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!
As Vinda left the Transfiguration classroom, it was with her head held high and her shoulders squared, as always. To her, a person's walk was one of the most important aspects about them. You could tell a lot about somebody by the way they presented themselves in public - and the way she wanted people to view her was with a certain... intimidation in their eyes. Why? It made her feel powerful, for one, but it also made people she deemed unworthy of her time less likely to approach her.
Her short heeled shoes clicking on the concrete floor with each step, Vinda sought out the one person she'd been keeping her eyes trained on over the last few days: Wolfgang. It was clear by the way he had presenting himself that everything was not alright. He looked like an absolute disgrace, something that Vinda considered a pity, because she'd grown to actually enjoy his company somewhat and she didn't want to be associated with someone who didn't take pride in his own appearance.
Finally catching sight of him leaving the classroom, Vinda all but marched in his direction, arching a perfectly groomed eyebrow as she halted in front of him. "You're starting to resemble Arthur Longbottom with your grooming habits, Wolfgang," she said simply, before continuing, "what is so wrong that you're showing up to class looking like this? If you're having some sort of trivial relationship problems with Isobel, I must say - you're never going to win her over looking like this."
For the first week of September, Wolfgang had been absent from classes. He'd barely even left his bed, and then only if he was absolutely starving -- then he ran down to the kitchen's, not daring to show his face in the Great Hall. The other reason why he'd leave his room was when his new roommate, Kalevi, offered to... Take his mind off of things, so to say.
Why?
Because of Ludwig.
Because he'd seen his boggart walk the halls of Hogwarts, only this one couldn't be cast away with a simple spell.
His presence terrified him.
What did Ludwig know? And what would he do, if he found out? He'd already spent enough of his nerves when Isobel had found out. He hadn't cared about his reputation then, all he cared for was not losing her.
But now? Ludwig had no reason to not ruin him.
A week had passed, and Wolfgang's current lifestyle wasn't cutting it anymore. After a lot of deliberation and one more missed lesson, Wolfgang finally got himself out of his room and off to Transfiguration class. He'd regretted the decision immediately, everything from his gait to the abhorrent state his hair was in was drawing confused looks from his classmates -- because this wasn't the Wolfgang they were used to.
He'd tried to ignore it and just sit quietly, pretending he didn't exist, but as soon as he walked out of class, someone cornered him.
And not just someone.
Vinda Selywn. To her, reputation was everything. And by her tone it was very much apparent that her opinion of Wolfgang had slipped into the negatives.
"Good day to you too," he answered, casting a timid glance around. The blonde, who was quite a bit shorter than Wolfgang, was staring him down, even from below, and it made him terribly uncomfortable. "I assure you, this has nothing to do with Isobel. It really isn't something you should concern yourself with, Vinda. Best for us both, if you don't."
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It didn't pass by Vinda's critical gaze the way Wolfgang's eyes were darting, almost as though he was... nervous being seen speaking to her. It was strange - unlike a lot of people in Hogwarts, he'd never acted like a skittish little rodent around her. What had changed? Did he no longer want to associate with her thanks to rumours flying about? Vinda's lips pursed at the thought before she said, "If you're hesitant about being seen talking to me, I'm open to moving this into a classroom."
It really isn't something you should concern yourself with. "I think I'm perfectly capable of choosing what and what doesn't concern me," she said, giving him a pointed glance as if to say, 'and you do.' The thought of this not involving Isobel had Vinda pausing because why would he dare leave the common room looking like this if he wasn't in the throes of deep relationship depression? But Vinda didn't hazard any other guesses. She didn't know his life intimately enough to do so, and she wasn't about to look foolish by taking stabs in the dark.
Clearing her throat, Vinda decided to fill the silence by saying, "If you need a brush, I carry one in my bag - so you can fix your bird's nest right now, that is. I'd offer to do it for you but... you're not a child, and I have zero desire to play mother."
Hearing Vinda run with the theory that he, for whatever reason, had no wish to be seen in her company stung. Although he had to be on top of his game whenever she was around, his every breath suave and charming, he enjoyed her presence. It had kept him sharp, and, while he wouldn't use the word 'friend' about her... There was something akin a friendship there.
