With the capture of Verandi Farley and several high-ranking Trossach members, the British wizarding world has finally caught a break. The rate of rogue werewolf attacks have started dropping at a steady rate and, hopefully, things will stay that way. The Ministry is starting to loosen some restrictions, like not arresting werewolves standing on the street for loitering, however there’s still an obvious power imbalance between wizardfolk and werewolves.
The Cotswolds pack are continuing to advocate for the rights of werewolves and petitioning to change the legislation that has been set in motion by the current Minister for Magic, whilst the remaining Trossachs members are trying to stay out of the spotlight and keep a low profile… for now.
Whilst the British wizarding world seems to have calmed down, the same cannot be said for over in Northern Europe where a rebellion of magical creatures has risen. The state of things has gotten so bad that the European Ministry has enacted protocols to protect those under eighteen whilst their adult witches and wizards fight to keep control of their countries.
Students from Durmstrang have been sent to Hogwarts to keep them safe and those not old enough to attend school have been sent to live with relatives or designated British Ministry officials outside of Europe for the time being.
Will the low rates of werewolf attacks in Britain continue? How long will Durmstrang students stay at Hogwarts? Will the creatures usurp the wizardfolk in Northern Europe? Only time will tell.
SEPTEMBER 2019 It's been a very long, eventful summer in the wizarding world. A baby was stolen, several high ranking Trossach members were imprisoned, and werewolf attacks have drastically dropped as a result. What will happen now school has returned?
MAY 2019 An attempt to capture the beta of the Trossachs has been launched. Were the Aurors successful in their mission? Go read more here!
Pain was the one thing he still knew, pain and memories. The memories weren’t too bad, in fact he was happy with those. After all he had given his life for the girl he liked, right? However Richard followed that if he felt pain he wasn’t dead. Which made him worry if Flora had made it out, or how long it had taken from the moment he lost consciousness. Questions the Hufflepuff had no answers too, which drove him mad. He thought he woke up at some points, or maybe that had just been dreams, unpleasant ones at that. His leg was still stinging like there would be no tomorrow, but it helped sharpen his mind.
Because the last thing that he had done was thinking he had protected the one he liked, passed on his wand and whatnot. He couldn’t recall if he had said that out loud or not. On one hand at least she knew by then how he felt, on the other hand only hearing that when one thinks he’s gone is just sad. Man he was a mess, he knew he would need to show more confidence, but what he really wanted at that moment was a pain relieving potion and a change of clothes. Bringing his eyes into focus as he opened them his breathing stopped a bit.
Sitting there in a still rather full hospital wing, with light hitting her just at the right angle to have him think it’s a halo was Flora. ’’I’d say I see an angel, but I did figure out by now I’m not dead, it hurts too much to be dead. Aside from that hello beautiful.’’ Perhaps a poor attempt at humor, but at least it showed more how confident he felt about her, even though that was the only thing he felt confident in at that particular moment.
Post by FLORA SELWYN on Sept 23, 2019 10:08:09 GMT
Never in a million years would Flora have expected their Yule Dance to end in such horrific circumstances. Flora thanked Merlin that no one had been fatally wounded like the last time there had been an attack on Hogwarts thanks to the wolves - granted there still wasn't much information about what had truly happened but everyone knew who were involved in the attack. Families of the wolves. Flora felt terrible for the seventh years... this would be William's last Yule Ball and though he wasn't her friend, the fact that he was Vinda's meant a lot to the young Selwyn. As a fourth year, Flora would enjoy another three... even Vinda would get one last wonderful night next year though she was relatively unharmed. Thank Merlin. Would Vinda forgive the sins against her dress, though? Flora couldn't help but ponder as she fiddled with the fabric of her school dress.
How long she had sat near Richard, Flora couldn't accurately (or willingly) calculate. Every now and then she had gone to double check on her friends; Viola, Elena, Liam, Vinda... some newer friends and housemates... but once she was assured of their well-being she'd stocked up on crackers and a little bit of cheese and sat sentry. In her lap were two wands - one of alder and one of cedar wood. The colours were so complimentary, it brought a small smile to Flora's lips. The hilt of her own, the cedar wand, had various colours ingrained in the hilt from Flora constantly forgetting to wash her hands before using it. She had studied every intricacy of Richard's wand since she'd needed some way to pass her time and it was during this time that Richard's voice broke the young girl's concentration.
"Richard!" Flora breathed and instantly got to her feet, the wands both clattering to the floor. "You did a bloody marvelous job at almost dying," Flora chided out of concern for him - apparently that was what Selwyn women did when they were worried. Told the other person off. Vinda had done the same when she'd plummeted from the skies with a broken collar bone. "Lucky for us both the matron works miracles. She'll be glad that you've woken... I should get her. Do you need anything?"
