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.
The young Ashworths had time to process what they'd learned.
The remainder of July hadn't been an entirely quiet event, however. Aubrey shut herself away the first week or so, apart from a few odd trips to or from the attic -- which was consistently well-locked otherwise. Then she spontaneously set up in the garden to do some landscape painting, right near the concealed trapdoor. Her art was the Hogwarts Covered Bridge and nearby mountains, of all things.
She did not like being disturbed while painting, except for when she lost track of time and welcomed a sandwich brought to her by Jaxen. But since then, she came and went from the garden so randomly it wasn't safe for them to revisit the secret laboratory even if they wanted to, at risk of getting caught.
But August's arrival meant the summer was winding down -- and the children would be leaving home yet again to attend school. Aubrey became more subdued, but also unpredictably moody. Just recently, she'd insisted they stayed up late to play a game of charades. She'd written the options herself and put them in a fruit bowl -- with the fruit spilled all over the floor to make room, which they snacked on during.
Then it was Kody's turn, who was the last to have a try. He got "Lumos", as most of the options were types of spells or magical abilities (such as Reena getting Animagus). Yet Kody's wand-like gestures affected her so badly that Aubrey stared at him, unblinking and detached from the game, then just broke down in sobs. She shoved away anyone who tried to console her, then spent the next three days in bed.
Yesterday, it was as if nothing had happened. Although Aubrey had sat at the dining table with a cup of tea long since emptied, staring into space for almost the entire day. Then during dinner, she'd given each of them a prolonged and desperate hug as if reassuring herself they were still there -- or reassuring them she loved each them, no matter what.
But at least today came with the news that their grandparents would be stopping by, as Grandpa has an outing planned. This was loudly announced by Aubrey, bursting into each of their rooms earlier than they were used to waking. It was impossible to sleep after that, giving them no choice than to get up, dressed, and prepare for breakfast.
The news did soften the blow a bit, as they hadn't seen their grandparents since the start of the summer. If nothing else, it was good news as the stocked pantry was running a bit low again (and hopefully the grandparents would notice) -- even with Jaxen and Reena maintaining control of it. They were sticklers for rationing what they had, knowing far too well how it felt to go without. It was the first summer they'd avoided having to ask a neighbour for some flour or eggs.
There was a flutter of elegant wings from a rather official-looking owl -- flying away in the background, as Aubrey came inside a bit hazardously. She was busy inspecting several envelopes, as if expecting them to catch fire without a moment's notice or perhaps to contain live bugs.
Sighing, she headed to the table and just dumped them in front of Jaxen to sort out. It was obvious what they were, as soon as he saw the Hogwarts crest and that there was one for each of them. Ezra's was noticeably slimmer than all the rest.
Aubrey headed to the kitchen to make tea, refusing to have any part in acknowledging that it was August and thus soon the children would be back off to Hogwarts in a few weeks.
--
Ezra Ashworth Fifth Bedroom, Second Floor LilyGrove Puddles Way
Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three quarters, and eleven o'clock.
A list of books for the next year is enclosed.
From: Professor McGonagall
The list of course books was much shorted than last year -- only requiring a tense-sounding textbook for Defence Against the Dark Arts (presumably), and the Grade Two standard spellbook. There was nothing else noted, except the additional requirement of a pair of earmuffs.
--
Kody Ashworth Third Bedroom, Second Floor LilyGrove Puddles Way
Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three quarters, and eleven o'clock.
Fourth-years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain days. Due to recent events regarding Azkaban, we require a renewal of this permission. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.
A list of books for the next year is enclosed.
From: Professor McGonagall
The list of course books was brief -- requiring a complicated-sounding textbook for Defence Against the Dark Arts (presumably), and the Grade Four standard spellbook. There were two other books listed, but were specified to only be for those attending Care of Magical Creatures or Divination.
The Hogsmeade permission slip was included, as stated. Ideally, it would be signed before term began but really could be done at any point -- though of course, one can't visit Hogsmeade without it. Apparently, even if they'd had permission in the past. Not that it made any difference to Kody, who didn't have permission last year regardless.
--
Reena Ashworth Third Bedroom, Second Floor LilyGrove Puddles Way
Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three quarters, and eleven o'clock.
Fifth-years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain days. Due to recent events regarding Azkaban, we require a renewal of this permission. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.
Moreover, you have been chosen Slytherin Prefect. Congratulations!
A list of books for the next year is enclosed.
From: Professor McGonagall
The list of course books was brief -- requiring a complicated-sounding textbook for Defence Against the Dark Arts (presumably), and the Grade Five standard spellbook. There were two other books listed, but were specified to only be for those attending Care of Magical Creatures or Divination.
The Hogsmeade permission slip was included, as stated.
Finally, out slipped the shiny new "Prefect" badge. There was a weight to it -- not physically, but the responsibility and newfound authority it represented.
--
Jaxen Ashworth Fifth Bedroom, Second Floor LilyGrove Puddles Way
Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three quarters, and eleven o'clock.
