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.
Tolliver acknowledged William and Elizabeth''s desire to speak with their parents before the trial, if possible -- and they wrapped things up shortly afterwards. They were given the task to decorate one of the Christmas trees. A box of decorations were on a table nearby, and they could choose the one in the Living Room, an upstairs landing, or the one in the Dining Room.
It was a task rather new to them, but even stranger to their House-Elf who tried to supervise but ended up doing most of the work either because the kids were too reluctant or confused... or they'd taken advantage of the Elf being there and requested its magic to speed things along. At least they'd seen the trees at Hogwarts enough times to roughly know how it was supposed to look.
However that went, the rest of the night passed by quietly. The mood was heavy with tomorrow's upcoming trial, and even their uncle kept his distance as to not bring the mood down further with his own worries or uncertainties. He still waved and smiled a them when spotted, but decided to give the kids their space tonight.
--
The next morning arrived exceptionally early. The sun was only starting to brighten the sky, and in doing so revealed the stunning view of the Doren Estate grounds covered in a layer of white snow. The sky was cloudy, but the air inside warmed by their many fireplaces to counter how cold it was outside.
None of the Doren children had seen the sort of Wintry landscape at their Estate since they were 10; once started at Hogwarts, they were never allowed home for the holidays. It seemed that the more time that passed since their parents' arrest, the more things changed -- even the world around them.
The atmosphere was strange, though. Not just the unfamiliarity of spending Christmas at home, not that they'd ever really partaken in much growing up either, as their parents priorities those days for parties, but also the heaviness of it being the morning of the trial.
Shadows of the fading night lingered due to the early hours, making the house quieter -- almost as if any sound they made was somehow intruding on something. There wasn't much to guide them in terms of where to go or what to do, so they could stick to habits and get changed first (into what they'd be wearing to the Ministry) or risk leaving their room in their pyjamas still since it was so very early.
A few wrapped gifts sat under the Christmas tree in the Living Room, but it was too early for breakfast to be served yet. Not even a House Elf was in sight. They were, as the saying goes, free agents this morning.
Post by William Doren on Jan 23, 2024 23:29:29 GMT 10
Being given the task to decorate the tree was... Shocking, to say the least. William had never decorated a Christmas Tree as far as he could recall and felt the task was a bit beneath him. After all, they had House Elves -- why ask him and his sister?
The attempt made was rather pathetic, but William hooked no more than two baubles on the tree before deciding he had done his part. He left the rest of the decorations to the House Elf and gave his sister a rather pointed look.
With that, William retired to his own quarters and spent the rest of the evening reading.
Even when he did go to bed, William struggled to fall asleep as he thought about what had happened that day and what was to come with the trial. He finally dropped off, but it seemed like morning had come too quickly.
It had not been a restful night at all.
And added onto that, he was expected to spend Christmas at home? He awoke the next morning shortly after dawn and saw no point in wasting time. William took care of his morning routine, dressed in what he considered to be casual attire (slacks, button up shirt, jumper and an optional jacket folded over his arm) and ensured his hair was neatly brushed into place.
Without further consideration, he left his rooms and went to seek out breakfast.
It was only as he strode purposefully along the hallway that he took a moment to glance outside, and that brought him to an immediate pause. William stared out of the large window and was amazed to see the grounds sparkling with the frost and snow that had arrived during the night.
A sight he hadn't seen since before enrolling at Hogwarts.
The feelings that it arose were quickly squashed and tampered down as William turned away from the window and continued towards the living room. He knew it would be too early for breakfast, but he hoped his sister would be awake, and he could speak with her.
Away from Mr. Tolliver if possible.
William entered the room and saw he was alone at present. With a soft, disappointed sigh, he made his way towards the larger sofa, only to glance at the Christmas tree.
The few wrapped gifts laying there piqued his interest but William didn't dare go any closer. He rounded the sofa, sat down and awaited... Someone or something.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Jan 28, 2024 8:15:38 GMT 10
Decorating the tree had been a...new experience. Elizabeth wasn't sure how it was supposed to be fun, considering that she was more concerned with making it look the way she'd imagined in her head without the proper training. She knew what it was supposed to look like, just not how to get it that way.
