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!
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Jan 17, 2020 0:37:37 GMT
For once in her life, Grace's hair was unruly, thrown up in a messy, tangled bun because self-care had been shoved to the side in favour of studying for exams which... she had been doing non-stop, paranoid of completely and utterly failing the upcoming exams.
Standing next to her beside table which currently had a cauldron cake resting atop it, Grace flicked her wand desperately as she tried to transform it into a cabbage like they'd been learning in Transfiguration. Much like in class, the spell didn't work and instead, smoke started hissing out of the tip of her wand. "Oh my gosh," Grace breathed, letting out a frustrated huff of breath because she was never, ever going to get the hang of this spell. It was impossible, she just knew it.
I do have standards, you know. Just... not high ones.
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Post by SOPHIE DUNSTABLE on Jan 19, 2020 23:06:20 GMT
Revision was hard work, especially when you were trying to look as though you didn't do any, and Sophie had had just about enough of it. Of course that was no excuse for looking anything less than immaculate so far as she was concerned, and a brief visit to a bathroom on the fourth floor had been in order to put herself straight before she went anywhere that she might see someone whose opinions mattered.
Having put in an additional half an hour of giggling and gossip, which she'd enjoyed considerably more than the Charms and Transfiguration, the brunette breezed back into her dorm, pausing to regard her roommate with a look of utter incredulity. "Problem, Gracie?" she enquired, contriving to indicate through her tone that yes, she was pretty sure that there was, and that the blonde's hair was just the start.
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Jan 20, 2020 3:19:57 GMT
When the door opened only to reveal Sophie... who was so good at magic, always performed spells so flawlessly, always looked so perfect herself... Grace lips drew into a frown. Stop comparing yourself to other people was something she'd been told time and time again. But it was awfully difficult when you literally roomed with someone like... like Sophie.
For a minute, Grace debated telling her that no, everything was just peachy when she was asked, but with Sophie's tone of voice and the way she was even just looking at her... and her complete and utter inability to lie as it was, she shook her head. "No, I... I mean, yes. There is. It's this -" She gestured to the cauldron cake with her non-wand holding hand. "I can't get it. It's not working. I'm going to prove everyone right and fail my exams and then... and then I won't ever be able to get my N.E.W.T.s because they'll make me repeat sixth year."
I do have standards, you know. Just... not high ones.
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Post by SOPHIE DUNSTABLE on Jan 20, 2020 19:20:33 GMT
Sophie regarded the confectionery in question for a long moment, one eyebrow raised ever so slightly. "I think you might be overreacting slightly, sweetie," she suggested, trying her hardest not to laugh. The expression of dejection on Grace's face was just so melodramatic that she thought the blonde would do well to spend some time on stage. "What on earth have you been doing to it?" Of course she vaguely remembered the spell in question, although truth be told the specifics had long since been banished from her mind by a hundred and one other things that she was expected to remember, but it had seemed to her to be a reasonably simple piece of magic, at least in comparison with a lot of the other stuff that she had had to deal with lately, and so how Grace could manage to struggle with it was entirely beyond her comprehension. Then, a horrific suspicion entering her mind, she continued, "Please tell me you haven't been trying it on your hair?"
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Jan 22, 2020 2:43:23 GMT
The fingers that weren't holding her wand flew to Grace's delicate necklace which she twisted for a few moments before she shook her head. "I'm... I'm not though. It's - Sophie, if I fail then I won't pass sixth year," she insisted, before her brows furrowed because what did she mean what on earth have you been doing to it? "The spell. I've been trying to do the spell. But every time, my wand... it smokes and gosh, what if Professor Savage walks in and thinks we've been... you know, with cigarettes?" She had never smoked a cigarette in her life, and the thought of doing something like that... it was scandalous. Grace didn't want the Head of Hufflepuff to think she'd engage in such activities because she wouldn't.
"My hair? Why would I -" Grace paused in her tracks, fingers dropping from her necklace to touch her bun instead. One that was knotty and tangled and she hadn't brushed for two days. "No, it's... I just haven't seen to it. It's fine. I'm... I just forgot." Genuinely, she had. There were more important things for her brain to whiz around like studying rather than self-needs.
