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!
Mavican was confused, angry maybe even but not so angry as she was confused. She was used to people wanting her body, the little fucks here and there for the hell of it but she wasn't used to... feelings. The redhead was done with being avoided and it was time for her to take action. She was told by Cassidy under slight pressure that Casey was in the dorm and though they didn't share, she was going to make her share.
Mavican walked into the dorm with her arms crossed over her chest and looked for Casey. She looked like a mess and Mavican just cornered her and turned her around so she could face her. This was not the way she wanted to talk about things but fuck she can't just kiss her and walk away with the means to avoid her.
"You've been avoiding me." why was her heart beating fast in her throat? what was going on with her? Mavican shook the thoughts off and the need to kiss Casey.
"Why kiss me and walk away? Why avoid me? Did I miss something here?"
Casey was staring out the window, not feeling up to interact with people that day and she wasn't expecting any company that day except for Cassidy but the other girl had her own thing that day. Casey had wrapped herself in the blanket from home, a gift from her lovely mother who heard of her daughter's heartbreak. Part of Casey just wanted to go home, but she knew she had to wait for Christmas break and that was over a month away. Hell, she hadn't even done Christmas shopping for her family yet. She had spent the money she had at that moment on chocolate and gifts to her teammates cause they were friends after all. Well, most of them were.
When Casey heard someone walk into the dorm, she didn't bother to turn to look at the person until she was pretty much forced to face the very person she did not want to see until Quidditch practice. Casey raised an eyebrow when she eyed the girl she wanted to hate, and she just put a piece of chocolate in her mouth, chewing on it as she looked at her with a why are you here look. Last thing she needed was to deal with Mavican anymore.
"You are making this so much harder." she said as she watched the girl, moving away from her because she wanted to keep her distance from the girl. "Why are you here? Don't you have some stupid guy to screw around with?"
Frustration had bottled up inside of Mavican as she had to deal with Casey this way. The girl was saying how much she was in love with Mavican in a letter and now she saw her just as everyone else did. A slut. What changed? Mavican stopped her from killing herself and this was the thanks she got? Right. Perfect. The redhead rolled her eyes when Casey finally said something and of course it pissed her off. What was the matter with her? One moment she was all nice and let's be friends and now she was calling Mavican out? Again?
"I don't understand you, you know that?" she said with a small hiss and shook her head. "Really? Some guy to screw? Is that the best you got Casey?" she huffed. "Honestly, one moment you say you see more than the slut everyone else sees me as and now you act as if you don't." Mavican stepped in front of her, Casey wasn't going anywhere.
"No you aren't leaving until this whatever this is between us is fixed." she was demanding, maybe even more than just angry but she was angry as hell. Mavican crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "You refuse to watch my destroy myself but what if you don't know me at all hmm? Did you ever think of that?" she looked around for prying ears and groaned.
"I am a homeless person with no money, nothing." she shot at her. "My mother kicked me out, my father is gone and you know what I am going to in the holidays? A cardboard box Casey. When I said you deserve someone better than me I mean someone who isn't literal trash. The sex is something I enjoy but it is also the only way I get money." she took a step back, tears in her eyes.
"I thought you were better than them... but you're just like everyone else aren't you? You just see Mavican the whore and nothing else. Well I do give a damn about you but whatever this act of yours is, sure as hell doesn't seem to give a damn about me."
The moment Mavican had started to go off on her, Casey had looked toward the floor as she let her get all her frustration out. There was slight flinching from the fifth year, not used to being called out on and yelled at by someone she once called a close friend. The only person to ever yell at her, to call her out on her bullshit was her own father and she was terrified of him. Scared that he would probably try to off her if she's not careful. According to her father, she had ruined his life and her brother's lives for just being there. Being a human being. Eating food off the table he had built. Being the disappointment she was, and if he can see her now; he'd laugh and say I told you so. Maybe she shouldn't have let Mavican pull her off that ledge.
But this was her second chance at life, and it was starting to go badly which she did not. She wanted to keep her distance from Mavican, to let her go because she thought it was the right thing to do. It killed Casey when she walked away but she needed to do it before she did or say something she'd regret later. And now she was regretting all the decisions she had made that day when Mavican just went off on her, explained her situation and she just felt a pang of guilt in her chest. That aching pain had returned, and she hated feeling like this. Hated Mavican for making her feel this way. Was she just like the others? Was Mavican right about her?
Casey had gripped onto the blanket, feeling the anger and sadness as she fought the tears as she tried to keep herself from snapping. There was silence for a moment, and Casey finally looked at her with a pained expression as she shook her head. "Sorry." she said and turned away again as she needed to compose herself once more, but she was finding it hard to keep herself from breaking. There was a few breaths as the tears fell, and she eyed the land down below. "I'm not like them. But good to know that you see me like that." she said softly as she moved to sit at the window.
