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 Jaxen Ashworth on Dec 22, 2022 23:18:44 GMT 10
Watching his mother copying down his exam results with mild curiosity and a hint of... suspicion? Jax popped a strawberry into his mouth and smiled as the flavour burst over his tongue. The worries of the following school year temporarily forgotten as he went back to eating his breakfast.
Looking at his Grandma, his smile faltered a little when she mentioned his charms grade. That was one of the exams which he'd thought he'd done better in, but obviously he'd been mistaken.
"I love charms, I really liked the exam? Maybe I was overconfident and forgot some stuff in the end?" it sucked, would Professor Rivera not want him in her class next year because he didn't prioritize her revision? Suddenly his breakfast didn't seem so important.
"Professor Snape doesn't accept students into his NEWT class unless you get an O, I think I got overwhelmed with studying for potions that I forgot that I needed to do well in my other subjects too?" he'd have to work on that before his NEWTs otherwise things could end... Badly.
An E was still okay, it's not like he failed charms.
Folding the parchment when it was handed back to him, he tucked it into his pocket and gave a weak smile at the added praise. The promise of celebratory chocolate cake eased the burn of failure at least a little, and this just meant that he had room to improve... OWLs weren't the end of the road anyway, he'd done enough.
"Yeah, most classes just require E's... Apart from Potions and Care of Magical Creatures, and I didn't really want to continue with that next year anyway" he glanced apologetically towards Kody, knowing how much his younger brother loved animals. But their differences had always been something to celebrate, it made them unique and individual.
Scowling at his plate at the mention of graduation and his future plans, he paused half-way through the motion of shrugging. Ready to give his usual excuse of 'i don't know', it was a reflex by now to deny any idea of what he wanted to do.
"I did an internship at the ministry recently" he revealed, jabbing his fork into another strawberry but not eating it "Spent the day with an Auror and got to watch some court proceedings which was pretty cool, or... That's not the right word, it was insightful" the idea of making decisions about his future was still daunting, but the pamphlets that remained in his trunk, bent and crumpled from the many times he'd already read them over, was telling in and of itself.
"I think, maybe, being an Auror would be good? The work they do is important" he glanced around the table to see if there was much reaction to that, or if it wasn't... Well he hadn't planned that far ahead yet.
Looking at his mother when she snapped at his grandparents about the 'announcement' they had planned. Curiosity once again taking over as he looked between them, wondering what it could be.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Dec 23, 2022 20:03:15 GMT 10
When her grandma put buttered toast onto her plate, Reena snapped out of her frozen state and stared at the food instead of the flowers. With a quick look at her grandma, she took a bite but it made her feel queasy and she chewed on it for what felt like forever.
By the time she had swallowed her bite of toast, Jaxen had announced that he was thinking about becoming an auror. She laid down the toast and looked at him for a while.
She wasn’t sure she saw him in that kind of work, always seeing him in a more creative environment. After some consideration however, she gave him an encouraging nod.
“It is important work,“ she said softly.
Realising that she had yet to drink anything, she poured herself some orange juice that smelled rather freshly squeezed to her, relishing the taste of it.
She cast Jaxen another glance before turning her attention towards her mother and then grandfather. She wondered whether her brother had been thinking about their dad‘s warning about a traitor in the ministry when considering a job at the ministry. Was this his way of trying to get in and investigate or was he truly interested in the work after his internship?
They hadn’t really talked about it.
In fact, she felt like they hadn’t really talked in ages.
Looking between the faces of her family members, she suddenly felt very alienated from them. Like she couldn’t really talk to any of them.
Her gaze settled on her mother, whom she only now realised she hadn’t even greeted after not seeing her since Christmas break, and started to feel a pang of guilt about it. After talking to the fake-reflection in the Hufflepuff mirror, she had vowed to make an effort to close some of the distance between them after all. But now it felt as though she was moving even further away.
Yet her mother hadn’t greeted her either.
Had she even noticed she had been gone last night?
Reena doubted it.
And as she was sat on the strange new seat at the strange new table, surrounded by family, she felt smaller and smaller. Her thoughts stubbornly circling around the secret laboratory underneath their backyard and the ghostly echo of her dad that may or may not reside inside.
'It's all right, Jaxy,' Grandpa said, giving him a proud yet reassuring smile. 'You did your best. The grades are great, even if not as high overall as you'd hoped for. You still got what you needed, right? Potions is tricky.'
Grandma made sure to give Reena an especially proud look, as her grades were excellent -- though didn't say as much, as to not make Jaxen feel worse even if Reena's efforts deserved praise too.
'Your father barely scraped by in his Potions OWL too,' Aubrey said, buttering some toast.
All heads turned to her. The grandparents were stunned that she'd mentioned Marcus, let alone so casually. Aubrey was oblivious to their stares, even as she glanced round the table and shrugged at the whole exam topic.
But then Jaxen revealed his career aspirations, and the quiet grew ever tenser.
'You did what?' Aubrey snapped, dropping her toast to stare at him. 'An internship? There? Without telling me? No, without asking me?'
Jaxen could barely count on one hand the amount of times his mother had scolded him in such a way, with genuine hurt or anger. His grandparents were quiet for a moment, then Grandma nodded at him -- ignoring Aubrey's brief outburst.
'An Auror?' Grandma sighed, trying to be encouraging though her eyes were wary. 'That's... a noble, though dangerous choice. Are you sure?'
'Well, I think Jaxen would make a wonderful Auror,' Grandpa chimed in. 'He rallies these lot every day, the rascals.' He gave the younger kids a mischievous look.
Aubrey frowned at her plate, shaking her head. Shock and anger faded, as she nervously chewed on her bottom lip. She made a gesture with her hand, which the kids knew meant she needed time to recoil and process before they'd talk about it or at least hear her definitive opinion on something. Unable to meet anyone's eyes, she rose from the table and gathered her notes.
