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!
It was time. Twenty years, and finally it was time to say his very last goodbye in Australia, and that was to his apartment. The place where he'd lived for twenty years, one that was rundown and broken but home. There were scratches on the wall from Daisy's mum before she passed away, and a pile of chewed up shoes in the corner from Daisy herself that he probably should have gotten rid of so the new tenant didn't have to but... well, he wasn't that considerate.
Stepping into the fireplace with Daisy cradled in his arms, there was a brief moment where Nikolai wondered if literally flooing into his brother's house when he hadn't seen the man for twenty years was a bad idea. But his mama had given him Ivan's address when he'd asked for it (after getting over her shock that he wasn't actually dead), and he didn't know a single other soul in England... also he needed a place for Daisy to stay while he worked because Hogwarts was archaic and didn't allow dogs in the school which was stupid.
Carefully balancing Daisy, Nikolai grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it down into the fireplace, firmly stating his destination... and just like that, they were gone only to be met seconds later by the sound of a young woman screaming... shit.
NB: All Dialogue between Vera and IVan happens in Russian!
Ivan was laying in his bed, trying to enjoy one of the rare days he wasn't stuck behind his desk at the Ministry, swamped by reports of werewolf sightings and a thousand other documents. Today he wanted to relax and put the world on pause and not care about a single thing. It wasn't an easy feat, but around noon he'd managed to get lost in one of his favorite books, rereading it for what seemed the hundred time in his life. The only other person in the apartment was Vera, his eldest daughter -- the one that took the most after him, so it was quiet and peaceful, just how Ivan liked it.
Until a scream tore through the cramped apartment, right through the thin walls. Ivan's blood froze in his veins for a moment as he scrambled up, tossing the book down and grabbing his wand from the nightstand. "Vera, what is it?" he called out, rushing out of his room.
His legs were rooted to the ground as he entered the living room. Vera was standing by the door to the hallway, a broken mug and a puddle by her feet, staring at the center of the room. She was staring at someone.
That someone was a man with a long beard that looked like it had seen better days, with a lot more muscle than Ivan, he could see tattoo's on his bare arms and, to top it all off, he was holding a dog. There was ash on Ivan's carpet -- he'd Floo'd in.
Ivan gripped his wand tighter, but didn't raise it. Perhaps the man had mispronounced his address, there was no need to escalate things, but...If need be, Ivan wouldn't hesitate.
"Who are you?" he asked in English, his voice firm, "And why are you here?"
There was a deep voice that called not longer after the screaming had commenced, asking if the girl - Vera - was alright. Apparently not, by the way she was staring him down with tea and broken bits of ceramic surrounding her feet. For one fledgling moment, Nikolai wanted to tell the girl that it was rude to stare but then again, he was the stranger standing in the fireplace... so maybe she had a right to.
Who he presumed to be the owner of the deep voice rushed into the room, tightly gripping his wand, and Nikolai was being the rude one now because he just stared for a minute. It hadn't quite hit him that Ivan would look so much older, not like the twenty-three year old in his memories any more, until now. "It's me," he said, voice gruff. "Nikolai. It's Nikolai."
Realising that maybe Ivan wasn't going to believe him, Nikolai reached into the back pocket of his jeans and threw a piece of parchment in his direction. He'd had it stored back there just in case he wound up at the wrong address that had been written by mama, so he could double check without having to floo back to Australia again. Hopefully Ivan would take the letter as proof, given it was in their mother's handwriting, all elegant slopes of Russian words written in deep black ink.
For a few seconds, both of the men just stared at each other, Ivan anticipating an answer. Was the man lost and just needed a moment to steady himself? Was he hurt and needed help? None of the scenarios Ivan could come up with couldn't prepare him for the answer that he received.
Ivan blinked and then his light blue eyes went wide as two porcelain saucers. This man -- this man claimed to be his brother? His little brother Kolya1 who vanished without a trace two decades ago? This mountain of a man with tattoos and a long beard and a dog on his hands? Who looked nothing like the skinny kid from Ivan's memories? Nikolai? Ivan didn't want to believe it, just how he truly didn't believe Alisa would ever turn up on his doorstep. This must be some sick plot, he thought as he raised his wand, his eyes following the man's movements.
