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 VIKTORIYA BACHOVA on Oct 8, 2019 4:50:32 GMT
The winter air was still hanging over Hogwarts as the fourth-year sat practicing her wandless magic. She had barely started, but she was able to get the hang of it for the most part with less complicated spells. "Wingardrium Leviosa, " She said through a thick accent, raising her papers from her bag to her. She smiled as she actually did it! She was excited to tell her friend Grace all about her success later, but frankly, she was still buzzing.
She wanted to keep practicing. She let the papers float about, keeping her concentration on the five pieces as she tried to stay in a place of calm as she did so. T be honest, that place was a poem by William Sharp she murmured as she let the papers drift around her slowly, " The air is blue and keen and cold, with snow the roads and fields are white but here the forest's clothed with light, " She nearly lost a paper, but quickly regained her rhythm as she continued, " And in a shining sheath enrolled. Each branch, each twig, each blade of grass,seems clad miraculously with glass, " The girl spoke a little more confidently as she came to the end with a smile, " Above the ice-bound streamlet bends... Each frozen fern with crystal ends, " She finished as the papers still seemed to hold their place in the air, keeping a tight hold on the spell.
while most stay held up in the castle during the cold, it never really bothered the young Ravenclaw. In fact, taking every word from Sharp, she found a particular beauty to the glass clad surroundings. She was careful not to slip as she stepped near the water, forming the papers into little birds that flew about hoping she could keep it under control even as she began to try things with a little more difficulty one baby-step at a time.
Post by MATHEUS DELGADO on Oct 8, 2019 10:25:31 GMT
Heading straight towards the lake with one goal in mind, Matheus donned a flirty smile and all the swagger of a freshly fifteen year old who had celebrated his birthday quite recently. Despite being older age-wise, Matheus liked to think that experience wise... he had a leg up on his peers. Not only was he used to taking care of his baby siblings whilst his mum was at work during the summer holidays, but he was also a man now.
The rumours that circled around Hogwarts were true, and he'd lost his v-card at the very tender age of thirteen to a woman at Hogs Head Inn. Penny, her name was, and she was quite a bit older than Matheus too. Twenty... something. She'd mumbled the last bit when he asked after they did the deed, the two of them breathing heavily whilst tangled in the bed sheets. She was mature, he liked to think, old enough to know that he had more life experience than most of his classmates. That's why she'd chosen him, after all, and had told him with a pat on the cheek afterwards that he was, "Old enough to understand that this was just a one time thing." He'd decided at that very moment that he wasn't going to be one of those boys who followed around the girl he'd lost his virginity to like a puppy dog. Sex didn't mean you had to be in a relationship with a person, or even have feelings attached. It was just a bit of fun, and it turned out that he was good at it.
Moving closer to Viktoriya, a girl that he'd only spoken to a handful of times in all honestly, Matheus tried his very best pick-up line on her. "Did you just use the stupify charm or are you a natural stunner?" It was guaranteed to charm her and hopefully get her into a broom closet for a snog or two.
Post by VIKTORIYA BACHOVA on Oct 8, 2019 13:08:05 GMT
The young girl kept her concentration as a boy came up (at least for the time being). "Matheus, " She sighed calmly, " I'm try to concentrate, " She remarked as she kept her hands up. Without a wand to focus her magic, it wasn't nearly as easy to simply float the little paper bird about. She figured if she wanted to be become a magizoologist and work with the dragons her parents cared for, it would be best to learn magic with out her wand just as her mother and father did.
She hadn't quite expected it to be this difficult. It felt akin to going from having a laser pointer all the time, and now she had to manually funnel the laser herself-- no freaking pointer. It was just her trying to keep the magic focused and concentrated to where it needed to be.
But even still. A stupify pick up line? She couldn't help but groan a bit at the painfulness of it. Why couldn't boys be... Charming? They were in all the books-- even the jerks had some sort of relatable or redeeming quality in stories. The whole point was that they were compelling. Maybe that was her first mistake believing people-- the creatures who literally came up with the stories, could at least once be like one of her stories. She didn't even remark on his pick up line, afraid judging it was already bad enough.
Was she stuck up for finding it silly that a boy would choose a pick-up line over actual charm? Probably. She stepped a few steps towards the edge of the water as necessary to get one of the birds back in sync with the rest.
