Fantasy +lumos; becoming the light+ (Closed)

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Sapphira

Everything went to hell once Dru got back to the staff wing. At some point Dru exploded on Larkyn; how Larkyn made the situation with the kids worse, how he was the instigator, how he even hurt one of the kids! Had her brother really lied to her about that? Sapph didn't like to think ill of people but, that was a real shitty thing to do-- even for a kid!

It wasn't Sapphira's place in the slightest to butt her nose in this fight. They were an engaged couple, surely they'd be able to work it out? That didn't stop her from feeling sad for Larkyn though. He did the right thing by stopping Draco, it wasn't like he harmed the boy. Sapphira busied herself trying to 'not listen' to this fight. She went and changed into black sweats and a yellow top with a black cardigan pulled over her shoulder, tried to stay in room and focus on Cedric's homework, but it was driving her insane.

"Larkyn didn't do anything wrong, I swear. We were on the way to the hall when he saw Draco and his friends taunting this poor little Gryffindor and, well, he just made him drop it. I promise. There were other students there watching too! Oh, one of them was a Hufflepuff. I could find him if you'd like?" Sapphira popped out of her room and started yammering on as she desperately tried to defend Larkyn. Hopefully that was enough to dispel any of the lies Draco had filled her with. It wasn't just Larkyn she was trying to help, but Dru too! They both didn't deserve to fight like this.

 

[Sir Damien]

Weasley.

Never before did Hunter Weasley believe he'd be in the Forest discussing beasts and creatures with Druella Malfoy. A fancy woman of her caliber taking interest in demiguises, merfolk, no. Impossible. Yeah 100% he didn't expect her to like anything cute! Yet, here she was, prattling away about even the bowtruckles, even something called Jade? It brought a rather entertained smile to his face. The way she spoke, he was shocked that she wasn't as a handler herself. It was... cute. Adorable even, though he'd die before he ever admitted such a thing.

"You seriously can't say anything about the dragons. Seriously. Swear on the moon calfs." Hunter gave Dru a playful nudge as she moved after him carefully towards the calfs. "Though I really don't know what the repercussions are if the news got out?" A small chuckle came from the tall man as he tossed some of the pellets in the air. The pellets floated mid air as the happy little calfs took their turns eating them one by one.

"Anyways, come here." Enough business talk. Hunter stepped to the side and placed a hand on the small of her back, urging her to take a few more steps closer to the calfs. "There y'go. They don't bite, see?" His arm outstretched and one of the calfs pressed their head to his palm, allowing him to give him a nice, gentle pat.

The pair of them stayed out there for a good while. Hunter knew some of the calfs but, again, it had been years since he had been there. There were calf pups, more grown pups, but all of them needed names. They didn't leave until they had named each of them. The calfs got snacks, danced under the moonlight, and got some love. It was a good day for everyone.

Then they were off to dinner. The tension in the air wasn't as thick as it was earlier, it was nice. After dinner Fred and George wanted to talk to Hunter so he followed the pair back to the the Gryffindor house. They caught up with Ron and Ginny, and dear Merlin it was nice just to talk to his siblings again.

By the time he had gotten back to their floor he could hear the yelling from outside the door. His happy smile instantly became a heavy sigh and a shake of his head. "Whoa whoa whoa there graphorn, what's with the fire?" As he walked inside Sapphira was jumping to Larkyn's defense, which was a little odd? Something about Dru's brother? He leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets and a curious raise to his brow.

 

[Colt Voltage]

S. Longbottom

Sebastian had always been a flirt. Gran would tell stories of his father swooning the shoes off of the most stubborn of women, but once he had met his mother he never so much as looked at another woman. Even after his death he dedicated himself to his work and son. That was the person Sebastian longed to be; dedicated, committed, reliable. He feared he'd never be those things.

Sebastian could recall the exact moment he fell for Delaney. It was her fifth year, his sixth year, and they were in Gran's garden. He had already adored her and flirted with her all the time (it was his personality, what could he say?), but one day he let down his guard around one of the geraniums. The damn thing took almost took off his head, and if it wasn't for her being there he would've been plant food. Ever since then she was just... completely precious to him.

Of course Gran saw the way he looked at her and scolded him in private. Delaney was family, if things turned out badly between the two of them, well, that ruin the dynamic. So he bit his tongue and swallowed down those feelings, traveled and charmed women all over the world. He tried to make things work with Delecour, she enjoyed plants (not dangerous ones), traveling, but long term wise they'd never work.

After Delaney fed the hungry vines he stunned them, moving to her side to help trim the overgrown plant. He missed their conversations, the playful teasing, the flirting. Everything with her felt so natural, like he was finally home again. After the tentacula's were done he even helped her trim some of the other plants that needed attention. He moved some of the planters, did whatever she needed him to do. He could tell how much work the greenhouse needed, he'd be sure to offer her some more help in the net few weeks.

Once they were finished they grabbed a quick dinner, having lost track of time while they were trimming the plants. By the time they were headed back to the mentor room he had thought they were in the clear. He hadn't seen Delecour in days, it had been a year since they spoke last, surely she'd have let up a little!

He had thought he was in the clear until he heard her voice yell for him. He physically flinched, cast a DRAMATIC fumos spell, looped his arm with Delaney's and rushed to the staff wing so he couldn't find them. "A-Anyways, sorry about that back there. Any plans tonight?" The pair walked inside the mentor's common room in time to see Sapphira jumping to Larkyn's rescue. "Well now, did we miss the fun?"

 

[ZombieBaee]

Druella Malfoy

The beginning of her day had been so damn good. Getting to watch the moon calfs elated her enough but getting to feed and pet them? It was enough for Druella to act like a total mess in front of a Weasley of all people! He was annoying sure but… Dru couldn’t say that she had a terrible time with him. It felt strange to have so much in common with him, not only because of their families animosity towards one another but also because of their own. Hunter and Dru didn’t get along even back in school! They didn’t cross paths too often but anytime they did it was trouble. Hunter didn’t pull pranks like his younger twin brothers but when he did he sure liked to make sure they were always on the Slytherin class and often on Dru. It was likely because she was the only girl on the Slytherin team… at least that’s what she told herself back then.