The man threw out a piece of parchment and Ivan leaned down to take it, not taking his eyes off of the stranger. After a few seconds of hesitation, Ivan looked at the writing on the paper. It was his mother's handwriting. Unmistakable. His eyes skimmed over the contents of the letter, muttering the words under his nose, his lips starting to quiver the further he read.
"Kolya," he looked back at the man, pocketing his wand, "it is you? Really you?" There was elation in Ivan's voice, even if the words came out as sighs, "Dear Lord above," he walked over to his brother, opening his arms for a hug, "Where have you been all these years?"
Nikolai's sharp eyes were trained on Ivan's face as he skimmed over the letter, watching as his brother's lip started to quiver. Normally, he wasn't an emotion person himself, but as he watched the recognition dawn on Ivan's face... he had to avert his eyes to the ceiling as they prickled. It had been so long, and he'd missed him - he'd missed him the most out of everyone he'd left behind in Russia. The amount of times he'd written Ivan a letter, and then changed his mind - scrunching it up with a groan of frustration because the words just sounded wrong and because his brother wouldn't want to hear from such a disappointment... he couldn't even count them on both his hands.
"It's me. I hope you wouldn't have anyone cruel enough in your life to play such a trick on you," he said, finally dropping his gaze back to his brother as he took a step forward to Ivan's arms before remember right. Daisy was still there and he couldn't exactly hug someone with his baby in his arms. Crouching down, he released her onto the floor where she immediately scampered over to Vera to sniff at the tea on the ground, then he was walking into Ivan's arms to give him a tight hug. After a moment, he drew back with a heavy clap on Ivan's shoulder. His answer to his brother's question was simple. "Australia. I've been in Australia, mostly. I've... I've missed you. How have you been, starshiy brat?"
Ivan watched the grown man in front of him let his dog go, before he was embraced in a bear hug. For some reason, Ivan laughed. He laughed while hugging his brother, not minding the hot tears that streamed down his face. The grin on his face was one of pure, unadulterated joy. As Nikolai stepped back, Ivan put his hands on his brother's cheeks for a moment, looking him right in the eyes, hands trembling slightly.
"Australia?" he asked, but then the high pitched barking of Nikolai's dog drew his attention. He looked over his shoulder -- Vera was kneeling and the dog was jumping for joy, trying to lick her face, feet wet with tea.
"Nikolai, this is Vera. My daughter," he introduced her, beconing her to come over. "Well, one of three. Nadya and Lyuba are still at Hogwarts," he continued, walking over to his daughter and using his wand to clean up the mess. The mug was whole once again and the puddle was no more.
"I've missed you too, brother," Ivan wiped the tears off his cheeks, "And I don't even know where to start. It's been 20 years...So many things have happened. So many things... Both good and bad. I work at the Ministry here now, but... What ever happened to you? You just vanished one day?" Wouldn't be the last time someone did that to Ivan, either, but he wanted to hear an explanation before passing any judgement.
Embracing someone he had missed for so long... it made his heart pang and his eyes burn with tears that may have slipped out - something he wasn't actually going to acknowledge but Ivan already knew given the older man was cupping his cheeks. The smile on Ivan's lips was infectious and even Nikolai, who never usually showed outward signs of happiness, broke into a short-lived grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes while it lasted.
"Yes. Australia. You know me, I love the beach." It was such a lie because Nik really couldn't imagine anything worse than the sun and the sand. The reason he'd chosen Australia, it was because it was far, far away from Russia and nobody would think to look there for him as it was the most out of character place for him to possibly go.
The first thought that popped into Nikolai's brain was 'fuck' as he laid his eyes on... Vera, and guilt suddenly hit him very hard and very heavy. That veela girl... Alisa, had been pregnant when he disappeared and had apparently gotten pregnant two more times afterwards. "Vera. It's nice to meet you. I'm... sorry about making you drop your tea," he said with a small nod in the girl's direction. Glancing over at Daisy who was barking, presumably because Ivan took away her fun, he scooped her back into his big arms where she immediately settled. Then he turned back to Ivan with a very serious expression. "This is my baby. Her name is Daisy."