One by one, she went round the table -- giving each kid a kiss atop their head, though lingered with Jaxen a few seconds longer. So she wasn't angry, just worried. Uncertain. Aubrey retrieved another humbug, then headed off to her art studio and shut the door behind her.
There were a lot of emotions, but no one really knew what to do with them yet. The discussion was far from over, but they set it aside for now. The grandparents were supportive, but it wasn't all back and white. The last time an Ashworth worked for the Ministry, it hadn't gone well.
'I'd say now is a good time as ever to share some exciting news with you all,' Grandpa broke the quiet, after an urging look from Grandma. 'I've spent all year planning this, so excuse me... it's, oh it's a lot. Well, I do hope you'll be as excited as I am...'
'Spit it out,' Grandma said, and started cleaning up after breakfast. She placed some remaining strawberries on Rena's plate.
'As I'm sure you've all heard by now, this is a Quidditch World Cup year,' Grandpa said, leaning forward eagerly though there was sadness in his eyes. 'I haven't been to one since...'
Since Marcus and Conrad died. He didn't need to say it, but the way his face creased with emotion and longing said it all. Grandma had left the table area entirely, fussing in the kitchen to avoid it all. She discreetly wiped at her eyes.
'It was tradition, back then. Even as they'd grown up.' Grandpa sighed. 'They'd have taken each of you as well, I'm sure of it. Once you were old enough. Anyway, I haven't had the heart. It just wasn't the same. I never much fancied the sport myself, but it was a way to spend time and make memories. They loved it.'
He reached into his pocket, pulling out several tickets.
'So uh... well, I thought maybe we could restart the tradition? I've got it all figured out, so we could go together?' He turned shy and unsure, as if afraid they'd think it a rather silly idea. 'I've gotten us a tent. One of the best, I've been told. We'll go early and camp out, explore... then there's the match, of course. Tammy Doyle will be playing?'
He tried so hard not to guilt or pressure them, even reminding the kids that it was entirely up to them if they wanted to attend. Yet his posture, avoiding gaze, and deeply sadden tone said otherwise -- revealing layers of how much this truly meant to him. A whole year he'd spent planning, making sure everything was perfect and that the kids would enjoy it -- even if some weren't the biggest Quidditch fans.
Grandma turned slightly, apprehensive of their reaction. She was scared no one would want to go, and knew how much that would break Grandpa's heart all over again. He yearned for that connection; to rejuvenate some of those fond memories, as Marcus and Conrad lived on through these kids. And, in a way, it was like getting to fulfill something they never got to do. Unfinished business.
But that was a lot of their summer he was asking for. What if they hated the idea? The younger ones hadn't even been camping before. And the older ones... was it too little, too late?
'You don't need to decide right away,' Grandpa added. 'Have a think about it. There's still some time before it all kicks off. We'll be back to visit around then.'
He rose from his seat, pocketing the tickets again. Grandma came over to join him, then fussed with wiping Ezra's face clean with a cloth. The way they stood, and their reluctant looks, was a clear sign that they'd be leaving soon. A short-lived visit, even if they'd stayed overnight for the first time that any of them could remember.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Dec 24, 2022 22:02:22 GMT 10
Reena smiled back at her grandmother's proud gaze, feeling a little bit warmer inside at having her efforts and good grades recognized. She also instantly felt more included and managed to take another bite of her toast.
She hoped she would do well in her OWLs next year, but figured she should not get overconfident. Amara had said herself that the first four years were more for having fun and starting fifth year things would be different.
She could consider herself lucky having managed to secure herself a spot within Amara's circle of rather impressive students. Even if the price she would have yet to pay was a big one, or was it?
Reena almost flinched at her mother's strong reaction to Jaxen's internship. She stared at her in surprise for a short moment before the expression on her face darkened.
'Not like you'd ever asked him if he would parent for you!' - She had the words ready to shoot back in her brother's defence but managed to hold her tongue in order to keep the peace. But if their mother would continue to belittle Jaxen, Reena could not guarantee she would not start a fight on his behalf. Not like he'd appreciate it.
She was both relieved and disappointed when their mum instead gathered her notes and left after giving them each a kiss. She watched her mother leave, and as her rage died down with the flare of protectiveness towards Jaxen, she was left with a familiar emptiness.
She welcomed the feeling with a sigh and picked up the strawberry her grandmother had put on her plate. She was suddenly reminded of how little rest the bench outside had offered and the desire to go to bed after breakfast was giving the desire to revisit the lab a run for its money.
However, both would have to wait.
Time for grandpa's announcement after all.
Reena frowned slightly at the mention of the Quidditch World Cup, not being a big fan of the sport but reminded herself to keep an open mind and relaxed her face as she saw the sadness in her grandfather's eyes.
She listened quietly to his plans for them for summer and even found herself smiling when he pulled out the tickets. He looked so shy and unsure, it didn't even matter that Reena feared camping out with Ezra, kody and their sister within a crowd of rowdy Quidditch fans would turn into a nightmare for her and Jaxen.
However - "Will you and grandma both be coming?", she asked.
If there were eight good eyes and seven good ears between them, this seemed managable. She tried to exchange a glance with Jaxen. She did not have the heart to say anything but 'Yes' to their grandpa who obviously had put a lot of thought into this. And she was confident Jaxen did not have it either, however much they both might dread the thought of herding their siblings through a crowded event.
"I think it is a lovely idea to re-establish traditions," she added encouragingly, though intentionally vague.
While she was not sure about the World Cup itself, she soaked up the information about her father and uncle, mulling it over to keep it safe.
"Conrad played as Beater for his house team at Hogwarts? Did da-Marcus play as well?," she asked. The part about Conrad was also more of a question, Peeves wasn’t the most reliable source after all.