She'd taken William's pointed look as a way of saying that he was horrified by her decorating skills and that he was leaving because he would rather not burn his eyes out. Which hurt her feelings, and so she'd started telling the house elf how to complete the task instead of making any further attempts, becoming a bit sharp in tone if things didn't go perfectly.
It felt eerie to be at home when it was winter time. It had been so long since Elizabeth had been home during the holidays that she scarcely remembered what it was like. She glanced out the window briefly before closing her curtains and changing into what she'd be wearing to the trial, a long-sleeved blouse and a matching skirt and jacket. Her hair went up (thank goodness!) and she spent a considerable amount of time primping and making sure there were no wrinkles on her person.
When she went downstairs, she was surprised to see presents. Who could have sent them? She doubted their parents would be allowed to do anything with the post, and she wasn't sure if Gilbert had the type of money to buy presents. Perhaps Tolliver had placed some generic ones there?
"William." Elizabeth said, as a greeting. She sat down beside him, looking between him and the gifts.
Unfortunately for the Doren siblings, despite their efforts and words the night before, their House Elf hadn't finished the decorating on their assigned tree. It was their task to complete together -- that had been the instruction. And while the Elf, Dodry, did follow some simple requests as needed, it appeared that he did not fully recognise their authority.
After all, they were not the heads of the house. Not even with their parents away; not until the trial outcome had been determined and any legal action or changes may be taken.
Dodry was a tricky one for them though; they didn't know him very well yet, but had the impression he was not one of the easily scared and submissive types their parents loved to make harsh demands of at any given notice.
More sunlight streamed through the windows that somehow seemed to resist it (why was the house never bright and cheerful like at Hogwarts?) -- and the scent of a delicious breakfast reached the Doren kids. Dodry had the table prepared with something warm, yet nothing too messy or heay; the perfect balance of tasty and familiar, yet mindful of their attire and the event they'd be attending at the Ministry today.
As the Elf didn't call them to eat, it was implied that William and Elizabeth could choose between eating first or opening presents. Tolliver was yet to arrive, so apparently they had a bit of time before the trial to do both of those things. It was still abnormally early though, with the sun still rising at the distant horizon.
With owls generally barred from easily entering the properly, let alone the house, it was Dodry who suddenly popped in then out beside an end table to deliver their copy of the Daily Prophet.
Christmas Day
As today is Christmas, below are a list of gifts found under the tree. These may not be their only gifts (you're welcome to mention more), just those specified from NPCs or were pre-arranged. How / when you RP opening them, or if you choose to simply mention you've done so, is totally up to you.
Beautifully wrapped silver and green gift-box, securely containing a vial of Antidote 1 from Amara Seabrook -- the note attached said "Good luck today. Consider this a 'just in case', should anyone try to mess with you back at Hogwarts."
A stylish new blouse, of comparable expense and prestige to those her mother often wore. It was light blue, with fancy long sleeves, and a pussy-bow collar. From Uncle Bertie.
Three thick books: A Exhaustive Guide to N.E.W.T Preparation; Useful Hobbies & Creative Interests; Planning Your Future, Volume Seven. From Tolliver.
Sleek black, self-polishing shoes -- clearly from the same esteemed shoemaker his father often used. To a Doren these specific shoes were a mark of status and competence, not exclusive to formal events. From Uncle Bertie
Two thick books: An Extensive Guide to O.W.L Preparation; Practical Arts & Crafts. From Tolliver
There was also a colourful Christmas card addressed to the Doren children, with uneven handwriting (as if done by a young child) wishing them a happy holiday -- it was signed by Dodry. Included with the card was a box of handmade French chocolates.
Post by William Doren on Jan 29, 2024 0:43:08 GMT 10
As his sister entered the room, William looked over and gave her a small smile.
"Good Morning Elizabeth." He replied in response to her greeting and his gaze went back to their tree. They'd had done a great job of decorating it, and it seemed a bit sparse despite Elizabeth's better efforts.