The two of them got a quick dinner after their trip to the forest and when it was done they separated after running into their respective siblings. That is when things went south.

“DONT. Don’t do that thing that you do when we fight. When you act all above it and call me by my full name to piss me off. I hate it.” Druella nearly growled in response, her dark eyes staring holes into Larkyn from where she stood her arms crossed over her chest. After dinner Draco had found her in hysterics. Dru was aware her brother was a brat, an over exaggerator and a bit of an asshole. But he wasn’t dumb enough to come up with a totally baseless lie, especially not to Dru about Larkyn. She was fully aware that his story was dramatized and likely far from the truth but the fact of the matter was there had to be some sliver of truth in there! Plus maybe it was the fact that so quickly Drus very good day went to shit, she was quickly reminded of the fact that her fiancé was out focusing on some other girl while barely noticing her. It hurt. So why not lash out? “Just- you should be thanking me dammit! The little shit wanted to go to Snape and you know damn well he would be less forgiving than I am. I don’t think you flat out punched the child Larkyn but you know you touched him. What the big bad auror was bored and felt the need to handle disputes between children? I hardly think that’s what you’re here for.”

Then Sapphira stepped out and started her rambling, causing Drus venom to turn on the fiery haired woman. Her eyes turned into dangerous slits and in that moment Dru truly felt like she looked more snake than the statues outside the Slytherin common room. “And why, pray tell, do you think you get to have any input in this conversation? Adults are talking.” She moved a few steps closer to the girl, moving a finger to her chin and tapping on it as if she was in thought. “Is it because you have some silly little crush that hasn’t died despite years of not been seen? You think you’re friends after a few days of making posters and cheering on the kids?” Her voice was scarily cheery. “We have a long time to spend together sweetheart and I’m telling you this now to save you from another one of these fun little chats, I do not want to even hear your voice.”

Dru turned around and took in all the people watching her and scoffed, turning on a heel and heading to her room with the slam of a door.

 

[ZombieBaee]

Delaney Wilson

Delaney had a great day, she got to spend it all with Seb and whenever that happened she couldn’t complain. When you add on all the help and that they were together in the greenhouses it was so much better! She was sorry to have ditched Sapphira like that but… she needed this. Not that the three of them were great friends but alone time with him made her feel whole again. Plus she left Sapphira alone with the boy she was always in love with in school, it was a win win.

On their way back from the time in the greenhouse there was a moment of strangeness. Someone had yelled for Seb which resulted in a quick spell, a reroute and then speeding up their walking. “Who was that?” The brunette tried to whip her head around to see who had been yelling but they turned the corner so fast and Seb was on a mission. All she saw was a flash of blonde hair. “Bloody hell! Slow down!” She laughed, her hand yanking his a bit to slow their pace as they neared the staff wing. In all reality she just didn’t want this time to end, it was selfish but it was true.

“Uh, no?” Delaney grinned as she spoke, “I have a few papers to grade but that’s about it, why?” She responded as the entered their area of the wing, one that was secluded a bit and thankfully so due to the insane amount of noise happening. Apparently Dru and Larkyn were in some fight, and Sapphira was somehow involved? Delaney wasn’t sure her head was spinning too much from trying to catch up and before she knew it Dru was saying some very rude things to Sapphira. “Dru! I have half a mind to go to the headmaster about this!” As she yelled Delaney let go of Sebs hand and rushed over to her friend, grabbing her arms and shaking her a bit to look at her. “Don’t listen to her okay? Clearly she’s just upset about something and taking it out on you because you were there. Seriously please try to not take it seriously.” She knew how Sapphira was wired and this was going to really shake the girl, it wasn’t worth it. Druella was just a mean girl, just like she always was. Standoffish and rude.

 

[KAYDEN]

Cyrus

There was nothing in this world that Cyrus would want more than to have Loire fully in with him, helping them, fully sharing everything. He didn’t want to have to hide anything from her, the minute he had to start it had felt like he lost everything. Cyrus didn’t really have other friends besides Larkyn and Loire and he sure as shit didn’t have any family. Having her in this with him would feel like a whole different world. But as much as he wanted it, he knew the world of trouble it would bring. The Gaunts were his. Loire and Larkyn never actually would be, Cyrus would die before then. But for all intents and purposes, they were a family name that automatically was the Dark Lords property, at least in their eyes. Trying to stray from that expectation only spelled trouble, and not a little. Deadly trouble.

“I’d love that.” Cyrus was shocked at first by his own voice, they were sitting close together now. He hadn’t realized how quiet he had gotten until his heart won over his brain for a split second. “But Loire that’s it okay? Help me with what’s going on with the tournament but beyond that it’s too risky. I couldn’t live with myself if you got hurt.” He took his free hand and brushed some of her nearly white locks from her face, trying to catch her eye as he spoke. “I mean it, don’t do anything that could get you hurt. We don’t know why but the death eaters are back and in numbers larger than we imagined. That combined with this stunt with Harry? It doesn’t mean anything good.”

-

“Who is that guy?” Cyrus questioned as he and Loire returned to the staff wing. Some Durmstrang stuck up had come and bothered the shit out of Loire at the end of their meal and he wasn’t anyone Cyrus recognized. “I mean, I don’t recognize him at - woah.” The room felt cold, the words coming out between Dru and Larkyn well… Cyrus would have bet money on them being arch enemies not a couple. Especially not one that had been together as long as they had. Then it only got worse when Sapphira stepped in. Cyrus had been around those two a long time and they were never like this, they were never particularly couple like besides the time spent together, not like the other young couples at Hogwarts but Cyrus always assumed that was due to both of them being so… stuck up for lack of a better term. “Ouch.”

 

[EclipseRosee]

Larkyn Gaunt

“Well it is your name is it not?” Larkyn scowled , she was right about him using her full name as a jab, he knew she hated it. But he was just trying to end this silly argument! He had never seen her get this worked up, at least not at him and surely they had worse fights than this. At least worst subject matter. Why was she being so ridiculous about his interaction with Draco and his goons? Hell one time Larkyn had even witnessed her smack the little shit for his mouth! “I HELD his wrist and took away the camera, there was quite literally no force used.” Then the auror comment came and he saw red, he was ready to say something back as Sapphira stepped in.