She cast a glance at Ezra, wondering if she should have told him about her encounter with the poltergeist before now.
But she had seen the way her grandmother awkwardly lingered and had asked the question in a rather desperate attempt to prolong their visit.
Post by Jaxen Ashworth on Dec 26, 2022 22:44:53 GMT 10
Jax smiled appreciatively towards his Grandpa when he attempted to reassure him about his OWL results. They were still grades after all, and enough to see him through into his desired classes. There was no use dwelling on past mistakes and regrets, he'd just have to try harder next year.
Glancing towards his mother as she casually spoke of their father as if it was any other conversation they might share during mealtimes. By the silence stretching between them now, it seemed that everyone else present was also as taken aback as he was.
Jaxen flinched at the sharpness of her voice in the next moment, dropping his gaze to his plate and grasping his fork so tight that his knuckles turned white from the strain. Of course he should've asked his mother for permission to go, it was careless of him not to take into account how she might feel if he did so behind her back.
The end of term had been so busy that he had completely forgotten to ask, originally he had been unsure about taking the internship for fear of upsetting her. How could he have forgotten?
Nodding at his grandma's words, he tentatively looked up from his plate "yes, it's what I want" he decided, though could not help but cast a cautious glance towards his mother as he spoke, as if afraid she might snap at him again. His grandma had once said that his future was his own, that meant that it was his decision, and the others would just have to learn to support him on his chosen path.
Jax could always count on his Grandpa to make him feel at ease, his words of encouragement restoring his confidence a little. He was glad that at least one of them seemed to be on his side.
When his mother left her seat, gathering her things as she did so, Jax felt his heart give a lurch. She had joined them for breakfast and he had ruined it, scaring her back into hiding and shattering the normalcy of the day. He swallowed hard as she kissed his head, desiring nothing more than to ask them to stay, to apologize for upsetting her, but he knew that it would make no difference.
He could only let her go.
Jaxen turned curiously towards his grandpa upon mention of his big announcement. Whatever it was, it seemed important to him, so whatever it was-
The Quidditch World Cup.
Jax fought to keep a neutral expression, even giving his grandpa an encouraging smile as he rambled on a little about the importance of such a tradition. It was no secret that Jax did not care much for Quidditch, he did not dislike the sport, but he had no real enthusiasm for it. The general rowdiness of the school Quidditch players did not help him to garner any love for it either.
But this had been something special grandpa had shared with his sons, Jax's own father. That meant something.
Catching Reena's eye, it seemed that they were both in agreement of how to proceed... And he hoped that all of his siblings would have the good sense to accept the invitation, no matter what their views on the sport.
"I think it sounds like fun, I'd love to go" he said, hoping his voice sounded enthusiastic- excited, even. As for Tammy Doyle... He didn't have a clue who that was, some Quidditch player? He didn't know what team they played for, or if they were any good. They must be good if Grandpa listed them as a selling point.
If anything, camping sounded like fun and they might even see some of their classmate- maybe even their friends, at the event.
As Grandpa got to his feet, and Grandma began fussing with Ezra's face as if he was a few years younger than he actually was, Jax placed his fork onto his plate. Heart sinking with realization, they would not be staying for the duration of summer.
"You're leaving" it wasn't a question, but he could not hide the disappointment from his face. They had stayed the night for the first time that he could remember, why did they have to leave now? He wished that he could ask them to stay, but he would not act like a child begging for five more minutes of their company, nor would he allow his siblings to see just how much he was dreading the days that would follow.
What if his mother really was angry with him? No. What if she was disappointed in him? He had stood his ground in the presence of his grandparents, but if she asked him not to go back to the ministry while they were alone, would he really be able to deny her that?
Post by Kody Ashworth on Dec 29, 2022 1:04:42 GMT 10
Kody wanted to tell his big brother how proud he was of him, for doing so well in his exams and getting such good results but then the conversation shifted. Something was mentioned about the Ministry and Kody was half distracted by the cat under the table. He had tried to slip something else under but then his mum snapped at Jaxen.
This made Kody jump in his chair, knocking his fork to the floor with a clatter. He gave everyone an apologetic look and ducked under to get it again. Better to hide under here while stuff happened up there. He gave the cat a small smile and held out his hand.
It bumped against his fingers and he managed a small scratch under the chin before he had to resurface. Kody sighed softly, glad to see the cat was friendly.
It seemed everything was... Okay-ish. He knew his mum still wasn't entirely content with the bomb Jaxen had dropped but he didn't focus on that. Kody perked up when his Granddad mentioned the Quidditch World Cup. He had been following the updates in the Daily Prophet and had even kept a copy of the match schedule to stick up on his bedroom wall.
"No way!" Kody blurted out, standing up and almost knocking his seat over. He ran around the table and hugged his Granny first and then his Granddad.
"Please! I want to go! Can we go? Please!" He looked at Reena and Jaxen when he said this, hoping they would agree to go. If they said yes, then they were more likely to be allowed, right? Kody wondered if their mum had already agreed or if there was any possibility it wouldn't happen.
Already his mind was racing with the possibilities of everything he would get to see and do! He even missed his Granddad telling them to think it over, decide later. Nope, Kody already knew that he wanted to go.
Grandma and Grandpa smiled at Reena's questions, though Grandma turned away at mention of Conrad and Marcus. Jaxen's willingness to attend the World Cup brought a teary smile to Grandpa's eyes, which broke his composure further when Kody added his very enthusiastic and whole-heartedly eagerness to go.
'I'll be there, of course.' He smiled at Reena, clearing his throat to find his voice again. 'Grandma will be here, and taking care of a few things around the house. I'm sure we can manage.' Grandpa gave Reena and Jaxen a wink.