So many things. That was a given when they were apart for twenty years, but Nikolai hoped that... one day, they may be able to catch up on all that they missed between them. "The Ministry. What do you do there?" he asked, before casting a hesitant glance at Vera as Ivan asked what had happened. "Can we... talk privately? I have something - a few things - to talk to about, and I'd rather not do it in front of present company just yet."
Ivan watched Nikolai interact with his daughter, both warmth and nervousness filling his heart. How would Nadya and Lyuba react? He hadn't ever really mentioned Nikolai to any of his daughters, there hadn't ever been much to say besides that he up and vanished before any of them were even born. And then there was the fact that, even though Nikolai was and always will be Ivan's little brother, 20 years apart was a long time, and Ivan didn't know him. What was he like now? Would they even get on? Nikolai had always been, if not a polar opposite of Ivan, then certainly very different, and Ivan didn't know if they even had any common ground anymore... But Nikolai was here now, and even if his heart did tremble, Ivan wanted to know him.
As Nikolai picked up his dog and introduced her as his baby, Ivan let out a short laugh before leaning down to its level, giving it a great big smile and going, "Hi, Daisy. I'm Uncle Ivan," and scratching behind her ear. But then Nikolai's voice went quieter and he asked for a private conversation, and the smile on Ivan's face faltered. This wasn't just a long overdue reunion.
"Sure. Vera, could you go and get us a mug of chamomile tea? Thank you, dear. Me and Nikolai have a lot to discuss." And with that, Vera was off.
"Come, sit," he motioned to the couch as he sat down himself, rubbing his own face once more, "I'm the Head of Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I'm sure you're not surprised by that," he said, sighing. He really hadn't wanted to think about work on his one day off, alas..."It's exhausting, especially with the werewolf problem that keeps getting worse as time goes by. They make arguments with goblins feel like light flirting. But, what's on your mind, brother?"
Nikolai watched with an absolute look of pride as Daisy nuzzled into the Ivan's hand because that was his girl, always so friendly and receptive to others. But it didn't escape his notice that Ivan called himself her 'uncle' which was fine but had him letting out a nervous chuckle and a furtive glance to Vera. "You can just call me Nik, or Nikolai. I'm not about to ask you to call a stranger uncle, that would be odd," he said shortly, giving her a brief... almost smile. Head turning back towards Ivan, he grimaced. "There's... so, since you seem to like Daisy so much, I need you to do something for me. For us."
Vera was being sent off a minute later to grab tea and Nikolai gave her a small, thankful nod before joining Ivan on the couch. His stomach was feeling... strange and jittery, but he ignored it. He'd gotten to this point, and he wasn't about to flee. Again. "The Head of... that's a mouthful. I'm not repeating that," he groused, shaking his head. "Werewolves are a shitshow over here, I've been reading. Can't believe you've stayed with them all this time... can't imagine you support what the Ministry is doing, especially since... what's-her-name, uh... you're married to a veela and all."
What's on your mind, brother? What wasn't was probably the better question and Nikolai was quiet for a long time before he spoke next, voice hoarse. "Back... before I left, do you remember when I ended up in hospital?" he asked, starting off slowly before swallowing against the thickness in his throat. "I ended up falling into... I overdosed on Felix Felicis. I was taking for it a few months, and then - I knew it was toxic in big doses but I didn't realise how much was too much, and I was stupid and..." He trailed off, his head shaking once more. "And I was really - I didn't to let you, any of you, know what had happened because it felt... I felt like the world's largest failure, a disappointment, not just because of that but because..." Nikolai's head tilted back so he was looking at the ceiling, taking a steadying breath because it was a moment of truth. For so long, he'd worried how his brother would react if he found out about this and even though he wasn't ashamed, not any more, the possibility of rejection hurt. "Because I realised that I was gay."
While Ivan was petting Daisy, his brother exchanged a few words with Vera. Ivan wondered what would be the reactions of Nadya and Lyuba once they met him. Well, they'd find out soon enough, unless Nikolai would vanish again-- No, Ivan didn't want to think about that possibility. He was here now, and Ivan wasn't going to let him go that easily.
"And what would a cute little girl like Daisy need, hmm?" he asked, giving the dog one last pat on the head after sending Vera away. They sat down on the couch, Nikolai still cradling his dog as Ivan told him about his job.
