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 TOBIAS TURNER on Feb 21, 2020 21:06:55 GMT
With no money in his pockets and no destiny road, Tobias scavered the trash cans at the nearest restaurants. Everywhere he went, people stepped away from him. The few glances in his direction were those of disgust. At this point they didn’t hurt him anymore. Toby knew he was filthy, everything this society loathed. The most recent self inflicted cuts from the last transformation were impossible to hide. They stung and didn’t heal. The slightest movement in the wrong direction would tear the wounds on his left cheek open. He wouldn’t be surprised if they were infected. The pain had been so unbearable that he spent the last cash on illegal numbing substances. Even those worn of in time and now he only felt worse than before. His body was tense and trembling all over. Was it the after effect or the fact he hadn’t eaten in two days?
He’d soon find out because bless the gods someone had thrown a half eaten sandwich away. It was still half in the wrapper so most of it was clean. “Oh baby,” he moaned as if he just had the best sex in his life after taking a bite. The mayonnaise was perfectly creamy and the cheese melted beautifully over the tomatoes and eggs. The dark haired werewolf enjoyed his bite and opened his eyes to face a familiar face. “Nadya!” His face beamed but his heart and brain couldn’t agree on how to feel. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen her after she’d graduated. He was waiting for her at the trainstation but turned away once he saw her father. After half a year of silence thanks to the Hogsmaede restrictions, meeting again was strange. So much had happened and Toby didn’t quite know how to handle this situation. His brain told him that someone like him should stay away from amazing people like Nadezhda. He had nothing to offer her and would only bring her down. She was a graduate student with her life full of opportunities. He was a homeless junk. His heart on the other hand told him he wanted to be with her, if only it was for a small moment of time.
Casually he leaned against the trash cans. “So what do you think about my new apartment? Pretty neat, huh? Bit of fresh air now and then,” he joked as he patted a black trash bag. “They say this design of furniture will be the new hype in twenty-twenty.”
and i'm calling for my mother/as i pull the pillars down
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Post by NADEZHDA KAREVA on Feb 23, 2020 5:25:19 GMT
Nadya had seen Tobias at the train station. She knew it. Even if she hadn't seen his face since January, she knew. But just as soon as she'd turned to try and go over to him, to talk to him, he was gone. Her heart sank, knowing that perhaps he was there to see the train he should've been on, should've been coming home from his last year at Hogwarts just like she was. But then Papa had asked her to help with her trunk, and, having been staring at what was now nothing, she'd had to shake it off and go home as if there were no worries in her at all.
Tracking him down didn't prove as easy as she'd wanted, though. He moved around so much that the second she thought she would finally be able to see him, passers-by were pointing her down yet another street, around yet another corner. She knew that she'd been wandering around for too long now, far longer than should have been expected for what their relationship was--and yet she was worried. And, after all that had happened in the last term at school, the memory of their night together in January felt like a dream.
And so she kept walking. She'd started near the club where they'd been in the winter, piecing together where Toby was as if she was a detective. A few people on the street gave her odd looks--icy blue eyes met them with a stare that told them not to even try speaking to her unless they were about to help her.
Finally, finally, after what felt like ages, she spotted familiar dark curls. "Toby!" she called out, standing next to the wall of the restaurant. "I've been looking for you." Her eyes scanned over the scene, her mouth curling into a frown even as she wanted to smile at Toby's attempts at humor.
"Let me buy you dinner," she said. "It's my turn to take us out, isn't it?" There was a bit of Muggle money in her pocket, exchanged for the reason that Muggle establishments wouldn't be bound by the Creature Refusal Act. The two of them could have whatever fun they wanted without Diagon Alley, she was sure.
Post by TOBIAS TURNER on Apr 25, 2020 16:06:47 GMT
A pleasant shiver ran over Tobias’ back as Nadya spoke in that velvet voice. She had always been an amazing person and godly beautiful. However this time Tobias knew what he felt wasn’t just the veela charm doing it’s work. Ever since that night in January he couldn’t stop thinking about her, wondering how she was holding up in that dusty castle.
