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 Jade Arwell on Jun 24, 2022 21:07:15 GMT 10
Jade wasn't one to care much about Quidditch, but her perspective of it had certainly changed over the past year as she had friends who were on teams or far more invested in the sport -- and of course, discovering Nyx was her cousin.
She eyed Mardling as she stepped off the Grand Staircase. Jade sighed, heading over to him with some Galleons in hand. She'd briefly considered betting against Ravenclaw, but that was mostly her bad mood talking. Nyx hadn't actually done anything wrong, but what was wrong would be to bet against her out of undeserved spite. Besides, Jade was a Gryffindor -- not that she cared much about social rules or what other people thought, but betting for Slytherin to win still sounded like asking to be egged or hexed.
'Hey. Betting 20 on Ravenclaw winning,' Jade said, handing Mardling her Galleons. 'And that Ravenclaw scores the first goal.'
Post by Mathias Sallow on Jun 24, 2022 21:15:08 GMT 10
Matt was a bit stressed, as he wanted to focus on his OWL studying but reading was hard and he was convinced Nyx won't forgive him if he skipped the match. He probably wouldn't forgive himself anyway, as he was her boyfriend and should be out there in the stands supporting her. The match was against Slytherin though, so it would at least be quite interesting.
He eyed the Great Hall, yearning for his breakfast and to read the Daily Prophet. Instead, he made a sharp turn and approached Lucas.
'Morning, Lucas,' he said, trying to be friendly considering their girlfriends were close now. '10... er, no. 20 Galleons on Ravenclaw to win, thank you.' Matt fished out the coins, counted them twice, then handing payment over to Lucas.
Not wanting to tempt fate further, he decided that was all and headed into the Hall. He took a seat at the Ravenclaw table, and immediately smeared jam on toast. Taking a bite, he multi-tasked serving himself some yogurt and fruit as well.
The Daily Prophet was certainly interesting. His whole face turned serious as he read the main article, as it was a story he'd been following and was now feeling optimistic about if it was getting its day in court. It was about time, in his opinion. The other stories were worth a read as well, and he laughed about the poor chicken. Matt lifted his gaze, instinctively seeking Nyx to share it with her, then pouted as he was reminded of her absence.
Post by Lucas Mardling on Jun 24, 2022 21:29:35 GMT 10
Lucas was surprised by a decrease in betting this time around. The first two matches had him counting money and making notes the entire meal, but this time there were moments he was idle or waiting on someone to approach. In his mind, the reason for this was surely house bias. The other matches had at least Gryffindor or Hufflepuff playing, who were clear favourites. Ravenclaw got some love, but Slytherin so far had nothing.
It shouldn't bother him, as he was getting paid either way. And Lucas knew how profitable it was to allowing people the chance to bet against Slytherin in anything, but as a Slytherin himself it was very disheartening to once again be reminded of how unpopular they were. The "mean" and "evil" house. He was also annoyed on Amara's behalf, as he knew how hard she'd worked with the team -- yet no one bet in their favor as show of support.
'Sure.' He nodded, accepting Arwell's outcome bet. Those didn't bother him at all, it was mainly the ratio in which no one thought or wanted Slytherin to win.
Lucas finished collecting the bets, then he packed up. Breakfast was still going, but if anyone wanted to place more bets against his house then they would have to come over to the Slytherin table to do it.
'Hey.' He grumpily sat beside Reena, biting back the urge to encourage her and others nearby to bet on their house. Lucas figured there was no point if it wasn't genuine. It just stung, to the point he didn't even bother with the Daily Prophet or care for any sort of conversation around him.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Jun 24, 2022 21:48:01 GMT 10
The more Reena thought about her mum's letter, the more things she found odd about it.
It's existence was the first thing that was odd yet didn't even scratch the surface. Why would her mother want a vegetable garden? Someone else must have convinced her of it because while the idea sounded great, maintining it would surely be a pain to her mum, as it sounded like a daily task.
Besides, growing food was a form of Herbology, wasn't it? Why her mother would go anywhere near that was beyond her. Sure, vegetables usually didn't try to bite of your fingers but who knew what sort of menacing snails it might attract.
Reena had watched Kassia write and crumple up a letter in mild curiosity and bewilderment but didn't pry.
"Alright, Kassia?", she said lightly.
She was still musing over her mum's mystery company when Lucas joined them by sitting down beside her.
"Hey. Tough crowd?", she said as she noted his grumpy demeanor.
It had also taken her by surprise that her mum was aware of the Quidditch match today and that she had said she would be cheering for Slytherin. Apparently her mum wasn't aware how little Reena cared for the sport, she wouldn't even had watched tne first match this season had Lindsey not played on the team.
"If it's any consolation, I think my mother would have bet on Slytherin today.", she chuckled nervously. Reena was not quite sure why she felt inclined to try and cheer him up.
Last Edit: Jun 24, 2022 22:35:16 GMT 10 by Reena Ashworth: bet on it
With an increase of excited chatter, students and staff hurried from the hall to make their way onto the grounds towards the Quidditch pitch. Lucas Mardling was no longer taking bets, especially as the match would be starting soon.