"No, no, your company is no encumbrance. In my current state I'd even go as far to say it's a honor you're willing to be seen next to me." He glanced around one more time, before continuing, "But I would gladly accept moving into the classroom."
Indeed, he didn't quite know what to make of the concern Vinda was showing towards him, no matter how formal and proper. And when she offered him her hairbrush, Wolfgang had to try really hard to not looked like a deer in the headlights.
"I'll take you up on that, too." he said, closing the classroom door behind them. For a moment he mused about how the concept of Vinda being a mother sounded both amusing and terrifying, not that he'd ever say such a thing out loud, but then he sighed, running a hand through his hair as he waited for Vinda to get out her hairbrush.
"I'm avoiding someone, you're right. It's- It's," the volume of his voice dropped barely above a whisper. He didn't think Ludwig was on the other side of the door, with his ear pressed to it, but he sure felt like it.
He knew Vinda would have gotten the truth out of him one way or another, so it was better to just be out with it.
"The new librarian, from Durmstrang. He's... He's my brother."
MADE BY VEL OF GS, WW + ADOX 2.0
1.75m (5'9")| Open relationship with ISOBEL LINWOOD | Bisexual | English
There was no denying that Vinda felt a heady rush of pride as Wolfgang confirmed yes, being in her company was an honour. She knew this to be true herself - after all, she was an intelligent, pureblood woman - however, most of their classmates would fight tooth and nail rather than admit that. Apparently they viewed her to be a bitch to the highest degree instead. "I'm glad to see you still have some sense about you," she said, a small, pleased smile flickering on her lips. It was gone as soon as one could blink, however.
As they disappeared into the classroom together, Vinda reached into her bag to pull out a silver-handled brush, passing it to Wolfgang. Then grasping her wand, she cast a quick cleaning spell over two dust ladened tables - honestly, how did the caretaker let them reach this state? - before carefully inspecting them. Naturally, they were spotless thanks to her flawless wandwork and Vinda perched her bottom onto one of them, before gesturing to Wolfgang that he should sit too.
The news that Wolfgang had been avoiding someone didn't come as a surprise given his behaviour, but Vinda leaned forward in interest because the real question was who? Who was Wolfgang so fearful of that he'd resigned himself to his dorms for the first week of school? Then he made the big reveal - the librarian from Durmstrang was his brother and... well... wasn't that anti-climatic?
"I understand that having a brother as a... librarian would be... well, embarrassing, Wolfgang, but not to the point where you would hide from everyone," she said, giving him an unimpressed once over before letting out a labourious sigh. "But honestly, nobody cares enough about the library staff for that to affect your reputation. They may as well be wearing invisibility cloaks. They're... barely even a blip on anybody's radar."
His arms moved swiftly over his head, even a bit forcefully as he let the silver hairbrush through his tangled hair. It felt greasy -- he'd applied his hair gel with a heavy hand that morning, and he was well aware it looked like utter crap. But he couldn't find the energy to care about his looks...Not right now.
His hand froze in mid-brush when Vinda mocked him for fearing a librarian. A frustrated sigh escaped his nose as he handed the hairbrush back to her and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Vinda, do you think me so shallow that I'd be cowering like this because he's a librarian?" Librarians actually were quite necessary for an intellectual society, but he wasn't going to start that debate right now, and especially not with Vinda. For all the Slytherin qualities Wolfgang exhibited, learning was still something that mattered to him a great deal, and-- No, this was not the time to get upset about that.
"I don't suppose you have noticed during O'Connor's classes, but that man is my boggart. I do not wish to get into the details of why," he continued, his speech becoming faster and his fingers digging into the fabric of his black dress shirt, "But that man terrifies me. I am in danger, Vinda. I fear my life, so excuse me for not being my flawless, charming self."
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1.75m (5'9")| Open relationship with ISOBEL LINWOOD | Bisexual | English
"I know I'm intelligent, Wolfgang, but I can't deduct why else you would be scared of your brother when you give me no other details about him other than the fact he's the new librarian," Vinda said, her voice veering on becoming waspish. What other reason could there be for Wolfgang to run and hide from him? To let himself devolve into... this state? A state where he had enough grease in his hair for the house elves to fry enough chips for the entire Ravenclaw table?