He understood her uncertainty of having adults present, though he hadn't voiced any confusion as to why she'd think there was any scenario of this in which either he or Grandma wouldn't be there. Kids couldn't attend without an adult guardian anyway, and there was no way Aubrey would be the one to take them.
Grandma was certainly more firm and organised, but Grandpa was no pushover either. The kids hadn't gone on trips with either grandparent since Aubrey's grief prevented it, but Jaxen had a few fuzzy memories of his Grandpa taking him somewhere by a lakeside. Or Grandma surrounded by her young grandkids and being completely calm as if there was nothing chaotic about it.
If nothing else, there was a sense of security in Grandpa's words and promise. He knew what Reena and Jaxen endured here, in the sense of having to watch over their younger siblings and keep them safe. He was confident that attending the World Cup was to be fun, not stressful on that front. He would be in charge, and was more than capable of doing so.
It was a family trip, that was all.
'Yes.' Grandpa nodded at Reena, a bit surprised by her question and foreknowledge. Perhaps he'd mentioned this in the past? 'Conrad was a Beater for Gryffindor for most of his time at Hogwarts. Marcus was a reserve, though played in many of Hufflepuff's matches -- in whatever position the team needed from him.'
'I do believe he favored Keeper, if he had a choice,' Grandma added while giving the kitchen an unnecessary second wipe down. 'And Reena... darling, there's no need to be so formal. He'd your dad. He will always be your dad.'
They chatted a little while longer, not wanting to leave anymore than the kids wished them to either. But then, their little visit came to its end for now. They gathered their bags from the new guest room, and gave each Ashworth a big, squishing hug -- even temporarily insisting their sister leave her room to do so.
'Take care of each other. Stay within the wards,' Grandpa said, lingering in the doorway. The orange cat slipped out by his ankles, which Grandpa eyed suspiciously. 'Owl us if you need anything. We'll be back closer to cup time, and we'll go over everything then.'
Grandma kissed their cheeks one last time, and discreetly slipped something into Reena's hand -- a slightly crumpled end half of a letter, which read:
... but it's been so hard, Mum. How do I know what decision is right? What if I can't live with making the wrong one?
When I look at their sweet, adorable faces -- I've never known a love quite like it. But more than that, I want to protect them. Guide them. How did you and Dad do it? All those years, worrying about the choices you make that impact us. I worry about being a good example for them, when I'm so full of doubt at times.
I just wish everything was black and white, you know? When Reena's asleep on my chest, her tiny little hand holding tight to my finger, it's like I can achieve anything. I feel invincible. But the things I've seen, and even done... what if it comes back to haunt me. Or worse, them? What if Reena, when she's older, faces these same struggles and I still don't have the answers?
Aubrey's been my rock, as always. She said some of the same stuff you did. I'm just writing to say thank you, I guess? Maybe I am overthinking it. I've had a lot on my mind lately, since we found out we're pregnant again.
It feels different this time, with Conrad joining fatherhood too. Yet he seems as if he knows exactly what he's doing. Like he has it all figured out. He's far more prepared than I ever was. Perhaps that's the secret? To believe in yourself -- that so long as you always try to do your best, things will have a way of working themselves out?
We can talk more when you visit. Thank you for the gift basket, and Aubrey's delighted that you love the photo album she made. We're excited to see you fill it with so many treasured memories. I love you, Mum.
Talk more soon, Marcus.
It was one of the most precious things Grandma had shared, as it not doubt came from her special collection of letters she never parted with nor showed anyone by Grandpa. The kids knew there existed a box of family albums at some point; some were with the Grandparents, but they had a vague memory of Aubrey holding a few as well.
The only one they'd seen since, even if just the cover, had to be the one referenced in the letter. It was newer and far more colourful than the rest, and Grandma rarely parted with it. She had promised to show them someday, but that was a long time ago now. Yet even a torn off part of a letter felt like a big deal, as those were far more personal and safeguarded.
--
With their grandparents gone, and Aubrey still shut away in her art studio, it now begged the question of how to spend their day. Jaxen had made a few discoveries while running around checking doors and rooms for Reena earlier, which may be worth further investigation. Then there was the secret laboratory in the backyard -- though only Reena and Jaxen knew about it.
Now home for the summer, in which the younger Ashworths needed to be occupied -- and there was a chance to perhaps learn more about the things they had questions for, without classes or proper adult supervision to hinder them. And in doing so, perhaps it was time for Jaxen and Reena to fill the younger ones in on the things they'd learned?
Or was it best to keep it a secret? That'd need to decide fast, because everyone was home now. They once again had free reign, and there was no telling what may come of that on its own. The only firm rule they knew not to break was Grandpa's parting words about the wards. They had to stay within the property boundary, which only ever got broken by Jaxen (and whoever went with him) if ever there was a dire need to seek flour or eggs from neighbours.
Thankfully, their grandparents had stocked the pantry so they should be good for a while. Not to mention the garden in the backyard too. It was looking to be a more enjoyable and comfortable summer, but there was still much to deal with. Hopefully, if nothing else, Aubrey's mood was benefitting from time spent painting. Assuming that's what she was doing.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Jan 1, 2023 10:22:04 GMT 10
Eventhough Reena would have preferred both her grandparents to take them to the World Cup, she was fine with Grandma staying here. It could actually be a good thing, in case one of them refused to come to this family trip.
When her other question was answered, she wanted to tell them about her encounter with the Hogwarts Poltergeist but when her Grandma chimed in, she blushed a little at being corrected about calling her dad by his first name and nodded.
Of course he was her dad. She was not sure why she had said 'Marcus' just now, when she had started to feel more connected to him than her own mother with having seen that memory and viewed the message he had left for Jaxen in the laboratory.
But of course her grandparents had no way of knowing about any of this.