Sixth-years are permitted to regularly visit the village of Hogsmeade. Due to recent events regarding Azkaban, we require a renewal of this permission. Additionally, in the case of one or more NEWT-level classes requiring an educational experience outside the Hogwarts grounds, Field Trip permission is also required. Please give the enclosed permission forms to your parent or guardian to sign.
Also, sixth-years can take part in Apparition lessons for a fee (after the introductory lesson) of twelve Galleons.
A list of books for the next year is enclosed.
From: Professor McGonagall
The list of course books hadn't been this long since first year. There was one for each class, which were specified to only be for those attending them. Almost each one had the word "advanced" in the title; it was clear the magic learned in NEWT year lived up to those expectations.
The Hogsmeade permission slip was included, as stated. The Field Trip permission slip was also there, as stated. It was rather vague on what sort of trips were necessary, but it was far less optional than the Hogsmeade one.
Post by Reena Ashworth on Feb 19, 2023 20:28:37 GMT 10
This summer had left Reena drained and frustrated, more than usual. She had managed to fill Jaxen in on what they had found out that day in the laboratory, but the way summer had progressed since then had left her restless.
She just could not get a quiet minute to gather her thoughts or go back into the laboratory to search for a clue towards the secret library. (Apart for the time she and her sister had sneaked into the lab at break of dawn, but Reena had been focused on her sister’s well-being while she read her father’s journal herself.) Her mother's mysterious trips into the attic had not gone unnoticed by her either but she had not managed to open the door when her mother wasn't there.
It was all very frustrating.
And then there was the evening they had played charades. It had been all fun and games until it was Kody's turn and their mother had just lost it. Reena had tried to comfort her little brother and reassure him that it wasn't his fault but she doubted she had been successful.
That stupid game had been her idea, Reena had no idea why she would insist on playing if she was in such a fragile mood. More often than not her sudden mood swings seemed to hit Kody and Reena hated that for him.
Reena had tried to find the time to browse the Book of Enchantments for mentions of Sacred Magic but for some reason always got distracted.
And this morning, she had been startled awake earlier than usual by their mother. The only uplifting part about that was that their grandparents were coming back today, so she got out of bed, picked up some of Kody's dirty clothes and headed into the bathroom to get ready.
She was at the table when the owl arrived and plucked her Hogwarts letter from Jax. It felt unusually heavy and when she opened it, she knew why.
Reena twisted and turned the brand new Prefect Badge in her hand, as though making sure that it was real. Then a small smile formed on her face. It felt like that was the first smile she had smiled in days.
The school trusted her enough to make her a prefect? Snape trusted her enough?
She felt the new responibility and her stomach seemed to contain a flock of butterflies. This was such a great opportunity!
But why did it feel dificult to breathe all so suddenly?
Last Edit: Feb 22, 2023 15:28:26 GMT 10 by Reena Ashworth: verity is here.
Post by Kody Ashworth on Feb 20, 2023 20:55:55 GMT 10
Stupid Game.
When Kody thought back to how his mum reacted when it was his turn, he felt like crying again. She had been the one to write down the options for them so why... He knew there was no point dwelling on it and Reena had done her best to comfort him.
And then, as if to add insult to injury, their mum acted like nothing had happened. Not even an apology from her even though Kody had tried to give one of his own. Even if he didn't fully understand what had happened, he still felt bad.
He had to be to blame. There was no other way to look at it.
She had even burst into their rooms that morning, seemingly excited to tell them they were spending the day with their grandparents. This only reminded Kody of the lost opportunity to go to the Quidditch World Cup and for a moment he pulled his duvet over his head.
This summer hadn't been as much fun as he had hoped.
Still, he got up and dressed in a timely manner. A bit slower than Reena, who had left the room ahead of him. Kody didn't even notice she had taken care of some of his dirty clothes for him and pulled on whatever random t-shirt and trousers were within reach. They smelled okay so he assumed they were clean.
Joining his family at the kitchen table, Kody accepted his letter from Jaxen but didn't pay much attention to his school list. This was passed to Reena with an apologetic smile. He did, however, hold onto his Hogsmeade permission slip.
"Mum... I was wondering..." Kody started, hesitating and glancing at his older siblings.
He couldn't predict how anyone was going to react to what came out of his mouth next.
"I really want to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team this year. Do you think it would be okay? I wouldn't do it unless you said I could..." He looked down at his Hogsmeade permission slip.
"And, um. I need you to sign my permission slip for Hogsmeade too. Please?" There, he had asked.
Kody had wanted to play Quidditch ever since his first year and he had witnessed his first game. But he knew better than that to ask his mum about it. Surely she wouldn't agree to him joining at such a young age.
But that desire had never waned and talking about the Quidditch World Cup (despite it being cancelled) had reignited his desire to ask. He might have been able to endure not playing for the past three years but he was going into fourth year now.
The chances he would have to play and improve his skills were quickly dwindling.
It didn't make it any less scary however and he snuck a glance at his mum, to try and gauge her reaction...
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Feb 20, 2023 22:30:34 GMT 10
Despite his best attempts to stay cheerful, it had not been the greatest of summers for Ezra.
