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!
Whatever Leo was thinking, he wasn't thinking. Ryker wasn't thinking either as she basically had stormed out of the common room telling him not to follow her, telling him to stay away. Ryker was rarely upset and when she was no one ever, EVER, saw it happen. Ryker was very much in control over her tears as she refused to cry in front of anyone but tears were rolling down her cheeks.
Ryker needed her brother, her girlfriend maybe even Ozzy if she ran into him first. She just needed someone else to vent to, to cry on a shoulder or in Elijah's case his chest because man he was tall. Ryker almost tripped a few times, her face hidden by her hair as she looked around for the people she needed.
She couldn't find Elijah anywhere, she didn't see the tall idiot stick out at food tables or in the halls so she really hoped he wasn't in his dorm as she walked out into the courtyard. The fresh air hitting her and making her sniffle before moving on. Ryker then spotted a redhead and Elijah on a bench and she just rushed over to them.
"Eli! Morgan!" she had a cracked voice as she walked over to them, ready to collapse.
One thing people would be surprised to see was Morgan Reid hanging out with her girlfriend’s brother. Yes, the two had been sitting outside, chatting about their upcoming plans for the dance and heading to the Reid cabin during the holiday. They were making a list of gifts to get their family members, and each other when they can go shopping easily and not in the village they were banned from heading. Morgan had listened to Elijah talking about the girl at the bar, and of course Morgan would tease him about it because that was in her nature.
They were on the bench when they both heard their names coming from Ryker, and both looked toward her. Elijah, being the brother that he was, stood up and headed toward her hurriedly, worry all over his features while Morgan tossed the notes aside, standing up herself.
”Ry?” he asked as he moved toward her.
What was going on? What happened? She was fine when he had left her to read in the common room.
Ryker was trying not to shake as tears rolled down her cheeks, she didn't stop them any longer. The brunette lost a friend today and all because of something stupid as feelings. Ryker looked at her big brother and her girlfriend and just moved forward to hug Elijah, cry into his chest. She reached her hand out for Morgan as well, she just needed her two favorite people close for once. Ryker sniffled and though Elijah asked what was wrong she needed a moment before being able to form words.
"L-leo came to talk to me." she said and broke free from the hug to look at them both. "I thought he needed advice, h-he seemed like he needed advice.." she sniffled and looked down. She felt like she failed him as a friend as much as she felt he failed her as one. Their friendship was effectively ruined right now and she had no idea what to do once she went back to her dorm later.
"Can we sit down first?" she asked and just wanted to hold onto them both.
Once Elijah had reached his sister, he pulled her against her to try and get her to calm down. This wasn’t something he saw often, and something made him want to kill whoever hurt her. If it was Oswald Tyrell, he would happily get into another fight with the Slytherin boy. This was something he would do for his little sister, and he would make this person regret his decisions. He looked near the corner of his eye as Morgan took Ryker’s hand with a frown. That’s when his sister broke the hug, and he kept his hands on her arms as if to steady her or ready to catch her if her legs went out.
”Leo?” he asked, and he can tell the way Morgan shifted that she was not going to have it at that moment. ”Leo hurt you?” he asked, looking at Morgan who looked like she can murder the whole school. He nodded for a moment when Ryker asked if she can sit down, and he did the first thing he had done many times. He had leaned down, picking her up into her arms and carried her to the bench while Morgan followed slowly.
He had reached the bench, and Morgan moved the notebook off while Elijah had placed his sister down.
”Talk to me. To us.” he said as Morgan moved to kneel down in front of her girlfriend, her hand taking hers.
The scene had itself on repeat ever since it happened. She was just simply reading and then when Leo came it all went to hell. Ryker nodded when Elijah asked if Leo hurt her and she squeezed Morgan's hand, needing her to stay here instead of walking off angry as well. The last thing she needed was her girlfriend in jail. Ryker groaned a bit as she got lifted up in Elijah's arms. He used to do that all the time when she couldn't walk, when she was sad and mostly when they were little.
