draping his scarf lazily around his neck as he left the table. They weren't going outside as far as he could tell, so thankfully he wouldn't have to brave the snow first thing in the morning. If he had, he might have had to run back to the common room to fetch some thicker socks.
Post by Ezra Ashworth on May 27, 2022 2:13:35 GMT 10
Ezra had hidden his face against his brothers back, for once forgetting to use his words as he tried to figure out his feelings. By the time he remembered that he probably should have explained what he was doing, the tables had emptied and Jax was rushing off to class.
"M'kay, bye," he said to his brothers retreating back. He decided he would just have to pass Grandpa's message on later. Classes were important too after all.
Speaking of, he should probably head to his own class, even if the excitement that had filled him all morning had diminished. Maybe Charms would take his mind off the confusing feelings that the book had brought. With that hope in mind, he made his way out of the great hall too, his shoulders slightly slumped even after getting to hug one of his siblings. He was disappointed in himself for forgetting to pass the message on as well as running out of time to find and hug the rest of his family.
Post by Oscar Tinkle on May 27, 2022 3:51:59 GMT 10
Oscar smiled at Arthur's answer, it was nice to see someone else looking forward to something. And it wasn't like he would disagree either, Herbology was among his own list of better classes to have on their first day back. That said list was only two classes long and could therefore barely be counted as a list, well that was just for him to know.
He had avoided looking at the paper for as long as he could, not wanting to start the first day of classes with bad news, but at Arthur's comment he glanced over the front page himself.
"You think he had anything to do with Christmas?" he asked. He could remember the paper saying something about arrests being made from that attack, but couldn't remember if it had said anything about the charges sticking or if they had found the mastermind behind it all.
Someone with as many horrifying objects as the paper made out Bartles had though, that seemed like the type of person who might have had something to do with the attack. At least in Oscar's opinion. Though what did he know? He was not an auror, nor did he have any intention of being one. All he was, was a concerned fourteen year old student who thought objects like described would have been better having never been made.
Oscar looked around the hall as the food disappeared, breakfast was over already? That left him the question of what to do with his morning then. He knew one thing that he could do at least, and he wondered if Arthur would like to join him?
"Speaking of Herbology," he said as he picked up his bag and tossed the strap over his shoulder. "I've got some plants to check on. Want to come with?" It would be nice to have some company, even if it was only for a trip to the greenhouse. It was completely up to Arthur though, Oscar wouldn't force him.
He made his way out of the hall, the invite left open to the other Hufflepuff.
Post by Victoria Vargas on May 27, 2022 4:17:04 GMT 10
It was refreshing having a conversation with someone that didn't already hate her guts. It happened so rarely if it wasn't specifically Amara, Lucas, or even Nyx. To be fair, Victoria often came to most conversations with a predetermined dislike for individuals, but that wasn't really the point now. It was nice to not already have her reputation spoil an encounter. This was especially surprising considering she was dealing with Reena, a fourth year, as it was a well enough known fact that Vargas greatly disliked them and maybe even hated their guts.
But it didn't come without forced smiles, laughter and head nods from her end. It was still a trying effort for Vicky, but she was determined to meet the girl halfway. It was Amara that smoothed it along, however, nudging her toward the fact Reena was a potential recruit.
What she didn't have time or patience for was the addition of Tom Stansbury, her brown eyes watching him as he took a seat and included himself in their conversation. This was a fourth year Victoria already knew she disliked, and no amount of time or effort was going to change that. The fact his girlfriend was a whiny, ginger snot didn't help matters for him either.
'No comment.' She said this dryly in response to Stansbury's comment about Langford, easily maneuvering away from the topic. She couldn't even bring herself to laugh, no matter how true his words may have been. Victoria was more or less over talking about the Hufflepuff. She didn't want to waste another breath on his victory, choosing to focus on more pressing matters.
'It's true. We didn't join to win. It was all about seeing what everyone had to offer. I think it's fair to say we were unimpressed with a lot of what we saw, but you Reena? It was clear you had potential to go far, even early on in the bracket.' Victoria relaxed into her seat, beginning to enjoy the idea of having the fourth year as another recruit.