Larkyn should have told her to stop but the fact that she was willing to stand up for him made him feel so… happy. It was nice and unexplainable but still, he couldn’t seem to find the words to get Sapphira to be quiet. Not that he didn’t appreciate it but because he knew how Druella would react. And react she did, horridly. Honestly listening to the words coming out of her mouth he was seeing a piece of her that he hadn’t seen in years, a piece of her that Larkyn knew himself was reserved for when she felt backed into a corner. And he was going to take advantage of that, even if it was awful to do so. What she said to Sapphira was just so uncalled for.

“How dare you!” Larkyn exclaimed as his fiancé made a move to lock herself in her room, stepping forward a bit to make sure she heard him. “Just because you are still come insecure little girl does not mean you get to tear other people down so they feel as awful as you feel.” The door slammed and Larkyn recoiled a bit, turning and taking in the others. His sister first, her expression made him feel instantly embarrassed by their display. Then his eyes finally landed on Sapphira who looked utterly stunned, Delaney was quite literally shaking the girl as she tried to comfort her.

Larkyn walked over to them, resting a hand on Sapphira shoulder and rubbing her back slightly with his thumb. “Delaney is right Saph, she’s not actually mad at you. She just goes for the easy target, always has. She’s mad at me, I’m sorry it got deflected to you. I should have warned you when you started but I was just so happy to have someone on my side.”

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Loire Gaunt

Loire hated the double standards the boys had. 'Don't do anything dangerous'. 'Don't get hurt.' Larkyn was a fucking auror yet he always lectured her about getting in trouble. That she was used to. But Cyrus? He got to run around and do dangerous shit, he even cut them all off to do just that! All she wanted was to be on equal footing with him. She wanted to be-- well, she didn't know. A partner? It sounded absurd. She accepted that she'd have to leave the nest one day, be married off in order to keep the blood line, well, pure, but... whenever she met Cyrus's gaze she felt weak. What could she do though? Leave the family, cast aside her name, her father? That all sounded lovely, but she could never abandon Larkyn. And... she knew her father would hunt her down and bring her straight back. For her there was no escape.

She had to remind herself that for families like hers love didn't exist. And it wasn't like Cyrus would ever fall for her, not if he was smart. No, all she could do now was help him until she was inevitably shipped off.

"Huh?" The fight between Larkyn, Dru (and Sapphira?) had distracted the petite Gaunt from Cyrus's question for a moment. As soon as she processed the question her bright blue eyes looked up at him. "Oh. Nikolay Krum. I suppose he's my fiancé now." The nonchalant statement was paired with a small shrug of the shoulders, thin fingers adjusting the collar of her black cloak. "At the end of the school year I'll be off to Durmstrang." Unless she joined the death eaters... the thought was a little tempting, but she'd be damned if she caved and gave into her fathers wishes.

The door slammed and drew her attention back to the fight, a dark brow arching curiously. Larkyn and Dru had argued before but this, this felt different. Larkyn wasn't even going after Dru, he was comforting Sapph! "I'm not saying Dru is in the right here but shouldn't someone go after her?" Loire eyed her brother insinuating that it should be him, giving another small shrug after a minute. The twins only had each other to lean on when they were growing up. Loire was always 1000% on her brother's side, but she also wasn't afraid to call him out or give him some advice. "It's way too tense in here. Want to go for a walk?"

With her question hanging in the air for Cyrus she spun on her heels and left the room once more. If he didn't want to join her then fine, she'd just make her nightly rounds on her own.

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Sapphira

Justice, loyalty, patience, and a propensity for hard work. Those were the characteristics of a characteristics of a Hufflepuff, and they were also something Sapphira lived to emulate. She was a bit too nice and a tad bit too clueless at times, but she didn't think that was a terrible thing. Crush or not, friend or not, Sapphira would always stick up for someone if she could.

Never before had anyone spoken to her like that. It was like a punch to the gut, and all she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and hide.

"I-I'm fine, really." There was a slight crack to her voice that betrayed the cheerful smile on her face. Never let anyone see you crack. Sapphira always took her dads words to heart. She just wanted to make the man proud. If he found out she cried because a girl said a few mean words she'd be an even bigger disappointment than what already she was! As a hardened senator and attorney the had the highest of expectations of his only child. Much to his dismay that child was a witch but, dammit she was trying to make him proud.

It was bad enough that Delaney could always see through her tough girl act, but now Larkyn was comforting her? Mortified. Dru was right! she did think that they were friends, she thought that they were at least all closer after mentoring for these past few weeks. Her thin frame trembled ever so slightly as she swallowed down the embarrassment. "S-She doesn't scare me, I'm okay. I-I'll always be on your side Larkyn." Bright glossy eyes glanced up at to meet his gaze as he rubbed her back. It calmed her, she was even able to take a deep breath.

"M-Mm, I think I could use some fresh air. What about you?" Her face heated at Loire's voice. Of course he should've gone after Dru instead of off with her, that only made sense. "I'm okay Delaney. Promise." The anxious red head turned to her fiery friend and wrapped her arms around her to give her a tight squeeze. "Take a breath, yeah? I overheard you and Sebastian have plans, so I'll see you later." With another squeeze Sapphira took another breath, released her dear friend, and quickly headed for the courtyard to clear her mind.

 

[Sir Damien]

Weasley.

This whole argument made Hunter uncomfortable. The Weasley's were a big family and the siblings had their fair share of fights, the one constant was their parents love for everything though. They bickered sure but, never did they throw low blows like this. It made his heart hurt. He couldn't fathom an arraigned marriage at all, and this was why! A couple was supposed to trust one another, they were supposed to talk through their problems civilly.

This was far from civil.

The way Dru lashed out at Sapphira was something he had seen before out in the wild. It was a basic survival instinct. While her words were painful to hear he didn't quite blame her, she was defending her brother! Hunter was sure that he'd do the same if he was in a similar position. "C'mon now guys..." A small sigh passed his lips. There was no reason for Larkyn to throw shade at Dru, especially not as she locked herself in her room. Loire was right though, someone should have gone after her. It damn well didn't look like Larkyn was going after her-- all he did was yell at her! Malfoy or not she was just being a good big sister. And after they had the best morning together...

