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 VIOLA ROSALINE on Aug 22, 2020 1:25:15 GMT
It was a cloudy, miserable day outside with the heavens threatening to open up and start pouring at any given time but even still, Vi could find the beauty in the sky. The clouds were the most magnificent shades of grey and Vi had taken advantage of the weather for most of the morning, mixing and then painting light and medium and dark strokes of grey onto a cloud-headed woman she'd started painting onto a canvas up in her room about a week back.
She'd gotten about an hour or so in before grown restless and decided to give her little painting a break, instead beelining towards the boys dormitories with a sunny grin splashed across her face. "Where's my most favourite redheaded fifth year Ravenclaw boy who's name starts with A?" Vi sung out, a skip in her step before she sped up, flopping onto the boy in question's bed. "It's been super duper long since I've seen you, Archie Warchie Woo. Too long. My heart hurts." Rolling onto her belly, propping her chin up with her elbow, she beamed at him as she joked, "You'll have to kiss it better."
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 21, 2020 4:06:50 GMT
"Fruit mimosa?" Vi repeated, tilting her head to the side in confusion. She wasn't sure - was that a compliment in... uh, whatever language this boy spoke? Because it wasn't exactly one here. Unless it was, like, one she had just never heard being said before. It was kinda groovy actually. Perhaps that was a new fabby dabby compliment she could add into her own dictionary. Maybe next time she saw Flora, she'd test it out on her.
But before she could keep musing on the new phrase, the boy was saying he'd invited her to kiss him, and apparently she'd done vice versa. "Is that the first thing you usually say to people?" she asked, an impish glint in her eye. She certainly wasn't opposed to smooching this boy - he was rather handsome, after all - but... it was fun to have a little teasing in the lead-up, wasn't it?
Oh. Of course you'd cut them up before putting them in the oven. Whoops! Vi hadn't thought that through and she giggled her own airheadedness. "Uh, yes. Good point. Although, I would argue that our cuisine is super duper delicious, even though it's plain. I mean, who doesn't love fish and chips or yorkshire pudding?" she asked, returning his grin with a shrug. This boy - she really needed to learn his name - soon suggested they steal a pumpkin, claiming that they wouldn't notice and Vi huffed out a laugh. "I think they'd notice two students hauling a pumpkin bigger than the both of them across the grounds."
Vi's grin transformed into an all-out beam as the boy declared her to be a princess pass-worthy and she tapped her finger on her chin before asking, "Okay, so, all princes need a name. What's yours?"
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 21, 2020 1:45:38 GMT
It was time for Muggle Studies, one of Vi's absolute favourite classes - and one of the rare ones where she managed to pay attention for more than five minutes instead of scribbling on parchment a few minutes in - and they'd gotten a letter earlier asking that they wear... er, gym clothes, to the Quidditch pitch. Vi didn't work out, not in any way, shape or form, and so instead of some fancy schmancy tights and sports crop attire that she saw muggle girls wearing in magazines, she'd instead resorted to wearing an old paint-splattered shirt with some jogging pants. It wasn't the most glamourous outfit, but hopefully she'd be able to do whatever Professor Savage was planning in it.
Bounding onto the Quidditch pitch, Vi was all smiles as she waved enthusiastically at Professor Savage. "You look marvelous today. Absolutely glowing! Radiant like a bright ray of sun!" she chirped, before drawing to a stop, taking in the ball that the professor was holding today. It was easy to deduce that this was a sport of some kind and even though one of Vi's mum's was a muggleborn... they weren't really a sporty fam bam. Like, at all. Well, except for Ezra who'd apparently made the Gryffindor team during try outs.
Listening to Professor Savage's spiel on what they'd be doing today, Vi nodded attentively. Okay, so even though those whacky dacky Aussies called this sport soccer, she and the rest of the world was expected to call it football. Gotcha! As the question of the rules was posed to them, Vi's hand shot up to take a complete stab-in-the-dark guess, "Do you have to, like, score points and stuff? That's what happens in Quidditch, isn't it? You need to get the ball in the other team's goal thingy majigs." ... Right?
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 14, 2020 5:08:08 GMT
Flouncing into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Viola was all smiles, as per usual! But today she was especially happy because her little kid brothers would be sharing classes with her for the very first time of her Hogwarts life. "Ez, Ed!" she chirped towards the two boys brightly, giving them a small wave. Whilst sitting with them was tempting, she decided against it in favour of...
Oh gosh, there were so many different people to choose from! At first, Vi wandered over to Quincey, giving him a bright pink-lipstick stained kiss on the side of the cheek with a cheerful, "I love your earring today! It looks delightful!" before deciding that... hmm, no, maybe someone she didn't share a common room with would be better to sit with in DADA. Perhaps someone she hadn't gotten to speak to for a while?