With one hand on her newly filled goblet of hot cider, Victoria took a moment to blow on it — ever impatient to just get to the drinking portion of this relaxing affair. Over the rim of her cider, she smiled when Lucas arrived and nodded along with Amara about having no set plans.
'We could always use the free morning to study and prepare for our OWLs. I think there's a few teachers offering some extra-c opportunities?' She shrugged and took a sip of her cider which, despite her blowing, still singed her tongue a bit even though she didn't show it other than choosing to set the goblet back down on the table to cool a little bit longer.
As Amara and Reena spoke about classes and continuing their conversation, Victoria casually flipped through the pages of the Daily Prophet. This morning's reading was your usual standard, run-of-the-mill stuff. The main story is what caught Victoria's attention the most, as the written details about Ned Bartles' arrest seemed incomplete, or as though not all the facts were being disclosed. Typical. Victoria couldn't wait for the day she got her hands on writing an article.
Saoirse came to breakfast exceptionally late that day. Normally she was one of the earliest ones to arrive and to leave, taking the opportunity to go for a dip in the lake where she could. But today was the first, and hopefully only, exception.
Saoirse had spent the rest of the previous day's duelling tournament in a small heap in the corner, watching while groaning internally. She had seen her fellow Gryffindor first-years get eliminated, and watched her own opponent, Luckett, come out as the ultimate winner.
That had actually made her feel significantly better. She had lost badly, but against that year's champion. It had even given her a glow of pride. After the duel ended, she had gotten herself checked out. Nothing had been broken, but she had bruised ribs, bruised arms, bruised... everything.
She thought she had felt bad last night, but this morning had been demonstrably worse. It had taken a roaring stomach to force her to eventually roll out of bed and crawl into her school robes. Saoirse had then hobbled to the Great Hall like a bent old woman, cursing every creaking joint.
Despite her aching body, she had eaten ravenously in the Great Hall. On top of which, although she felt physically beaten, she had never felt better mentally. She felt a sense of peace and quiet self-esteem she hadn't felt in years. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
Saoirse finished her meal as the last students were clearing out, and rose carefully from the bench. She could feel every muscle in her back aching with each step. But there was nothing for it. She was well enough to attend class, and so off she went.
Kassia put down her fork and primly dabbed at her mouth with a kerchief, gaze darting around the Great Hall. It was starting to clear out now, and she knew she was due to go to her care of magical creatures class. She had chosen to take a corner seat, out of the way but still within earshot of others.
The entire duelling tournament had been fascinating to watch. Not the duels themselves, but the sheer drama surrounding them. Kassia had been very impressed and very smug to watch Jaxen Ashworth make it all the way to the end. He had indeed lost at the last moment, but he had faced one extra battle that Luckett had not.
That meant Kassia was technically the best dueller at Hogwarts, and she had been preening and primping herself for the entire day over that thought. Although she usually walked about with a pleasant smile, today she'd been significantly more airy and considerably more arrogant than usual.
She had arrived early at breakfast that day, knowing that the excitement of the tournament would continue on into morning. She ate while eavesdropping as she usually did, and mainly kept to herself while making mental notes. It was only when all the interesting people left that she chose to head off. She liked being fashionably late to class, but the teachers certainly didn't.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on May 27, 2022 12:36:10 GMT 10
Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief when breakfast was over. Finally, classes. Well, Care of Magical Creatures, but a class was a class. She brushed off her uniform. Hopefully whatever Professor Fairburn had them working on today was going to be relatively easy. She remembered that she had to grab her winter weather clothing.
She wished there was an inside area for the beasts. If they could manage to keep a wolf in the castle, surely they could make do with whatever creatures Professor Fairburn brought in for them to clean up after. Elizabeth wrinkled her nose and left, hoping that braving the winter weather was going to be worth it in the end.
