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!
maybe it is all a test/'cause i feel like i'm the worst, so i always act like i'm the best
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Post by MIA-ROSE LINWOOD on Dec 14, 2019 4:34:35 GMT
Evie might have been the Gryffindor in the family, but let nobody say that Mia-Rose was a coward. Even the incident with the webs in the autumn hadn't made her any less willing to go to the forest. It was the best place on the grounds to be alone and breathe fresh air, two things that Mia-Rose always thought were very important. That was what growing up on a farm did to you. And the fact that a good chunk of the student body was too afraid to go into the trees meant that, during the day, it was actually rather peaceful. Thin streams of sun peeked through the canopy of leaves, the nocturnal creatures all asleep.
Mia-Rose had just finished going for a run, letting the warmer weather of spring give her energy, and was finishing with a walk to cool down, just inside the edge of the forest. She was pretty sure that the only thing anyone would see from outside the trees was a flash of red hair, and for that she was banking on the hope that there was no need for anyone to look at the forest for any stray students. It was the silliest rule, not being allowed there. There were far worse things she could have been doing than exercising to improve her mood, right?
Post by EVELINE LINWOOD on Dec 14, 2019 11:02:54 GMT
Running was not flying, obviously, but it was a pretty good substitute sometimes, and while Evie had to accept that there was no way on earth she was going to make time to go for a fly at this time of day, running was a rather more easily accessible option and so she'd been forced to accept it. That was what had brought her down to the edge of the forest, her hair pulled back away from her face so that she could actually see where she was going, and her breathing coming quick and hard as she concentrated on the rhythm of her feet against the ground. Keeping fit was very important; after all, Quidditch wasn't just about hopping on a broom and throwing a ball around a bit. Besides, running was one of the few forms of amusement which she could keep up at home.
Concentrating as hard as she could on controlling her breathing so that she wouldn't pass out for lack of oxygen (exaggerate? Her? Never!), Evie very nearly missed the flash of red hair just on the other side of the treeline. As chance had it, the sudden and piercing call of some bird which she probably didn't want to know about happened to draw her attention in that direction at just the right moment, and after a moment of peering through the branches, she grinned to herself, calling softly, "Hey, Mimi."
maybe it is all a test/'cause i feel like i'm the worst, so i always act like i'm the best
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Post by MIA-ROSE LINWOOD on Dec 19, 2019 5:33:20 GMT
The sound of another human's voice almost made Mia-Rose jump, but she was able to control herself and only step back a little. Looking guilty never did anything helpful, it just made you look like an idiot. Besides, as she swept her eyes over the trees in front of her, it quickly became obvious that it was only her little sister who had called out to her. That wasn't weird; Evie wouldn't be surprised at her doing this sort of thing. Both of them were outdoorsy types, so how were they supposed to resist being out on the grounds on a day like this? It only surprised her that her sister was on the ground instead of on a broom.
"Evie," she replied quietly with green eyes gazing at her sister, her voice tired from running but steadier now that she had cooled down. "You haven't been here all along, have you?" It would be impressive if the younger girl had managed to be even quieter than Mia-Rose. She was sure that she paid attention to every noise in the forest, not letting anything escape her. Maybe she was wrong about that this time, but she was the sneaky sister, not Evie. And that was a talent. "How did you find me?"
Post by EVELINE LINWOOD on Dec 19, 2019 22:08:13 GMT
Evie giggled. "I just looked and there you were!" she began brightly before toning it down a little; she knew that Mia-Rose didn't always appreciate the more exuberant side of her character. "Honestly, completely an accident. I just happened to look in the right direction, and I'd recognise that hair anywhere." Pausing, the redhead frowned. "But what were you doing in the Forest?" It was out of bounds, after all, though she refrained from pointing out the fact aloud; she was quite sure that her older sister was well aware of the fact, and since knowing it in the first place hadn't prevented her from going in there, there was little chance that being reminded would make any difference.