I do have standards, you know. Just... not high ones.
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Post by SOPHIE DUNSTABLE on Jan 24, 2020 19:11:22 GMT
Sophie frowned ever so slightly. "Of course you won't pass if you fail," she pointed out in her most logical tone of voice. "They're what we call mutually exclusive." The brunette continued on her way, dropping neatly onto her bed and drawing her legs up beneath her, regarding her roommate quizzically. Honestly, she didn't see what Grace was getting herself worked up over. So far as she was concerned, the blonde was a perfectly capable witch, and so long as she kept her emotions under control and so on, there was no reason why the other girl should ever have any problem passing anything. But maybe that was just her.
"I think Professor Savage has bigger things to worry about than a bit of smoke, Gracie," she murmured wryly. To be honest, Sophie had better than a fair idea of what some of her Housemates got up to, quite often because she was there at the time, if not always participating, and she knew for a fact that if the professor didn't have bigger things to worry about then that was only because news hadn't got around yet. "And you really don't need to worry about that tonight.Here..." Reaching for her wand, she Summoned a hairbrush. "Let me help you out with that."
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Jan 29, 2020 1:41:39 GMT
Grace flushed as soon as Sophie pointed out what was wrong with what she had said, the familiar thought of 'you're so stupid' rushing over her. "I - yeah, you're right. Sorry," she mumbled, eyes downcast. She only let herself basket in the silliness of her statement for a moment (although, no doubt she'd replay it over and over before bed tonight), before plastering on a smile. "It'll... it's fine. It'll be fine. I'll pass." Her words lacked conviction though, instead coming out unsure and unsteady.
"Like... like what? I think smoke is awfully concerning. Like, people could be smoking cigarettes or worse or be setting fires in their dorms. Wouldn't that be awful? If someone set their dorm alight," she said, rambling at this point. She was a prefect, and she absolutely dreaded the idea of seeing smoke creep out between doors then having to deal with the whole situation.
All of a sudden, Sophie was summoning a hairbrush, offering to help with that. Did she mean... brush Grace's hair for her? Oh. "I - are you sure?" she asked, fingers reaching up to tug her hair out of the bun. "Where do you want me?" That didn't sound right, goodness. Uh. "I mean, in bed or -" She was making things worse and it was becoming one of those moments where Grace regretted ever having the ability to speak. "I... you can just move me where you need me. That's okay."
I do have standards, you know. Just... not high ones.
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Post by SOPHIE DUNSTABLE on Jan 30, 2020 21:48:14 GMT
The brunette shrugged elegantly. "Don't apologise to me, sweetie; it's yourself you're putting down." Not that Sophie wouldn't have been happy to do it for her, of course, but Grace was so good at it that she always felt rather cruel adding to the burden which her roommate put upon herself. "Sure you'll pass. You're clever, right?" To be honest, she didn't really know. Hard work was the defining quality of Hufflepuff House, apparently, though she hadn't fully appreciated that until fairly recently, and perhaps that could replace intelligence in some circumstances.
"There's a spell for that," she commented wryly. In point of fact, she had found that there were spells for most things, which came as a great relief to Sophie, who didn't like to exert herself unnecessarily. For this particular scenario, there was obviously the Aguamenti thingy, but sometimes, she wondered whether she'd even bother. There were some people without whom her life would be undeniably easier and considerably more pleasant. Not that she'd ever go so far as to start a fire on purpose, but would she put it out? It depended, she supposed. Largely on who was watching.
Pursing her lips, she eyed her roommate with more than a sparkle of mischief. "I'm happy to have you in bed if you are," she murmured, though as she crossed the room and took hold of Grace's shoulders, she guided the blonde into her lap.
