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 KATARZYNA DĄBROWSKA on May 2, 2020 1:23:20 GMT
darkest before the dawn
Katarzyna stood behind her desk, flipping through her notes as the students filed in for the first class of the year. She had been pleasantly surprised to learn that quite a few Hogwarts students were joining her class this year--she had been under the impression that she would mostly be continuing her own students’ education for the year. Instead, among the fur-trimmed uniforms of the Durmstrang students, there were quite a few with the multicolored ties of Hogwarts. Hopefully, she thought, she would be able to teach them something new this year, to fill in the gaps of whatever their Defense teacher had left out.
“Good morning,” she said, as the clock on the side of the room struck the hour, waving her hand to shut the classroom door. She had no particular patience for lateness--she knew what it was like to be absorbed in one’s work, and yet she managed to own enough clocks to keep time for whatever she needed, so she expected her students to figure out the same. “I’m glad you were all able to make it here in one piece. I know that the start of this term has been--a difficult adjustment,” she said, sighing. “But,” she added, moving to the front of her desk, “I am not about to let it interrupt your education. We all must adjust, and carry on.”
With that, Katarzyna walked to the chalkboard, snapping her fingers at the chalk to make it hover in the air, ready to write. “For our new friends from Hogwarts, my name is Professor Dąbrowska.” The word wrote itself in deeply slanted cursive on the board. “I am aware that many find the Polish language difficult, but I expect one name should be easy enough to learn.” If she could learn to say her own name as a small child, surely teenagers should have the ability. “This year we’ll be covering advanced topics in the Dark Arts, as I don’t expect that your exams will be cancelled simply because of the unfortunate circumstance we find ourselves in.” Her eyes traveled to each of the Durmstrang students, reminding them.
“Now, I don’t want to waste time. You’ll pick up your syllabi for the year at the end of the class; you can read them then. For now, I’d like you to turn to chapter 3 in your textbooks--Durmstrang students, if you could share with a nearby Hogwarts student? I’m sure you’ll be able to order your books soon, but we can all read from the ones that are already here. Our first few weeks, I want to get through this material on the theories of Necromancy.”
With another hand gesture, the chalk began to draw a skeleton on the chalkboard. “A question for you all, especially for the seventh-years, but we can hear from anyone who knows the answer. Raise your hands, please. Necromancy is a rather--imperfect branch of magic, all things considered. What are its pitfalls?”
For years Dio had called out that Hogwarts was lame for not having Dark Arts. Now the chance was there for him finally being able to participate. You’d think the Slytherin would be eager to be here. Well… He was here but not in the condition you’d expect a dark arts lover to be. The blonde was spaced out as if he wasn't fully in the present. He was very calm and relaxed, which weren't things you'd consider with Dio angerball Grey back. Professor Dakota was pretty hot for an old lady.
He missed half of what was said but definitely caught the word Necromancy. "Ohh, but you cannot reaaalllly bring people back from the dead. You'll just end up making corpse puppets that go all: duuuur ggrrre nooom," Dio slurred out things like he never would. Definitely the weird mix of alcohol and a high dose of calming draughts."Very useful for creating an army tho. Or having a slave to run your household," he shrugged and leaned over the table. "Say Professor, are we going to make undeads today? That'd be rad."
As Vinda sat in the Dark Arts classroom, she couldn't help but be... impressed. It was rare for her to feel such an emotion, usually let down by the people and circumstances surrounding her, but this Professor had managed to win her over in a manner of minutes. Unlike most of the untidy sloths that taught Hogwarts, this woman obviously took pride in her appearance and appeared to be well-educated with the way she spoke so eloquently.
It was clear that she wasn't there to tolerate any nonsens eithere which just so happened to suit Vinda perfectly because she was here to learn and with idiots such as Arthur Longbottom absent from this particular class, maybe she'd get a chance to do so... or maybe not, as Dio Greyback - a person she found particularly despicable due to his views on the werewolf situation - spoke up to answer the question about necromancy, his words slurring together like he'd spent the evening drowning whatever insignificant little issues he had into a bottle.