It must present all kinds of exciting possibilities, though, and for a moment, she allowed her mind to wander as she considered what they might be. It was pretty certain that there were unicorns in there, which she considered to be pretty awesome, but she'd heard all kinds of rumours about werewolves and other horrific things which she didn't even cover in Defence Against the Dark Arts until OWL level. So... Maybe not the sort of place she'd want to be on her own in the middle of the night, but it looked quite pleasant during the day, and she was sure that Mia-Rose would look after her.
maybe it is all a test/'cause i feel like i'm the worst, so i always act like i'm the best
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Post by MIA-ROSE LINWOOD on Dec 25, 2019 23:51:00 GMT
Well, alright, that was fair, Mia-Rose thought. Her hair was really bright, and the curls were fluffy, even when they were in a ponytail as they were now. It would be the same if she had been looking for her sister instead, easy to spot amongst a bunch of green trees. Maybe she should've been further inside the forest--but it was too late to consider that now. "I was just going running, like you. It's a good day for it." Not too hot, just enough sun--ideal, really. And it had been peaceful, with nobody else around. "Nobody watches me, if I'm in here." There was no need to worry about judgment or being perfect if everything could be hidden behind the trees. She could clear her mind without any worries.
"I was about to be done," Mia-Rose continued, crossing her arms as she leaned against the pine tree behind her, "but I can keep going with you if you want. I'm not that tired." In truth, her legs did feel a little wobbly after exercising, but she was in shape. She did this all the time! Just because she didn't play Quidditch didn't mean she had to be a worse athlete than Evie. Plus, it was hard to see her little sister anymore, since she'd been sorted into Gryffindor. It didn't surprise Mia-Rose, but she often did ask why the hat found her more similar to her older sister than her younger, when reality seemed like the opposite.
Post by EVELINE LINWOOD on Dec 29, 2019 12:48:19 GMT
"Do people watch you normally?" Evie asked, confused. She couldn't say that people watched her, or at least she hadn't noticed them doing so, but then to be fair when she was in The Zone, she didn't tend to notice much of anything. The whole of the Slytherin Quidditch Team could be standing there watching her run laps around the pitch and she probably wouldn't even click until she'd stopped and started stretching, if then. Maybe her sister wasn't quite so single-minded. Or maybe she was just paranoid. But Evie didn't consider that option for more than a couple of seconds before rejecting it offhand. She was absolutely sure that Mia-Rose was in the right, and she had made a very sensible decision by choosing to run somewhere where she wouldn't get distracted, even if that did mean slightly bending the rules. Though, she realised, she herself was now forming a distraction, and that was very thoughtless of her.
She bit her lip. Well... it was good to have company, and she always loved to spend time with either of her sisters, but she didn't want to keep Mia-Rose away from doing whatever she planned to do next... Then again, she had offered, and it wasn't as if she would have done that if she had other things to do...
"If you're sure," she compromised, taking advantage of the spare moment to tighten up her ponytail; there was nothing worse than hair flapping in your face. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"
maybe it is all a test/'cause i feel like i'm the worst, so i always act like i'm the best
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Post by MIA-ROSE LINWOOD on Dec 30, 2019 1:58:53 GMT
"No, but that's because I don't let them." Being watched was one thing when Mia-Rose was prepared for it. Because if she was, then she wouldn't do anything embarrassing, maybe even do something impressive, like get a spell right on the very first try in class. But if she wasn't prepared? She didn't think she could handle the awkwardness.
It was different with her sister, though. They'd known each other since they were tiny, tiny kids, smaller than the sheep on the farm at home--but still, Mia-Rose thought, why was it different with Eveline than with Isobel? With Evie there was no fear of embarrassing herself, even if the younger girl seemed to be so much more well-liked at school than she was, something which did inspire a bit of jealousy, she had to admit. With Isobel--it wasn't the same, somehow. She felt as if her older sister held a grudge that wouldn't clear no matter how much time had passed since she'd been a little kid unable to control her magic.
But that didn't matter now. Isobel wasn't here. It was only the two of them and the big, wide forest. "Yeah, come on. I'll show you the best path through here, where there isn't much to trip on or anything. So if you ever want a change of scenery when you're running, then you've got it."