Without a second thought the tall red headed male moved to his room. Super basic, he wasn't big on decorations, but that was besides the point. Pen on paper he chicken scratched Forbidden forest. Stat. Rare creature sighting. Fire retardant clothes recommended. Just kidding... Maybe. and ripped the paper from the notebook. Quickly he folded the paper in half and moved straight towards Dru's door. Where'd Larkyn and Sapphira go? ... Never mind. Focus. After he slid the paper underneath the door he straightened to his full height, allowing his knuckles to knock on the door a couple times. "Just read the damned note."

And with that Hunter grabbed his coziest, thickest wool cloak and headed straight towards the forest. The sun was down by now and a heavy mist was beginning to set in. That paired with the cold weather, he was thankful that they were going to see some fiery beasts. He knew where the caged beasts would be kept, and he was pretty sure that Dru had never seen a dragon before in real life... Was it bad that Hunter was excited to show her them? Maybe even a little proud to show off how good he was with them? See her reaction to them?

"Get your life together Weasley. This was Malfoy we're talking about, dragon's aren't going to cheer her up." That damned smile of hers with the moon calf came to mind and for a moment his heart skipped the beat. Was that why he was so inclined to do this? It didn't make sense to him yet, there he stood in the cold like an idiot waiting for her.

 

[ZombieBaee]

Druella Malfoy

Privilege was a funny word, Dru understood she had it but most thought that made her life perfect and amazing. The woman had the privilege of status and wealth, but the things that privilege cost her? She would trade it any day. A family who truly loved each other, like a normal family, not the way the Malfoys did. Friends, ones that liked the same things she liked and not just the ones that weren’t afraid of her last name. A real partner, one who she loved fiercely and loved her back. Dru loved Larkyn, she would give her life for him tomorrow if asked. But it wasn’t the type of love people waited their lives for, the kind that was written about in books. At this point Dru didn’t even believe in that kind anymore, it seemed like a childish fever dream. Especially after the fight tonight.

Dru and Larkyn were great friends, all through their schooling they were able to get along and have fun and did nearly everything together. When her parents started questioning if she had any boys in mind for marriage she had panicked. The rule had always been that her partner had to be a pure blood, that was it. But as she got older they got more and more pushy with it and eventually she broke down and just begged them to be okay with Larkyn. At the time he was the best option, still likely was. But they weren’t in love, not like that. Clearly.

Despite that Dru didn’t think she had cried like this in a long time. Even if their marriage was arranged and what not, she still wanted his attention. It was depressing and sad but Larkyn was her only friend, her closest person. The next closest was a tie between her little brother and Loire! Both of which she didn’t often fully get along with. It hurt that he was able to make other friends, it was unfair to him but emotions were rarely logical. As she sat in her bed, her face in her hands, she heard the scuffle of something against her floor. Looking over she saw a note and for a moment her mood lifted, thinking maybe it was Larkyn.

Then the voice came, her heart did something strange. It fell for a moment followed by a quick lift. Dru even smiled slightly. It was Hunter, he was knocking at the door telling her to read the note. Dru hummed confused before scooping the paper off the floor before reading it quickly. The words caused her tears to dry slightly and her lips to spread into a small smile. “So transparent. Dragons.” She whispered the words to herself before folding the paper back up and sliding it in the drawer of her bedside table before moving to her closet to get changed.

It didn’t take long for her to get dressed, finding a pair of jeans and a long sleeved black turtleneck sweater. A pair of black boots were on her feet as well as an oversized leather jacket pulled on over the sweater to keep warm. Then after a quick wipe with a moist towel, her face didn’t look like such a mess. And she was off.

“Who besides a crazy person would pack fire resistant clothing? Who would even own such a thing.” Dru called out once she was close enough to Hunter to not have to yell, her hands stuck in the pockets of her coat as she strolled to catch up with him. It was chilly out, colder than it had been earlier with the sun setting but at least this time she was better dressed for a walk outdoors. Her eyes were likely still a little red and puffy but she tried to put on her best face once she was standing next to him. “Also I mean what I said Weasley, you’re very bad at subtlety. So let’s go see dragons yeah?”

 

[ZombieBaee]

Delaney Wilson

“I could strangle them. All three of them if I’m being honest.” Delaney couldn’t help but be seething, her fierce loyalty was also often turned into pure rage. The girl was protective to a fault. Dru deserved it because of the words she said to Sapphira, Larkyn deserved it for the way he was treating both women and Sapphira did too for falling for his crap! If Larkyn was able to talk to the woman he had been with for YEARS he wasn’t worth a damn! “This is all my fault.” The chestnut haired woman fell dramatically into the arm chair nearest her. Everyone else had left and now it was just her and Seb in the small common space outside of all their rooms. If she hadn’t bailed on Saph to hang out with Seb maybe this whole fight wouldn’t have happened. As much as the words seemed to focus on Draco’s little story it seemed obvious that the fight was about way more than that.

“We’re all supposed to be there to help out the kids, focus on being good role models yet so far it just seems like bringing us all together is making us revert back to stupid dramatic teenagers.” Delaney spun around in the chair, putting her feet up on the rest and her head on the other. She tilted to look at Seb with a cocked eyebrow. “Well come on, you’re the Ravenclaw. What’s the play here? How do we fix it?”

 

[EclipseRosee]

Larkyn Gaunt

“I- uh. I-“ It was all Larkyn could say or do, sit there and stammer at what his twin had said to him. Logically he knew she was right, despite how emotionally stunted the two of them were he could still tell that what he had said was wrong but… why should he feel guilty for making friends? It wasn’t normal for a couple to only hang out with each other, back in school they had spent time with other people but ever since graduation the two were attached at the hip except working hours. Larkyns entire life turned into him being part of a partnership, he wasn’t his own person anymore. Every conversation was about the wedding or when they planned to have kids. Whether they would allow Loire to stay in the home after they took over as head of the Gaunt estate. How proud they must be of their union, coming from two excellent families. His entire life he felt like his personality was overshadowed by his last name and now it wasn’t only overshadowed it was drowned between his relationship and his lineage.

