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 May 18, 2019 12:00:40 GMT
Walking towards the Quidditch pitch, Grace was already in her running clothes, a pair of black tights, a long-sleeved shirt and a big baggy jumper covering her because now that it was heading into the middle of October, it was steadily growing chillier outside. She was definitely a cold frog too, so naturally she had started to put as many layers as possible on.
As she arrived on the pitch, Grace frowned because it was empty. Had the teams just finished their practice? She hoped so and bit her lip as she decided to lean against the outside of the locker rooms. Maybe Leo would be out soon, so they could go on their jog outside. She really hoped that he hadn't changed his mind because she'd been looking forward to this all week.
The Gryffindor chaser was still not quite sure what he had gotten himself into, even a few days after the incident he scratched his head about it. What on earth had made him agree to running? In the morning? And not as a one-off event either! He would probably have to politely excuse himself eventually or he would surely die!
Already definitely more than 'warmed up' Leo landed on the ground of the quidditch pitch. He wasn't sure if he would be able to perform well enough right now running with a girl to not embarrass himself. But he had a plan. He hadn't been joking when he had told her that in exchange for going on a run with her, he would make her fly on a broom. Why not do that first? Chances were that she would like it so much that she would completely forget about the run.
Having quickly changed out of his quidditch robes into sweatpants and a hoody, clothes he would usually wear for running, because they were so much better suited for it than robes, he exited the locker rooms and saw Gracie standing there already waiting. "Hey, he greeted her happily with a big smile on his face. He offered the girl his hand while still holding his broom in the other. "You ready to fly?
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on May 22, 2019 6:34:22 GMT
When Leo approached Grace, smiling as bright as the... non-existent sun thanks to the cloudy weather, Grace gave him a smile back because this was good! He was excited to go running, thank goodness! Or so she thought until she saw his broom and blanched because, "I-I thought we were... were running. I don't have clothes - the right clothes. I'm not..." She was definitely making up excuses, poor excuses at that, and she bit her lip.
Then she noticed his outstretched hand and completely unsure of why he was offering her his hand, she reached out and awkwardly gave it a shake. They'd already spoken and a handshake was perhaps a bit formal, but if he wanted to shake hands then they could. "Hi," she said, uncertainty crossing her face. "You've, um... got a good handshake there. Firm. Like... like a... a... businessman?"
Leo kept smiling as Gracie started stuttering. He had expected something like this from the timid Hufflepuff. But he would have none of it. He wasn't discouraged by her trying to evade his plan. "Nah, you're fine. You look great," he complimented her easily, even meaning it.
The Gryffindor laughed at Gracie's awkward musings about the handshake he had never meant to give. She was so strange, but he noticed that he was slowly getting used to it. So instead of getting weirded out like at their last encounter, he decided to roll with it, but didn't let go of her hand afterwards. "I'm not a businessman. But that's how you have to hold on to your broom to not fall off," he explained smiling, before pulling her along by her hand to get to the pitch. "But don't worry. I'll show you," he informed her confidently, still smiling brightly.
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on May 27, 2019 23:47:20 GMT
'You look great' immediately made Grace flush, looking down at her clothes because... well, she was wearing running clothes and in her humble opinion, she never looked 'great.' Just average. That was her, average Gracie, nothing special. But instead of blurting that at him, she offered up a small smile and said, "You.... you look lovely too. Nice and, um... clean." What a bizarre compliment, one that made Grace want to kick herself. But it was true, in a way. He looked nice and fresh out of the shower, and he smelled it too.
When Leo didn't let go of Grace's hand, she was in all honesty shocked because... well, this was kind of like holding hands, right? Something she'd never exactly done with a boy before, and his hand was large and warm, just like his smile. "Right, I've gotta hold hands - I mean, hold onto... hold onto the broom nice and tight," she said, biting her lip and letting Leo pull her onto the pitch despite the nervousness swelling in her stomach. "Do you, um... I don't have a broom to... to fly on. Am I gonna ride yours?"
Leo just smiled and took the compliment that that he looked clean in stride. It might be a strange thing to say, but he decided to go with it.
However, he did have to snigger when Grace got confused about holding hands and brooms and what she would have to do now. She was about as adorable as a little sister. (Not that his own little sister would like to hear that). "Yeah, you'll have to hold onto the broom tightly. Otherwise you might fall off. But don't worry about that now," he added quickly, not wanting to scare her.
Reaching the pitch, he picked up his broom and showed it to her, then turned it horizontal where it hovered in the air. He then mounted the broom himself. "Ok, look here. This is how you have to hold on to a broom. With both hands on the handle." He slid a bit to the front of the broom. "Come on, get up behind me. You can hold on to my middle, ok? I'll make sure you don't fall." He held out his hand again to help her mount.
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Jun 25, 2019 9:15:29 GMT
When Leo affirmed that yes, Grace did indeed need to hold on, she let out a shaky breath but looked at him in horror as he mentioned 'you might fall off.' "I don't... oh, no. That's... not what I want to do do. I'll hold it so tight that I might break it then? I don't... how tight do you grip your broom, Leo? Is holding it too tight a bad thing? Will I damage it?" Grace had a million and one question but not only that... she was completely procrastinating. She didn't particularly want to get on the broom, worried that she'd fall off.