It was then that her eyes fell on Felix and with a big, ear-splitting grin, she moved over to him, treating him to the same treatment as she had Quincey, smacking a big kiss on his soft cheek. "Why, you look fabby dabby today, don't you?" she said with a giggle, sliding into the seat next to him. She hadn't gotten a chance to catch up with the lion man over the holidays, so she'd missed him rather terribly. "That badge is all shiny! I'm not going to be in trouble off you if I can't focus in class now, right?"
Speaking of class... as Vi turned her attention to Professor O'Connor who was diving into today's topic head-first, she had to admit something - she had... uh, no idea what a kappa was beyond some... dark creature who... may have lived in the sea? Beyond that, she couldn't tell you anything about the little rascal-sounding things!
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 11, 2020 8:46:03 GMT
As the boy drew closer, Vi couldn't deny the facts of life - he really was super handsome, and combined with that accent? Phew! It was enough to make her all rosey posey in the cheeks - or, well, it would if she was prone to blushing. "And... whatever you said right back to you!" Vi called back brightly, swinging her legs. She wasn't going attempt repeating the phrase - she had no grasp on different languages at all. If you asked some of her housemates, she could barely speak English!
When the boy finally stopped in front of her to talk about the pumpkins she adored oh-so-much, Vi giggled. "I don't think the pumpkins would fit on the table without break it straight into too - in fact, I don't think you'd even get them into the oven in one go!" They were so big that she doubted the house elves would even be able to lift them into the ovens with their arms even if they could roast them. "They're just decorative anywho! Usually we carve them for Halloween... or somebody does. Not me specifically. But they look super duper groovy when they're all spooky and glowing."
Vi shook her head at the question, a smile toying her her lips. "I don't have a carriage. Meanwhile, you just look like you stepped out of one!" He really did. He was like... prince-like. He kind of resembled one of those... what was it? Disknee boys from the Muggle Studies textbooks she owned, especially with his cutesy button nose.
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 10, 2020 7:14:33 GMT
It was a beautiful fall day if you asked Viola and as she sat atop one of the giant pumpkin's near the old relic known as 'Hagrid's Hut,' she wore a bright smile on her face whilst strumming the strings of her guitar. She wasn't playing anything in particular, just random bits and pieces from songs she'd written dating all the way back to when she was an itty bitty tyke.
Vi had always been a creative soul, that was for sure, and she was told that was the reason she'd been placed into Ravenclaw. Merlin only knew that she wasn't some smarty party pants like most of the people she shared a common room with! Sometimes, being surrounded by people who appeared to know... well, everything, made Vi feel a bit... dumb, but she tried not to dwell on the feeling too much, instead focusing on the positives in her life.
Glancing up as she strummed another couple of cords, Vi's attention was caught by a brunette boy off in the distance. At first glance, she thought it was the absolutely magnificent Augusts whose love for tomatoes was out of this world, but as they drew closer, she realised it was another handsome boy she shared classes with. She hadn't really spoken to him yet but no better time than the present, right? "Hiya!" she called out, waving him over enthusiastically. "You should totally join me and the pumpkins if you're not busy."
Vi had walked into the History of Magic class wearing a bright, cheery smile on her face. But over the course of the lesson, that smile had started to dim like a flickering candle, two seconds away from being blown out entirely. It wasn't solely because she wasn't a super duper fan of how this woman was talking to her classmates but more because... well, Vi wasn't doing a very good job of keeping on task.
About half-way through, she'd gotten lost and confused with all the dates and then other things had caught her attention, like the way some Durmstrang girl's pretty blonde locks tumbled down her back in flowing waves. She hadn't met the girl, not yet, but she intended to at some point! The distracting hair had led to Vi tuning out an entire chunk of what the Professor was saying, and when she tuned back in... she was lost. Again. Gosh dang it.
Bouncing her leg, Vi tried to stay focused and catch up to the discussion but it seemed all hope was lost. She'd have to ask to borrow someone else's notes later... and hope she had the attention span to sit and read them. For now though, Vi decided to be productive in other ways by dipping her quill into her ink pot and doodling the way the Durmstrang girl's hair sat. Maybe she'd use her itty bitty drawing as a reference for a painting later!
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 7, 2020 12:03:18 GMT
Flouncing into the Divination classroom, Viola was all smiles as she took in the faces in front of her - there weren't many, as was the norm in Divination, but... she liked what she saw. Especially the new faces of people who donned the fancy schmancy Durmstrang uniforms. Seriously, every single student she'd encountered from there was just so... cute, fit, hot, gorgeous, all of the above. Just being in their presence was enough to make Vi want to fan herself.
After shooting each person a smile, Vi beamed as she laid eyes on, "Greta!" The cute patootie blonde she'd met last night during the feast. "You look lovely today. I adore the way you've done your hair." To tell the truth, Vi was more than a bit enamored with the girl's beautiful locks - it made her want to grow her own hair, but alas... she wasn't really up for the task of brushing the knots out every day. Instead, she'd just stick to admiring other peoples!