The offer of proper dinner made his stomach rumble. “Dinner with the most kick ass person on this planet? Heck yeah!” Without second thoughts, he put the half eaten bread where he found it. After a quick pad on his clothes to get some dirt off, he walked over to the now former Slytherin he missed so much. “I should probably freshen up, folks here are a lot nicer but they’ll still send me away cuz I’m smelly.” Toby checked the streets and whispered. “Can you give me some cover?” Magic would quickly do the trick but since they were in Muggle London magic would have to be hidden. NADEZHDA KAREVA
| 5'10 | street dog junkie | casually dating Nadezhda | pansexual +ploy | sig and award made by the wonderful ollie
and i'm calling for my mother/as i pull the pillars down
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Post by NADEZHDA KAREVA on Apr 28, 2020 3:08:34 GMT
in the woods somewhere
Nadya couldn't help but smile. It was a rare time when she was called kick-ass--the only person in her life that she could imagine saying that was Lyuba. And, she guessed, looking at Toby, now him as well. Now that she was free to see him whenever they wanted--even free to owl him again, as she'd had to beg others for information during that whole awful last term at school. It was all over now.
"We'll find an alley somewhere." The city was full of them, a maze of streets of all sizes. "Once you don't see any Muggles, let me know, and I'll cast some sort of charm." This was London--a bit of fog wouldn't be that out of the ordinary, even if it was evening. As long as he was quick with his own charms, they wouldn't be caught.
Besides, as magical creatures on the streets of London, weren't they on the edge of the Statute of Secrecy anyway? As long as they weren't casting curses in the middle of Hyde Park, she felt they should be left alone.
"Then I have the whole evening free." She'd applied for work, but she hadn't gotten anything yet, not while she'd only just gotten back from school. They would have all the time in the world tonight if they wanted.
Nadezhda's smile caused a slight colour change on Tobias' pale cheeks. She was so handsome when she genuinely smiled, her eyes almost seemed to shine like gentle warm lights. He was so happy to see her in person again. Just a little longer and they could touch again. Right now he was too embarrassed with his state to even get close. How someone so amazing as her liked to spend time with a loser like him kept surprising him. But he was grateful for the time they had.
"Oh! I think this is a good spot," he pointed at a narrow dark alley that smelled of piss but currently wasn't occupied. With a quick nod, he signaled to give him some cover. Toby wasn't the best spellcaster due to lack of education. A short giggle escaped his lips as he cleaned his body and clothes. "One day I'll master the spell and can clean up without tickling myself," he grinned sheepishly and checked if he was good to go. "At last I no longer smell like a hobo, I just am one," he joked and finally could get closer to Nadya. "Sorry, not sorry," he winked as he almost jumped into her arms for a hug. "I've missed you so much. I wish I could've written more often but it was hard to find the materials and owls. Let's make up for it and have a blast tonight! Congrats on being a free woman in this big scary world now. Let's go somewhere random we've never been before and go on an adventure," he grinned brightly. It was as if all his worries disappeared for the moment. NADEZHDA KAREVA
and i'm calling for my mother/as i pull the pillars down
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Post by NADEZHDA KAREVA on May 6, 2020 1:50:51 GMT
in the woods somewhere
Yes, this was much better than being at school. For the first time in months, Nadya could let herself forget about Ministries and prophecies and the fear that she and her friends and family would become targets. All these things had occupied her mind for the whole train ride home, even when she'd seen Toby in the train station. But now, this was Muggle London. There were no laws against them here. It might not be the forests she dreamed of, but it was still much closer to freedom.
She took Toby's hand as they pulled back from the hug, not wanting to let go of him, just in case he might disappear between the alleyways to dig through dumpsters again. "Let's get something to eat. I did say it was my turn to take you out. We can find some place you think looks good. Or would you rather skip straight to the drinks?" It might not be the smartest idea, but didn't she deserve a celebration? As long as she didn't stumble through the door completely wasted by the time she got home, it would be alright.
Finally. Tobias had waited all these years for some of the people that still accepted him to graduate. He did it. He survived until now. All those years of loneliness and pulling through paid off. Elijah, Matheus, Ryker and Nadya were finally able to just hang out and chat without having to plan. As Nadya took his hand and led the way, Tobias allowed himself to feel alive once again. How much longer until they could run through the forest and watch the night sky fall over by a cozy campfire? Tobias turned the night of a summer camp. For long he had been terrified of the woods. But since he grew closer to Nadezhda, he was ready to overcome those fears and enjoy nature like he used to.
Toby went through the options and settled on a cheeky grin. “How about we go to a place with good drinks and order some snacks?” Would it get them plastered quickly? Probably. Did he care? Absolutely not. In fact he was looking forward to alcohol being able to be fun again instead of a way to escape life. “Let’s celebrate being able to enjoy freedom. What do you want to do this summer?”
and i'm calling for my mother/as i pull the pillars down
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Post by NADEZHDA KAREVA on May 16, 2020 1:33:43 GMT
in the woods somewhere
What did Nadya want to do this summer? Rescue her best friend from the machinations of the Ministry, of course. It was mere weeks now until Scarlett was supposed to have the baby, and Nadya only hoped she would have the job at the hospital before it actually happened. She needed to be there--it wasn't as if other people knew about the prophecy. And if she told them what she'd heard, would anyone really believe her? It was only her who had the ability to keep watch.