"I've been trying to let you go. Spare myself the pain."
She didn't want to feel anymore.
"I really want to hate you but I can't find it in myself too. It's why I'm trying to get you to hate me. To make it easier." she didn't even look at her.
Mavican eyed Casey and frowned as her words seemed to have cut the girl like knives in butter. The redhead let out a sigh, maybe it was too much but she needed to hear it. She needed to hear those words because without them she won't understand. Mavican looked at her, the quiet girl who was the best keeper she had seen, the sweetest person who got bullied and beaten for no reason. Mavican's heart (my god she has a heart) ached for her now and it was making her stomach twist.
Mavican didn't do love, she didn't believe it existed and yet she could have let this issue go. She could have let Casey suffer but no she had to confront her, she had to understand and make it better. Mavican swallowed a big lump when she saw she made Casey cry, well fuck. She was just trying to make a point here and when Casey finally did say something she just watched her move.
"Then stop acting like them." she said softly and sat down across from her. These windowsills were huge.. did they grow? Mavican shook her head and eyed Casey in front of her. "I don't hate you, I mean you are a huge idiot." she said and rolled her eyes. "But I don't hate you." she couldn't, this girl was a good person and she didn't want to take that away.
"What if I don't want you to forget about me?" She asked softly and eyed her, pulling up her own legs. Mavican reached out to wipe a tear away. "I mean, never did anyone care about me the way you do. I don't want that to go away." Mavican was a bit confused on what to say about this herself. She wasn't really good with... feelings.
"I ehm.. I mean you could take me to the dance and we could.. have tea?" she was so bad at this.
"So when you kiss a girl do you always shove them or can you be a little more gentle? I bruise easily." Mavican wasn't sure if this was the right time to make a joke about it but the tension was killing her and she was curious about where this was going.
"I would like a more gentle one. Just saying." She smiled a bit.
One thing Casey was good at was building a wall, and not letting anyone in cause she didn't want to feel the heartbreak or the bad feelings that came with it. Casey felt like this was going to destroy her life in the long run, and she can kiss any possibly of connecting with her father goodbye cause he was the biggest homophobic she knew. The female was already expecting a hate letter from him, and knew that mail would be arriving for her. She had a friend of hers to go get it for her so she didn't have to leave her dorm. Her head had been in a bad place and it was best to leave her alone.
Casey looked out the window at the grounds below while she listened to her, and rolled her eyes after she was called an idiot. She damn well Mavican was right on that front. Casey just gave her a nod as she noticed Mavican joined her on the windowsill and her head turned for a moment to look at her, raising an eyebrow at her as she shifted a bit on the sill, her eyes not leaving her as she felt the touch on her cheek. "The dance?" she questioned slightly and nodded. "You want to go to the dance with me?" she asked, not believing that Mavican wanted to go to the dance with her.
Casey just gave her a look when she mentioned the kiss and chuckled. "I was a little frustrated. I don't shove...." she admitted and shifted a little.
She eyed her for a moment before she leaned in and gave her a friendlier kiss.
It was an odd feeling this thing she was doing. Mavican felt brave but she also felt stupid, she felt like she could fight the world but she also felt small and insecure. The whole deal with Casey was odd and maybe even to some people eyeroll worthy. She had no idea how to even do whatever this was and yes maybe with a kiss she could clear it up. A kiss would say so much more than a thousand words. A kiss could tell you hate, love, passion, emotions.
The redhead had been trying to figure this out in her head. Scenarios where she got slapped, yelled at or even Casey just crying and telling her to leave her alone. Casey's words snapped her out of her thoughts and she nodded slowly.
"Yes, I'll make sure I'll have a dress. Being homeless doesn't mean I don't have means to get a dress." well that might have sounded wrong? "I mean I won't sleep with anyone or steal either.. in case you thought of that." she added quickly. Mavican smiled and held her hand out to take Casey's.
"I'll go with you to the dance but you got to go with me on a... date." she barely managed to say the words. "Yes a date." she nodded trying to convince herself as well. Casey was special and though Mavican was a girl who didn't settle easily, if at all, she wanted to spend more time with Casey.
The little seeker.
Mavican didn't really expect Casey to kiss her. She teased and she had been wanting her to, she had been hoping the kiss could tell what it all means. She returned the kiss happily and it made her feel lighter, like someone put her on a pile of pillows. Mavican wanted more of it, she wanted more of Casey's lips and she wanted more kisses.
Casey hadn’t expected to even see Mavican that day, and was actually shocked to see her in her dorm room. The many things that she had said, the hurtful things she can’t take back even if she tried still loomed in her head. She regretted even hurting Mavican’s feelings with her words, and she would make it up to her one way or another. After the kiss, Casey moved back to lean against the wall of the windowsill, her knee going up as she eyed the girl across from her. A lot had happened in the past couple of days, and Casey needed time to slow down so she can live in this moment with the girl she liked. Loved. Sure, it was too far fetch to even love this girl but she did. And no, she wasn’t going to say it or rush it.