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Feb 1, 2020 4:22:25 GMT
You're clever, right? Grace most certainly didn't think so. In fact, she often distressed over the fact that she wasn't clever at all. Instead of disagreeing with Sophie, however, Grace just gave the other girl a wobbly, uncertain smile. "I... maybe," she said. Definitely not as intelligent as Sophie, that was for sure. "How... how are you going with all of your classes?" The thought of asking had only really occurred to Grace just then, in that moment, and she wondered... did Sophie think she was rude for making this all about herself and not having the consideration to ask how the other girl was going with her classes too?
Oh. Right. There was a spell for that. One that Grace had actually performed successfully in the past. "I... well. Yes. Although, I don't think that would work on putting out cigarettes. Do you know if it does?" As soon as the words left Grace's mouth, she blanched and immediately rushed to rectify, "Not that I think you smoke. Unless you do. That's... well, it's not... smoking's no good for you, but if you do then that's your choice and that's okay." A choice she wouldn't necessarily agree with but who was she to tell someone how to live their life?
.I'm happy to have you in bed if you are. In an instant, Grace had turned a bright, flushed shade of pink, one that spread across her cheeks and inched down her neck, towards her chest. "I-I... like... for..." Before Grace could stammer out the rest of her sentence, she was being led across the room then guided into Sophie's lap. Her lap. Like it was a perfectly normal thing to do. Instead of objecting, Grace just... went with it. "This is - I... am I hurting your legs? Because I can sit on the bed, if you like. I mean, if it would make you more comfortable. I wouldn't want to hurt you."
I do have standards, you know. Just... not high ones.
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Post by SOPHIE DUNSTABLE on Feb 1, 2020 11:05:38 GMT
Sophie shrugged. "Oh, you know. Same old, same old." In point of fact, she was somewhat worried about her Potions work, not least because the last potion that she'd made would have turned into a horrible black sludge if the bell hadn't rung just in the nick of time, but there was no sense in sharing that sort of thing around. After all, what Grace didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Probably. "Well in some, not so well in others," she summarised broadly.
Raising an incredulous eyebrow, the brunette shook her head slowly. "No, never." She was, of course, well aware of each and every one of her best attributes, but she was equally well aware that even they would never compensate for yellow skin and black teeth, and no matter how good her Charmwork was, covering up would just be more effort than she cared to put in. Other people could do what they wanted and far be it from her to tell them otherwise, but for herself, she was giving anything of the sort a wide berth. No one wanted to be kissing an ashtray, and Sophie took great pride in being eminently kissable but not necessarily available.
She couldn't help but to giggle at the shade of pink which spread over her roommate's face; much redder and they could have used her as a banner at the next Gryffindor Quidditch game. How they would get her to stay the same colour throughout was certainly a difficulty, but Sophie didn't doubt she could come up with enough mildly risque comments- which was really all that would be required; she'd never known anyone quite so naive. "If I'd wanted you to sit on the bed, I could have put you there," she pointed out, running her fingers through the other girl's hair for a moment before picking up the brush. "Don't start jumping around or anything and we'll be fine."
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Feb 3, 2020 3:04:52 GMT
Grace could definitely relate to what Sophie said - she, too, was performing better in some subjects than others. History of Magic was one she generally faired well in, as was Potions. Subjects that didn't require a lot of practical magic use. Her worst subjects, hands down, were Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms when it came to magic performance. "I... I can always help you out, if you ever need a hand - with... with classes, that is," she said with a small, albeit wavering smile. "Maybe we could help each other out if - I mean, you probably don't need any help, but if you do?" She trailed off, wondering if perhaps that was offensive, to infer that Sophie maybe needed assistance in any of her classes.
The thought of Sophie literally manhandling her onto the bed was enough to have the blush in Grace's cheeks flaring up even more, a warm spark flickering in her belly for some... reasons that Grace didn't want to dwell on too much. "I'm okay here then," she said meekly, although she shifted on Sophie's lap a moment later, a testament to just how squirmy this whole situation was making her. "I won't jump yo - around. I won't jump around."And there she went, making things worse. The sensation of Sophie's fingers dragging through her long, blonde locks had Grace on the verge of letting out a shudder that she only just repressed. "Do... you do this a lot?"