Post by MATHEUS DELGADO on Oct 11, 2019 7:06:44 GMT
"I love it when you concentrate, Vik. Concentrate on me instead," Matheus instantly quipped back, placing his hand on a tree nearby and letting his muscles do the talking for him. Sure, they weren't huge but still, they were there... kind of, and they were heaps more interesting than floating paper without a wand.
Besides telling him that she was concentrating, Viktoriya didn't say much else which was disheartening in a way. She didn't seem interested in him at all, even as a friend and Matheus brain got the better of him for a moment as he let himself wonder... did she think he wasn't good enough to be in her company, not smart enough? He knew that people thought he was as dumb as rock because of the way he acted and how he was brought up, barely scraping by in a bad neighbourhood.. but unbeknownst to most people, despite the way he carried on, he fell about average in class. Did he like studying? No, but he did itbecause he had a goal and that was to help his mum out money-wise after he graduated. He couldn't get a decent paying job without decent NEWTs after all.
Before he could go further down the rabbit hole of wondering if that was how Vik viewed him though, she was stepping towards the water, one of her paper birds fluttering like it was about to fall. "You're about to lose that one," he muttered, reaching up past her and leaning over to grab it. But as he did so, he managed to jostle her shoulder and just as he went to hand the bird to her, there was a startled noise. Oh shit.
Post by VIKTORIYA BACHOVA on Oct 12, 2019 4:47:56 GMT
"Matheus.." She muttered a bit as her concentration nearly faltered a bit, but to be honesty, she really just wanted to perfect her craft. She wants sure why the boy was so persistent on her attention, but as she went to politely address it, the boy noticed one of her birds had moved out from the necessary flight pattern of the rest. In his attempt to reach out, he bumped into Vik...
And the scene quickly escalated...
Vik, stand right at the edge, slipped on the wet, letting out a loud yelp of shock and horror as her feet flew out from under her... Sending the Ravenclaw straight into the dark, icy water. With a loud and alarmed splash the Ravenclaw went under a moment as her paper bird undid and landed on the lake. She broke the surface after just mere seconds, frantically shaking and chattering as her hair hung over her face in a wet mop.
"M-M-M-Matheus!" She shattered as she quickly got out of the water, a shivering and embarrassed mess. She wanted to be angry, but to be honest, she knew she'd been distracted enough that she was too damn close to the water-- and he had only wanted to help. "T-t-that water is f-f-freezing.." She shattered, cold with her arms held close against her body.
Post by MATHEUS DELGADO on Oct 13, 2019 3:35:22 GMT
It was like things went from meh to completely upside down in the blink of an eye as Viktoriya let out a yelp, slipping back into the water with a loud splash. Matheus' only intentions were to try and hit on her when he'd approached, maybe see if she was up for a snogging session, but now he'd ended up almost drowning her.
He was just about to jump into the water after her when she broke through the surface, shaking like a leaf before pulling herself out of the lake. "Shit, sorry. I'm so sorry, Vik," he swore, pulling off his jacket immediately and wrapping it around her shoulders. Where was his wand? Ah, in the pocket of the jacket he'd just given her. Yanking it out, he muttered a quick warming charm - not a great one, mind you, but hopefully it'd get her teeth to stop chattering. "Guess cuddling up for warmth is out of the question now, hey?" he said with a rueful smile, trying to lighten the mood a little bit. "You, uh... look good when you're wet." Wait, no, that sounded dirty. Normally he'd embrace the not-so-innocent innuendo, chuck a little wink in there and all, but it wasn't the right time.
Post by VIKTORIYA BACHOVA on Oct 13, 2019 3:58:15 GMT
Vik shivered a bit while Matheus wrapped the coat around her, quickly apologizing for his actions. To be fair, he hadn't meant to do it and she had to keep reminding herself that as she remain silent for a moment and accepted the boys gesture. You hadn't meant to knock me in ..." she replied back finally in her thick accent.
To be honest, the moment of sharing his jacket and actually showing compassion had caught her attention more then any of his silly quips and one liners that he called flirting. While she enjoyed a good joke, it took a lot more to catch her attention in an amorous way. The girl was a bit of a dreamer. She always envisioned that romance shouldn't be some lazy flattery. She liked to think that chivalry and effort was the proper way, and she didn't need to settle for less than what everyone deserved.