"I was just reading you know? and Leo came in full on panic mode." she explained and squeezed Morgan's hands a bit. "He spoke of this rumor that he did something with Mat and I you know... I didn't care? I mean who cares if he did the dirty with Mat? Half the school has." she said and shook her head for a moment.
"So I told him that it was all okay, that I accepted him if he came out as gay to me." she said and frowned. "Then he kept pushing that he wasn't gay which is fine too whatever.. and then he just confessed that he had feelings for me.." she took Morgan's hands and buried her face in them.
"I told him I loved Morgan, that she is the person I am with and he didn't seem to care... it was like none of this seemed real.. like I was in denial and not him." she said and looked up at their faces. "I told him to stay away from me but he did the damage already.." she sniffled.
Both of them had listened to Ryker, and both had looked at the other as Ryker explained that had happened with Leo. They both remained silent, both trying to register in their minds what had gone down between the two teammates and best friends. Now, ever since the little ordeal with Leo and Ryker a couple of months back, Morgan hadn’t been the most trusting. She had seen the way Leo looked at Ryker, acted whenever she was around and it had bothered her. She had snapped at him the one time, threatened violence but told both off. That had been hell for her.
Morgan was looking at Elijah as Ryker had told them that Leo confessed his feelings, and if Ryker didn’t have her hands in her grasp, Morgan would have walked off to find this guy. Her eyes went onto Ryker’s form, and she moved to kiss her head.
Her blood was boiling, and she was seeing red. ”That son of a bitch…” she mumbled, and bit her lip. ”Where is he? I’m going to kill him.” she stood up and Elijah stood up too, stepping in her way.
Ryker didn't want to go back to her dorm, she didn't want to go back to the same common room Leo would be in eventually. She just wanted to be with her girlfriend and brother. As she explained everything, their silence was killing her a bit but she knew they both had to register what happened as well. She knew her girlfriend would get pissed and Elijah would feel bad because Leo was his best friend as well as her own.
"I told him to back off but... I don't want to go back into that common room and even look at him right now." she sniffled and felt the kiss on her head before Morgan got up, being angry because well.. Ryker would've been angry if the roles were reversed. Ryker looked at them both and sniffled, wiping her tears away with her wrists. She must look like the biggest mess right now and she hated it.
"Can you both just stay with me?" she asked and frowned for a moment. "I need my two favorite people right now." she added hoping it might cool her girlfriend off though Elijah was already stopping her from commiting bloody murder. Ryker sighed and looked at the notes.
Morgan stood there while Elijah stayed in her way, her eyes on the male and she had let out a long sigh. She wasn’t entirely happy with the situation, and she wasn’t going to let Leo walk on his two legs if she saw him. If he did the dumb thing to follow after Ryker, there would be a dead student on campus and Morgan would be heading to prison. Even if it was as tempting as it sounds, her girlfriend needed her and while both Elijah and Morgan stared at each other, trying to get the other to back down, she eventually moved to sit next to her girlfriend. Leo better be smart, and stay away.
”Okay. I’ll stay…” she said softly, wrapping her arms around Ryker’s shoulder, and kissed the side of her head. Her girlfriend needed her, and she wasn’t going to murder Leo. Yet. She knew he was bad news, and she had mentioned it several times. Morgan had wanted to go all ‘I told you so’ but this was not the time to do it.
”Oh, those are notes for Christmas presents for people.” she said, and eyed Elijah as he took a seat on Ryker’s other side. ”Figured before we were to meet up at the cabin, we can do some shopping for...family and girlfriend’s.” she said with a tiny smile.
”Yep. Morgan has many ideas in that dark head of hers.”