It turned out Vinda wasn't privy to the reason why Wolfgang's brother had him hiding but it must have been a good one as Wolfgang revealed that his boggart was his brother. "I haven't actually met the librarian yet so no, I didn't notice he was the boggart you see," she said, stepping forward. There was a chance that she had seen him in passing, however paid him no notice, orcertainly not enough to pick-up on the resemblance he held to Wolfgang.
After a moment of pausing, Vinda stepped forward because Wolfgang's voice had quickened, growing panicked, and his fingers clenched into his shirt. It reminded her of Adrian that day... of someone who was absolutely terrified and she was felt with the rare desire to help. "Wolfgang, let go of your shirt. It's about to rip," she said, words firm. "If you need to hold onto something, then... my hands are available, although I'll have to hex you if you break any of my bones." Vinda's tone didn't change one iota to indicate that she was joking, though her lips very slightly twitched.
The thought of holding Vinda's hands was so alien and unfathomable that it snapped Wolfgang out of his panic a few moments, his grip loosening as he blinked a few times.
Vinda was offering him to hold her hand? Rather than telling him to get his shit together or going off about how he is absolutely undignified and that everyone in Hogwarts will hear about this, and that she'll ruin him by getting to the bottom of his secrets-- Okay, if she was to attempt that last part, telling Wolfgang of all people about it would be utterly idiotic.
"I, uh, no, thank you," he muttered, choosing to grab onto the desk nearest to them, his nails digging into the wooden surface -- he really needed to cut them.
"I feel like I see him at the corner of my vision all the time, and I can't deal with it, I can scarcely breathe whenever I even think about having to pass the library," he resumed his ramblings once the surprise was shaken off, "And considering this is our 7th year, I need the library. And I know that he can't do anything to me while I'm at Hogwarts, at least not physically, it still doesn't stop him from any other harassment he might decide on, and.. Just look at me! This is after a week! I won't last an entire year!"
It did occur to Vinda that perhaps she ought to be offended by Wolfgang's refusal of her very kind offer - after all, it wasn't like her hands were riddled with dragon pox - but... truthfully, it was a bit of a relief. She didn't fancy having her hands drenched in sweat from Wolfgang's. His hands were no doubt clammy and slippery and all those disgusting textures Vinda tried to avoid. As it was, her offer got Wolfgang to release his shirt, so she considered that a win in her favour.
Quietly, Vinda took in everything that Wolfgang was saying, listening as he laid out his raw fear in front of her. He was frightened of his brother to the point where he was having what sounded like panic attacks, his throat constricting when he passed the older man's workplace. "Do you want me to deal with him?" she asked, inspecting her nails briefly. They looked to be in fine thigh-digging shape today, and she wasn't above accidentally doing that to someone as unimportant as a library worker. "Or perhaps I can dig up when he actually works in the library, so you can go during his off-hours?"
Vinda's words sent shivers down his spine, his brown eyes flickering back to her face, narrowing as he took a moment to try and figure out what exactly she meant. The phrase could imply many a thing, starting from simply telling Ludwig to fuck off to a dead body in the bushes of the Forbidden Forest. And Vinda Selywn was the kind who, by Wolfgang's thoughts, could get away with the latter. She was rich, came from a powerful family, and in the grand scale of things, Ludwig was a nobody, just as much as Wolfgang was. Nobody would make a fuss over his death -- except, maybe, the Durmstrangians, if someone actually gave a damn about his brother there...
The idea was tempting, and without a doubt Wolfgang had fantasized about wiping Ludwig off the face of this earth for the last week or so, but there was one 'but'.
Isobel. Isobel would immediately suspect Wolfgang, which would bring unnecessary tension to their relationship, and if she would find out that he roped Vinda into doing his dirty work... There would be no repairing that, and Wolfgang could very well just make himself the next dead Kallenbach after that.
"I really do appreciate the offer," he said, looking Vinda straight in the eye, "But just the work schedule will be enough. Thank you, Vinda."
MADE BY VEL OF GS, WW + ADOX 2.0
1.75m (5'9")| Open relationship with ISOBEL LINWOOD | Bisexual | English