I do have standards, you know. Just... not high ones.
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Post by SOPHIE DUNSTABLE on Feb 3, 2020 20:23:20 GMT
"That's sweet of you; I'll remember it," she assured her roommate with a wink.
Confidence was the key to everything. If you were rubbish at something, it didn't matter so long as you were confident- and even if you weren't confident, so long as you could pretend to be, you'd be fine. Such was the creed by which Sophie had lived for quite some time now, and so far as she could see, it was doing rather splendidly. After all, she was still in one piece and at no risk of losing her sanity any time soon. Unless they kept on dropping additional homework on her, of course, which was always a possibility.
Sophie couldn't help but laugh at what she was choosing to think of as a Freudian slip. "Shame," she commented, eyeing up the blonde's hair as she tried to decide what best to do with it. "It's been ages since I was last jumped by a hot girl." At least a week, anyway, and so far as the brunette was concerned, that definitely counted as ages; how could she possibly be expected to last for this long?! "And yes, I like to brush my hair every day." At least once a day, as a matter of fact, and if Grace wasn't accustomed to do the same then perhaps that would go some way towards explaining the current state of her hair, though to be honest, she was at least fairly sure that she'd seen her roommate use a hairbrush. At some point.
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Feb 5, 2020 2:29:41 GMT
Since I was last jumped by a hot girl. That sentence, that one sentence, was enough to have Grace almost choking on her own tongue because surely... she wasn't inferring Grace was a 'hot girl'? That couldn't be further from the truth. There were much prettier girls in the school - Ryker, for one... Alana Valentino, for another. She was just... plain. Average. Nothing remarkable about Grace Longbottom.
"I..." Grace tried to gather her thoughts to at least string together a sentence. "Oh, that's... I've never - I mean, I kissed Zoë earlier, but I've never... you know." Done anything more than that. "With anyone. Not just girls. I don't even know if I like girls." You're fibbing, her brain unhelpfully supplied. That kiss from Zoë earlier in the year... it had made her feel things, more than just friendly things towards women. Scrunching up her nose for a minute, Grace steadied herself before she next spoke. "Are you... I mean, do you? Or are you just joking about?"
I do have standards, you know. Just... not high ones.
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Post by SOPHIE DUNSTABLE on Feb 5, 2020 21:51:44 GMT
She had to be honest, she'd been expecting a bit more of a reaction than that out of Grace. But then perhaps she'd rendered her speechless, in which case she didn't suppose she could really complain, and there was no denying that that would be thoroughly in character for her sweet but depressingly naive roommate. She was pretty, at least, and that made up for a multitude of sins. Sophie didn't doubt that, given long enough, she would be able to rectify the more deficient areas of the blonde's education, though it had to be said that she'd been trying for the past six years and didn't seem to have got very far at all.
"Well, there's only one way to find out, you know," she pointed out as mildly as possible, running the brush gently through Grace's hair. "Don't knock it til you try it." Though obviously there were some things which that hardly applied to. Homework, for instance- she'd known she'd hate it before she'd ever received a piece. "And of course I do. Twice as much fun, right?" She paused. "But of course, you wouldn't know..."
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Feb 15, 2020 7:03:43 GMT
"I-I wasn't knocking it. I promise. I just - I was just... I mean, I was just saying that I wasn't sure and I don't know if you're offering but if you are, then I don't know if I'm... if it would be cheating because I kissed someone I really like the other day and now I don't really know where we are relationship-wise and I don't want to mess things up by kissing somebody else if I'm with someone without knowing it," Grace blurted out. It... it sounded like she was a mad-woman, one that should be committed to St. Mungo's, but it felt like once the words had started pouring out from between her lips, she physically wasn't able to stop them.
"I... is it fun?" That was the wrong thing to ask, but unfortunately Grace only realised that after the words came tumbling out of her mouth. She nodded her head to agree with Sophie's sentence that yes, indeed, she didn't have a clue because it was true. She'd never done anything beyond kissing with anyone, let alone gone to bed with anyone, so she was very inexperienced when it came to those areas of life.