Last Edit: May 27, 2022 12:36:36 GMT 10 by Elizabeth Doren: formatting
Post by Reena Ashworth on May 27, 2022 17:45:03 GMT 10
Reena was not quite sure where to look when Amara decided to join the conversation yet decided to give her a half-smile. She didn't regret her choice to sit with the fifth years this morning but she still wasn't entirely convinced their interest in her was genuine. But she wanted it to be.
The way Amara told Vicky how they understood her stuck with her and she mulled it over in her mind while she drank her tea, only half-listening when the topic changed to Quidditch. She was neither on the team nor was she particularly invested in it. But so far in her life the only one who had ever truly seemed to understand her had been her dad. And, well, he was gone.
She tuned back in when the topic changed once more to the tournament and she looked at Amara at being praised once more for her skill and guts in regard to using curses. The way the Hufflepuffs had avoided her earlier had stung a little and she did not quite understand. The use of curses had even been mentioned as fair game at the beginning of the tournament and yet everyone seemed to be appalled by them. It wasn't like she had cast devastating curses either. They were mild at best. Safe for poor Oscar Tinkle, whom she had accidentally hit in the eyes.
"Perhaps it is time," she agreed. And perhaps Amara's interest, the Alliance of Partesan, was genuine aswell. It would be nice to be recognized for a change.
Reena's pondering expression perked up when Lucas joined them and she greeted him with a smile. She was a little surprised by how much she appreciated his company and nodded in agreement to his statement about skill in duels. Although she had felt she had quite met her match with Langford. But she did not want to stirr anything by pointing that out, afraid Lucas may take offense. Not that she would dare remind him of his loss to a first year.
"Oh, it was one big show. Langford even called it that exact thing when we first met in the ring. And he used that opportunity to turn my brother and I into the next Twiggs siblings, I guess?", she dryly attempted a joke.
The way they spoke about scooping for potential was interesting and she felt her face light up at the praise. It was nice to make an impression. Better to make a good impression yet and she seemed to have done that.
"I have," she said to Lucas when he asked her about joining. She was more and more convinced it was a genuine offer and would benefit her greatly. "I am leaning towards joining."
Turning to Amara after they had made their plans she shook her head.
"My first class is in the afternoon," she said and made no attempt to leave when the food disappeared and the first students hurried off to their respective classes.
She did have plans to head to the library, although perhaps might have to stop by the greenhouse to see whether her plants had miraculously survived her poor care and long absense, The latter being nothing she particularly looked forward to so she was happy to stay a while longer and finish the conversation with Amara.
Crossing her arms on the table to lean on she waited for the older girl to start.
Post by Arthur Hocking on May 27, 2022 21:06:35 GMT 10
Arthur shrugged. It wouldn't be impossible, but they didn't have nearly the kind of information that the Ministry people had, so there was no way for them to be certain. If it was, and they had caught him, then that was good news, but maybe it was possible there was someone else out there who had the opportunity and desire to hurt Muggles. He frowned.
"Sure, I have a plant to harvest, too." Arthur was excited to see what his mystery plant turned out to be. Even if it wasn't worth any ingredients, it was still pretty cool to have grown something in the Greenhouse. And if he finished early, he could still hang out with Oscar. To Arthur, it sounded like a perfectly pleasant way to spend a morning.
Arthur followed Oscar, wondering if it would still be a bit cold outside. If he knew anything about Hogwarts, it probably was. Maybe he should grab his hat.
Post by Amara Seabrook on May 30, 2022 1:10:42 GMT 10
Amara nodded along to what Vicky said, including the suggestion to do some OWL prep. Extra-curricular activities weren't enticing, especially as they were fortunate to not have a class to rush off to, but their free time wasn't what it used to be anymore. They had to focus. Hobbies and relaxation could wait.
She eyed Reena for a moment, considering an answer. Perhaps this was an opportunity to show the younger girl that Amara cared for those part of her group. She was a leader, but she wasn't a dictator. She respected them and wanted them to succeed too.