Sparing a glance at the Durmstrang student she shared a book with, Vinda wondered if they automatically assumed all of the Hogwarts students were going to act like that. She certainly wasn't. Raising her hand, Vinda addressed the question posed to them by Professor Dąbrowska whilst speaking normally, unlike Greyback had. "The largest issue people face when performing necromancy is that it never results in bringing back people as they were prior to dying. They may look like the person outwardly, but they're nothing like how they were. They're... nothing inside, they don't possess a single bit of intelligence. It's like they're hollow."
Izzy was actually looking forward to the class only because she missed the stuff she was used to, like her usual classes. The redhead was seated in the back left, her fingers holding onto a pencil as she drew her comic of the dark arts classes. They were about the elegant queen and her subjects. She had the most beautiful dresses (of course in her own mind) and as Izzy drew she also looked at her book. She drew notes rather than writing them, sometimes it was just easier to visualize notes.
She drew a man, scary looking with a pale face and hummed, she cleared her throat quietly before speaking up and answer the professor. "As necromancers gain more power from practicing, they will start losing their own humanity. They won't know empathy, lose strength in their bodies and eventually are as dead as the people they bring to life... an empty shell." Izzy then looked back down as she drew a necromancer in her notes. His face showed no sign of emotion and it actually started to creep her out.
Post by KATARZYNA DĄBROWSKA on May 8, 2020 2:38:04 GMT
darkest before the dawn
"Very good, Miss Selwyn!" Katarzyna gave the blonde student a smile, walking over to the chalkboard. She would have to keep an eye on this Hogwarts girl; she sounded intelligent. "Miss Selwyn is correct, everyone; necromancers have been able to raise dead bodies, but they cannot truly bring a person back to life. Necromancy will produce a reanimated corpse, not a soul. The opposite of a ghost, if you will. Resurrection is one of the handful of things that magic simply cannot do." As of yet, she thought silently, but that was for magical scientists to figure out, not a crowd of teenagers.
"And Mr. Greyback, while I appreciate your--enthusiasm," Katarzyna added, the facetiousness dripping from her voice, "I will have to disappoint. We will be studying the theories of Necromancy, as I mentioned just a few minutes ago. The spells are too complex for even many skilled wizards and witches." Even if she had been allowed to teach the required spells, and even if she had a supply of corpses--which, despite the reputation that came with being the Dark Arts professor, she did not, in fact, possess--she would never have let a sixteen-year-old who was clearly under the influence of something to try it.
For some of the exact reasons that Miss Dagrúndóttir was speaking about, although she didn't know why the girl had continued to choose her class if she had what seemed such disdain for the topic. Nevertheless, there was always the chance to teach her the positive side of studying the Dark Arts. "And thanks as well to Miss Dagrúndóttir, who reminds us of another pitfall. An important part of practicing the Dark Arts at any time is to make sure that you are controlling the magic, instead of it controlling you." That was why it was the most powerful branch of magic, the most intriguing to Katarzyna, even if it was the most dangerous.
"So we will return to the book now, to learn about the types of creatures created through Necromancy." The chalk on the board began to write again, this time making the words Types of Undead. "Here in Europe, necromancers would most likely be creating Inferi, which are, of course, a type of reanimated corpse. Muggles, as well as some poorly educated witches and wizards, often put all undead under the category of zombie. As you all see, though, zombies were originally created by Haitian necromancers, and therefore are far more likely to be found in the Americas." Katarzyna's voice became more animated as she continued to speak. "Now, I would like to test your knowledge again--as we know that Inferi do not possess a soul, how do they act? Who determines what they do, and how?"
Even after acing his OWL's, his parents had denied Lars the option to be transferred back to Durmstrang, back to the school where he belonged, using a pathetic excuse of the "current situation". Lars had been furious. All that work he put into his studies while he could have relaxed, all those empty promises his parents made... He was aching to try out the spells he'd learned of while in the Restricted section. But that would have been foolish.
And then there had been the 1st of September, or his birthday, Christmas and any other celebration in which he would get presents, rolled into one, as he thought of it from now on. Because Durmstrang had come to him.