They continued to chat for a while but the mood was strained by the fact that their grandparents were about to leave and only return shortly before the Quidditch World Cup.
When they could not postpone their departure any longer, Reena followed to the front door. When she noticed the cat leave past Grandpa's legs, she shot a glare towards her younger brothers, mainly Kody, whom she most suspected of luring it in.
Although - this may actually counter the problems he might cause with feeding the mice in their backyard.
Reena was distracted from any thoughts of cats and mice when Grandma descreetly slipped a slightly crumpled parchment into her hand and she took a quick look at it. She could feel her eyes widen in surprise when she recognized the handwriting and saw the name at the bottom of it.
She pressed it against her hip for safekeeping and thanked her grandmother with a smile and kiss on the cheek.
Reena stepped to the side as their grandparents left to read the letter, as always soaking in any amount of information about her dad she could get. She could hardly imagine ever being small enough to fit onto her father's chest but she supposed she had only been a baby at the time.
She wondered whether her grandmother had brought this part of a letter with the intention of giving it to her or if she had brought it for some other reason and the night Reena has had had prompted her to part with it.
Either way, Reena was glad she had. She wondered what kind of struggles her dad had written about but she hadn't gotten that part of the letter. The part she had gotten however, had enforced the feeling she had gotten Christmas break: Her Dad was the only person who ever had truly understood her.
Once their grandparents had left, Reena caught Jaxen's eye and after checking that their mother was still in her studio, she nodded.
"You've got the photos?", she asked. She was feeling tired but this needed to be done and now was the best time, being alone and their mother occupied.
She asked her brothers to follow her upstairs and into her room. Her gaze lingered on the door to their sister's room but decided not to disturb her again. She could tell her later.
She opened her trunk and got out the Book of Enchantment, put the letter inside after straightening it out and put the book into one of her drawers for now.
"We've got something important to tell you," she sat down on her (still made) bed and waited for her brothers to enter the room. She left her new, rather old looking book uncommented.
When the last one of the boys had come in, she beckoned to him to close the door and looked at Jaxen for support, inviting him to sit down next to her if he wanted to with a pat on her sheets. They had agreed to let their siblings in on what they had found out but suddenly she was uncertain how to begin.
"Remember when we all got sent letters by readers of Witch Weekly in November?", she started, looking at her hands that she had folded neatly in her lap.
"We told you not to worry about them but we-" - she gestured at Jaxen and herself -
"We did worry about it. The reporter had disclosed some information to Jax, about our Dad, which had prompted us to do some digging - about both our dads. What we found out so far is rather upsetting, so if you don't want to hear it, that's fine. We just think you've got as much a right to know as Jax and I do."
She looked at Kody and Ezra, trying a sympathetic smile but she was impatient to get this talk over with, she had been dreading it for some time. Reena also doubted they would leave, judging only by her own need to know about her Dad.
Perhaps it was different for them, being younger and their memories of their fathers being hazy at best, more likely noexistent, but still, she figured they would want to know.
Post by Kody Ashworth on Jan 6, 2023 22:27:28 GMT 10
The ginger cat had disappeared outside when their grandparents were leaving which disappointed Kody. Of course, he was sad about the grandparents too... Honest. He hugged each of them goodbye, conflicted between wanting them to stay but also wanting to go to the Quidditch World Cup as soon as possible. How many sleeps now until it would be the day?
He would have to remember later to mark it down on a calendar somewhere, if he could find one.
Besides, his siblings had asked far more sensible questions about going to the World Cup while Kody had been consumed by the excitement of it all. He had to remember to concentrate and focus on what people around him were saying and not just... Well, jump off to his own conclusions about things. But it was hard sometimes and he was easily distracted by even his own thoughts.
Still, he had to make a better effort!
Kody mused over the information that his dad and uncle had both played Quidditch -- he really wanted to play Quidditch too! Would his mum even consider allowing him...? He glanced towards where she had disappeared off too and decided today probably wasn't the right time to ask. Maybe tomorrow or another time during the summer.
As the house settled into it's normal quiet, Kody turned to Ezra to ask him to head outside when Reena spoke up instead. She wanted them to follow her upstairs and Kody could tell from her body language that saying no wasn't much of an option. He was curious to know what she had to tell them and gladly followed, shuffling into their shared bedroom and sitting on his own bed.
He pat the space next to him for Ezra if his little brother wanted to sit with him. Kody craned to see what book Reena was taking out of her trunk but when he did get a good look at it, it wasn't one he recognized. This piqued his interested further.
There was only a vague memory of letters from readers of some magazine. At the time he had been told not to worry about it and so he hadn't. Kody had happily shoved it away into some box in the back of his brain and forgot about it. It was probably covered in a thick layer of dust now. Oops. He tried not to giggle as he thought about a miniature version of him frantically looking through dusty boxes to find the letter...
Yeah, laughing now when Reena was being so serious would be the worst thing to do. So he controlled himself, sitting on his hands and keeping a straight face. Be gone little brain man, Reena was talking.
"Well, you can't just start by telling us you have something important to say and then never say it, right? Even if it's upsetting I think I'd rather know." The little man in his brain raced into a room labelled 'Over-Active Imagination' and now Kody had a million and one thoughts about what Reena could be possibly talking about. Each one was slightly worse than the last.
He wanted her to just spit it out so he could know and stop worrying. Then he looked at Ezra and waited for his little brother to make his choice too.
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Jan 12, 2023 16:31:57 GMT 10
Ezra had been content to watch as breakfast went on around him, happy just to have nearly his whole family around the table with him.
A few giggles had been had at his Grandpa’s story, and big smiles had appeared every time someone else had joined the table, but other than that he had been happy just to eat his jam-covered toast. His fair share of yummy strawberries dotted in-between making it the best breakfast.