'Sounds like a plan.' She nodded to Vicky. 'Why don't you choose something, and I'll join you? It should be quite easy, with us working together,' Amara said. All true, though she pushed down the urge to focus only on Potions because everything else sounded boring in comparison.
Amara glanced back to Reena, listening as she spoke though didn't say anything right away. It was important the 4th year felt heard. She did store away the confirmation of Langford's Twiggs obsession. Amelia wasn't someone she was fond of by default, but that was useful information that she could certainty use to their advantage if the opportunity presented itself.
She couldn't help the smile that escaped her when Reena said she was leaning towards joining.
'I'm glad to hear that. I promise, you won't regret it if you do,' Amara said. 'You'll be part of an elite group who have each other's backs. You'll never be alone or misunderstood. You'll never be overlooked or underappreciated. My goal is for a better future. You could be a part of that. With our help, there is no dream too small. Think on it, okay? And when you know, come find me. We'll be waiting.'
With an encouraging nod, she stood from her seat. Amara walked around to Reena, offering her hand to shake -- firm, but a friendly gesture. It was probably the equivalent to a hug, coming from her.
'Enjoy your free time, Reena. And if anyone bothers you, let us know.' She then turned to Vicky, resisting the urge to wipe her hand purely out of habit. 'We should get going. Where to first? If you say the greenhouses, I may have to pelt you with snowballs; it's bloody freezing outside.'
She may be joking, mostly, but Amara did hope their primary tasks involved the indoors. Even the Dungeons were preferable. But she would stick to her word in letting Vicky choose -- just didn't mean she had to be happy about it if they were going outside.
Post by Reena Ashworth on May 30, 2022 4:57:44 GMT 10
She could not recall seeing Amara smile very often so this was in itself a confirmation that she was indeed genuine. Reena instantly felt more at ease and compelled to smile back at her.
She nodded and gathered her things as the conversation appeared to have come to an end.
“I will find you. And thanks. Enjoy your morning,“ she included Victoria with that as she got up from the table.
She briefly looked towards the Ravenclaw table but Jax had already left. No matter since for what felt like the first time in forever she had nothing important to discuss with him.
Post by Victoria Vargas on May 30, 2022 7:52:51 GMT 10
Was Amara granting her the opportunity to pick which extra-c activity to pursue? Victoria gave her roommate an intrigued look, then nodded her head at her. It wasn't often that Amara let someone take the lead on something like this, but when she did, it made you feel like one in a million. It was special, but had to be earned. Not many people got to see this side of Amara, but Victoria was one of the lucky ones — in fact, everyone in their group were the lucky ones.
'History of Magic it is then.' Her ability to choose was unexpected, but her decision felt like the best possible choice. 'It's not fun, but we could always use a brushing up on our history.' She wrinkled her nose, finding a few strands of hair to tuck behind her ear.
Sidling a glance to the side, she grinned as she listened to the fourth year talk about Langford. It was all true — and something she learned herself while watching him during the event. It was valuable information, and information she was happy to not share herself. Victoria didn't want Amara to think something was amiss, considering her covert idea to toy with the boy, scramble his head, and get under that ginger rat's skin. She was keeping that plan to herself for now.
Vicky nodded along at various intervals as Amara spoke about their elite group. Whether she agreed or not was superfluous; she was listening. Her mind carefully followed along the thread of Amara's thoughts, leaving little stitch markers along the way at points she believed important for her to reiterate in the future should Amara find another recruit. Everything was well said.
Conversations then continued, and for the most part, all appearing to have gone well. Reena felt like a lock for their inner circle, which in itself brought Victoria a content smile. She nodded at the fourth year when she took her leave, then turned to Amara once they were alone.
'I'd say that went well, wouldn't you?' Victoria ran her tongue over her teeth in search of anything out of place, her gaze flicking toward the door. 'C'mon, let's go to the Staff Room. We'll be done with whatever Archerose has for us before the morning's through.'
Last Edit: May 30, 2022 7:53:28 GMT 10 by Victoria Vargas: Exit.
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