Post by Lucas Mardling on Jun 24, 2022 22:20:02 GMT 10
Lucas glanced at Reena when she spoke, not sure why it was a significant comment at first then realising perhaps she was trying to cheer him up? And her mother was Aubrey Ashworth, so that was something of a praise, he supposed. Ashworths were well known or at least notable, from his magical surname research he'd unfortunately retained the habit of keeping updated on.
'Thanks,' he said, offering Reena a smile. Lucas focused on the food in front of him, though he didn't eat anything or know what else to do. Why did it even mean something to him that she'd seen his bad mood and tried to make him feel better?
Clearly, she was just a nice person. Yeah, that had to be the reason for it. Lucas was glad she might be joining their group though, because he liked the idea of having her around more.
'I should get to the pitch,' he said, when breakfast finally ended. 'I know you're not much of a Quidditch fan, so I don't expect to see you there, but if you've got a moment tonight I think it would do you good to at least stop by the Common Room tonight for post-match celebration. I know Amara would appreciate it.'
That was his way of paying her back for trying to cheer him up. Making an effort later to approach Amara about the match, no matter the outcome, would put Reena quite in her good graces. Lucas gave Reena a genuine smile, one that actually reached his vibrant blue eyes, then gathered his bag and headed from the hall.
[exit]
Last Edit: Jun 24, 2022 22:20:36 GMT 10 by Lucas Mardling
Post by Reena Ashworth on Jun 24, 2022 22:34:45 GMT 10
Reena silently peeled an orange before the food vanished yet turned to Lucas before she could eat it.
She nodded at his advice and smiled.
Reena was not sure she would have the time to chat up Amara with her Forest Venture tonight but she appreciated the advice either way. It did sound logical to her as well, geting onto Amara's good side as quickly as possible so that joining the Alliance of Partisan went as smoothly as possible - if she so chose to join them.
"Good luck with your ingredients, I'll be off as well."
Reena smiled at Kassia before she made sure she had the letter and the founder's message on her person and left to find the Room of Mirrors.
She had thought about fidning Ezra and passing on mum's message but in the sea of students it was impossible to find her youngest brother so instead she hurried out and quickly separated from the bulk of the crowd.
"Can you show me?" Charlotte looked at the cat and smiled at it again. If it was a Charms lesson, she would love to see what it did. As she thought about her question, she realized her sister might not have the time or desire to show her anything. This made Charlotte a little nervous and she looked back at her. "I mean, if you want to," she said calmly, putting her hands in her laps.
When it came to the topic about the seek charm, Charlotte looked up at her and nodded at her in agreement. It was interesting, but it was awful for her.
"How did you do it?" Charlotte asked before she swallowed and looked down at the prophet. "I couldn't do it." Charlotte was embarrassed to say the least. She hated that she had failed. Then the food disappeared and people did too. Charlotte felt her heart quicken as everyone started to walk past her. She knew it would pass, they would pass and she would be so much more comfortable...
Amelia watched as things disappeared and glanced up in time to see Luckett. She smiled and got up to head over towards him, stopping long enough to speak to Kassia at the Slytherin Table.
"Hey love, I'm going to the match... You are welcome to join me, if you want," she said quickly to her friend, ignoring the evidence of the letter before she headed off towards the Hufflepuff table. She was hoping to join her fellow Quidditch player and the captain of Hufflepuff Team.
Once she got over there, she tapped him on the shoulder and walked to the other side before leaning down and smiling at him.
"Hey, want to walk to the pitch with me?" She asked, a smile on her face. She gave him time to give his answer before she headed to the pitch. She had some studying to do when it came to this game. Ravenclaw and Slytherin were both good and she wanted to make sure she saw any new moves.
Last Edit: Jun 24, 2022 22:55:02 GMT 10 by Deleted
Kassia was truly ruffled if someone, particularly someone who didn't know her well, noticed something was off. Her first 'draft' of the letter had taken the edge off the blizzard inside her, but she could still hear something like a faint whistling. How could she explain it to anyone? Papa didn't want to think about it. Nobody else would really understand.
"Yes, darling. Just something I have to take care of myself."
Thankfully, Reena was distracted by the arrival of Lucas Mardling. That hopefully ended the line of questioning. Kassia could see the appeal of gambling, but wanted to save her galleons where she could use them for her grades. As breakfast wrapped up, she nodded in farewell and thanks to Reena and started putting her letters away.
Amelia's sudden appearance very nearly startled her. Kassia immediately followed the line of her gaze and was grateful- and also very impressed- that Amelia wasn't peeking. Kassia was the first to peek at letters wherever she could. Every day she was reminded that Amelia was a better person than she ever could be.
"No, dear. I'm afraid I left OWL preparation for too late in the year. I'll be collecting ingredients. Besides, I'm sure you and Luckett would enjoy some time alone?" She smiled and winked, and then rose from the table. Making sure everything incriminating was tucked away- and taking a non-oatmeal-soaked copy of the Daily Prophet- Kassia left the Hall.