For a moment Larkyn stopped and looked at the door Dru had just slammed, he knew he should go say sorry and comfort her but he didn’t want to. Not right now. He was still too angry, too worked up. What she had said was out of line. Instead his head was filled with the want to take Sapphira up in her offer, his head still swimming with their interaction just a few moments earlier. Loire and Cyrus had left, Delaney was ready to kill him… seemed like a good excuse to leave as well.

Larkyn headed back out of the staff wing and took the shortest route out to the courtyards. It only took about a minute or two of rushing through the hall to find the flash of red hair he was looking for. “Sapphira wait up!” He jogged to catch up with her, slowing to a walk once he was by her side. “I’m really really sorry about all of that, it-“ He paused to think of how to explain it. “It didn’t reflect well on either of us, Dru or myself. That was, well it was just bad. I’m terribly sorry she said those things to you and while I don’t want to defend her I hope you don’t hold it against her. The one she’s really mad at is me, I should have done a better job at protecting you from that.”

 

[KAYDEN]

Cyrus

Fiancé.

It was a reality that Cyrus knew was coming for Loire, it was never a secret that her family intended for her to be married for to another affluent pure blood but for some reason Cyrus had always chosen to believe it wasn’t going to happen. It was naive and childish but still, maybe he would have handled this moment better if he had accepted it a long time ago. No he was sure he would have, he would have had time to prepare himself for the feeling of a spear going through his chest. He couldn’t even focus on the situation in the room anymore after hearing that.

Krum huh? Cyrus didn’t know much about the family besides the younger one. The one who was currently in the tournament. That kid seemed like a tough pill to swallow, he could only imagine his older sibling must be similar.

“A walk? With me? Are you sure you don’t want to go find your fiancé and spend an evening with him?” Cyrus tried to poke fun at her but it was clear that annoyance was written across his face. How could she say it so nonchalant? Like she was totally okay with that situation. Growing up all he heard about when it came to boys was how against this sort of thing she was! Cyrus knew they were grown up now and life was different but he still thought she would be more upset about this sort of thing. He nudged her softly with an elbow before heading out into the halls with her.

The two of them wandered silently for a while, it was close to curfew for students and most of the hallways were empty by now. The only movement being some of the paintings that stayed active this late in the afternoon. “Is he nice?” It was the question he needed to know the answer to the most, if this guy was a jerk to her Cyrus would go handle this shit himself right now.

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Loire Gaunt.

"You're hilarious. Really." Loire gave a small eyeroll as Cyrus began to tease her. He knew how she felt about this, it wasn't like she ever hid how much she hated the traditions in her family. For the first few years of Dru and Larkyn being engaged to each other she didn't even acknowledge them as a couple. The boys her father introduced to her? They ran off within the first hour of meeting her-- her lovely Gaunt personality taking full effect whenever she thought about marriage.

A silence fell between the two as they walked through the corridors, though she didn't mind. Cyrus was always the only one to not be offended by her stubborn, quiet personality. He was also the first person she genuinely enjoyed to be around. At first she thought he would be like anyone else and only want to be around Larkyn for status only-- it was Loire's mission in life to scare those people off. Only, Cyrus never was scared of her. Quite the contrary, he would always make light of a situation, make a joke, make her smile. It was liked he liked the twins for... well, them and not their name. He was a fascinating creature.

"By definition he's nice. He buys me gifts, but I can buy my own things. He's arrogant and pretentious, likes the sound of his own voice, and is the only suitor I can't seem to scare away. He also likes dogs better than cats and he's the worst. The only way out is if I join the death eaters." There she went rambling on so fast she couldn't even stop herself from spilling the last part, a part Larkyn didn't even know of yet. Her face heated as she fought back angry tears. It hurt that she was talking about this with Cyrus of all people. He was the only person she wanted to cry to when she found out about the marriage, but now that she had accepted it as her reality she felt so embarrassed about it.

"I just want to be with you." Word vomit. The pale woman's face lit up like a Christmas tree as she attempted to save herself. "And Larkyn! And I want him happy too! It's-it's just so ridiculous!" Loire had stopped abruptly in the corridor, so frazzled her fists were clenched by her side and she was stumbling over her words.

With a sharp inhale Loire calmed herself down, crossed her arms over her chest and began to walk again. "I-It doesn't matter if he's nice or not, I'm stuck." They came about the grand staircase, stairs magically appearing before them so they could descend and continue their walk.

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Sapphira

All Sapphira wanted was to be apart of the wizarding world. Outstanding OWL scores, proficient with a wand, an athlete; she was an ideal candidate to become an auror. Like the Gaunts, like Dru, Sapphira had familiar obligations to return to. What could she do, abandon her parents? Sapphira was their only child and it was her job to make them proud. Marry some eligible bachelor, give them grandkids, become the trophy wife her mother aspired her to be. It wasn't what she wanted in the slightest but what could she do?

Dru was right, Sapphira forgot her place in all of this. She was a visitor and she'd never be anything more than that.

"Hmm?" Long lashes bat over her bright green eyes, her heart pounding in her chest as she turned to see Larkyn joining her. Sapphira wasn't an idiot. She knew she'd never compare to Dru but that didn't mean they couldn't be friends... right? They were kindred spirits; two souls lost in being someone other people wanted them to be, desperate for a break in their reality.

Sapph listened patiently as he explained everything and for some reason she felt the stress of everything wash away from her shoulders. Without thinking her arms flew around Larkyn's waist and her fiery red head pressed to his chest, a small relieved sigh passing her lips. Gently her head shook back and forth. "Mm-mm, it's not your job to protect me. I'm not going to hold anything against anyone. I just wanted to ease her concerns-- I know it wasn't my place, but I couldn't stand to see you yelled at like that."

The hug was... so much better than one she had ever had before. It washed away all the horrible feelings from just minutes ago. As her warm arms gave him a gentle squeeze though she finally realized what she was doing. Mortified. Sapphira was fucking up left and right today. Quickly she released Larkyn from her grasp and took a step back, her face as red as her hair. "S-Sorry, I'm a hugger. You had a rough day and I thought one might help." Sapphira didn't think of PDA much. Her, Delaney, and Sebastian had always doted on each other, by now it came naturally. She had to remind herself that not everyone was like that.

Gently she smoothed out the wrinkle in his jacket from her hug while a nervous smile played on her lips. "You're a great guy, and Dru's a great girl. You both deserve to be happy. I can't promise I won't stick up for you again, but, I'll try my best to not get involved."