Between his fear that he was going to lose his siblings, and their inability to find more answers, he had been having nightmares. Nightmares that left him both quieter and clingier than usual.
Add on their Quidditch trip with Grandpa being cancelled and it felt like nothing about the summer was right.
Aubrey’s latest breakdown was just the cherry on top of a bad time really.
So, even if it was super early in the morning, their wakeup via an announcement of their grandparents imminent arrival was at least welcomed by him. Even the upsetting questions that Conrad’s journal had left about Grandma were not enough to take away his happiness that he would get to see them.
That did not mean that he was fully awake though after such an unexpectedly early start. No, he was half asleep still as he stumbled down to the kitchen in his pyjamas.
Ezra munched on his toast on automatic, not really tasting the jam on it as he wondered what their grandparents might be visiting for.
He was still half lost in his wonderings as he accepted his envelope from Jaxen, only just remembering to mumble a thank you around his toast.
Ezra opened his letter to read through, leaving a jam stain on the side of it that he failed to notice as he looked up at the sound of Kody’s voice.
Kody wanted to play Quidditch? That was so cool!
Even though it was not yet a definite, Ezra wondered how big he could make a banner to support his older brother in his games. It did not matter that they were in different houses - that was his brother!
Thoughts of cheering for Kody at least distracted him from being sad at the thought of all of his older siblings disappearing off to Hogsmeade without him.
The small smile on Reena's face was unusual enough that it caught Aubrey's wandering attention, though she couldn't quite see what had caused it. Not the breakfast, she assumed. The toast was a bit dry.
'What's that you have there, little fox?' she asked, inching higher in her seat as if that might help. It didn't.
Curious as she was, Aubrey allowed her attention to be diverted by Kody. She couldn't look him in the eyes, and used buttering some toast as an excuse not to -- yet angled herself towards him in to make it clear she was attentively listening.
Something she quickly regretted.
Aubrey abandoned the concept of eating. She stared sternly at her plate for a moment, in attempt to not only make sense of what her son has just asked her, but also to calm her pounding heart and heavy breathing -- at the mere thought of both things he sought from her. Permission to put himself in harms way? How could she even consider it?
'No,' she said, instinctively. Wincing, as guilt flushing her, Aubrey faltered. 'Maybe?'
It notably distressed her, but she tried to get by the fear and the images of him being hurt. The fact he looked so much like his father, who she'd witnessed being hurt in the worse possible ways, didn't help Kody's chances in the slightest. And yet, miraculously, those same reasons may also prove equally beneficial in its own way.
'I don't... like it,' she managed to say. 'Must you want both?' Aubrey whimpered at the pressure, her gaze briefly and fearfully flickering to his Hogsmeade form.
They all had one, she was horrified to notice. All but little Ezzie. She'd outright denied two Hogsmeade forms last year, but conceded that Jaxen and Reena were allowed to go. They were the ones keeping the family together. Responsible and level-headed. It had taken some work on their part to convince her, after being denied years prior, but Aubrey signed. They were old enough.
Kody and his other sister were the same age that Reena was last year. Somehow, it didn't seem to fit. No, Kody was her baby. How was the boy in front of her now the same age as Reena was? She struggled to make sense of it, but could not rightfully justify saying no when she had allowed Reena. What would her excuse be?
"Sorry, but you look too much like your father?" Aubrey shook her head, which may be mistaken for another "no". But never mind Hogsmeade for a moment. Quidditch? She'd seen how brutal the sport was. Of course, Marcus had always hoped Jaxen would play. And Conrad got Ezra a toy broomstick as soon as he was almost old enough to not fall off it. But that was then.
This is now.
'I need to think...' Aubrey abruptly left the table, then snatched the Hogsmeade forms from each of them (apart from one, as they were a kid short at breakfast).
She marched to the studio. It was nearby, beyond the living room and near the master bedroom. In her frenzy, she forgot to properly shut the door -- enabling any too-curious-for-their-own-good children to sneak over and eavesdrop, if they dared to get away with it.
'Hogsmeade. Quidditch.' Aubrey muttered over and over, pacing back and forth. 'My miracle baby.'
She turned to a large painting against a side of the room, and yanked the sheet from it to reveal a plainly painted background lacking its portrait. By now, the children were used to moving portraits at Hogwarts, but Aubrey's paintings didn't seem to have the same magic to them -- the ones they'd seen her paint, at least. They were also mostly landscapes.
This one was special, and its ornate gold frame elevated that. It looked so out of place in her cluttered, paint-splattered art studio. In fact, it looked so out of place in the entire house and area itself. It was absolutely stunning, in a very magical sense.
'I wish you were here, darling.' She placed a hand to the painting, head bowed and mournful. Aubrey then reached to a sprig of mixed herbs nearby and inhaled them deeply. She seemed to be waiting...
'What is it, my love?' Marcus' portrait walked into view, sitting in front of her on a chair that appeared at his need for it. 'Has something happened?'