"See, the thing is," Ivan folded his hands on his lap, "I don't necessarily support the Ministry's actions... Okay, you know what, let's put away diplomacy for a little, " a thing he did rarely, "I downright loathe what the legislation is right now and how the Ministry handles things, but Wizengamot has all the power and I really do not have say in it, and the only reason I'm still working there is because... I've got three daughters to feed. On my own." He ran his fingers over his wedding ring, sighing. "I haven't seen Alisa in 16 years. One day she just... Disappeared. But now that you're here, maybe she'll return one day, too. You've renewed my faith in miracles, brother," he finished, a smile on his face.
And then...Then Nikolai explained what had happened to him. The smile was gone, replaced with a thoughtful, yet attentive expression, as Ivan leaned a bit closer to his brother. "Oh, brother." he muttered, taking in his story. His little brother had OD'd, and the shame of that had sent him into hiding. Ivan was about to say that Nikolai had been foolish, and that neither him, nor mother would have loved him any less, but then Nikolai revealed the second reason, leaving the words stuck in Ivan's throat.
Now that was a reason for shame that Ivan could understand. Not because he'd have anything against it, God, no, he'd lived abroad long enough for his perspectives to shift, but...Russia even now wasn't a good place for anyone like Nikolai, back then even less. And their mother, their old mother would probably not understand even now.
There was a sting in his chest as he looked at his little brother, who was trying to avoid looking at Ivan. "Hey, Kolya," he said, his voice soft, as he reached out to pat his shoulder, "You're here now and you're okay. No reason to cry over spilled milk. I'm just glad that you're here, and that you're okay. I love you, little brother."
"A, uh... cute little girl like Daisy needs accommodation," Nikolai said, an apprehensive look spreading across his face as he met Ivan's eyes. Okay, so maybe that had something to do with why he'd arrived at his brother's house this morning but... he couldn't very well leave Daisy in Australia, and again, Hogwarts was archaic. What the bloody hell was up with them not allowing dogs? Nikolai was going to have a strong word with the Headmistress about that, try and see if McGonagall would change her mind. "Just for a little bit. I took a position in Hogwarts, see, and the bastards won't let me bring her and I don't want her to be lonely and who best to look after her then her favourite uncle?" Her only uncle, but that was beside the point.
Nikolai eyed his brother as he tried to justify his reasons for staying in the Ministry, fumbling over how he doesn't support their actions but needed to feed his daughter (and Merlin, there went a reminder there were three of them again) and then finally ending with how he hadn't seen Alisa for 16 years. "So... veela woman, what, left? Why are you still wearing your ring? Are you trying to send mixed messages?" he asked, almost demanding answers because how was he supposed to be tactful about marriages when Ivan still wore a ring. He needed clues and hints to pick up on.
There was a hand on his shoulder and a comforting, gentle tone that made Nikolai blink in confusion first, eyes dropping to look at Ivan because... he hadn't expected that, to be accept wholeheartedly and told that Ivan was just glad that Nikolai was here. Swallowing roughly, throat feeling coarse like sandpaper, he said, "I'm sorry I left all those years ago. I... hope you have some clarify why now. I - there's been a few times I've slipped with the potions, and I've managed to catch myself, but... it's part of why I'm back, Ivan. I resigned from my job at the hospital in Australia, and took up the matron position in Hogwarts. Less... stress, less temptation to turn back to old ways."
"Hogwarts, you say? My girls are in for quite the surprise... Well, Nadya is graduating this year. When do you start work?" Ivan inquired, sitting down. "I'm sure we can take her in for a few months, while the girls haven't found full time jobs and someone can be around to keep watch." The Karevs had never had a pet, simply because nobody was ever home -- Ivan spent long hours at work, the girls spent most of the year at Hogwarts. But now? Vera was home most of the time, although she'd been looking for a job, and soon enough the other two would be home too.
When Nikolai asked Ivan why he was still wearing the wedding ring, the older man became silent. His washed-out blue eyes were focused on the golden band as he could feel a mild pang in the region of his chest. Truly, why do I still wear it? Do I still believe she'll come home? Can it be as it was? Will she step through the door, or the fire place, and I'll await her with open arms? Or will it be cold and foreign, like an unwanted stranger in our space? Do I wear it because I still love her? Or do I wear it because me and Nadya cling on to, how ironic, hope, that she'll be back? These were questions that Ivan had avoided for the better part of the decade. His daughters hadn't asked him about their mother in years, and getting caught up in his daily work let him forget about the ring on his finger. By now, it might have been there his entire life. His fingers tugged at the ring, shifting it around, but Ivan didn't take it off. He couldn't.