Post by EVELINE LINWOOD on Dec 30, 2019 13:07:34 GMT
Evie frowned ever so slightly, not entirely sure of what her sister meant. Surely she couldn't know whether people would watch her or not if she didn't let them anyway? But it all sounded very complicated to her, and she was sure that Mia-Rose knew what she was doing far better than she herself could ever hope to, so she brushed it off and moved on with her life. It didn't really matter, after all, as long as everyone was happy... right?
With a brisk nod and a bright smile for her older sister, the Gryffindor girl brushed herself off and prepared to start moving again. It didn't do to stop for too long, else her muscles would start to stiffen up, and that would do her no good at all; besides, though she knew that Mia-Rose was always behind her, she still didn't want to look like an idiot in front of her when she suddenly developed cramp five minutes in and had to stop. Neither would it be helpful for her training; she didn't want to find herself suddenly unable to mount a broomstick because she couldn't lift her leg high enough.
"So do you always run in the forest?" she asked, wondering if that explained why she never seemed to see Mia-Rose running in the grounds. It was a shame; Evie would have liked to go with her more often. She didn't see as much of either of her sisters as she would have liked, being in a different House.
maybe it is all a test/'cause i feel like i'm the worst, so i always act like i'm the best
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Post by MIA-ROSE LINWOOD on Jan 6, 2020 0:59:09 GMT
With a few long steps over the underbrush, Mia-Rose began leading her sister further into the forest, towards where she knew there was a path. The Forbidden Forest had more of those than one might expect--she figured they were created by the creatures who lived here, not by the humans who were banned from entering, although she often wished she actually saw more creatures out and about. But centaurs, who she knew lived here, didn't like humans, and there were certain creatures she would prefer stay away--like the giant spiders. As far as she knew, though, those weren't running around trying to catch anyone during the day. At least, she hadn't seen any.
"Most of the time I run here, yeah." She liked the forest. It let her be alone, with the trees blocking out all the noise from the castle. Plus, the air somehow seemed fresher, like it was at home--maybe it was all the fires at the castle that made the air feel heavier there. Or maybe it was just the atmosphere. Mia-Rose was used to isolation; constantly being surrounded by other students often felt stifling. "I like it better. It helps me clear my mind." Reaching the point where the underbrush was thinner, almost to bare earth, creating a narrow but definite path on the ground, she stopped for a moment. "Here it is. Where I normally go. Most of the time the only creatures around here are normal ones, foxes and rabbits and stuff." She stretched her legs, pulling at them until they felt relaxed enough to start running again. "Shall we?"
Post by EVELINE LINWOOD on Jan 6, 2020 17:49:10 GMT
Eveline had to hurry slightly to keep up with her older sister's longer legs, but she was pleased to notice that she didn't feel at all strained by the increased pace- clearly all her hard work was paying off, and that could only be a good thing; the last thing that she needed in the middle of a Quidditch game was to have to stop and catch her breath. Maybe the Seekers could afford to do that sort of thing, to hang about for a while in a quiet corner of the pitch and get hold of themselves, but Evie played Chaser; she had to be on the move all the time, and so practice made perfect.
She looked around with interest as the Slytherin took her further and further into the trees and away from the lawns. It occurred to her briefly that she would probably be in quite a bit of trouble if she was caught here, but she dismissed the thought rapidly; she trusted Mia-Rose absolutely, and anyway, she was sure her sister was sensible enough not to do anything that was likely to endanger either of them. Wasn't that half the point of being a Slytherin?
"This is..." 'Nice' wasn't really the word to use, she didn't think; the forest was vaguely oppressive and didn't even have any particular natural beauty to make up for the way that it blocked out the view of the castle, at least so far as Evie could see. "Cool." Following her sister's lead, the Gryffindor stretched out a little- she already had before she'd started running, of course, but it never hurt to be careful. "Sure, let's go!"
maybe it is all a test/'cause i feel like i'm the worst, so i always act like i'm the best
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Post by MIA-ROSE LINWOOD on Jan 21, 2020 2:39:42 GMT
Maybe the forest was growing a little darker, but Mia-Rose paid it no mind. It was probably just the angle of the sun, trying to filter through the trees from the side instead of the top. Besides, they were going away from the castle at the moment, where all the clearing was. She'd been on this path what felt like a million times before, and the only time she'd ever run into anything scary in the forest was after nightfall. And it was better not to think about whatever that had been.