But then Leo was mounting his broom, giving her a demonstration, before inviting her to climb onto his broom. "I hope I'm not too heavy," Grace mumbled, before sitting right on the end of the broom and leaving a very large gap between the two of them. Then with the tips of her fingers, she touched his sides, definitely not holding him and just barely touching him instead. "Do you, um... do you take people flying often, Leo?"
Leo laughed when the dainty girl worried about damaging the broom by holding on too tightly. "It's just a wooden stick, don't worry too much about it," he reassured her. If only more people cared about their brooms as much, the school brooms would look a lot less shabby.
Again he had to snigger at the worry the girl would be too heavy. She was probably light as a feather anyway. The Gryffindor was not concerned. "You'll be fine," he said again. However he shook his head when she got onto the broom more timid than he had expected. "Nah, I've only ever taken my sister along," he admitted before turning his torso to look behind him. "That's not going to work, you know," he informed her, geturing at the distance between them. "If you don't want to fall off, you'll have to come a bit closer and you'll have to actually hold on to me, or you'll fall off, ok? I don't bite," he added. They should get going already!
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Jun 30, 2019 7:45:07 GMT
Just a wooden stick was exactly what worried Grace. What was to say it wouldn't splinter and break? What's to say she wouldn't fall off again like she had when she was a child? The whole situation just made her nervous and biting her lip, Grace admitted, "I'm just... well, I'm just not used to riding sticks and putting my faith in them not to let me fall."
"I bet you're a really good big brother, taking your sister to ride with you. She must take after you, being such a Quidditch fanatic," Grace told him warmly. She knew Sally Jordan, had helped her settle in last year when Sally was a first year (and even though the girl claimed she was 'cool beans') and Grace was a prefect. Sally lived and breathed Quidditch.
Then Leo was telling her that the way she was on the broom wasn't going to work, and she actually had to come closer, and Grace started chewing at her bottom lip. As much as she didn't want to fly... at all... she'd rather get it over and done with. "I'm glad you don't bite. I can't imagine it'd be particularly nice, someone... um... biting you," Grace murmured. Then shuffling forward, Grace's arms entwined around Leo, the front of her body pressing against his back. It felt... strange, being this close to somebody, especially a boy. It made her belly feel all fluttery and her body flood with warmth like she was rugged up tight. "You promise I'm not going to fall?"
Leo considered for a moment. He'd never had trouble putting faith in a broom, not for a second, so it was rather strange to him that Gracie should have second thoughts there. "Well, you can trust me not to let you fall. And I'll trust the broom. But I'll make sure you don't get hurt, anyway." he offered, hoping that would help calm the girl's nerves.
At the mentioning of his sister, Leo grinned proudly. "Yeah, it runs in the family I guess. I like to think that I taught her," he admitted, even though he wasn't sure how much he'd actually been able to teach to his little sister. Still he was incredibly proud of her for being second only to his own Quidditch skills.
"Theeere you go," Leo praised when Gracie finally settled on the broom properly. He patted the small hands hugging his middle comfortingly. "Ok, here we go, are you ready?" he asked one last time, turning his head slightly to try and look at the Hufflepuff. "I promise I won't let you fall," he said earnestly before kicking off from the ground.
He didn't go that high, merely two metres off the ground to see the girl's reaction. No need to freak her out immediately.
Post by GRACE LONGBOTTOM on Jul 11, 2019 6:22:36 GMT
"If we fall, I'll let Arthur know it's all my fault so he doesn't punch you," Grace murmured, though it was still loud enough for Leo to definitely hear. Her brother, as much as he may have teased her constantly, was very much an overprotective soul. It was nice, knowing he cared about her, but by Merlin it made Grace feel like a little girl at times. "He definitely... well, if I get to him before he hears about it, he won't hit you. I hope. It would be a bit dramatic if he did anyways, but I guess that's Arthur..."
Leo sounded so proud of his family that it made Grace feel a bit warm. She definitely knew the feeling and it was just so lovely that he was close to his siblings. "Did you teach Liam how to play Quidditch too?" she asked curiously. She was friends with Liam but she hadn't seen him on a broom, at least as far as she could remember.
For some reason, Leo praising Grace made the girl's cheeks flush at little but thankfully he couldn't see that. Perks of being behind him, she supposed. "Not really," she said quietly in response to 'are you ready?' but then they were flying up, making Grace's breath catch in her throat.
At first, she had her eyes squeezed but then they stopped moving and the promise of 'I won't let you fall' rung in her ears. It was enough to make her opened her eyes just as touch, peeking out, and then she started giggling because gosh, they... okay, this really wasn't that bad. Maybe she'd been spooked over it for nothing. "Do you think this is what it'd be like to be as tall as Professor Askeland?" she asked, wiggling just a touch closer to Leo and making sure her grasp around his middle was nice and tight. "I... I... gosh, I guess this isn't that bad, right? I mean, it's not like you're going to start bucking the broom, right?"