Flora kicked the wands as she moved forward, intending to give him a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Oh, I have your wand. Richard... I.... thank you for protecting me," she said earnestly, looking deep into his eyes for a pregnant pause.
Hearing his name exclaimed and the clattering of wood to the floor he was pretty certain she noticed he was awake, but the being chided at almost dying was new to him. Maybe he had deserved it, but honestly he didn’t think so as he would have gladly given his life for hers. Richard guessed that that was life though and so tried to formulate his answer accordingly. The fact that the matron would be glad he was awake brought some more colour back to his cheeks as he smiled innocently. He had probably been in the infirmary a few times too often. Not… just… as a patient, but also to deliver some more plants as ingredients and his side interest of healing.
’’There is more than one thing I need, but the thing I would like is water.’’ He answered her with a slightly raspy voice and a weak attempt at humour. Hearing his wand roll over the floor he was glad she brought it up she still had it. ’’I’d do it all over again Flora, in a heartbeat…. I had been meaning to tell you some more things about myself that evening, but honestly I can’t even tell what day it is now.’’ He figured he might need some more time before anything more happened, but he did resolve that he would tell her that very day. Perhaps he had been lucky, perhaps it was a second chance, he didn’t know, nor did he care. He would tell her, but who knew, maybe she needed time too.
Tag:FLORA SELWYN Sidenote: (I know it’s not the best, but it something I guess)
It was so hard to see her classmate, her crush, so very broken and almost ... confused? By her reaction - Flora bit the inside of her cheek and tried to recall how confused she had been when Vinda basically called her stupid for playing a game that risked her life. Her heart almost dropped through the floor as the boy said he needed a lot of things and her lip quivered with the emotion as she nodded slowly. ”Water ... yes ... that’s a good place to start,” her usually quite self-assured voice was shaky as she began to turn to his side table and pour a fresh glass.
The moment he said he’d do it all again, though, Flora paused and took one of his hands in her own. ”Let us hope that it never comes to that, then, Richard,” she breathed emotionally, squeezing his finger tips in her own for a moment. She didn’t like the idea of anyone giving their life for hers, let alone him. He was so good and kind; it was like the sun burning out just to see the moon ... but without the sun, the moon would not shine.
Flora, you really must stay away from Shakespeare no matter how epic the stories.
”Ok so today is Wednesday morning and class will be starting soon. I will get you a glass of water, here... sip slowly,” she instructed as she gently wrapped his hand around the glass to help lift it to his mouth. ”I’ve been careful to keep all the notes from class and transcribe you a set - you’ll have to forgive if my copying quill makes some errors because well... it sometimes can’t tell the difference between here as in this place and hear as in to err well hear a noise,” yes, great work Flora using the word itself to explain the meaning. Top notch. No wonder Vinda doesn’t like the way you dress.
”I think that you’ll be getting a decent serving of Skellegrow now that you’re awake, so enjoy that. Maybe I can come and visit again after dinner. Remember - small sips of the water. We don’t need you drowning after all the rest you survived,” Flora said with a smile and sat back down again, her hand resting gently on his.
Hearing the water pour into the glass was something that was odd to him as he usually didn’t really pay attention as when he poured himself some. The fact that Flora was doing so and he followed her every movement with his eyes and ears was definitely different from the time they met earlier. As she told him it was probably better if it never came again to him shielding her physically, she was probably right. Not that Richard saw it that way, if magic failed he would do it again and again until he no longer could, but he did prefer staying alive when he did so, as long as she lived too that was. That was the one thing that he made sure for himself, she had to live. To give that radiant smile to people who deserved it.
She told him it was Wednesday morning and classes would start soon, that and she’d help him with his glass of water. He did wonder why she’d need to help him, but he found that he had a hard time moving his limbs and mentally sighed. Sipping slowly on the offered water he tried to squeeze her hands in thanks. Swallowing the water he couldn’t help but grin a bit. ’’I doubt it’s worse than the handwriting of some of my dorm mates. When their h start to look like an capital L in speed writing. The land movement for the levitation charm, for example. ‘’ Chuckling to himself a bit, wincing in pain as his ribs very much protested laughing.
Grimacing with the promise of skele-grow in his immediate future he perked up a bit at her hint of visiting after dinner. Choosing more or less to ignore the comment about drowning on sips of water as he felt her hand staying on his. Biting a bit through the pain that keeps shooting up his arm with every beat of his heart as he tried to take her hand in his he made it. Giving her a bright smile, as bright as he could make it at least. ’’I’d like that Flora, I’d like that a lot. Though I was hoping you didn’t have to leave yet, I kind of like having you here when I wake up….Though I did say I was planning on telling you more about me that night, would you be opposed to it if that became now? Also because I really don’t want to take Skele-grow first thing after waking up.’’