Aubrey thrust the Hogsmeade forms at him, then tossed them onto a nearby workbench covered in various art supplies. She tugged at her hair, pacing a moment longer, then made a sound of frustration. To her kids, those were moments they were at a loss for how to react or help her. Marcus watched her as if he understood every tiny detail, and it made perfect sense to him.
It was like he fluent in a language they'd never properly learned.
'Ah.' He nodded, gaze deeply sympathetic -- with a hint of concern as well. The painting was far more expressive than anything the projection down in the laboratory could possibly echo. 'Do you remember us discussing this, when Jaxen and Reena asked to visit Hogsmeade last year?'
Aubrey sniffled, shaking her head a little. 'No,' she admitted. 'But they were old enough. Capable and responsible. I agreed to let them go. And those nosy reporters took advantage.'
'Yes. I shall remind you of every detail, but for now -- where are they?' Marcus asked, calm yet clearly yearning to reach out to her and of course could not.
'Having breakfast.' She sighed, dropping onto a stool -- drained by her emotions. She clutched the herbs, which seemed to help. 'Kody, he... this is so hard, Marcus. He did the wand gesture, darling. The same one you did, right before...'
'I understand.' Marcus nodded, his expression pained. 'But that was days ago. What happened this morning, my love? What did he do or say that has caused such turmoil? Enough to need this painting.'
She gulped. 'He wants to play Quidditch.'
'He does?' Marcus' whole face lit up with a grin, which he quickly dampened for her sake. 'Right. Dangerous sport. Playing against Slytherins. Uh...'
Aubrey buried her face in her hands, still holding the herbs but ignoring the itch against her skin. Marcus didn't react; he simply watched her and waited for the sobs to subside. He swallowed anxiously, but remained calm and collected. When she lifted her head a little, he quickly interjected.
'Perhaps we need time?' he kindly suggested. 'The summer is not yet over. Perhaps we take the time to discuss it more? Weigh the risks. No Ashworth asks to play Quidditch lightly. If his heart is set on it, then we should support him. We can find a way to do that, despite the fear. He's not our firstborn, my love. He can handle it.'
'Would you have let him?' Aubrey fixed him with a wild, desperate look. 'Knowing how rough it is. And everything else we have to deal with. The burden of knowing too much.. would you say yes?'
Marcus frowned, glancing away for a moment to think. He closed his eyes, sighing reluctantly, then met her gaze with his -- compassionate, patient, and ever-so-honest.
'Yes,' he said. 'Even with the burden of knowing. But I have not lost how you have lost. I don't relive the pain you endure every second since that day. I am not there. But my answer is yes. Give it time, will you? For Kody.'
Aubrey nodded. 'For Kody.'
She fumbled for the Hogsmeade forms, and shoved them deep into a drawer for now. Marcus had faded from the painting, and she stifled another sob at its emptiness. Clutching at her heart as if it caused physical agony for him not to be there, she then shifted to tuck a finger under the silver chain of a necklace she now wore -- which ended in her wedding ring.
Aubrey kissed the ring, then wiped her face as she prepared to head out of the room.
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Feb 20, 2023 23:14:41 GMT 10
Ezra watched as Aubrey thought over Kody’s request before she left without an actual answer. It did not look good for his brother though.
That was sad. He was sure that Kody would do great at the game!
Maybe if he told her how big they (because he assumed that their siblings would join in) would cheer for Kody, then she would say yes?
Ezra decided that it was worth a try. Kody was a great older brother to him, so he could be a good little brother too.
He shot a glance at his siblings and then slipped from his chair, wiping his jammy fingers on his pyjama pants as he went.
Ezra followed the path that Aubrey had taken, only to hesitate as it seemed like she had headed for her studio. Oh no! There went his chance…
Only, she had not shut the door properly. If she had not shut it, then maybe they were welcome for once? Ezra was not sure, but he found himself too curious to question it further.
He crept up to the door, only to pause an inch short of pushing it further open. Were those voices?
Yes. That was Aubrey, of course. And the other.. The other he recognised from the lab. But that did not make sense.
Confused, Ezra peeked through the crack instead, only for his eyes to widen once he realised what he was seeing.
A portrait. She was talking to a portrait. One that spoke back like the ones at Hogwarts.
It was Uncle Marcus!
Ezra wanted to run back and tell his siblings - to yell so that they could see too. They deserved to see the portrait. They deserved to talk to it.
He found himself frozen on the spot instead though, his mouth dropped open in shock as he listened in.
Had the portrait always been there? Hidden from them? Was that why the studio was normally closed? But why? Why would that be hidden? Why shouldn't his older siblings get to see?
Ezra saw that Aubrey was heading towards the door and, panicked over being caught and then having to be the one to ask her about it, scrambled back towards the kitchen table. His eyes wide and his mind caught on what he had seen, he did not notice if any of his siblings had followed him.
He had to tell them though! Ezra paused at the table, forgetting to reclaim his seat and instead bouncing slightly as he stood next to Reena's chair. He glanced back in the direction that he had come.
He really, really had to tell them. That was not something that he could keep to himself. But did he dare when their mum may reappear at any moment.