Well, he had been perfectly happy until their mum snapped at Jax at least. He nearly dropped his toast then.
His food managed to remain free of the floor though, and he was just left staring wide-eyed around the table instead of mourning his toast. A state that he remained until Aubrey kissed them all goodbye and Grandpa changed the subject.
It took Ezra a few moments to figure out what the older man was going on about, but as soon as he did he was excited. The Quidditch World Cup and camping? That sounded like a lot of fun to him!
He wondered what it would be like. Would it be like game day at Hogwarts but a billion times bigger? That would be so many people! Would they really be from all over the world too? That would be so cool!
He was ready to declare his agreement to go with Grandpa without any further thinking, but then Grandma was there wiping at his face with a cloth instead and then Reena was talking.
Ezra grinned up at his Grandma in thanks. He might not have needed the help - he had been at Hogwarts for a whole year and he had somewhat managed to keep his face clean - but he still appreciated her thinking of him.
Just as he was about to verbalise that thanks too, he realised what Reena had said and his head flew around to blink at her instead.
Conrad-.. His dad… (Con-dad?).. had played Quidditch at school?
Ezra shifted about on his seat, nibbling at his lower lip as he thought over the latest bit of information about the man. Eventually he slotted it away in his mind with his tiny list of things that he had learned about him that year.
His dad had liked to read.. He was good at Defence Against the Dark Arts.. He had hurt his arm in his first flying class.. And now, apparently, he had played Quidditch for Gryffindor anyway.
Ezra was not sure what he was supposed to do with any of that information.
He was dragged from that somewhat upsetting thought by the equally upsetting sound of their grandparents getting ready to leave. Ezra made sure to soak up as much of his hugs goodbye as he could, but then they were gone and Reena was directing his brothers and him upstairs.
Ezra looked between his siblings, confused about what was happening, but he went with it easily enough. Why would he refuse his oldest sister after all?
He settled himself down next to Kody once he realised that was an option, and then turned to Reena in the hopes of finding out what they were all doing gathered in her room. He did not have to wait long.
Letters in November? He.. vaguely remembered that. He had found it confusing to suddenly have so much mail, but also kind of a little bit exciting. There had been so much mail! He had been good though and listened to his oldest siblings when they said not to worry about the whole event. He had not really thought about it again actually, other than a very brief worry about if it was rude to ignore it all like that.
So it was confusing for him for the subject to be brought up once again so long after the initial event.
It sounded like whatever Reena and Jaxen had found out though was not as simple as the little things that he had learned on his own. That did not sound nice.
Did he really want to know what they had found out then? It was not like knowing more would help anything. Conrad and Marcus would still be gone.
His oldest siblings had to know though and.. Kody apparently would too soon enough. He could be brave and find out too. Even if it left him feeling even more confused than just being given his dad's book had managed to make him.
Ezra peeked up at Kody just to double check that he was staying and then looked back over at Reena and slowly nodded his head.
"What is it?" he shifted to pull his legs up against his chest as he spoke, his arms wrapping around them in a hug and his chin resting on his knee.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Jan 17, 2023 4:15:10 GMT 10
Reena nodded when her younger brothers decided to stay and asked her to continue, having expected as much. She did note a slight hesitation however and tried to exchange a glance with Jaxen while she gathered her thoughts.
"If I understood correctly, according to the Witch Weekly reporter, our dads were some sort of public figure, she even had a picture of us - Kody, Jaxen and I with mum and dad - which was public domain. She gave it to Jax."
Pausing to give her older brother time to show said photograf or correct her on anything, she stretched her fingers against each other. She still felt uncomfortable at the thought of having pictures of her family be public domain, having spent most her life keeping her family matters as private as possible.
"The reporter mentioned mysterious circumstances surounding our dads' deaths and events leading up to them. That's what urged us to try and investigate," she had lowered her voice yet hadn't hesitated to speak the word 'death'. Their mum wasn't here, her feelings did not have to be considered at this moment and she was certain her brother's weren't as fragile.
Still she hesitated to tell her brothers about the fact that the reporter had known about their mother saying it had been murder instead of an accident as which it had been ruled by the ministry.
"The Witch Weekly article later described Marcus being on a 'path of falling from grace', we're not sure what it means yet," she looked towards Jaxen to jump in for support but decided to continue speaking.
"Our first try was to ask Grandma and Grandpa about our dads and they were willing to share what they were like when they were younger, Marcus being the more level-headed one, Conrad more adventurous, somewhat mischievous... I believe Grandpa and Grandma are more willing to share their memories with us now..."
Reena trailed off, her gaze finding Ezra. She did not quite know what to make of her uncle and a big part of her blamed him for what had happened but she did not want her youngest brother to feel ill towards his dad. It was a tricky line to wander.
"Actually," she managed a small smile, "Peeves confirmed those claims about Conrad, told me he had given Peeves some trouble during his time at Hogwarts. And that's something, isn't it?"
It was a small detour, a feeble attempt to cheer up her brothers with positive facts about their dads before the heavy stuff knocked the wind out of them.
"Anyway. We did not find out much at first but we did find out a whole lot on Christmas. Mum actually took us to Gringott's into Marcus' vault but before that we ran into an old acquaintance of our parents'."
She briefly glanced at Jaxen before she told her brothers about her encounter with Antoninus, leaving out the part about their mum's mental breakdown and Jaxen's sudden fainting. She told them about how he had told her he owed their family, their fathers having saved his life that day and telling her that it had been a murder rather than an accident - something their mother had stated before as well, right after it had happened.
"He wasn't able to tell me more about it, he was bound to secrecy by someone," she concluded and looked at her brothers. She knew it was a lot to take in and this wasn't even half of it all.
"Before he left, he gave me a scrap of parchment with some potions ingredients and runes on it, in both Mum's and Dad's handwriting," she revealed at last. Something that she hadn't even disclosed to Jaxen before now. But now was a time of truth.