Casting a dirty look towards the nurse’s office as he knew some of the things Skele-grow was made off and having taken it before he really was no fan. Trying to sort his thoughts he launched into telling her anyway, trying to make the most of the moment they had. ’’You know I try to stay friendly with most people, even though they don’t really seem to get me, or I them. Probably the body language, facial expressions and a few more of those things like figure of speech. I don’t really know why, but I just dislike dealing with unfriendly faces if I can help it. Most of the time I don’t make too much of an effort, but I kind of wanted to know what you were feeling when you were drawing, or just sitting in class. I still failed, rather spectacularly I think too…the ramblings of a patient I guess, never gave you the chance much to reply anyway, did I?’’
”Hey, you’re just lucky that it’s not my handwriting from when I was 1st year because I was obsessed with dotting my i-s with love hearts and exclamation points were just big love hearts with little ones underneath. I think Professor Malfoy once actually deducted points from my essay because she said it was a pain in the arse to read,” Flora attempted to laugh but she was still a bit peeved that her good grades were marred by such pettiness. One she saw that Richard had enough of the drink, she carefully pulled the cup away and put it on the cupboard.
With Richard’s bright smile as she told him that she’d return after classes, Flora’s cheeks flushed and she tucked her hair behind her ear. ”The professors let me have most of yesterday here with you, I think they’ll start to be annoying about it if I have today off as well,” Flora glanced at the healer’s office and grimaced. ”Skele-grow is horrible. Doesn’t taste nice and it hurts. Like it was created by a total sadist,” Flora groaned about the memories - she’d recently had the concoction after Sally the Puff broke her collar bone.
”I think most of us don’t like dealing with unfriendly faces,” Flora interjected into Richard’s little speech, though her version of what was unfriendly was decidedly different to most others. Where Vinda and Pierre were ice queens capable of turning people to stone with the mere twitch of a brow, Flora found the small laugh lines that Vinda would kill her if she pointed them out or the twinkle of kindness when either of them adjust whatever it was she was wearing.
”I ... “ Flora twisted the lock of hair in her fingers as she tried to make sense of the long little story Richard just shared. ”I am a bit confused - I think maybe the medicine hasn’t worn off? It’s probably a good thing, if I’m honest. You don’t need to feel the pain that’s behind the medicine wall.”
Richard had become very much aware of his own rambling and was willing to hit his head against the railing to make it stop, the one thing he had been trying to say sounded like a delirious patient to her. Not that it mattered all that much, or so he hoped. What he needed to do now was make sure that what came out of his mouth made sense and not just to him. Which was what was likely the thing that went wrong before. Trying to make sense of his own thoughts again he started to try and formulate what he wanted to say over and over again in his head before throwing it out there.
After the fifth time thinking of the same sentence he threw it in the mental bin and hoped he would be able to wing it with the different parts he had in his head from formulating. ’’What I guess I have been trying to say is that I am not always the best when it comes to social interaction, but you knew that already….The other thing I am trying to tell you is that I like you Flora, I like you a whole lot and not just in the terms of friendship, I just hope I don’t drive you away with that.’’
It truly was what frightened him the most at this moment. If he were to face a boggart he would have a boggart Flora laughing her ass off before cursing him. Though at the moment that boggart would be helped by the hospital wing’s matron with a bottle of Skele-grow. The young man really wasn’t looking forward to that, he just hoped he would get more pain reliever potion to go along with it. That or be drunk as his mum did mention it wasn’t just liquid courage, but also a rather good pain killer. Biting his cheek he looked into Flora’s chocolate brown eyes, hoping it wouldn’t be the last time.
As the patient fell quiet in front of her, Flora did her utmost to keep from chattering on. She rested her hand gently on his forearm to reassure him, a small smile spreading slowly over her face as he began speaking again. ”Oh, I think you’re being awfully harsh on yourself, Richard,” Flora said with a supportive shake of her head, her long locks bouncing on her chest with the movement. ”Besides, I thought being sociable was a minimum requirement for entry into Hufflepuff?” she joked before he said ... he said he liked her.
Flora’s heart raced and she felt as if she had no control of her body for a good moment or two. ”I like you too, Richard. I’m glad that we are friends, of course, but I,” Flora paused, shifted on her seat for a moment as she stopped the words have had a crush on you for ages from embarrassingly slipping out of her head. ”I would very much like to be more than friends.” Before she could say much more, though, there was the quarter hour chime on the wall clock and Flora looked over to it. ”I will be back this afternoon, after class. Stay strong and take your skele-grow like a champ so we can go out on a date type thing somewhere other than the hospital wing sometime soon? Ok! Bye Richard!” with a smooth, panther like motion, Flora slipped away from his side and took herself to class. With the biggest grin on her face.