Even better -- Hogwarts, against all of his expectations, had allowed Dark Arts Theory class, taught by none other than Pani Katarzyna Dąbrowska. The same professor he'd had at Durmstrang, in whose classes he'd sat in the front row, peppering her with questions to the point where his dorm mates had teased him about having a crush on his teacher.
So, when Greyback opened his mouth to start slurring his, to put it in a polite way, nonsense, Lars almost snapped his neck, turning around and glaring at him, as if his gaze alone could obliterate the imbecile. This was his time to shine and no brainless idiot was going to change that. He was so serious about this that he'd even put on his reading glasses -- he never put on his reading glasses!
The first question had been too simple for Lars to bother with. He tapped his fingers against his own, personal copy of the textbook, which he'd bought months ago, using his pocket money, waiting for something better.
As soon as the second question had been posed, his hand shot up, straight like an arrow.
"Pani Dąbrowska," he addressed the teacher, "The inferi can only act under orders from their master -- they're puppets. They disregard any harm said orders cause them, and will follow them even if, ultimately, it leads to their destruction."
Slouching in his chair, his legs spread nice and wide, it may have seen like Greyson didn't give a crap but in all honesty... he did. Maybe it was twisted - like most things about him - but he wanted to know more about the Dark Arts, not the fancy nancy defense rubbish O'Connor blathered on about. No, he wanted to know what type of magic his dad - may he rot in Azkaban for the rest of his godforsaken life - used to mess around with. Inferi was one of them.
Still, even if he was somewhat interested in the topic (and surprisingly knew the answers to the questions asked so far), he wasn't about to act like Sundby and be the class's biggest suck-up. Seriously, it wasn't even 0.5 seconds after the professor asked a question and the guy's hand shot so far into the air it was like he'd had a broomstick rammed where the sun don't shine. "Reckon his nose is brown? He's got it shoved up what's-her-faces arse far enough," he asked, not-so-gently nudging Gabriel with his elbow as his lips twisted into a smirk.
But music is reflection of self, we just explain it, and then we get our checks in the mail
[attr="class","moment"]
Elias had learned very early on that no one was ever late for Professor Dąbrowska's classes. He hadn't seen an example of such strictness from any of the Hogwart's teachers yet- but he hadn't been late at all so he supposed he couldn't really say. Elias smirked to himself as he considered the idea of the Hogwarts students being locked out from the knowledge that they'd been offered up and obviously took for granted. He gave a single nod as the teacher began to talk about their end of year exams- something that pertained to the 7th years but not 6th years like himself, or possibly the kids who hadn't done it before.
Elias reached forward and opened the textbook to the chapter necessary, moving it closer to the Slytherin who barely looked at him before answering the teacher's question. The Durmstrange student scoffed when he heard the name of the intoxicated kid that had spoken up in the class, Greyback. Elias may not be a British citizen but the tales of the wretched kindermörder. He didn't know that the mörderischer werewolf had children, but the boy supposed it made sense. Seeing how the Slytherin Greyback acted, he shouldn't scoff so loud, seeing as he would probably be mentally unstable as well as drunk. At least Greyback could make for a little entertainment while Izzy spoke about the morality of raising inferi.
He raised his hand languidly as the professor asked another question, with a Gryffindor leaping onto the subject. He kept his tone neutral as he added, "Sie sind buchstäblich eine horde hirnloser sklaven. On the note of total destruction, their masters often enchant them to avoid light and fire because it's one thing that will harm and completely wreck them. It'll withstand basically anything else, even if its a dark spell."
He frowned as the kid behind him insulted- Lars? Lars Sundby who transferred out of Durmstrang in the second year?- and the teacher, but didn't respond, it hadn't been meant for him anyway. Dąbrowska could hold her own, and he was sure Sundby could too. Leaning a little closer to Selwyn girl, a name Elias vaguely recognised as being pureblood, he murmured, "Do you think your classmates will ever learn to hold their tongue?" His eyes were moving from where Greyback sat, to the delicate features of the blonde beside him. His words were a little harsh, but he was jesting. They'd never dare doing things like this in class at Durmstrang.