She wanted to see where this went before she even thought of saying those words to her. ”A date with Mavican Jones? Count me in.” she said with a smile before she looked out the window, her eyes looking up at the sky. It was getting dark which meant there could be a storm sometime that day. After a few seconds, she glanced at the other girl again.
”Since you came clean to me, and pulled your skeletons out of the closet, I should share some of mine.” she stated as she adjusted in her spot and looked down at her hand. ”But first, I do want to thank you for getting me off that….ledge. I honestly thought that if I just died, things would be easier with my family. That they don’t have to deal with me.” she frowned.
”I’m the youngest in my family. The only girl. And my father, he...wanted all boys. I grew up with him telling me to be more of a girl than a tomboy. He even tried to talk me down from joining the team. He’s a bit...homophobic so...it took me this long to come out. I didn’t feel safe, and I still don’t. My parents divorced over the summer because of me, and my father blames me for all the wrong that happened in this life. Which...is true. I’m a disappointment in his eyes.” she said and took a breath. ”This is why the way I am. If he knew I was gay, he’d kill me. And those letters I wrote to my brothers was supposed to be private and well, now that half the damn school knows. He will know too.”
I will tiptoe down that line but I will feel unstable
Mavican wasn't one to ask people on dates. She didn't do dating but Casey gave her the feeling that it was worth it. She didn't know why or how but she couldn't deny her gut telling her it was right. The redhead gave Casey a wicked smile and nodded as she thought about what they could do. She had no freaking clue and she felt like sex was off the table so Mavican had to get creative.
It was then that Casey spoke about her skeletons and Mavican was legit curious. They were getting to know each other and basically put their souls down expecting the other to judge and run away. Yet none of that has happened so far. Casey spoke of her suicide, her family and how they would respond.
Homophobic dad made sense to her reaction when her letter was read out loud. The bullies knew the right buttons to press and she sighed a bit when Casey told her the story. Mavican sat up a bit straighter, her confidence more present once more.
"Let him, He will only realize the loss he has by it." she told Casey and frowned. "If he is that tragic honestly he isn't worth your love or any love at all Casey. He needs to accept that this is who you are, that he has a daughter and for someone who wants sons you'd think he'd approve of a girlfriend for the daughter no?" she tried to joke about it a little to cheer Casey up.
"I'll be there for you, give your dad the finger while I'm there."
It was one of Casey worse fears, and was afraid of what could happen if her father had found out. What he'd say, or even if he showed up to give her that final shove off a cliff. The male knew she had depression, and knew how to make her hurt, make her feel guilty for ruining the marriage he worked so hard for. There was a time she'd apologize that she wasn't good enough, that she was just another mouth to feed and he would have laughed it off, saying she was dramatic and told her what she should do with her life. That Quidditch was a male's sport. It was a fear, and she hated that it was out in the open but she knew damn well that her dad will destroy what's left of her happiness.
"There are times he made me feel like I was a failure. He even said it in a letter of his, and that he was disappointed that I'm even his. I don't know what that's supposed to mean." she said as she looked out the window with a frown. "I want to hate him, but at the end of the day he's still my dad. I do care for him even if he doesn't care about me."
I will tiptoe down that line but I will feel unstable
Mavican honestly didn't know how bad Casey's relationship with her dad had gotten but she would be here for her no matter what was coming her way. The redhead wasn't afraid of some old homophobe that didn't know how to accept his child, she's been there, done that and moved on. The girl just took Casey's hands in her own and squeezed them gently. She adored her and maybe it had taken some time to know the feeling she felt but here she was.
"He has no right to make you feel the way you do." she said and reached out to stroke a lock of her hair. Mavican wished she could make it better but there was no way in hell she could convince a parent to do the right thing.
"He will, one day. He is just going to get over himself." she said and smiled. "One day you'll get married and a life and he will want to be in it."
Casey had many doubts that her father will suddenly have a change of heart, be the dad she always wanted and be there. She wasn't going to hold her breath, and she didn't want to argue with Mavican about it. She just back in her good graces, and she wasn't going to spoil that. Besides, they have a dance that they needed to attend together because Casey will be the person she was raised to be, and make this dance fun for the both of them. This was something she was suddenly looking forward too, and she wasn't going to disappoint even if she apparently has two left feet. She'll ask one of her brother's for a quick dance lesson when she was out in Hogsmeade again.
"So, are you sure you want to go to this dance with me? Dancing with me might be a bit dangerous." she said with a tiny smile as she watched her for a moment. "Might have us both in the hospital wing by the end of the night."