But she knew Toby was asking her about things far less worrying. He didn't need to be full of concern--he had enough of that. And she was sure he didn't want her to be consumed by it tonight, either.
"A pub, then." Going to a Muggle pub would be new for Nadya, too--she'd only just turned eighteen in March, back when she was still at school. She glanced around the street just outside of the alleyway, trying to judge what kind of establishment they'd find out there. Should they stay here, or Apparate through the streets of London? "I'm not familiar enough with Muggle pubs," Nadya admitted. "Is this part of town a good place for a drink?"
Post by TOBIAS TURNER on May 18, 2020 20:09:56 GMT
With a short glimpse, Tobias could tell her mind was somewhere else. He didn't know if it was a veela thing but the temperature around them seemed to change. He wasn't actually very up to date with everything going on. A lot could have happened in the meantime. Something was holding her back to speak her mind. Toby wouldn't push on Nadya, if she wanted to tell him she would. Perhaps after a couple of drinks, things would come loose . And if not that was just as okay.
A pub sounded like a great spot to start the evening. "In this street you'll only find restaurants but if we walk a little bit we'll enter a nightlife district. There is a pub that turns into a club after eleven. Pretty cool concept. Prices are kind on the wallet too," he suggested after going through the options. He didn't want to take Nadya to a super fancy place, knowing he had no money to spend.
"I was actually thinking of looking for a job in muggle London, maybe somewhere in this area. Lot's of werewolves seem to try it. Actually pretty damn smart if you ask me."
and i'm calling for my mother/as i pull the pillars down
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Post by NADEZHDA KAREVA on May 26, 2020 3:53:08 GMT
in the woods somewhere
As they ducked out from the alley back onto the street, Toby looking far neater and cleaner than he had before, Nadya did her best to look like she knew where she was going, as if the Muggle world was quite as familiar to her as it was for Toby. Maybe it would become so, now that she wasn't locked up in a castle for ten months or so out of the year.
"That sounds like a brilliant idea, actually," she said, keeping her voice low as they passed by others on the street. "Muggles won't know, they won't have any laws about it. They'll probably treat you better than any wizarding employer." She'd heard the rumors that a few werewolves were employed some places, but being so under the table, there was no doubt they weren't getting paid enough to live. With the Muggles, there was a chance they could--when had the world become so hostile? Hadn't a werewolf been given the Order of Merlin mere decades ago? It was one of the handful of things she still remembered from History of Magic.
"That's why I've missed you. At Hogwarts nobody thinks outside the box, nobody asks what they can do to help, they only wring their hands and say what a tragedy has happened." She still remembered the arguments that had broken out when they'd tried to have a werewolf support meeting. "Let's forget, let's be Muggles for the night. Tell me when you see a place that might be good to stop."
The quietness of the alley was replaced with sounds of laughter and music as they entered the main street. It was crowed with pubs and restaurants. Several tourists and locals mingled of different ages most of them were only slightly older than Nadezhda and Tobias. They blend better than expected. The British youth was quite colorful in these alternative places. It was a different area than they last visited less nightclub and more pub but roughly the same public.
“Never thought I’d go back to my roots,” he chuckled and shook his head. He’d been cast out by his muggle family before he got cast out by the wizarding world. Current politics drove him back to where he started. Sometimes he wished he never was born with magic to begin with. He’d have finished school if that were the case. “Still have no papers but I might get a job as a bartender or something like that,” he shrugged, at least he was old enough to be allowed to work now. “Good thing werewolves are nothing but fairy tales to them.” His scars were often enough to alert wizards, but muggles just assumed he’d gotten involved in a car accident. “What about you? Have you decided on a career path or do you prefer to enjoy your freedom now and worry about work tomorrow?”
Toby smiled softly as a warm grateful feeling crept into his body. Hearing that some people still cared made a difference. He was so glad to have met Nadya, she was an amazing person. “Jack suggested getting me in contact with Teddy to perhaps join his pack earlier this year,” Tobias brought up. “I declined, I don’t know why. Perhaps the thought of joining a pack felt like removing my last piece of having a human life,” he sighed and shook his head. Perhaps he shouldn’t talk about these things right now. So, he brought a beaming grin on his face and changed the mood.