"This way. Follow the trees with the marks," she said, pointing to the trunk of a nearby pine. The little lines on the trees were easy to miss if you weren't looking for them, but Mia-Rose had always prided herself on being observant. And that was how she'd found the path in the first place, looking at those lines and the way the moss on the trail was a little shorter and less springy than all the rest around it. The forest might look random, but it had its patterns just like any city streets, and Mia-Rose had to say she liked these better. "It'll be around five minutes, and we'll get to the clearing at the end. There's a little pond there."
Post by EVELINE LINWOOD on Jan 24, 2020 18:39:24 GMT
"Trees with the marks. Got it," Eveline confirmed, slowing slightly to look at the trunk that her older sister pointed out to her. Hogwarts was such an amazing place, and there was always something new to discover whenever she turned around. Maybe these marks had been put in place by her sister; maybe they'd been there for decades. Who knew? A little bit of mystery was always a good thing so far as Evie was concerned; she loved to investigate things, and even when she never found an answer, it didn't matter all that much. The fun was in not knowing, in her opinion, which was perhaps why she didn't always get on very well with her teachers, who tended on the whole to disagree with her.
Forbidden or not, the forest was a beautiful place, and the redhead appreciated it, taking a few deep breaths filled with the soft woody scents of earth and plant. She was keen on all kinds of nature, whether it took the form of flat meadows or snowy mountains, but she thought that a forest might just be her favourite. And Mia-Rose, she knew, would be able to appreciate that.
"Have you been coming here for long, then?" she asked, pleased to note that keeping up the pace wasn't leaving her especially out of breath. Clearly, something was working.
maybe it is all a test/'cause i feel like i'm the worst, so i always act like i'm the best
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Post by MIA-ROSE LINWOOD on Feb 9, 2020 17:41:17 GMT
Everyone said that the forest was so dangerous, but Mia-Rose hadn't even run into anything scary until the spiderwebs this past autumn, and even then that was only because she went out much later than she normally did, and she only did that because Isobel had convinced her into it, which she was still sure had been a trap from her older sister. Nothing like that was going to happen now.
"I've been going in the forest since first year, but I only found this place in third year, when I ran into the path. I'm not sure who made it, but it's obviously someone intelligent. Could be something the centaurs made, and then abandoned." Mia-Rose was an explorer by nature, and she had spent plenty of time observing her favorite route and trying to figure out its secrets. That was her best theory so far, although she wasn't sure how she would go about asking the centaurs if it was true. She'd never actually seen them in person, and she'd heard that they weren't too friendly to outsiders, so she might have to figure out another way.
They were almost at the spot where they would turn into the clearing when Mia-Rose heard the sound of twigs snapping from a direction that her little sister definitely wasn't. Stopping in her tracks, she narrowed her eyes at the spot in the woods where it had been coming from. "Did you hear that?" she asked, frowning.
Post by EVELINE LINWOOD on Feb 17, 2020 23:21:39 GMT
Danger was not something Evie usually considered, not because of the stereotypical Gryffindor bravado slash courage, but, all too often, because she simply forgot about it. How such a thing was possible, even she couldn't have said; it was just that she tended to be so distracted by whatever was going on that she forgot it might actually end in harming her. One of the many problems with taking such an interest in her surroundings was that all too often, she neglected to consider the frail human body which sat at the centre of them.
"Maybe," the redhead agreed, doing her best to sound as though she was at least vaguely competent to make such an assessment. The truth of the matter was that she hadn't the faintest idea what centaurs did with themselves in their free time; making paths didn't sound totally unreasonable, she supposed, but personally, Evie had always been inclined to picture them as doing exciting things with bows and arrows rather than trampling down undergrowth. Perhaps trampling didn't take so long when you had four hooves to do it with, though.
She frowned, putting her head on one side. "Hear what?" she asked, genuinely bewildered. Sure, there was a bit of rustling and that kind of thing going on, but didn't you get that in every forest? It was just birds, or mice, or something like that.