 

[Sir Damien]

Weasley.

Up until he was tortured for a week, marked and left for dead Hunter had more friends than he could count. The Weasley's were good at that, y'know? Their matriarch was one of the most loving and kind-hearted women he had ever met and their dad was the most supportive, fun dad out there. They didn't have much growing up but, dammit they had each other.

Since that fateful day Hunter had delved fully into his creature taming and cast aside every non business relationship she had, cut himself off from the world. Now that he was back home though he realized how lonely that existence was. Maybe that's why he was so inclined to cheer Dru up? The thought of her crying in her room alone while her fiancé ran off to hang out with some other girl felt so... wrong. Dru could be a bit... prickly, but even she didn't deserve that kind of treatment.

From the puffy eyes and faint red splotches near her eyes it was clear that Dru had been crying. For some reason the sight caused an unfamiliar knot in his stomach to form and a small ache in his heart. "I'd think such a classy lady like yourself would have clothes suitable for every occasion. Dragon sightings included." With a small chuckle and playful wink he quickly escorted her deeper into the forest than earlier.

The pair made their way through the forest, Hunter guiding them through flawlessly without even lumos cast in the pitch black night. Scittering could be heard occasionally in the tress around them but, as of now it didn't seem like any spiders were going to pop out. "Just glad you wore decent shoes this time, yeah? You won't be outrunning a dragon in heels. We'll have to turn you into a right proper beast tamer."

Before long the two were approaching four massive cages and Hunter was looking back at Dru with a small grin on his face. "They'll be chained to the stage for safety measures. After all there's really no way to tame a dragon." Dragons were classified as XXXXX creatures by the ministry; they couldn't be tamed, nor could they be domesticated. They were the perfect challenge for the TriWizard tournament. "Right there's my personal favorite, the Hungarian Horntail. Lassie has got quite a temper on her so we'll have to be quiet. Nearly snapped off my head when I was trying to catch her. Don't worry though, I'll protect you."

With a wave of his wand and without warning Hunter cast the disillusion charm on the both of them, his warm gloved hand taking Dru's hand in his and moving them closer to the cage.

 

[Colt Voltage]

S. Longbottom

"Now now flower, don't let the lot of them get the best of you." Flower, a pet name specifically reserved for her that he hadn't used in years. The fight really stirred up a side of Delaney he didn't see often. He knew how protective she was of her friends and it was clear that she was frazzled after the fight. Sapphira went to clear her head, Larkyn chased after her, and everyone else seemed to disappear right after that. Sebastian had busied himself brewing some tea on the small stove in their common space, hoping that his special herbal blend would calm her nerves.

"Here. It's hot." Gently he placed a steaming tea cup in front of her before taking his spot on the couch, his dark hair shaking back and forth ever so gently. "This is no one's fault but their own, they all got mixed up into this on their own." In truth Sapphira shouldn't have stuck her nose into a couple's argument but, he could see why she would. Sapphira would go to the ends of the earth to help even a stranger let alone the man she pined after for years. And Larkyn and Dru? Their relationship was always so odd to him, a fight like this was bound to happen. No reason Delaney should be feeling like she was to blame.

"It's like putting Chinese chomping cabbage next to tentacula in the same green house. It doesn't work. The lot of us all have strong personalities, but it doesn't mean we can't be harmonious. Move the tentacula away from the cabbage, separate it by some mandrake, or dittany, and then the greenhouse is once again in harmony." An odd comparison yes, a comparison he was sure only Delaney would understand.

"They'll be fine. What with the tension of the tournament and the reunion, everyone's still adjusting. If Larkyn and Dru are even a semi decent couple they'll make up in no time, and Sapph--" He recalled her spilling her sorrows to him one night while drinking away their misery. It wasn't so much that Saph had a crush on the man, that went without saying, but she felt he was a kindred spirit. He had everything he wanted yet he looked so lonely, like he was living life just for someone else.

"Well, Sapph's a sweet girl right? I'm sure she'll figure out a way to makeup with Dru. So long as they're supporting the students I think that's what matters most." Seb took a moment to gently blow on the lavender vanilla tea before taking a quick sip of the hot liquid. "Try not to focus on what they should be doing." A warm hand reached out to push a loose strand of hair out of her face, a gentle smile on his face as he locked eyes with her. "You're always trying to fix everything, this is just something we'll have to watch play out though." His fingertips gently brushed against the soft skin of her cheek and instantly he felt his heart leap to his throat.

Seb straightened up and took another drink of his tea, a slight heat to his cheeks as his eyes darted down to look at the teacup. "Hmm, Moody will probably start working me like a dog tomorrow. Want to review the material of your upcoming test while I have some time on my hands?"

 

[ZombieBaee]

Druella Malfoy

“You know, you’ve been complimenting me a lot recently Weasley. Be careful, people might think we can stand each other.” Druella rolled her eyes and gave him a slight smirk in response to his classy comment. She was positive that he meant it to be a slight dig but she refused to give him the satisfaction. “Besides my closet is much too small here for EVERY occasion.” She said the last part before starting off ahead of him. A piece of her was still hyper focused on the argument that had occurred inside, wondering why it got to that point despite it not really being a big deal. Why the two of them were so angry with one another. Why it wasn’t him who had come after her…

The rest of their trip to wherever they were heading was done mostly in silence. That gave her mind time to wander, to wonder how this castle always seemed to change things. Make them grow whether it was for better or for worse. She, along with the others, had been back just about three months, less than a hundred days and already things felt so different. Druella was talking with people she once avoided, fighting with the boy who had always been at her side and constantly thinking about how nice it would be to run away from it all. To give in to her desires and become who she wants to be without the chains of her family name following her and holding her down. But every time she got close to brave enough to act, Draco came to mind. Her brother was a shit but she was fiercely protective of him, not just with fights like the one with Larkyn, with her father as well. Draco did everything he could to try and please father but he didn’t know the half of the shit that Dru protected him from. That was why she never did it, for him. For now, she supposed she would play pretend with her time back at Hogwarts. It would be back to the real world soon enough.