The light-hearted joke had made her feel a little better as she smiled shaking her head pulling the coat in tight around her as the warming charm helped. She shook her head a bit as the boy gave a horrible compliments, that she wasn't quite sure if he'd meant it in an inappropriate fashion as well as a joke, " Does this technique of flirting usually work for you?" Of course she had some Inkling of the rumors but to be honest she never was one to care much about gossip. It was almost always only a grain of the truth.
Post by MATHEUS DELGADO on Oct 16, 2019 11:14:58 GMT
"I didn't. Would have rather gotten you wet in other ways," Matheus replied with a cheeky smile, trying to lighten the mood. He didn't expect this to go anywhere now, so what harm was some innocent flirting? And who knew if she'd even get what he was referring to in the first place?
"This... technique. Eh, it's 50/50. Usually goes down better with the older crowd. I think 'cause I look so manly with my beard and all," Matheus said, only half-joking because... well, it wasn't a lie. Usually women and men alike in Hogsmeade assumed he was older than he actually was with the stubble growing in on his jaw, as well as his muscles that were growing a lot more defined than the average fifteen year old's.
"Do you usually respond well to any 'technique' of flirting or do I have to pretend to like books and all that?" The smile on his face showed that, yet again, Matheus was purely joking although... he didn't like to read, not particularly. He enjoyed working out and playing Quidditch and bothering his pain-in-the-arse first year of a brother more than sitting down to read a book.
Post by VIKTORIYA BACHOVA on Oct 17, 2019 20:13:33 GMT
Vik smiled a bit as the boy made a joke. She wasn't so innocent that she had no idea what he was talking about. While it certainly wasn't catching her attention in the way that was likely intended, it was still a clever word play. "Funny, " She remarked, shaking her head with a chuckle, " But rather soon to make jokes about getting me 'wet' right after knocking me in an ice-cold lake, " She kept a half smirk as she felt the charm warming her. She could've went inside, but going in like this? Embarrassing...
She put together some shrubbery on the ground sitting down on the ground as she focused on the dry plants, " Incendio, " She said, setting the plants ablaze. "The older crowd?" She chuckled a bit shaking her head, " That seems either... Backwards, does it not?" The woman asked, " I thought people grew wiser with age. Nothing good could come from someone making cheesy one liners. Maybe it's great for about... However long pleasure is, but, " She shrugged a bit. "I quite like the beard though," She chuckled.
"Im certainly not persuaded by a boy who loves books-- though I won't deny that'd be a perk, " She chuckled softly, wondering it it was even a good idea to talk to him about her preferences, " Honestly?" she asked, wondering if he really wanted the full answer, " In short, I just know I want someone charming who care about me. Not what he can get from me, " In other words someone who didn't want to use her for sex then skip off to the next, " I want something real, " She shrugged with a small shiver, " But... It's difficult to say that that kind of caring is few and far between, so romance of any sort will wait." She wasn't a prude, but she knew what she wanted seriously.
Post by MATHEUS DELGADO on Oct 19, 2019 5:57:38 GMT
"When else can I make that joke then?" Matheus quipped back, shooting Vik a grin right back. Yeah, maybe it was in bad taste to joke about getting her wet, but it wasn't going to go down well in the middle of dinner at the Ravenclaw table, would it? It'd more likely get him a slap across the face than teasing her about it here would "Are you warming up? I'd say just being around me makes you hot but... I really do hope the warming charm worked. Else I'd have to take off more than my jacket to keep you warm, hey?"
Matheus watched as Vik set some plants on fire to sit down, and after a moment, he joined her. "Don't let the Herbology professor catch you doing that. She'd have your hide," he joked lightly, though... they really would. Something like setting a precious plant ablaze would offend their delicate sensibilities and Vik would likely end up in detention as a result. He shrugged as she went into people growing 'wiser' as they grew older. "What, you're trying to say they're stupid for sleeping with me?" His voice was light as he asked, not overly offended but... well, it didn't sound like a compliment what she'd said. "I guess most of the older crowd is more focused on action than talking. I mean, Penny, the woman I slept with first... she didn't say a whole lot to me until after we hooked up."