Saoirse watched the flock of owls descend upon the Great Hall, and found herself wondering if any of her fellow students were frightened of birds. This surely would be the absolute worst time of day for them. She managed to get a copy of the Daily Prophet dropped into her lap, and grabbed it so it wouldn't teeter off and fall to the floor.
She waited to see if she would get a letter, but it didn't come. It figured- Dad was out at sea, and her grandparents were visiting extended family in London. Normally she felt great pain when she couldn't hear from her father, but felt oddly fine about it today. Maybe she was becoming more comfortable with living at Hogwarts.
She read the Daily Prophet's front page, seeing that people were protesting love potions. Saoirse had never thought much about such things. She knew she loved her father, but that wasn't the type of love these potions were meant for.
Even more strangely, she knew that some older wizards swore by love potions- even claiming that they met the love of their life thanks to the use of one. But Saoirse didn't like the idea of being under anyone's spell. She was glad younger people were fighting against it now.
Breakfast wrapped up, and Saoirse finished her meal. She would go for a quick swim before ingredient hunting. She stood up, brushing off crumbs, and took a copy of the Daily Prophet with her. She waved goodbye at her roommates Alice and Grace as she walked off.
Misuk had just finished up their bowl, as the crowd in the Great Hall also seemed to get moving towards the Grounds. They hurriedly put their things together and followed suit, not wanting to be late to MJ's big debut as Ravenclaw team chaser! They wondered how the match today would go, and hoped that no one, especially not their friend, would get injured ...
No time to waste with these depressing thoughts, they had places to be!
Post by Jaxen Ashworth on Jun 25, 2022 7:56:09 GMT 10
Jaxen grabbed a copy of the Daily Prophet when the morning post arrived, but received no other mail. That was fine, he was used to his mother not writing- he'd stopped being disappointed in her lack of correspondence after his first few months at Hogwarts. His attention lay with the front page, breakfast almost forgotten as he read over the text in front of him.
The idea of love potions had never really sat right with him. The idea that his autonomy could be stolen from him by anyone who lacked the morality to care about slipping him something that would make him see them in a different light. Then to market them as 'love' potions, as if it was possible to mimic such a deep emotion- it was false advertising and as the paper said, dangerous.
The topic didn't really help his appetite and he pushed his plate away moments before the food disappeared from the table and breakfast was called to an end. Most of his housemates would be heading down to the pitch to support their team, but Jax had other plans. Plans that involved attempting to get ahead on his studying.
Shouldering his bag, he slipped the Prophet under his arm with the intention of reading some more of it later and made a rather hurried exit.
Orla was spooked out of her breakfast bliss by an exclamation of excitement. She bit her lip to stifle a giggle as her eyes settled on the source - a Hufflepuff boy who was frantically flipping through his copy of the Prophet.
He seemed so enthused by the promise of knitting patterns that Orla felt a familiar pang of jealousy - she was always so in awe of people who could sit and devote time and brain-power to intricate hobbies like knitting. A few of her Aunts at home could knit, though they only ever made pot holders or the occassional jumper for the local lambs born during cold snaps.
There was a sudden increase in movement around her; folks were bustling out of the hall, the vast majority surely heading for the pitch. Orla stuffed the last half of her second banana into her mouth and moved to leave, then thought about how she might spend her morning. She turned to the table and grabbed an apple just incase she could coax some local wildlife into keeping her company, then hurried out of the Hall.
[exit]
Last Edit: Jun 27, 2022 19:12:30 GMT 10 by Lena: Apples can't be collected once the meal has ended.
Post by Luckett Langford on Jun 27, 2022 5:24:20 GMT 10
Langford talked through breakfast, occasionally leaning over to flip through his copy of the Prophet with the tines of his fork. He was energetic this morning, though the last vestiges of tiredness still clung to the creases of the faint bags beneath his eyes -- the lingering temptation of a bit of extra sleep not yet driven off by the warmth of his several cups of tea. Still, Lucky had tucked into his breakfast with gusto, and nearly full, moved onto other tasks as he finished with his toast and jam and reached for what must have been his fourth cuppa. It was so good.
He didn't think it could get any better -- until she showed up. Amelia made everything better; colored his gray world, brightened his dark skies. Okay, a bit dramatic, but you get the idea. She was a welcome addition to his morning meal, her presence like a calming scent, even while on her way out of the hall. But apparently everyone was? Lucky hadn't noticed because he'd eaten almost all of the food in front of him that its vanishing act hadn't made much of a difference.
'Oh, doest thou lady needeth an es'crt to the game?' He grinned cheekily over the rim of his mug, his eyes glittering with excitement as he studied Amelia's face and took a final sip of his drink. 'Yeah, I reckon I can help you with that. I'm heading there myself, anyway.'
He couldn't help but smile when he stood and headed for the door, and for a moment or two he simply looked at her, amber eyes fixed on her as they walked and talked, picturing for a moment an image of their summer together; Amelia running with her broomstick, blazing through the tall grass of her backyard as he chased her. With each step toward the exit, Langford envisioned being there, at her home, green blades whistling through his legs from the small breezes.
Last Edit: Jun 27, 2022 5:25:53 GMT 10 by Luckett Langford: Lucky is outtie!
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