Maybe talking about shopping, something else would get her mind off of everything that happened. To be honest she wished Leo never came to talk to her about this, that he would just shrug it off and pretend it wasn't real because losing a friend this way broke her heart more than one way. She didn't love him the way he loved her and that... that was just ruining a friendship. Ryker looked at the research and smiled a bit.
"That's awesome." she said softly. "Do you need a hand? I promise I won't look at things you want to hide." she suggested. Ryker leaned into Morgan and smiled a bit. She just needed this, her girlfriend's arms around her and her brother with her too. To even imagine that their relationship wasn't real hurt, that this was seen as a game hurt.
"Tell me some ideas for the others?" she asked and looked at them both. The one thing she could use to distract her was shopping. "Do you think they could use some clothes? Or is that trashy as a gift?"
Morgan was always good at Christmas shopping, and can come up with the perfect ideas for presents for the people she loved. There was a list of ideas what to get her own girlfriend in her pocket, having shoved it in her pocket moments before she got up to comfort her girlfriend. The redhead didn’t want her girlfriend spotting the list, and she planned on giving Elijah a copy of her ideas later on. When Ryker had brought up the idea of helping, Morgan nodded with a tiny smirk and kissed her head. ”You can help. And don’t worry. The list of ideas for you is in my pocket so you’re welcome to look at that.” she said and hummed softly.
This was her first Christmas without her parents, and it made her sick to her stomach. All she wanted was to have them back, tell her that they’re proud of her for looking out for her brothers. She had taken over the Reid’s funds in their bank because Dallas really shouldn’t. Their parents had made sure Morgan was the one to be in charge of the house, the cabin and the money. It felt as if she had to grow up fast in August.
”I’m thinking of getting Dallas another guitar. I know he loves his, and he’d tell me I don’t have too but I think he deserves it. Artie is getting more paint brushes.” she said and rubbed her girlfriend’s arms. ”And I gotta make sure my little brother gets the latest broom.” she said and chuckled.
”And you can totally buy Dallas more shirts. I think Artie steals them, and doesn’t give them back.”
”Well, I don’t blame her. Have you seen Dallas’ abs? They’re hot.” Elijah said, earning a look from Morgan.
”I would rather not check out my brother’s abs, thank you. I find it a little disturbing you find my brother hot. But I think you find any walking body hot.”
Ryker looked at Morgan who told her she had a list of gifts in her pocket and Ryker shook her head. "I like being surprised." She told her and kissed her cheek before turning to the lists of the others. She slowly took them and started to look them over. All looked like good ideas and she could see that even Elijah's ideas were on the lists. The brunette ran a hand through her hair after she put the lists down.
"Guitar sounds exactly like something he'd like. I remember him playing for you before." the girl said with a smile. "You know I could call in a favor with my mother and ask her to bring some Egyptian paint from her vacation home there." she suggested and looked at her brother and then Morgan. "For Artemis. And maybe something for their engagement as well?" she looked at the lists.
"Mara loves the outside, maybe a new skateboard would cheer her up from her grumpy self? I think we should also bring food supplies with the rules getting more strict its hard for them to get any." she said and bit her lip. Morgan mentioned shirts for Dallas and she nodded with a chuckle. "Of course Elijah thinks he's hot, but Elijah are you getting Eva presents?" she asked and looked at them both.
"I also think we should get Agravain gifts. He is all alone after all and Clarissa isn't leaving the castle." she said and frowned for a moment. "I don't want the kid to feel left out.. he deserves gifts too right?" she asked them and knew it was sad for everyone to get presents and him to just sit there not getting anything. Maybe some chocolate, some basic but fun things and Ryker surely could get some information out of his hyperactive girlfriend.
The redhead placed her chin on her girlfriend’s shoulder as she eyed her list, smiling a bit at the thought of being able to do her Christmas shopping once she can escape the Jones’ family and then join her brother at the cabin with the others. Morgan had said she will be responsible for Skylar, not wanting him to miss out on the Christmas holiday with his siblings. The Reid’s never spent Christmas’ apart, and they weren’t about to start either. They needed to stick together, and she wasn’t going to let anything happen while they’re in at the cabin in the woods. This was going to be fun.