Last Edit: Feb 20, 2023 23:30:44 GMT 10 by Ezra Ashworth
Post by Kody Ashworth on Feb 20, 2023 23:20:06 GMT 10
Even though Kody normally didn't mind a bit of attention, he found himself prickling as he waited to hear what his mum said.
What anyone said, really.
Her first no almost hurt but it was quickly followed by a maybe and that was enough to give him a tiny sliver of hope. She made sure he knew she wasn't a fan of his request but he had expected that. When she asked about wanting both, Kody looked down at his Hogsmeade form.
"If I had to pick, one or the other, it'd be Quidditch, honestly." And that was the truth. Kody might have been a bit spacey at times, a bit too impulsive or even foolish but he wasn't a liar. He knew it was important to be honest even if his mum didn't want to hear it.
"I'd like the chance to play so... Please, consider it?" His voice went up a bit at the end, that hopeful note lingering as he sought back-up from one of his siblings. He knew none of them were really fans of the sport, which made him a bit of an outlier but if he really wanted this...
Wouldn't they accept that and support him?
He caught Ezra's eye and gave him a small, if slightly uncertain, smile.
When their mum suddenly left the table, taking the forms with her, Kody opened his mouth to apologize. Like always, he felt bad he had ruined something when his mum got upset because of him.
"Sorry--" It came out a bit belated as she had already left and so it was directed to his siblings instead. Kody watched as their mum went into her studio and then quickly looked at Reena.
"The door." He mumbled, getting up from his own seat.
He hesitated for a second. Spying on his mum or eavesdropping on whatever conversation she might be having made his chest tighten. He didn't like sneaking around like that but wasn't this an opportunity to at least see what she was doing in there?
Quietly leaving the kitchen, he lingered in the hallway, a bit worried as Ezra dared to get closer. Kody didn't want to be too close to get caught (he hoped) but enough that he was able to catch a few words of what she said. The phrase 'miracle baby' certainly left him confused as he had no idea what she was talking about. Ezra, perhaps?
But what confused him more than that was hearing Not-Dad's voice coming from the room.
Could the vision-ghost-projection thing make it all the way into the house? If so, why did they have to go to the laboratory to speak with him?
Frowning, Kody attempted to look into the room from behind Ezra but it was hard to do. Through the crack in the door from where he stood (still too scared to get much closer), he saw bits of a painting and his mum sitting on a stool. He didn't understand what was going on and looked over his shoulder, hoping Reena would have an answer.
Fingers crossed, Ezra had a much better view of what was going on.
He did, however, catch the word 'Quidditch' and it made his stomach do a flip. The Not-Dad, whoever or however he was there, seemed almost supportive with his response but quickly backtracked. Kody couldn't really catch much more of their conversation and he turned to go back to the kitchen. He gestured for Ezra to follow before there was a chance their mum would notice they had been in the hallway.
At least, he hoped they had got away with it.
When he sat down again, he looked from Ezra to Reena and shrugged. They'd have to talk about this later. Instead, he started to eat his breakfast even though his stomach was knotting up like crazy.
Last Edit: Feb 20, 2023 23:23:18 GMT 10 by Kody Ashworth
Post by Reena Ashworth on Feb 21, 2023 1:26:12 GMT 10
She instinctively covered the prefect badge when her mother addressed her, protecting her valuable new possession from curious glances. For a moment she considered not telling what she had gotten, still resentful towards her mother for her horrid treatment of Kody.
She had just reminded herself that it was silly not to tell, since they would all find out one way or another, when Kody spoke up and she kept quiet so he could talk. Her news could wait.
Reena could feel her own heart speed into a fearful flutter, as she could already picture her younger brother sprawled out in a hospital bed with a bludger to the head.
She wanted to tell him 'No', but the second their mother said the same, Reena changed her mind. Kody should be allowed to make his own decisions, even if it was a bad one. If they had the means to afford Quidditch gear for him (and she had seen her father's vault, heard about the will from Conrad's journal), then he should be given the chance to at least try out.
"Mum... She tried to get a word in, an attempt to reason with her.
Kody had said he would put Quidditch over Hogsmeade. This was obviously important to him.
She scowled when her mother got up, but sighed in defeat when she left the room, allegedly to think about it. Reena had no idea what that woman did when she went away to hide but, with a side eye at Kody, she pushed her envelope away from her, the prefect badge sliding out for anyone, who bothered to look at it, to see.
Mum had taken all of their Hogsmeade permission slips, which was a little frustrating to think about. She and Jaxen had been allowed to go last year, would this privilege be taken from them just like that?
Ezra had followed after their mother, presumably to try and speak on Kody's behalf (he was such a good brother), and she cast a glance at Jaxen. When Kody left to follow as well, she rolled her eyes and got up from breakfast. The toast had been a bit dry anyway.
She furrowed her brows when she joined her brothers, who were standing outside their mum's studio.
Before she could ask what was goingon, she heard voices (plural!) coming from the studio and put two and two together. The door was slightly ajar and Ezra frozen in place as he looked through the crack, Kody hung a little further back.