Taking a seat next to Flora as she'd done for the past two years, she grinned over at the girl. "You look ravishing," she said with a giggle, shooting her best friend a wink. "Gussying yourself up for Richard, are we? Trying to make him fawn over your incredibly good looks?" She was teasing for a moment before gently nudging Flora's foot with her own beneath the table. "Just joking, you don't need to gussy yourself up. You're already enough of a stunner. You make me want to melt like a popsicle every time I see you!"
As Astrid began to speak, Vi fell quiet, her nose scrunching at the mention of what they'd be doing today because... if she was being honest, she hadn't the foggiest of what one... oni... whatever that word was... meant. She couldn't even take a guess it was so foreign to her!
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 2, 2020 15:49:16 GMT
The sensation of cold, almost icy hands cupping her cheeks made yet another laugh spilled out of Vi's mouth, this time against August's lips, but it quickly receded as he deepened the kiss. It was just... wonderful, and eagerly Vi's lips parted, her hands sliding up from where they were clutched in the soft material of sweater to snake around his broad shoulders.
By the time Vi had definitely gotten her fill worth of kisses from the boy, she was satisfyingly breathless. Dropping back onto her heels, she tapped his nose with the tip of her finger playfully. "Maybe the next time I'll taste like cotton candy," she said, eyes dancing. Would there be a next time? She didn't know, but she sure hoped so because this had been fun.
"It's starting to get dark, we should head back," Vi mused as she glanced up at the sky, clouds slowly starting to fill the airy blue space. But then she was hit with the best. idea. ever. and she turned to him, eyes wide. "August, you should totally give me a piggyback ride back to the castle! How fun would that be? Then maybe tomorrow morning, I can give you one all the way down to breakfast from the tower, yes?"
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 2, 2020 15:04:35 GMT
Vi's nodding only continued as August explained how Latvians were typically spread between Russia, Hogwarts and Durmstrang. It was fascinating, really! Most of the people she knew from Britain only went to Hogwarts... but then again, she supposed if they went elsewhere, she wouldn't really know, would she? Because she never would have met them.
"Here I was, thinking you were going to be a little thiefy thief and I'd have to pretend like I never saw you steal a bunch of tomatoes like a criminal," Vi continued, her giggles not subsiding one bit. She could just imagine the headline now if he got found out: Durmstrang Student Caught Pilfering Tomatoes, Given 2 Year Sentence in Azkaban. "Are you one of those people who eat tomatoes like apples? Like, just full on takes a big chomp out of the side? I like them, but I don't think I like them quite that much."
To say that Vi was happy as she heard August's answer was an understatement because she was, in fact, delighted. So much so that her entire being lit up with joy as she stepped towards him, fingers twisting in the fabric of his pink sweater that she adored oh-so-much. But not as much as she was suspected she would adore the feeling of his soft-looking lips against hers. "Let's find out, shall we?" she said playfully, before rocking up onto her tiptoes and brushing her mouth against his in a chaste kiss.
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 2, 2020 10:10:13 GMT
Latvia. Viola wasn't sure if she'd ever heard of it - it sounded somewhat familiar, but she definitely couldn't pinpoint it on a map if someone asked her too. She didn't say that aloud though, the thought of 'he'll think I'm stupid' ringing through her mind. But because Vi didn't like dwelling on that kind of sad thinking, she quickly stopped it, instead nodding exuberantly, "It sounds pretty with the violas and all! I bet it's lovely! Are there many people from Latvia at Durmstrang?"
The happy little sigh that August released when he saw the vegetable patch and then wandered off to go look at the gardens made happiness swell in Vi's heart because well, it was always great to surprise people with something you thought they'd like, and for the surprise to turn out well. "Yeah, I think that maybe the Herbology prof sprays them with a special potion to help them grow or something," she said before letting out a tinkling laugh. "You were going to steal one? What were you going to do with it... hide it under your shirt or something?" The mental image that danced before Vi only made her giggle a bit more because whilst a little tomato would look like a very tiny baby belly, one of those tomatoes would make him look much more pregnant and would definitely cause passerby's to look at him in alarm.
"Oh, you don't eat the pumpkins. You sit on them. They're like... a very uncomfortable, firm seat for your bottom but it's a nice place to think sometimes," Vi said thoughtfully, before bouncing over as August waved her. Who wore it better? It wasn't a tough question, comparing the tomatoes to his sweater, but she was an excellent actress as she tapped her chin in thought, humming loudly as she pretended to ponder. Of course, the act didn't last long before she was breaking out in an ear-splitting smile. "You, of course. You look absolutely dashing. Now do me - who wore it better, me or the tomato?" Vi tapped her pink-stained lipstick coated mouth so he'd know just what he was meant to be comparing.