Very good, Miss Selwyn. The acknowledgement had a small, brief smile flitting across Vinda's lips. She had been confident in her answer before sharing it, but being praised in front of the whole class was always a pleasant feeling. It meant her fellow peers were made further aware of her in-class aptitude, something that made pride sing through Vinda's veins because it proved she wasn't just some airhead rich bitch and the professor supported this fact.
When the Durmstrang boy beside her spoke up, answering the professor's question first in fluent German followed by smooth English, Vinda spared an expectant glance at Adrian as if to say, 'You speak German. I want to know what he's saying.' Moments later, the Hufflepuff was murmuring the translation into her ear, and Vinda's perfectly groomed eyebrows raised in amusement.
"Comme la plupart de nos camarades de classe," she agreed with a hum. Did anyone else in the class speak French? No, not as far as she was aware, but two could play at this game. If the Durmstrangs were going to try and exclude her from a class discussion by speaking German or Russian or whatever their mother tongue was, then Vinda was going to give them the same treatment. It was only fair, after all... and it had the upside of grating on her fellow Hogwarts peers.
Moments later, the German-speaking boy was in her ear, murmuring a question about her classmates that had her lips twitching in a small smirk because she regularly wondered that herself. Usually, she was able to ask Willy for his opinion on the matter, but since he'd decided to graduate and leave her pleasurable company in the process, she hadn't been able to start such a discussion. Perhaps this boy - whoever he was - could fill in as a replacement for such conversations.
Lowering her voice as to not disrupt the class, Vinda's long blonde locks brushed over the boy's shoulders as she whispered into his ear in a disparaging tone, 'I don't think they'll ever learn how to hold a wand properly, let alone learn when and when not to speak."
TAG:ELIAS LUTHI NOTES: Permission was given for Adrian to translate German to Vinda. Translation: "Like most of our classmates."
Post by ADRIAN ANDERSON on May 17, 2020 12:42:00 GMT
Adrian frowned at the notebook beside him, quiet and unwilling to involve himself in the class. It'd been his choice to sign-up for it, and he was grateful for the opportunity to learn about the Dark Arts, but he wasn't so excited for the Hogwarts kids who'd be representing the school. Adrian just had to look the Avery's and Greyback who were probably attending because it was 'cool' and 'edgy' not because it was a deep and complex subject. He cringed into his seat beside his former fiance and tried to reassure himself that the Durmstrang students didn't care.
He'd spent most of his life expecting to go to Durmstrang, so when they moved it'd been a shock for him. The Anderson's were reasonably neutral, but having dipped their toes into conflicts from time to time, you just had to look at Adrian's namesake Hadrian, who was a long-time follower of Grindlewald. It'd been decided that it would be better for the Anderson name for him to attend a school with less focus on the dark arts. They had to look good to the English businessman; it didn't matter about Adrian's education in the long run since he had tutors...or some kind of bullshit like that.
He glanced up at the familiar German words, eyebrows furrowing at the Durmstrang student who sat on the other side of Vinda. He wasn't shocked, per se, to hear the German language so casually out of the mouths of people who spoke it often- took their classes in it but it had surprised him for a moment or two. Vinda obviously wasn't too happy, and so he leaned down to murmur, "He says that 'They are literally a horde of brainless slaves'."
The Hufflepuff heard the French, and sighed, giving another look to the Durmstrang student who looked just a little too familiar, before turning back to his book to write down what people had answered with.
But music is reflection of self, we just explain it, and then we get our checks in the mail
[attr="class","moment"]
Elias gave a wide grin as the girl beside him spoke French, nodding his head. He hadn't missed the Hufflepuff beside her translating and he was curious, but not insatiable so. It was a relief that some of the British students had the skills to speak a second language. It was even better when the Slytherin rose to the bait, snarking about her classmates with her. He tried to keep his delighted laugh quiet as to not disturb the class or infuriate the teacher.
"It seems like your classmates will have a lot of issues in this class, Dąbrowska doesn't suffer fools." He responded. He wondered if she'd been trying to one-up him by speaking in French before, but he'd taken it as an invitation to speak freely with her. Most of his friends spoke French, Ileana, Stan and Izzy just to name a few. It wasn't the most private a conversation could be but Izzy seemed enamoured with the content of this class and he was doubtful she'd hear with their voices lowered. "Why take this subject if they are going to disrespect it? And why on earth did they allow the dirty son of a werewolf in here?"