As the two came into the clearing she was instantly met with the sounds of chains rattling and wonderful roars and grumbles. They were all so magnificent! Dru looked around like a child their first time in Honeydukes! “They’re beautiful creatures!” She whispered excitedly, peering over his shoulder as he cast the charm. His hand reached out to grab hers and Dru quickly obliged, holding on tightly as he led her forward towards the cages. She wanted to say a thousand things and shriek like a teenage girl but she knew better than that. As they grew closer to the Horntail she looked it over a few times before smirking, “You would like the brutish one Weasel.”

 

[ZombieBaee]

Delaney Wilson

Sebastian had always been good to her, calming her down and making her feel better, taking care of her when she was sick, standing up for her when other kids weren’t so nice. There was a time when Delaney looked at him like a knight in shining armor, she still did honestly. There was a time that she thought maybe, just maybe they were more or would be more. That is until Seb got his first girlfriend, then the next and so on and so on. Delaney realized he was so much different with her, he flirted sure but the man would flirt with a door. He didn’t see her that way, Delaney locked those feelings way deep down and decided to do her best to file Sebastian under best friend rather than the boy she was madly in love with. When he did things like this, called her that name, it made it hard. “Oh stop, you’re not sweet talking me out of feeling like garbage.”

Delaney took the cup from him gently, lifting it to her lips for a moment, testing the temperature before taking a small sip followed by a hiss. She listened as he explained his allegory and hummed in agreement. “That’s fair, I just- I know how she felt about him I just didn’t expect it to still be alive and well. I felt it was harmless and I should have realized. All that ends up happening if she keeps hanging around him is hurt.”

Delaney looked over at Seb, taking in his features for a moment. It was a feeling she understood too, the hurt. No matter how great the other person was or how bad you tried to deny it there would always be a small wound. Sapphira had the ability to walk away, at this moment her and Larkyn had no real attachment. No reason to have to be around each other. Seb and Delaney were basically family, had years of history and she couldn’t imagine her life without him. It was different, and she didn’t want to let her friend get to that point.

“That would be lovely.”

-

After some time spent reviewing material Delaney excused herself to be long before any of the others returned to their wing of the staff tower. She was also the first to rise, at least she assumed considering she was the first to find her way out into the small common area to make herself a cup of coffee before heading off to her classroom.

“Ah, there you are. Cheeky cat, where have you been all night?” Delaney smiled as her beloved cat, Turtle, jumped up onto the couch she was sitting on, the large animal pushing its head into her hand to demand pets. “Good boy, will you actually join me in the classroom then today? The kids have been missing you. I’ve simply told them you’re quite busy, all your rounds and such.” She knew the cat didn’t truly understand her but most days he was the only person she had to talk to about things.

Delaney began to hear the others rustling about so she quickly finished her cup and whisked it away with the swish of her wand before standing up to neaten up her clothing for the day. A mustard yellow sweater with a pair of tan and brown plaid slacks and brown shoes. Her hair was in a messy pony tail held up by a clip made from dried tentacula root. Some of the other professors had opinions on the way Delaney presented herself but she chose to focus on teaching over fashion. “Folks you’re all going to be late for the day! That’s what you get for being out until all hours of the night. Hooligans.” Oh no. She sounded like Minerva.

 

[KAYDEN]

Cyrus

Cyrus didn’t sleep a wink, too many things were racing through his mind after the day he had. At the start of the day his only worry was the impending task, what would it be and how would Harry fair? Would whoever put him into the tournament do something? Would the boy be in danger, however by the end of the day it was all about Loire, about her fiancé and about that small little word slip. The one that she followed up quickly with a fix but still, Cyrus found himself dwelling on it. “I want to be with you.” Loire had said those words to him and it wasn’t the first time she made him feel like this. The two of them had always felt some sort of pull toward each other. A pull that Cyrus knew would never be anything, could never be anything. Her family was too fucked up for lack of a better term. Cyrus wasn’t a pure blood wizard, he wasn’t some self absorbed man filled with nothing but the desire for power and influence. That was never the type of man they would allow her to marry and even if they would, Loire was too good for a guy like him.

The sun had risen and Cyrus remained in his bed, the plain room turning orange from the bright autumn sun. If it wasn’t for the task this afternoon he would have come up with a reason to stay in here all day. Try and get more than a few fleeting moments of sleep. However that clearly wasn’t in the stars for him, especially when he heard Delaney start calling for them. With a sigh Cyrus rolled from the bed, moving to get dressed before grabbing his wand and heading out into the world of people for the day. He wore a black sweater with black trousers, his wand sticking out slightly from his back pocket. His dark hair was pulled back into a wet bun from the shower he had gone to take around 3 am.

“Aish woman, I need at least four cups of coffee before that volume. Especially with the day ahead of us, I don’t even understand why they’re making the kids attend class. They won’t be paying a lick of attention.” Cyrus was a tad grumbly this morning from his night of tossing and turning. His attention moved to the outline of Loire’s door. His kind traveled to the fiancé again, she said he was nice but he would be the judge of that. Today at the task he would scope this guy out, he would be with Viktor and Cyrus was to be with Harry. It shouldn’t be too hard to do a little snooping.

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Loire Gaunt.

A side effect of being Crucio'd more than a dozen times was insomnia, and tonight she wished she could blame it on that. Instead of rolling in bed recalling excruciating pain, tonight was plagued by toiling over her and Cyrus conversation. She had shifted in the wee hours of the morning to go sit out on the the roof of the castle to get some fresh air in her fur. The marriage hadn't bothered her up until they started talking about it, and for some reason his reaction gutted her.

Her father wasn't an idiot. All it took was a little snooping to find out who Larkyn and her spent their time with, and when he found out Cyrus was just some regular mixed blooded wizard he lost is mind. Loire treasured Cyrus, she would do anything to protect him. A night long crucio session, threats to Cyrus's life, it was enough for Loire to give up any silly day dreams she had. He deserved so much better than some fuck up like her. Loire was a Gaunt, a cursed parselmouth, and she knew her life would be following in her fathers shoes whether she wanted it or not.

