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 MJ Birdwhistle on Jun 7, 2023 0:08:12 GMT 10
There were a few more things MJ needed before she could brew some more potions. One of the ingredients needed was a feather for the antidote potion. Not that MJ expected to need to use it but it sounded very used to have on hand.
Better to be prepared than not, right?
She entered the Owlery and scrunched her nose. The smell of so many birds together certainly hit the back of her nose. She stepped around quietly, however, as she didn't want to disturb any sleeping birds.
They worked hard every day to deliver letters and parcels, after all!
MJ approached some of the roosting boxes and peeked inside, checking as many as she could in her search for a feather or two.
Post by Cynthia Rushton on Jun 7, 2023 8:57:42 GMT 10
After parting ways with young Orla, Cynthia hurried into the owlry, her precious letter in her backpack. She didn't write home nearly as much as she should, but she vowed to fix that this year. She needed to! She didn't want to be one of those people who only wrote home when they needed to. It was just that things always seemed so busy...
She sighed and pulled the door open-
And saw there was someone already here, another girl who looked to be about Orla's age, rooting carefully through the nesting boxes.
Which made her realize--
"Oh! Feathers!" She could collect a feather for Snape's motley collection!
There were feathers in a nest box, which made for great ingredients. However, they were also underneath a rather unimpressed owl. It'd take some gentle and strategic retrieval, as the owl may decide to sharply peck a hand for its invasion.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Jun 12, 2023 4:48:41 GMT 10
MJ froze when she heard a voice, looking over her shoulder. She didn't know this girl per se but recognized her, "Hey! You're the girl who got on the Slytherin Quidditch team, right? I'm MJ."
She kept her voice kind of low because she didn't want to disturb the owls. Hopefully the other girl would take the hint too.
Checking a few more roosting boxes, MJ found one with a grumpy looking Snowy owl but two feathers sticking out from below it. She moved slowly and carefully, reaching in, "Shh shh, hey. Don't mind me..."
It took some gentle easing, but MJ was able to steadily extract one of the feathers. It was beautiful and perfect for potion making!
She stepped away to make space for someone else to check and nodded at the Slytherin, "There's a second feather in here if you want it. Just be careful, the owl isn't too happy about us being here."
It wasn't like she wanted the other girl to get pecked -- what if she blamed MJ?
MJ put her feathery prize into her potions kit. Having another one would be nice but she wasn't going to have a lot more time to look. MJ would be happy with just this one and head off to lunch.
Post by Cynthia Rushton on Jun 12, 2023 5:01:56 GMT 10
Finding her last potion ingredient for Professor Snape would be one way to turn this not-so-fabulous day around...at least a little bit! The thought sparked in her brain and she hurriedly unrolled her parchment, adding a PS: please send toffee! note to the end of her letter.
She rolled her letter back up nice and neat and tight, fastening it to the patient owl's leg as the Ravenclaw girl spoke quietly, and she nodded.
"That's me," she murmured, stroking a finger down the owl she was sending out's beak. He was a very elegant looking fellow, and Cynthia told him as much before he puffed up his feathery chest and took off
"I'm Cynthia. You played last year, right? You're really good!" To be playing that well as a first year, MJ had to be quite talented! Cynthia watched as the owl disappeared from sight, and then quietly joined MJ.
"Ohhh, those are pretty..." She breathed softly, keeping an eye on the snowy owl's great talons. She spoke to them softly, murmuring nonsense words until she could ease the second feather free, offering a nod of thanks to the younger girl - followed by one to the owl.
"Thank you! We'll leave you be now, how's that sound?" The owl shifted in their nesting box, hunkering down with their chest feathers puffed up. Cynthia backed up quietly until the owl was out of reach, rolling the feather between her fingers
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Jun 12, 2023 5:25:41 GMT 10
MJ smiled a little as the girl mentioned knowing her. She kept her voice low as Cynthia collected the feather, "That's me. It'll be fun to play against you this year -- do you have a strong donkey kick like Amara too?"
She knew it was probably a bad idea to joke about Amara with the older Slytherin girl but maybe she had a sense of humour unlike the Slytherin Captain.
With both of them being able to get feathers, MJ felt more relaxed about being around the owls. At least now they didn't have to worry about disturbing them.
"Yeah no problem. I have a best friend who's in Slytherin but I've noticed some others give Slytherin a wide berth or assume the worst. There's bad people in other houses too." MJ thought specifically of a certain Gryffindor boy she wasn't fond of.
"I know it's not true, you're not all bad like they'd lead others to believe." MJ smiled and stepped just outside the Owlery.. She would be happy to walk back to the castle with Cynthia if she wanted company -- even from an annoying second year like her.
Would be nice to get to know her opponent someone new.
Post by Cynthia Rushton on Jun 12, 2023 6:40:33 GMT 10
"I dunno, maybe I do, maybe I don't! I'm not spilling any secrets to you~" But the thought of Amara threatened to bring her bad mood back, so she shoved the captain from her mind with a little wink towards MJ. She definitely didn't kick as hard as Amara. She used her elbows a lot more than her feet, anyways.
"I was actually almost in Ravenclaw," she murmured with a grin, following MJ towards the Owlery door.
"I asked the Hat to put me in Slytherin, though." And she'd met a Gryffindor or two (her uncle, for one) who thought she was crazy for having done something like that. But she wanted to prove a few things to her family, and she couldn't have done that as effectively in Ravenclaw!
Plus, she looked better in green than blue, anyways.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Jun 12, 2023 7:25:40 GMT 10
MJ laughed at Cynthia's response, "No, that's fair. I wouldn't tell you about Ravenclaw's tactics either."
She wasn't upset by this either. It just made sense.
However, she was surprised to hear Cynthia could have been a housemate. MJ's own sorting experience had been rather exciting when the hat offered her multiple choices and it made sense to know it happened with other students too.
"The Hat wanted me to pick between Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. I didn't really know anything about any of them -- aside from what the hat told me. I guess you could say I went with my gut instinct." Regardless, Slytherin had never been an option.
They wouldn't have met in that house.
"It's nice that the hat give us an option to pick, if there is more than one house suitable. Makes it feel more personal." She said with a shrug but smiled at Cynthia.
Post by MJ Birdwhistle on Jun 13, 2023 9:37:42 GMT 10
"I saw it happen during my Sorting Ceremony -- some kids just had the hat touch their head and their house was called out. No debate." MJ wondered if they felt special by that or trapped, lacking a choice like Cynthia said.
MJ smiled at the older girl's words as she made her way down the steps of the tower again.
"A nap is always good. There's so much to do here, at school, that sometimes I feel like I need a nap too. To recharge." She thought about the DADA class they had that morning and felt her energy lag.
A nap before the afternoon event would be ideal.
She wanted to be refreshed to enjoy her time at the Treasure Dig.
"I'll see you around. Good luck with your upcoming match against Gryffindor." MJ waved to the other girl and hurried off without looking back.
[OOC: Exit]
Last Edit: Jun 13, 2023 10:07:06 GMT 10 by MJ Birdwhistle: added (1) word
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