"It must be part of Dad's research, I believe he wanted to find a cure for something since there was Mirthwood in it, an ingredient used in curative draughts," she added mostly towards Ezra, hoping he might appreciate the little fact about an ingredient she had only recently learned herself.
She did avoid Jaxen's gaze however.
Reena cleared her throat before she moved on to tell them about the Gringott's vault and the red book their mum had been searching for, about how their mum had told them about a pact to continue their dad's work and to look after them. About the memories they both got to see, tied to an object which she believed her dad had somehow planted for them in wise anticipation of what was to happen.
Leaving out the part about questioning Conrad's morality, she tried to emphasize that they had loved them but had to go anyway, knowing of the possibility of no return.
"They were very brave. They have saved people's lifes that day."
Reena paused to look at Jaxen, She knew she would have to tell them about the laboratory but she still felt especially hesitant to share that piece of information. At least until it was safe to go into even for their youngest.
"There's something else. Right here, in our home. And I bet there's even more in that locked room. But in our backyard there is a secret laboratory. Dad used to do his research there."
Before the boys could get their hopes up, she continued: "It is completely destroyed. His whole research done. Burned. Potions exploded. And there's a dangerous cursed chest sitting in the corner. But Dad did leave Jaxen a message there. He... explained again that he had to go. And how much he loved us. And he left a warning too. There's a traitor in the ministry."
She let her words hang for a while and sighed. She was exhausted. The boys could draw their own conclusions. Or Jaxen could chime in and help her deal with their brother's emotions.
"I know it's a lot... Is there anything you you need to process it all?", she asked quietly. She was surprised she had managed to get through it all without tearing up.
It had to be due to her exhaustion. She was feeling slightly detached from herself right now.
______________________ OOC - Information referenced in this post were taken from the following RPG Year 1 threads:
Post by Kody Ashworth on Jan 28, 2023 22:26:57 GMT 10
Ezra was on board with being told and that made Kody feel a lot better. He put his hand on his younger brother's shoulder and gave a light squeeze, watching Reena and Jaxen.
There were a lot of thoughts swirling in his head right now, a million different possibilities of what their older siblings could be telling them. A part of him worried it was bad, especially with how cautious Reena was being.
But he trusted her, and trusted Jaxen, so he had to believe that everything would be okay.
And it was a lot.
Kody listened as Reena explained everything she knew. He did his best to stay focused and for once, his brain cooperated. Despite the strong desire to sit and daydream about Quidditch and the World Cup their granddad promised to take them to.
No, focus. Be good.
Apparently there was a photograph? Of their dads? Kody glanced to Jaxen and then back to Reena. Witch Weekly, Peeves, Gringott's, Christmas... There were a lot of details to follow and Kody frowned as he listened. He tried to put all the pieces together in order so they made sense to him. Poor Reena! Having to keep all of this to herself -- well, she had Jaxen too.
But still! Kody felt bad that the older two had shouldered this burden without being able to tell him, Ezra or their other sister. He could understand why even if he didn't fully grasp it yet. He would, one day.
One day he would be appreciative and thankful that his older siblings had done so much for their family over the years. But right now he was still a little immature and still a baby to their family too, so he didn't worry about it too much.
There was just a bubble of feeling there that they were taking care of something bigger than them.
Parchment? Research? Kody's interest piqued again as Reena continued talking. He had no doubts that their dad and uncle had been very brave so he merely smiled when Reena said that. Their dad was a hero, in his eyes and nothing would ever change that. Even if Kody couldn't remember him...
He just knew how amazing he was!
But the thing he clung to right now was 'Secret Laboratory' and he gasped, almost jumping up from where he sat on the bed. "Are you serious? You found a secret lab and didn't tell us until now?!"
Now, don't think Kody was upset in any way. He was more excited about what Reena said. He wanted to go see the Secret Lab right now.
"Can we see it? Even if it's... Like you said, in ruins? Wow, to think our dad had something so cool right here and we never knew! Hey, maybe that's where you get your explode-y potion genes from." Kody laughed, nudging Ezra lightly with a bright smile.
Sadly for Reena and Jaxen, Kody wasn't the kind of person to worry about the big picture or the little details. He wasn't someone who could solve a puzzle or riddle like they could. His brain skipped from exciting possibility to exciting possibility without a care in the world.
Why sweat over the details? But also --
"So, we're totally going to band together and uncover the traitor and be the heroes? Like dad and uncle Conrad? Right?" Kody asked, standing now with his hands on his hips.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Jan 28, 2023 23:46:10 GMT 10
While Reena had given both her younger brother an equal amount of her attention, she found it focusing on Kody for now as he responded strongly to the news about the secret laboratory. She had been amazed by how focused he had seemed while listening to her tale but couldn't say she was surprised that this was what he got hung up on.
It was a big discovery after all.
When he asked if they could see it, she hesitated. She had wanted to clear up a bit and make it a little safer first before letting in excited young boys who she wasn't certain she could control in a place like that with shards and cursed objects and all.
Still.
She nodded apprehensively.
What Kody said next alarmed her and she regretted her decision to let him in on the secrets already. His take away was that this was a grand adventure, a mystery to uncover that would bring them glory, and he seemed about ready to rush in recklessly without thikning about the consequences first.
They should have waited another year to tell him.
"Together. Yes," she said quickly. "But we've got to be smart about it. We can't just rush in blindly like fools. I'm sure I don't have to tell you just how dangerous this is. It's gotten our dads killed."
She choked on her last words, feeling her queasiness from earlier return.
Reena could feel she was about to break a sweat and she fought to keep her breathing even and not fall into a panicked state.
There was so much death around lately. She hated it. She really wanted her dad.