"Yes. She just left." He spoke up after a lengthy pause. A small, whiny voice at the back of his head wanted to make him add -- Just like you, brother -- but Ivan held back. He didn't want to scare Nikolai away. "It's...It's complicated."
Then the conversation turned to the skeletons in Nikolai's closet, and then Ivan was comforting his brother with a hand on his shoulder, listening to the slight tremble in his voice.
"Nikolai, I'm here for you. No matter what happens, please remember, you can turn to me and I'll do what I can. And if I can't do something, we'll figure it out. Together." At that moment, Vera returned with two mugs of steaming chamomile tea and placed it on the coffee table in front of the men. Ivan looked at her and reached out his other hand to squeeze his daughter's hand for a brief moment, before turning his face back to his brother. "All of us."
Ah, that was right. Ivan had mentioned earlier that his other two girls were at Hogwarts. Nikolai only hoped that his appearance didn't cause waves and crashes into their lives - he certainly didn't mean to, instead he'd prefer to just quietly slip in and be... there, a quiet presence. "What are your other two girls like? I start tomorrow. 9am. The old matron will be there to explain her day to day, then she'll finish up the day after. I'm quite certain I don't need it laid out to be like I'm some thickheaded idiot, but..." Whatever they wanted. He'd soon make the hospital wing his own anyway, running just how he liked it. He'd done the same in Australia. "Uh, and thank you. Daisy - I appreciate it."
Nikolai apparently caused Ivan some inner anguish of some sorts because the guy was quiet for a long, long time. Uncomfortably so, and Nikolai wondered if he should excuse himself to the bathroom to let his brother continue to sit there in dead silence when finally Ivan was speaking up. She just left - just like he had. Had so many people abandoning Ivan given him a complex? The familiar feeling of guilt weighed on his stomach once more and he looked down, running his fingers through Daisy's fur soothingly. "Do you know why she left, or did she just up and abandon you?" Like I did.
All those years ago, when Nikolai had first turned to potions because of him, he hadn't dared utter a word to Ivan. He'd been scared, too much of a coward to admit how weak he was and how easily he'd given himself over to temptations of things he shouldn't have had, but things were different now. Ivan knew of past transgressions, and he wasn't a kid anymore. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, giving Ivan the slightest of smiles before Vera came by with tea. Ivan's next words 'all of us' rung in his ear, and tidal wave of... relief, of warmth, came crashing over him because he had a family again and this time, it was one he felt he could rely on no matter what.
Get it...Because Tetris is Russian? It's an awful pun i know.
"I think you'll know them when you see them," a smile tugged at his lips as he spoke, "But...Nadya takes after her mother very much, it's...It's hard to miss her. She wants to be a healer, so I expect you might become the center of her attention. And Lyuba has a tendency to set things on fire, which...Worries me, but we are trying to work it out." That was the short of it, but Ivan had promised to Lyuba a long time ago that he wouldn't discuss her 'failures' with others, and Ivan wasn't about to break that vow just because it was his brother. "I'm sure you'll have no problems at Hogwarts."
Melancholy weighed his shoulders down, that was apparent. Ivan avoided Nikolai's gaze as his brother asked him why?. Why? I've no clue, brother. I've no clue. Even after all this time, I don't know if it was something I did or was it something she did or was it for matters utterly unrelated to us. Perhaps it is because of something I did and if I haven't figured that out in the last 16 years, it must say a lot about me. And nothing good at that.
"One day she was there, and the next she... Wasn't." He shrugged. Wishing to close the topic, he urged Nikolai to share his thoughts.
After a few emotional minutes the two brothers were sitting on the living room couch, cradling steaming mugs of chamomile tea and chatting away about all the most mundane things like accommodation, traveling and even the weather. There was warmth in Ivan's chest that didn't have anything with the tea he was drinking -- somewhere in the depths of his soul the pieces had finally aligned just right, like a line in a Tetris game.