Curiosity got the better of her and she tip-toed closer to Ezra, trying to get within ear-shot. When she recognized the second voice, she felt a shiver run down her spine and she edged closer towards Ezra, trying to get a look throuhg the crack above his head as well.
Their mother had kept a moving painting of their dad from them all this time?
And she was having conversation with him, regarding parenting?
This seemed both incredibly selfish to Reena, as well as pointless. Sometimes she felt like Ezra's and Kody's mum rather than their sister.
She was not quite sure what to make of it all. She had not heard the whole conversation, as she had taken a step back to look at Kody, whom the conversation seemed to be mostly about. Reena had heard the joy in painting-dad's voice however upon learning his son wished to play Quidditch. This made her more convinced than ever that Kody should do it.
Hearing her mum get up however, she made sure her brothers made it back towards the table and quickly went to pull out her own chair again. Ezra was blocking it however, sort of bouncing around and she shook her head.
"Ezra, sit down,", she nudged him towards his seat. She managed to keep any traces of anger out of her voice and hopefully face as well, anger about yet again finding out they had been deprived of their dad's presence in a completely unknown way.
They would have to talk about this later.
"I think you'd make a great player, Kody," she said. Her voice loud enough that her mum would hear if she was on her way back.
"What position were you thinking? Beater?" She'd rather have him handle a bat than be at the mercy of some other kid with one. Especially considering the last beater she had seen on Gryffindor's team was Amelia Twiggs, who surely had a dislike for her after... well.
Reena's hand found her eyebrows and she absentmindedly traced them with her index finger as she looked at her shiny new prefect badge in front of her. She just hoped Twiggs' dislike for her would not make Kody's standing on the team any more difficult.
Last Edit: Feb 21, 2023 1:27:38 GMT 10 by Reena Ashworth
Post by Kody Ashworth on Feb 21, 2023 2:40:40 GMT 10
They all sat down again like nothing had happened. Like they hadn't heard that familiar voice coming from their mother's study.
Kody looked up when Reena spoke to Ezra, watching the younger and hoping he'd sit down quietly without drawing more attention to them. He smiled too, so Ezra wouldn't feel bad. It wasn't like he had done something wrong but this wasn't the time to talk about what they had heard.
Or in Kody's case, only partially heard.
"Yeah! How did you know?" Kody looked at his sister but really, should he be surprised? Reena knew him so well so naturally she'd know about the Quidditch position he wanted to play. The idea of saving his teammates from wayward Bludgers coming their way seemed like it would suit him well.
"Either that or maybe Keeper?" Honestly his first task was going to get past their mum, then try-out for the team and then see which position he'd be advised to fill.
Regardless, the idea of getting to play would be exciting and knowing that Reena was (somewhat) on board helped him feel a bit better about asking. He noticed then the shiny something she was toying with on the table and gasped.
"Wait?! Is that?!" He had seen the same badge on the robes of some other students and jumped out of his seat to give his big sister a hug.
"Congratulations! You definitely deserve it. You're going to be an awesome Prefect!" After all, she took care of all of them so well so naturally she was a good fit for the role of Prefect too! Kody beamed with pride as he squished his sister gently.
Post by Jaxen Ashworth on Feb 21, 2023 8:32:37 GMT 10
So much had happened over the summer, and yet at the same time it felt like nothing at all. They had been confined to the house for the duration, with their mother painfully absent for so much of that precious time. Jax tried to keep the atmosphere light for his siblings sakes, but there had been a few occasions where he'd caught himself frowning in spite of himself.
Reena had filled him in on all that she, Kody and Ezra had learned in the laboratory that day, the one day where it had been safe to visit. He had not been able to visit the secret room himself, their mother's sporadic visits to the garden making it too much of a risk but he found no reason to disbelieve the stories he'd been told. Of Conrad's journal and the blood curse-- which, if he was being entirely honest, still confused and terrified him.
Magic was not a new concept for him, but this was the first he'd heard of magic so dark it could curse an entire bloodline.
Jax had made the decision not to panic- which was easier said than done, his vivid imagination made it difficult to put his mind at ease about the entire thing. But he had been trying lately to enjoy the time he had now with his family, knowing that once they returned to school, their paths would rarely cross. Especially now that he was studying for his NEWTs and Reena her OWLs.
The other day playing charades as a family had been nice, until it wasn't. Something Kody did had triggered a dramatic reaction in their mother and she broke down into fits of sobbing. He'd felt so helpless, being unable to comfort her as she cried as if in some great torment. Any time he attempted to go to her, she would not allow him to offer her that comfort- if only she would accept his affection.
The days following had been awful. She'd stayed in bed and refused to come out of her room only to sit at the dining table and stare blankly ahead when she did. This state of apparent detachment had always been so difficult for Jaxen to watch and he had buried himself in his own art at times like these, when he was trying to ignore a rather glaring problem.