"I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting, I'm Elias Luthi. From Switzerland." He offered a wink and a teasing smile, hopeful for a first name in return.
Tag: VINDA SELWYN Words: 245 Notes: italics indicate that he's speaking in French credit to Laura of Adox
Instead of letting shock play out on her delicate features as the boy answered her in just as smooth French, a pleased smile wormed it's way onto Vinda's lips. What could she say? Competence turned her on, and this boy speaking three languages and counting? Definitely spoke of his competence, at least in regards to being multilinguistic.
"Dąbrowska isn't alone in not suffering fools. However, the more you come down on them, the worst their antics become," Vinda said, voice confident. She'd watched so many classes before her burst into flames - she'd partook in one doing so just last year for the first time in her school career, however it was still somewhat of a sore subject of her, so she'd avoid reminiscing on it. Leaning towards the boy a little more, as to keep their conversation more between them and to not draw unwanted attention, Vinda's voice was a murmur as she spoke next. "Hogwarts likes to think of themselves as... open-minded, progressive, and then they're shocked when certain events happen as if they weren't responsible in the first place." Namely, the events of 2016, and the Winter Ball attack.
"Vinda Selwyn. Unfortunately from England," Vinda replied, meeting his wink and smile (that she was reluctantly charmed by) with a coy smile of her own. She had to admit - this boy was someone she could see herself enjoying the company of. His viewpoints so far were similar to her own, and he wasn't as dumb as a bag of rocks... which meant he was quite a few steps above most of their peers.
TAG:ELIAS LUTHI NOTES: Permission was given for Adrian to translate German to Vinda. Translation: Italics indicate Vinda is speaking French.
Post by KATARZYNA DĄBROWSKA on Jun 8, 2020 1:23:34 GMT
darkest before the dawn
The voice that answered Katarzyna's second question was not entirely familiar, but the face sitting in the front row of desks--the boy was several years older than when she'd seen him last, but she didn't forget students. And it seemed he hadn't forgotten her either--she hadn't expected any of the Brits to bother with her proper Polish title, but Lars Sundby was no Brit, and she knew it.
"Thank you, Herr Sundby, for an appropriate display of enthusiasm." Katarzyna's words were accompanied with another glance at Mr. Greyback. "Inferi are puppets. Useful puppets, indeed, as they are incapable of feeling pain, or of dying in any way apart from fire, as Mr. Luthi pointed out. If they are charmed to attack, they will not retreat--they cannot bleed, they can even lose limbs and continue to use the rest to finish their task. The magic used to create them even prevents them from continuing to decay." It was one of the closest ways that magic had yet come to reversing death itself.
Across the room, whispers echoed back and forth between a few of the groups of students, catching Katarzyna's attention. She wasn't sure if they were under the impression that she didn't speak French--she'd been given a proper education as a child, with all the major languages of Europe, and though she was quite out of practice, she knew well what the topic of Selwyn and Luthi's discussion was.
"Je vous assure, Mlle Selwyn, il n'y aura pas ces... bouffonneries ici." Katarzyna wasn't sure why Hogwarts seemed not to take itself seriously--wasn't it older than Durmstrang? They should have the height of academia here.
Yet again, she ached to be in her own office, in her own castle. Certainly they could have added protective charms to the Institute? It was a shame that they couldn't have even tried that first.
"I would like us to continue with our exploration of the types of the undead, then. Zombies exist in the Americas--they share many similarities with Inferi, but you all should know the difference--if someone could name that, please? And then there are undead created through infection rather than spells, namely vampires. Is it possible to consider vampires necromancers?"
Izzy was actually looking forward to the class only because she missed the stuff she was used to, like her usual classes. The redhead was seated in the back left, her fingers holding onto a pencil as she drew her comic of the dark arts classes. They were about the elegant queen and her subjects. She had the most beautiful dresses (of course in her own mind) and as Izzy drew she also looked at her book. She drew notes rather than writing them, sometimes it was just easier to visualize notes. 