Looking at Kody's face as though the freckles around his nose held the answers, she nodded again. She would not go back on her agreement to show the laboratory.
"I'll show you if you promise to be quiet and not to touch anything without making sure it is safe to touch first. In fact, we should probably get some gardening gloves to protect against shards and splinters."
Reena regarded each of her brothers with a brief look before getting up, feeling shaky.
She walked out of Kody's and her room and headed towards the back door, not checking to see who was or wasn't following her. She made sure to tread lightly as she passed their mother's study, fairly certain she wouldn't emerge for hours.
As she walked into the backyard, she could not help but feel apprehensive about possibly leading her brothers into a big shock. She hadn't mentioned that the message from her dad had taken on his form and might still linger. She had been too scared it might be gone and add to the disappointment of ruined research.
The backyard looked different than it had on Christmas but once she located the rune, she got out her wand to tap it.
"Amor matris nos protegit", she tried the key from her memory again.
At Reena's incantation, the rune glowed brighter and brighter -- then the trapdoor revealed itself. In the place of a knocker, a bear's head was carved on the wood. Its eyes glowed red, the same as it had last time, as if magically determining if they were still worthy of entrance. Perhaps the judgement was for those who had yet to enter it?
The uneasy stir in the air wasn't as strong, but caused the protective enchantments to shudder a bit ominously. Followed by what could only been described as strengthening or renewal.
The trapdoor sprung open. Something was different, as if the entire secret area had begun to heal or regenerate in some way. Polished stone steps led them deep. Torches flared alight as they went down -- apart from the one too badly damaged, not even bothering to try and light itself. The black smear beside it remained, likely from spell damage.
The large potion laboratory and research area seemed bigger without the cobwebs and several coats of dust. It remained as mostly undisturbed as ever, but Reena and Jaxen were likely to notice at least a few subtle differences.
For the others, it was brand new. There were plenty of counters framing the square room, though mostly bare. Several empty cauldrons sat ready to be used -- pristine and sturdy. There were a few lingering charred remnants of things around the workspace, or various unknown stains.
On the cracked island in the middle sat a stoppered vial of watery black potion. The label wasn't words, but some sort of symbol.
The room remained trashed, though a bit less so than last time. Scrolls were torn to shreds, wooden crates patched up, no signs of glass shards anywhere, and some books had pages ripped out or set on fire -- whereas remaining books were restored and placed off to the side of a corner counter. Cabinets were tattered but intact, with their drawers spilled open but doors shut. Garden pots with fresh soil sat in various, rather intentional placements scattered round the room.
The rune-covered chest that gave Reena and Jaxen so much trouble last time... yeah, it was still there; ever the survivor and completely unscathed. It shimmered menacingly, though was livelier than last time. Did it anticipate going another round of ruining their day?
There was more to see too, quite literally, as the torches maintained their glow. It was obvious that their previous visits had only scratched the surface of investigating the room's secrets.
Even with improvements, it still felt abandoned to the passage of time. The cause of its state remained a mystery, though the likely conclusions were that a fight occurred there or an experiment went wrong -- with the most dominant theory being that whatever happened was done in a fit of absolute rage. No amount of dusting and repairs could shift or dampen that impression.
Post by Kody Ashworth on Feb 2, 2023 2:26:12 GMT 10
Reena mentioned running in blindly, like fools and Kody gave her a sheepish grin. Of course, his older sister knew him very well. But it wasn't enough to stop Kody from being enthusiastic about the whole thing. He didn't even notice her choking up when she mentioned the dangers.
Kody's brain would come back to it later and then he'd feel guilty, for not comforting her.
But for now, he was just consumed with the desire to see the mysterious and secret laboratory. He nodded as she asked him to promise to be good, to be quiet and not touch anything, "I promise, Reena!"
At least his tone and expression were sincere. This was important and there was no ignoring that.
So he followed his sister, glancing back to give Ezra an encouraging smile and then left the bedroom. They made their way through the house, copying his sister's lighter steps when they passed their mum's room and then out into the back garden. Kody glanced around for their ginger visitor from earlier, just in case he decided to come back but it was just them.
Staying close to his sister, Kody watched as she found something and recited words. This was obviously magic but it didn't stop Kody from being impressed by Reena, "Woah..."
The rune glowed bright and Kody squinted, putting a hand up to his eyes for a moment. When he managed to look again, there was a trap door in place with a carving of a bear head. Kody crouched next to his sister and reached out but didn't touch the door. Something held him back.
The door opened and Kody let out a soft yelp, falling onto his butt before he quickly scrambled upright again, "Does it do that every time?"
He glanced at his sister, letting out a nervous laugh. Kody took the first few steps, steeled himself and then descended with a bit more confidence. After all, this place had once belonged to his dad and there was no reason for Kody to think there would be anything to harm them here. His heart skipped a beat -- this had been a place his dad had been...
Full of things he had touched. Kody felt a stirring in his chest and chose to ignore it for now. There would be plenty of time later to get emotional and have a cry (in private) about this whole situation.
"Oh--" Kody gasped, finally making in to the bottom and into the laboratory proper.
It was amazing. Even if it wasn't fully back to how it would have looked when their dad used it, Kody was still in awe. He stood still, arms at his sides and just looked around at everything. He expected Reena to take the lead and, well, he had promised to be good.
He didn't want to let his sister down or give her a reason not to allow him in here again.
Kody wondered what kind of potions his dad worked on while in here and if their mum ever came down here... Surely their uncle did? It seemed like such a big space for just one person. Kody did notice the room seemed a little tattered or trashed. Again, his brain took off and he was already coming up with different scenarios for what happened here.
But he kept all of that to himself.
His eyes finally landed on the shimmering chest and he nodded at it, "What's that?"
It definitely stood out and Kody could tell it was special.
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February