Still, William wasn't going to lower himself to a task he saw as pointless and beneath him.
The smell of breakfast wafted into the room, and William's stomach let off a soft growl that he hoped his sister didn't hear. His cheeks grew rosy at the very thought, and he supposed having breakfast wouldn't be such a bad idea once they were called.
But they weren't.
William sat, frozen with indecision, and turned to his sister. As the elder sibling, he felt it was only proper to follow whatever she decided to do.
"Should we eat breakfast first or..." His sentence trailed off uncharacteristically as he didn't know what to do about the presents under the tree or who they could possibly be from. Mr. Tolliver didn't seem to be arriving any time soon either, so William couldn't ask him about them.
He was lost in his own internal debate when their house elf popped in again, scaring him for a moment.
"Blast!" His heart raced as he shifted, uncomfortable, in his seat.
While the popping in and out was something he was familiar with, when he didn't expect it to happen, the sudden noise and appearance of such creatures set his nerves on edge.
William cleared his throat, feeling more calmed down now, and took the paper from where it had been placed.
"Something about Muggles, boring." William muttered as he scanned the front page. His eyes went to the bottom, and he saw the line about the trial. He couldn't bring himself to turn to the right page and read further, so he simply offered the paper to his sister -- if she wanted it.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Jan 31, 2024 5:53:35 GMT 10
Elizabeth nodded and smiled back at her brother. She was still a little uncertain about exactly how people celebrated Christmas at home, but this seemed like a good start. Even with the tree that seemed to be reminding her of her failures as a decorator. She almost wished her parents were there to tell the elf how to behave.
The smell of breakfast made Elizabeth's stomach twist. She was far too worried about her parents' trial to think about eating. She startled at the sound of Dodry popping in and out and at William's explanation. She briefly glanced at the news, frowning at the mention of her parents' trial. Ugh. She set it aside.
"I believe people open presents on Christmas." Elizabeth said, though of course she had no idea who they were from. She looked at them. Wrapping paper was a bit annoying, and perhaps wasteful. Why would you not want to know what you got? She did appreciate nametags, though.
She looked at a present and picked it up, glancing over at William. It was odd. She hadn't really done anything to deserve a present, let alone three. "I will open this one first." she stated.
She was delighted to find three books, especially the NEWT preparation guide. Even if none of the books were specifically on her two favorite topics, Transfiguration and Astronomy, she imagined there was some connection.
Elizabeth was, however, puzzled by the book on hobbies and interests. What was she even supposed to do with that?
Post by William Doren on Jan 31, 2024 20:34:44 GMT 10
William wasn't surprised by his sister's reaction to the Daily Prophet either, and so the paper would lay abandoned until Mr. Tolliver picked it up (or the House Elf removed it).
At his sister's suggestion to open presents, William nodded and retrieved any that had his name on it. Three gifts seemed like a lot to open at once, and he couldn't think who would have given him anything.
It wasn't like he had got anything for Elizabeth... Had she wrapped something for him?
"Oh--" His surprise was obvious when he carefully opened the first gift and saw who it was from. Issadora... Perhaps he had left a good impression on her after all.
"Do you know what this is?" William showed the container to his sister. Perhaps it was something Sixth Year girls knew more about...? He certainly couldn't recall ever trying something called a coconut ice before, but there was a chance he was mistaken.
Still, he considered the gift to be rather thoughtful from Issadora and worried about his lack of gift in return. Perhaps Mr. Tolliver could help him arrange something to be sent by owl before the day was over?
But he doubted there would be time before the trial (and he had no idea what was to come after it).
William picked up his next gift and, as before, meticulously unwrapped it to save the paper and ribbons. It seemed a waste to rip into something like that.
"I got books as well." William said, as he was pleased to see one was a guide for O.W.L preparation. The book soothed him in a way he couldn't quite articulate, but the second book puzzled him.
"Practical Arts & Crafts." He read from the cover and looked at it with some confusion. William had done that painting at school, but it was for a purpose. He doubted how practical arts and crafts could really be. However, he did glance at the index regardless.