“Being a muggle ain’t half bad, I’ve been a muggle for half my life,” he winked and lead her into a pub. “Heck yes, my pal has shift tonight,” he grinned as he found them two seats at the bar. “Yoo, Bart! Remember those drinks you promised me? Now would be a good time,” he grinned at his friend. The guy behind the bar was tall and slender, probably hitting the two meters in height. His dark blonde hair ran all the way down to his shoulders and he was covered in geometric tattoos. They were greeted with a thick Dutch accent and asked about what they wanted to drink. “Anything? You know we are going to abuse this offer,” the English man grinned between Nadya and Bart. “Guess we’ll start hard then.”
and i'm calling for my mother/as i pull the pillars down
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Post by NADEZHDA KAREVA on Jun 6, 2020 18:01:51 GMT
in the woods somewhere
"I'm hoping to go into Healer training, but I'm not sure yet if I got the grades for it." Their exam scores wouldn't be sent out for another month yet, and with the amount of stress Nadya had been under at the end of the term, she wasn't quite sure if she would manage the high marks she would certainly need. "In the meantime, I applied at the tea shop in the hospital." Tea, at least, was something she knew for sure. She wanted to be there to protect people--Scarlett and everyone else--no matter how much she hated the hospital's actions lately.
"And Teddy's a good man." Though Nadya hadn't spoken to him since he'd been the Head Boy several years ago, she couldn't speak too ill about her best friend's boyfriend. "I'm sure he'll be open if you ever change your mind." It was hard for her to understand wanting to be human, having spent most of her life thinking about the part of her that wasn't--all the ways that veelas were more connected with nature than humans, how they made themselves fit into the forest instead of tearing it down.
As the bartender was called over, Nadya grinned, leaning an elbow on the bar. "I'm Russian, Toby, I can handle whatever you throw at me." Perhaps vodka was too stereotypical, but she asked for some anyway. She raised the shot glass she'd been presented with, sparkles in her eyes. "To freedom."
Post by TOBIAS TURNER on Aug 17, 2020 13:00:05 GMT
“Woah! Healing training, that sounds like the real deal. Look at you! Saving people and stuff,” Tobias cheered in amazement. However, when grades were mentioned, he pulled a face. “The school system is kind of stupid if you ask me. All those exams and grades don’t really give a fair picture. Imagine if someone is sick during their exams and gets bad results. Kind of lame if you ask me how that’ll determine the remaining of their lives. It says nothing about their actual skills,” he scoffed. As he didn’t have any papers himself, Tobias knew all to well how a screw up in school could mess everything up. Even if you weren’t the blame yourself. “Working at a teashop sounds like a lot of fun. I hope you have a good time there.”
The topic of packs hit a sore spot. Even after all these years, Toby still didn’t know how he felt about it all. However slowly he was getting there. Nadya was speaking fondly of Teddy and so did Jack. Perhaps he should reconsider. “I guess-” He started and stopped to think. “I guess, I just… You know… Didn’t like the whole serious vibe and all. Politics, war, all that kind of stuff. It makes me nervous. I mean what the heck can I do to help. I’m not a fighter nor a smart political mind. I managed to get fired after one day of daycare work. I had to explain to a woman why her kid’s first word was fuck. So, they can’t put me on babysit duty. Can’t cook to safe my life. I’ll just… Be there,” he sighed and shook his head. However, upon noticing he was being gloomy, Toby pinched his own cheeks as if to wake himself up. “Aahh! Let’s not go there. We’re here to celebrate your freedom! Let’s have fun and leave worrying for tomorrow!” He managed to flip the switch to the party animal he was known for.
“I would like to hear you repeat those words after a shot of stroh rum,” he grinned mischievously. 80% of alcohol wasn’t something every throat survived. For this round he went along with Nadezhda’s choice of beverage, but he was certain to order the big bomb later. “Too freedom!” He downed the shot like it was lemonade and laughed. “Now we’ve had a bit of alcohol, we’ve got our excuse ticket to misbehave,” he grinned as he tied his t-shirt (or what was left of it) into a crop top for a little belly dance move. “Oh! Check this out, I’ve gotten a bellybutton piercing since we’ve last met. When I was napping at Bart’s place, his boyfriend came over and thought it’d be funny to do it. While I was sleeping! The sadist jerk was laughing for hours after that. Well I guess it’s kinda cute,” he said as he wiggled a bit so the tiny sparkly butterfly piercing. “Whoop, whoop, whoop. Come! Let’s dance on the bar!” He wasn’t even tipsy yet but with the excuse ticket everything was fine.