"Caring about someone and having sex with them can be mutually exclusive," Matheus replied before blinking because... was she really that negative? There were tons of people who were caring in Hogwarts... like the entire Hufflepuff house, and quite a few of the boys in his dorms.
Post by VIKTORIYA BACHOVA on Oct 19, 2019 6:22:25 GMT
Vik rolled her eyes as the boy made the joke, a half smirk at his quip. He was admittedly clever, but she certainly wasn't yielding to accepting it. He was charming, in a way, but he was also admittedly more experienced than her. She had read enough books to understand the innuendos, but that didn't mean she would've had any idea what she was doing in any real situations. "Why must we make the joke anyways?" She chuckled, rolling her eyes as he continued cracking jokes-- even laughing just a bit. She could see some allure from someone charming, but was it enough to falter her resolve? Not even close.
"The plants are dead, " She shrugged, " Isn't part of the Herbology Greenhouses to have a source of plants for use? We use logs in the fire places. We don't count trees? Seems hypocritical. Especially since we use the plants for potions, " She smirked a bit. She thought a moment as she considered what he said, " Yes and no. I don't believe someone is inherently stupid for sleeping with you. You seem lovely-- despite your brashness. However, is it wise to sleep with someone our age... And by use of those one liners, probably not wise. I suppose it's effective though if it's doing the job, " She shrugged. She hadn't meant it as a dig at him, but she certainly couldn't call it wise for an adult to fall for the lines and sleep with someone their age.
"I personally prefer talking first-- I'm not against the idea of physical interaction, but..." This was quickly becoming a conversation well outside her norm. She'd read a lot about but... She couldn't claim much else. "But I suppose I'm not one who can say much on... Any of this. I've never done any of that." She listened, running her fingers through her curly hair as she tried to help dry it out, figuring they both just had very different feeling on the subject, " One doesn't have to exist with the other, but id rather have... I don't know... Fireworks? Something special? But not exactly an expert, " She could only really speak on her own expectations
Post by MATHEUS DELGADO on Oct 20, 2019 12:35:04 GMT
When Vik asked why he must make jokes, Matheus let out a laugh of his own because that was funny. But then it hit him... was she not joking? "Because you look gorgeous when you laugh and I don't want to miss out on that," he told her with a shrug, trying to play it cool. Real smooth. He was one smooth operator, that was for sure. It was the truth though - she was beautiful when she laughed, all crinkled at the corners of her lit up eyes, her hair shaking with the movement. It was a sight to see, that was for sure.
"Planning on taking the ashes up to the Greenhouses aren't you?" he returned easily... angelically even. "That'll go down well." He wasn't actually all that bothered by the fact that she'd set some plants aflame, but it was mildly hilarious to listen to her argue the point with him. Did she have a response for everything? Was she really that logical? It seemed so as she debated the topic about others sleeping with him. "They're adults. They can make up their own ideas of whether to sleep with me or not." This was moving into territory about Penny being a predator, something he had several people tell him so far, and he wanted to change the subject before it go any further. He wasn't pressing charges against her. "So you're not going to sleep with anyone until you're in a committed relationship?"
"Any of that... what, you mean... physical interaction like touching?" he asked, bushy brows raising. Had she even kissed someone before? He'd find it hard to believe that she wouldn't have but... well... "If you wanna wait, then that's cool. I get it. I'd never pressure you into anything you don't want to do... nobody else should either, man. I might be flirting with you, but I'm not about to tell you that you should sleep with someone before you're ready. Everyone's ready at different times... I'm just saying lots of people have this idea that sex is for relationships, that it makes you a slut for having it outside of them and it's not true."
Post by VIKTORIYA BACHOVA on Oct 21, 2019 4:02:59 GMT
Vik shook her head a bit with a small smile, actually warmed quite a bit as she tried to finish drying out her hair next to the fire (obviously not close enough to set on fire). She realized she was still wrapped in the jacket. "Are you... Sure you're not cold?" She asked in her thick accent as she actually moved close to him. It certainly wasn't the move he probably thought it was, but while he had been a pain he had been nice enough to even share. Maybe it wasn't huge, but a warming charm went a long way if you were cold enough.