Despite himself, he was a tad curious about the contents.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Feb 7, 2024 7:54:25 GMT 10
Elizabeth opened up the rest of her gifts. She was unsure of what she would do with an antidote--who could possibly want to poison her? It wasn't like she went around consuming dangerous things. Was this an implication that Amara thought she was foolish enough to do so? Or perhaps a consideration that the Dorens might have some enemies?
Elizabeth thought that she would obviously notice if anyone tried to poison her. She was quite clever, after all, even if she hadn't made it to her Potions at a NEWT level. Her cheeks colored in embarrassment when she even thought about it.
She looked at William showing her a container of something. A blank look crossed her face. She had no idea what it was. "I have no idea." she answered his question.
She was appreciative of the new blouse--perhaps it would be best to get changed into something new for the trial? Even if the blouse from their apparent uncle, who Elizabeth still wasn't sure about.
"Did you get any new clothes?" Elizabeth asked William, holding up the blouse to show him. It reminded her of her mother, which did make her feel sophisticated, if a little nervous.
Post by William Doren on Feb 7, 2024 8:55:44 GMT 10
While a little disappointed by his sister's answer, William was not entirely surprised that she was as clueless as he was. He set the container of Coconut Ice to the side.
William was torn between trying the confectionary and preserving it as a keepsake. Surely it wouldn't go bad inside the packaging? That would, perhaps, be a question for Mr. Tolliver when the time came.
"That looks very elegant. No doubt you will wear it well." William observed the blouse and delivered his compliment in his usual, monotone voice. He nodded and then looked back at his Coconut Ice.
When Elizabeth addressed him again, William set his books to the side and picked up the last gift that was labelled for him.
It was a box with some weight to it, and William took care when unwrapping it. He lifted the lid from the box, and immediately his cheeks coloured.
"These..."
How to articulate his feelings? William felt a rush of anxiety when he saw the shoes that he knew were from a very esteemed shoemaker -- the one their father used. These shoes were an important milestone for him as a Doren man, and yet he felt conflicted.
Of course, he appreciated the effort, and no doubt the cost, of such a gift from Uncle 'Bertie' (it was still odd to think of him with that title). William's hands shook a little, so he set the box onto his lap and remained silent.
His gaze was on those polished shoes and everything they represented. There was a lump in his throat and he felt an odd urge to cry, though he fought it back.
Why would Mr. Gilbert give him something of this magnitude?
He shifted the box, so his sister could see the gift without William having to explain anything. Now that they had finished unwrapping everything, surely it would be appropriate for them to have breakfast?
William took a moment to carefully gather the wrapping paper and set it to the side, in a neat pile for Dodry to deal with -- aside from the wrapping from Issadora. William set that between his books to keep it safe for later.
After he put the lid back onto the shoebox, he rose from his seat and turned to his sister, "Shall we breakfast?"
When they were finished with present-opening, Dodry had well- prepared their breakfast. The offerings were a bit simpler and easy to eat -- as if mindful of their nicer clothes and, of course, possibly being nervous about the upcoming trial. There was a place at the table for their Uncle, but it was untouched and he didn't make an appearance at Breakfast.
They were informed by Dodry that Gilbert was not feeling particularly sociable or hungry this morning, in nervousness for the results of the upcoming trial -- so much that he wouldn't be attending it with them. Dodry would await their return to provide an update, and anything else they may need.
It was soon after that Tolliver arrived at the Estate -- his style was still a bit strange (non-generic) to them, but a little more formal today given the event they'd be attending.
From that point, things began to move quite quickly. Tolliver encouraged them to make sure they were ready -- change any clothes they wished to change, visit the restroom if needed, as well as gathered any note-taking items etc if they wished, and to make sure they were indeed set on their decision to attend the trail today. Words were few, but precise.
And before long, the group of three left the Doren Estate grounds and headed towards an Apparition point. There was no further delays; it was time to face the truth, and discover what fate awaited them as a consequence of whatever outcome would be delivered by the Ministry.
Continued in the "Dorens Face Trial" thread at the Ministry.
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