Jax had anticipated much the same today, only to be awoken that morning by his mother bursting into his room. The news she brought of their grandparents visit was welcome, but it came too late to stop Jaxen from toppling from his bed in an attempt to reach his wand to banish the intruder from his bedroom. Fumbling around half-dazed even after his mother had left the room.
After that it had just been a task of getting changed into a rather baggy sweater and dragging himself down to breakfast. Jax handed out each of the letters that had been dumped in front of him and opened the one with his name on it. The morning was still young and already he was being reminded of his new intense level of schooling which would be ready to break his spirit upon his return to Hogwarts.
Field trips were something new and apparate lessons... Although, he had a bad feeling that those would turn out to be a rather painful endeavour.
Beginning to butter his toast, his knife stilled on the bread when he heard Kody ask their mother about Quidditch. His foot rhythmically pounding the floor as his knee bounced beneath the table. His little brothers infatuation with the sport had always been cause for concern, especially as he was getting older- Jaxen knew it was only a matter of time until he grew bored of being a spectator and wished to play himself.
That did not make him any more fond of the idea. He'd seen kids younger that Kody fall from their brooms and visit the hospital wing with varying degrees of injuries. But... The way his brothers face lit up at the 'maybe' their mother gave him, the hope flashing in his eyes.
Would it truly be fair to deny him something that he longed for so much? How would he feel if he was told he could never draw again? Sure, it was not the same thing- Nobody had ever died from sketching too hard, but it was something he was passionate about, just as Kody was passionate about Quidditch.
Their mother did not give a straight answer to his request, opting instead to abruptly leave the table after snatching the Hogsmeade forms from each of them.
"Mama-!" he called after her, half rising from his seat before slumping back down defeated. He'd been here before. She would not hear him, he could not offer her comfort or guidance- was it even his place to do so? She was their mother, he could not advise her on what to do, even if he had done his fair share of parenting his siblings throughout their lives.
One by one his siblings made to follow her from the room, and he rolled his eyes, hoping that they'd know better by now. He poked his toast and took a bite, it was dry and difficult to swallow but he forced it down anyway. After a few moments, his siblings returned, each wearing expressions that made him quirk a brow.
Ezra could barely stand still. What had happened? He tried to catch Reena's eye, attempting to communicate wordlessly in the way they'd grown long grown accustomed to.
"Do you uh... Do you think it's a bad time to ask about apparate lessons?" he asked no one in particular, unwilling to scare his mother back to her room if forced to make another decision so early in the morning.
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Feb 21, 2023 19:35:14 GMT 10
Ezra startled as Reena nudged him. Honestly, he had not noticed that she was missing from the table, nevermind that he had blocked her seat. He had been too busy panicking over how to share the news with them. Had she followed him to the door?
Surely that meant that she had seen it too! That meant that he did not have to figure out the right words to tell them about the portrait then.
Or he hoped so anyway. It was hard to tell if she had or not. She seemed to be quite calm still to Ezra, so he was not quite sure.
As he tried to figure that out he settled back down on his own chair, since that was probably a good idea. Their mum could return any minute and since she was keeping such a big secret, he probably did not want to be caught talking about it. Even if he didn’t understand why she would keep something like that a secret in the first place.
Attempting to calm his wiggles over the information that he held, Ezra picked up his toast to start eating again.
He did not get far through it before he dropped it again in surprise at the latest news. Ree was a prefect?
He had slightly forgotten that prefects were a thing, but now that he thought of it.. of course Reena would be one! It made perfect sense to him. He was sure that no one in her year was as great as her!
Aubrey, unaware anything was amiss, sat back at the dining table. She was a bit more lucid, and huffed as the conversation hadn't seemed to shift in her absence.
'No more talk of Quidditch or Hogsmeade,' she insisted rather sternly, then softened as she glanced at Kody. Still unable to meet his eyes. 'I will think about it.'
And that was the end of that. For now.
--
During tidying up after breakfast, the mood lifted dramatically with the arrival of Grandma and Grandpa. They were all smiles and warmth, practically bursting into the house in sheer anticipation to greet them and give everyone a big hug.
No one missed out; even their sister was called out of her room to make sure she too got a hug and smile sent her way. Grandpa then spent a heartbreakingly long time apologising they couldn't go on their Quidditch World Cup trip this summer, but promised they would go next time instead.
'Hello,' Grandma eyed Aubrey, uncertain what sort of response she'd get today though was a bit surprised how focused she was this morning.
'I need fruit,' Aubrey replied, and marched off outside to harvest some of whatever fruit was ready to be eaten.
'Now then, Hogwarts letters have arrived, I see,' Grandpa said, pulling Kody into a side-hug while he examined the state of things. 'And our clever girl has made Prefect. Are we really that surprised?'
He winked at Reena, his entire being radiating with pride.
'Yes. And with Hogwarts letters comes the school supply lists,' Grandma added, getting to the point, as she checked the lists over. 'Each of you, gather your things. Grandpa will take you to Diagon Alley right away. I'll tend to things around here. Off you go.'
'Uh, if you want to come along,' Grandpa added. 'If you'd rather stay home, we'll grab your things for you. I must say though, there's ice cream in it for you if you come along. Anyway, I'll meet you outside;. No dawdling, but do give your mum a hug before we go.'