She smiled actually laughing quite a bit as he suggested it, " Look, I'm certain there's a need for plant ashes. Give me enough study time and I could probably find a potion that needs it, " She smirked as she looked back to the fire. She always had a way to turn everything into a debate. Vik wasn't a total stick in the mud, but to be perfectly honest she couldn't remember the last time she ever laughed this much. Particularly with a boy who was working to throw down some ridiculous one liners. "Maybe I don't need to get married or anything too serious, but I'd like to mean something, if that makes sense?" She moved away from the other subject, figuring the boy's deflection was a good indicator that he wasn't comfortable with it.
She turned a bit red as he asked for clarification, " Well... Yes... All the... things, " She said pursing her lips a bit. She didn't want to be embarrassed about it. She knew it wasn't a big deal that she hadn't done anything, and it was all okay. She wasn't ready but she knew that could change. "You are quite sweet, Matheus... And undoubtedly not a slut."
Post by MATHEUS DELGADO on Oct 26, 2019 1:21:08 GMT
Are you sure you're not cold? The words immediately had a flirtatious grin spreading across Matheus' face and he sent her an award winning wink. "Depends, are you trying to cuddle with me? 'Cause if you are, yes, I'm freezing right down to my bones," he told her, giving her the tiniest bit of a nudge with his shoulder. He wasn't actually that cold, in all honesty. He hadn't been the one to take a dive and he thought of himself as a pretty tough kind of guy with enough muscle to keep him warm. He wasn't a scrawny little thing with barely any body fat. "I've got a question though - you have an accent. Where are you from?"
"It makes sense. I just hope whoever you get with can give you one hell of a good time. You're bloody gorgeous - smart, too - and it'd be a crime not to," he said, before deciding to lean back, dropping onto his elbows on the grass. Not only did he look delicious like this - why yes, wasn't he modest? - but he was also just more relaxed. "So, you ever kissed anyone or...?"
From where Matheus laid, he couldn't see her blush but he could practically hear it in the way she spoke. "You'll get there one day," he said, shrugging. He didn't want to keep pressing in fear of her bursting into flames, something he couldn't guarantee he'd be able to put for her. But then she told him he wasn't a slut and he did a sit-up so he could look at her. "You're probably the only one in Hogwarts who thinks I'm not, Vik."
Post by VIKTORIYA BACHOVA on Oct 26, 2019 4:13:04 GMT
Vik chuckled, rolling her eyes, " You have a flirtatious rebuttle for everything. It's as impressive as it is exhausting to watch. Do you practice these in front of the mirror?" She teased playfully as she felt him bump her with his shoulder, looking down a bit as she fought back smiling. She was smiling more than she would've though for a girl who was still waiting for her clothes to dry out, " I'm not sure cuddling with a boy I hardly know is my intention, but it's preferable you not to deal with Hypothermia," She joked back. He was a lot easier to talk to than she would have thought. Generally, she tried not to relying too heavily on preconceived notions of people, but she wouldn't have been quick to think she'd actually click with someone so outside of her comfort zone.
"Hungarian-Romanian, " She replied, " My mom and dad met at Durmstrang-- pureblood lineage and all that nonsense... My grandparents wanted that for me, so my parents had me attend Hogwarts... FAr away from any influence they may have still held there, " She shrugged, " Their magizoologists that specialize in Dragonology. That's part of the reason I need to know wandless magic. Creatures can be quite unpredictable, and I'd rather not rely on it." Maybe he hadn't necessarily asked for so much information, but she figured friends usually knew each other. She chuckled as the boy complimented her all the while insisting she had one hell of a time her first time, " One can only hope, " She shrugged a bit, still rather... Awkward towards the thought.
She snorted a bit, " I've never tried to kiss anyone, and honestly no one's even made it as far as to making me even laugh like this. I suppose I don't make myself available. However, the situations of flirting are few and far between even at that, so I suppose it isn't terrible." She was usually with her small groups of friends (aka really only Grace) and the rest studying or with school activities. It was school, after all.
"Good thing the negative opinions of others are as valuable as dragon dung then, " She smiled over at Matheus who seemed quite comfortable. "To be honest, I never would've seen this conversation turning this way. But I have to admit you're quite charming... And I'm not sure any flirtation at this point would be quite as memorable as the boy who knocked me in the lake."