"You lot are finally up? We're burning daylight." The small white haired woman stepped from her room, a classic black witch cap sitting on her head. A floor length black cloak with long sleeves covered her knee length black dress, her wand nestled in her pocket. Bright blue eyes glanced from Turtle, to Delaney, before settling on the exhausted looking Cyrus. "Are you feeling well?" One dark brow arched curiously as she approached him, her small pale hand reaching up to press against his forehead without warning. "Hm, no fever. Were you up late worrying about Potter?" The last thing she expected was him mulling over her upcoming nuptials.

"Now just because he's in the tournament doesn't mean he can slack on his studies. He's a fine wizard and will succeed in the tasks, however exams are on the horizon. Failure there is not acceptable." Always the studious woman-- truly there was no better place for her than at Hogwarts. Loire would've pursued a career as a professor if she wasn't terrified of her future as a Gaunt. For now, though, the library sufficed. With that said she moved to Larkyn's door and gave three solid knocks. "Our residential Auror needs to rise and shine as well. Tardiness on today of all days is unacceptable."

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Sapphira

The heart was a wild thing. Sapphira was a passionate, caring woman who put had the biggest heart; she poured her all into everything she did. It got her in trouble at times. It wasn't like she had been stuck up on this crush since school. Her life revolved around the muggle world, she was the only witch in her entire family tree save for some estranged great aunt who was cast out of the family. The whole reason she was even sent to Hogwarts was so that she could learn about how to control her magic so that it wouldn't cause an issue in her real life. Once she graduated she went back home, attended college, resumed her socialite lifestyle. She made friends, dated, partied...

It was an awfully lonely feeling not being able to be her true self though. Maybe that's why Larkyn and her got along so well? He had the perfect wizard life and yet, he seemed just as lonely as she did.

The walk was the breather they both needed. Luckily Larkyn didn't seem to hate her after Dru embarrassingly outed her silly little crush, they were even able to go on a cool night walk around the castle. They lost track of time chatting, mainly Sapph talking about the most off the wall things to cheer him up, and by the time they managed to get back to the staff ward it seemed like everyone was asleep. It was honestly just what she needed to lift her spirits and not take the first train back to the muggle world.

"Laaaney, this is just plain cruel. It's way too early." Fire red hair was tossed into a loose bun on the top of her head, some quick eyeliner and gloss slapped on her face. The bright yellow dressed woman had a warm black cardigan pulled over her shoulders, black heels, and although she appeared put together emotionally she was still in bed. Sapphira was far from a morning person. "I fell asleep doing Cedric's homework. You teachers need to give these poor kids a break."

Sapphira made her way over to her best friend before dramatically tossing an arm around her shoulders, a heavy sigh passing her lips. "I'd love to be in the stands with you again for old time sake but I'll be in the tent with Cedric. At least Seb will be with you?" Surprisingly Sapphira was in a good mood, almost like Dru didn't humiliate her yesterday.

 

[Sir Damien]

Weasley.

This was all so wild. It was only natural for a Weasley to hate Malfoys, they were enemies. Even his mother, the sweetest woman he had ever met, held a grudge against htem. In school he wouldn't of been caught dead socializing with someone like Dru! But now, now that he had gotten to know her things felt a little... different? In his defense though, what woman in her sane mind would like dragons? She wasn't like the rest of her family, that was becoming abundantly clear. Pure bloods like the Malfoys and Gaunts, well, they were the type of people that would kidnap and crucio someone for a week. Dru wasn't anything like that. So... why did she stay aligned with her family?

That was a question for far, far later though. For the time being they enjoyed nearly an hour watching the dragons, from the Welsh green, the short snout, the fireball, and of course the horntail. Hunter couldn't speak from experience on what Dru was going through so he didn't bother trying to give her useless advice-- the only one that could really talk to her in that way would be someone in her situation, like Larkyn. Larkyn wasn't here though, he didn't give a damn to help Dru at all. Hunter just wanted to make her smile, distract her for a little while. With that sparkle in her eye he knew that he achieved his goal, even just for a short while.

"Bloody Hell, I'm running late." The tall ginger headed male hopped on one foot as he exited his bedroom and fussed with the laces of his boots. His hair was disheveled, some of the buttons on his scarlet in the wrong holes. The man looked a mess. "Maybe your residential auror's busy pulling his head out of his arse, yeah?" Quickly his hands ran through his hair with some gel to keep it in place, looking in the mirror as he made his back handed comment. Whoops. He'd blame it on the lack of sleep.

Hunter glanced over at Dru's door with curiosity written on his face. Wasn't she usually one of the firsts to be ready? ... Not that he paid attention at all. Nope. None. Still, he hoped that she was feeling slightly better this morning. "I'll meet you all in the stands. I've got some things to set up for the first task still." Rather he just wanted to make sure his dragons were handled with care. After they were done with this task he'd take them home to release them, but for now they needed to be under lock and key. A dragon loose at Hogwarts? That was a recipe for disaster.

 

[Colt Voltage]

S. Longbottom

It was funny hearing how Delaney felt about Sapphs crush because his crush felt just like hers. It seemed harmless at first, soon it became debilitating. That's why he flirted with everything that moved, he even flirted with the plants! The worst part about it was that he knew that it could never happen with Delaney; he'd ruin their whole family dynamic and it killed him inside. That was the thing that Sapph and him had in common, the thing that brought the two lonely souls together. He would never say it to Delaney but he was sure that Sapphira would be just fine. A little trip down memory lane, what could go wrong? Let the girl have her fun.

"You lot are far too rowdy for this early hour." The tall dark haired man gave a quiet yawn as he exited his room, his hand pushing through some of his long locks. He was dressed in a nice pair of black slacks and a Ravenclaw blue button down with a black tie, as usual the man was well put together. His blue eyes landed on Delaney from across the room and shot her a warm smile. As always she looked radiant. "Well everyone's in a good mood I hope? Today's the day of the tournament." And the first day of him assisting Moody. The idea was both giddy and nerve wrecking, he hoped he could live up to the mans expectations of him.

"And Delaney my dear, if I didn't know your voice better I would swear it was Minerva scolding us." Sebastian moved over to her side to give Turtle a few strokes and chin scratches. "Atta boy." He glanced from Sapphira to Delaney once more, his voice becoming hushed as he whispered to her. "She's in positive spirits. That's good, right?" Hopefully that reassured Delaney that her best friend would be fine. She had enough on her plate to be stressing over some little crush.