He went to wait in the street for the kids who decided to join him for the shopping trip. Grandma set to finish tidying up then, as hoped, headed to the pantry to take inventory. Not that it needed too much now, as the kids would all be headed back to Hogwarts soon.
Post by Kody Ashworth on Feb 21, 2023 21:50:34 GMT 10
When Jaxen mentioned his apparition form, Kody gave him an apologetic smile. He had really blown everything up with his question about Quidditch, hadn't he? He hoped Jax would be able to get his form completed by their mum before school started.
Their mum came back into the kitchen and sat down again.
Kody hoped he didn't look as guilty as he felt but when he glanced at her, it was evident she wouldn't look at him. Business as usual then. His shoulders drooped and he could feel himself wanting to cry again.
At least she said she would think about it, right? So-- So-- It had to be okay, right?
Kody bit down on his bottom lip, a familiar feeling growing in his chest.
Then a lump formed in his throat, which made it impossible for Kody to eat anything else, so he was one of the first up to help clean everything away. At least he could do that much to help out and be useful.
When their grandparents arrived, Kody accepted the hug from his grandpa but this was the final straw.
"S-Sorry." Was about all he managed. He pulled away, unable to look at either grandparent or sibling, before he entrusted his school list to Reena and, trying to wipe away the tears as they fell, hurried out of the kitchen and back upstairs. The bedroom door could be heard shutting as he flung himself onto his bed.
Kody buried himself under the blankets and hoped no-one would come asking what was wrong because he didn't want them to be angry at his mum. It was clearly his fault and he was being a big baby...
Still, he hurt and he knew he wouldn't be able to explain it.
Post by Ezra Ashworth on Feb 22, 2023 2:30:30 GMT 10
After Aubrey reappeared Ezra had spent the rest of breakfast squirming about on his chair. Hopefully it was passed off as excitement for the day ahead though, and not because he had seen something secret that wanted out.
As it was, once breakfast had finished, he had jumped up to help, eager to be busy so that he did not say anything that he shouldn’t in front of Aubrey.
He was very relieved when their grandparents arrived to offer further distraction, diving forward to give them both a big hug.
Grandpa received a giant squeeze, the twelve year old using all of his measly strength in an attempt to squish him, as he tried to reassure the older man that it was okay about the Quidditch World Cup cancellation.
“It’s okay, Grandpa!” he said, not wanting to see him sad. “I’m sure it will be just as fun another time! And we still get to see you!”
His Grandma was a little bit more complicated, as he could not help but to remember the doubts and confusion the journal had caused. He had still given her a big hug, but half way through he had pulled back to look up at her, an uncertain look on his face.
“Grandma? You-” he hesitated before he could ask for reassurance that she really loved them all. She had to, right? She was Grandma. No, Ezra could not ask that question and risk upsetting her.
“It doesn’t matter,” he mumbled, diving back in for another hug before he ran upstairs to get dressed.
If he was excited for the thought of a day out with Grandpa, then the promise of ice cream only doubled it.
Ezra moved as fast as he could, worried that he would be left behind thanks to his laziness about getting dressed before breakfast. His speed meant that he stumbled back down the stairs as he was tugging his top down, with one of his shoes still undone. He was dressed at least.
He poked his head out the front door just to check that Grandpa was still there, then, shouting “one minute, Grandpa!”, he ran back through the house to find and squeeze Aubrey and Grandma in a hug each.
Both of them received a quick "love you, bye!" as he ran off to his next task. There, if he did not spend too long with them then he would not spill anything that he shouldn't.
He was soon back out the front door and bouncing in front of Grandpa.
Post by Jaxen Ashworth on Feb 22, 2023 8:08:16 GMT 10
When his mother returned to the table, it was evident that the moment to ask about all things school related had past. It didn't matter, Jax would find time to ask about apparition and field trips another time... Definitely before they went back to school.
Returning to half-heartedly munch on his toast, Jax thought about the list of school supplies he'd received. His sixth year classes were looking to be quite complex, he hoped he fared better than he had in his OWLs.
Looking up when his grandparents arrived, Jaxen could not keep the smile from his face. He immediately left the table to hug them both, lingering a little longer than perhaps necessary, giving away just how much he'd missed them in recent days.
It seemed the plan was for their grandpa to take them shopping for school supplies and Jax felt his heart lift at the idea. Not only would he have a chance to get out of the house for a few hours, but there was a chance that he'd run into his friends in Diagon Alley (however slim that chance was) and there was bound to be interesting things to look at in the various shops.
Frowning when Kody ran off to his room, Jax resisted the urge to follow his young brother. He was obviously still upset about their mother's reluctance to let him play Quidditch, though he had not yet received an outright no. Still, he remembered the bitter ache of disappointment at having heard his fair share of no's.
"See you later" he muttered his goodbye, hugging his grandma and then his mother before shoving his hands into his pockets and hurrying out the front door after Ezra- before he could be tempted to stay behind.
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