"You look so cute when you blush," Viola remarked brightly, absolutely delighted by the spots of colour that rose in Augusts' cheeks. She wondered if perhaps she could make them turn an even more magnificent shade of red by continuing to compliment him, but she decided that she'd give it a tiny break, just because she didn't want him to think she wasn't being genuine with what she said even though everything that left her mouth typically was.
"Mm hmm, dandelions! They're super duper cool. They start off yellow, like you said, and then when they're white puffballs you can pick them and blow them and make a wish," Vi explained, nodding as she spoke. Did they have them in... where this boy was from? Come to think of it, she didn't really know. The best way to find out was to ask, of course. "Durmstrang takes people from all around Europe, don't they? Just like Hogwarts takes people from here, there and everywhere in the UK! Whereabouts from Europe do you usually live?"
"People think that abstract art is just a bunch of very weird stuff and I guess they're right, it is, but I like to think it's a way for me to get whatever I imagine in my head onto a canvas. I can create whatever I like, there's no real limits. Plus, I think it's super exciting to paint something with a new concept, one people haven't really seen before," Vi mused out loud, before her eyes widened in interest as he explained he was looking for tomatoes. It was a bit random, sure, but she could definitely help him with that.
Reaching out, Vi took Augusts hand without even blinking and a chirpy, 'Come with me!' like he had a choice before tugging him outside, around the back of the greenhouses. "So the Herbology professor usually grows a bunch of vegetables for the house elves to use in the kitchen when they're making dinner and stuff - they're so wonderfully clever, house elves... always coming up with delicious things to eat," she said, finally stopping as she reached the vegetable patch, filled with the most beautiful array of colours from magically, oversized homegrown vegetables. "It's pretty cool, but I think the pumpkin patch even cooler when you see it. Do they have a pumpkin patch at Durmstrang?"
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on May 1, 2020 13:25:17 GMT
"August. Like the month! Isn't that just fab? I wish I was named after a month," Vi mused out loud, staring up at the boy - August - as he settled in beside her. Merlin left shoe, he was gorgeous and Vi wasn't exactly shy as she gazed up at him. "You know, you have the most splendorous eyes." Was she using that word right? Did it matter? Probs not! "Genuinely. I know people never, like, rave about brown eyes but I think they're just the bees knees, don't you? Plus, they're all nice and shapely, like the cutest little almonds."
As the boy started waxing poetic about his hometown, staring right back into her eyes, Vi was absolutely smitten because a boy wearing the best pink sweater she'd ever seen in her life was talking about flowers in a field. Even if she didn't end up smooching him, she definitely becoming his friend. "They sound absolutely marvelous. No wonder you miss it!" she said, before her eyes lit up. "Oh, you know, we have flowers at Hogwarts too? Right outside of the Hufflepuff common room's windows, there's the most magnificent dandelions. I know it's not quite the same, but it's still pretty neato! Maybe I can take you there if you ever miss home too much?"
Shaking a head at the boy's apology with a quick, "Don't be a silly billy, it's fine. Ramble at me any time," Vi smiled as she gestured towards the abundance of plants in the greenhouses. "I was looking at everything really! I'm painting this lady that melds into a forest - it's abstract - in my dorms and I was looking for the perfect colour. What are you doing here?"
Post by VIOLA ROSALINE on Apr 30, 2020 14:22:03 GMT
Vi's very first week back at Hogwarts had been absolutely stupendous if you were to ask her. The halls and classes were filled with plenty of dazzling new faces, ones Vi had admired more than once, and thus her world of snogging opportunities had become that much wider. Unfortunately, she hadn't had the pleasure of engaging in said kissing activities as of yet, but it was all a matter of time. She'd totally get there, she was just biding her time for those who seemed up for the task at hand.
For now though, Vi was focused on a different task as she glanced around the tables full of magical plants in greenhouse #3, taking in the oh-so-gorgeous variations of leaves and thorns and such with her attentive eyes. She wanted to paint some of these later, perhaps she could bring her easel and art supplies down with the permission of the Herbology Professor, but currently she was trying to memorize the divine different shades of green she saw to try. She wanted to find the perfect one to add to her in-progress painting upstairs.
Too involved in what she was doing, Vi didn't hear the door creek open or the gentle treading of footsteps. She didn't even notice another person was there until they spoke and caused her to jump before letting out a surprised laugh, whirling around with her two blonde braids swaying in the process to face them... and Merlin's beard, she liked what she saw.
"Hi! No, come in. Welcome. More the merrier," she chirped, a smile lighting up her face as she ushered him in with an enthusiastic wave of her hand. "You're from Durmstrang, right? But sorted into Ravenclaw? I think I've seen you at the dining table - I'm in there too. My name's Viola, but you can call me Vi."