”Yeah, I haven’t thought about what to get my brother and Artie. Artie already asked me to help plan the wedding, and I’m…” she shook her head and rolled her eyes. ”Not even going to get into that right now. I’m not good at planning crap. Besides, I don’t think they’re going to get married until we’re all out of Hogwarts anyway.” she grumbled, rubbing her forehead as she thought that she was going to have a sister-in-law soon. Just hope Skylar didn’t have any surprises.
There was a tiny sigh as she thought about what else to get people, nodding a bit and eyed Elijah who shifted uncomfortably. ”Dude, did you not think of your own girlfriend? You’re a dead man walking!”
”Well, I’m stuck.” he mumbled and looked down at his hands in shame.
”We’ll talk about that in a few minutes. As for Agravian, we need to get him something yes, and maybe ask his girlfriend for ideas. That’s if I can track down the demon.”
When it came down to shopping Ryker was your woman. She knew almost anything there was to know about anyone and when her knowledge was tested she saw it more as a challenge. Like she would buy some people here sex toys so they would be less stuck up but that's because she is thoughtful like that. The girl listened to Morgan about wedding planning and her face lit up.
"Leave it to me? When it comes down to planning and hosting parties and weddings I am the perfect candidate." she suggested not even slightly shy about the fact that she was GREAT at throwing the perfect celebration for every occassion. Ryker remembered her own birthday parties she always planned ever since she was a little girl. It was just simply the best skill she had besides everything else she was amazing at.
"As for their present it shouldn't be something lame like a juicer. They need something that really means something aside from one breakfast smoothie before the thing explodes." she said and pondered the thought. She'd figure something out for sure. "Getting married before we get out is really the worst idea because honestly I doubt with the regime we have now we'll be able to go anywhere." she said with a huff.
"I'll help big brother. Did you think of jewelry?" she asked and cocked her head to the side as she looked at her brother. He really liked this girl and she loved him too much not to succeed here. "I'd offer my catalogues but..." they were in her dorm.. with her chocolate. There was a small whine as she sighed. "I'll deal." she said and turned to the lists again.
"Clarissa? I haven't seen her at the tower today so she is probably outside somewhere? Or with her friends... she hangs out with that blonde girl.. what's her name? Cute as a button though." she said and frowned for a moment. "Wait... what if.." she grinned a bit. "What if his gift is his girlfriend? I know they won't let her go see him but remember how mum and dad were in that horrible fight and the only way to talk to them was through that mirror? We should give them both a tiny mirror to talk through." Was she amazing or what.
Morgan didn’t want to plan a wedding when she’s at Hogwarts - she had studies to worry about more. Even though she was in her sixth year, she would like to be one step-ahead when it came to studying for her N.E.W.T.’s for the end of her seventh year. The female had no idea what she wanted to do after school, but having perfect grades for that exam would help her decide. The girl had promised her parents that she would not fool around when it came to her final year at Hogwarts. Didn’t want to let them down now, right?
”Oh thank God. Yes, you do that planning but don’t put your N.E.W.T.’s study aside to do it. This is your final year, and Artemis would understand that entirely.” she said and eyed Elijah as he shifted again in his spot, and she let out a small laugh. ”Elijah, you need to think of a gift for your girlfriend or you’re not going to get any this Christmas.” she said, wiggling her eyebrows and earned a glare from the boy in question.
”I can’t even think of what she would like, or what. I thought...maybe buying her a broom? Maybe try and help her love the game again.” he shrugged as he made a face. This was hard to buy for a girl. ”Sister, help me here. Can we shop together once we can get the hell out of this joint? I promise I’ll listen.” he said and got on his knees to beg in front of the girls.
Morgan just cracked up. ”You look like a lost puppy.”
