Hogwarts: Year Seven - A New Age [IC/OPEN]

[Britanania]

Caitie: Glacies Estate

Caitie similarly stopped her horse after Amelia. The young woman rubbed the side of the animal's head as she listened to the Lady of International Cooperation ask about some of the tenants of the estate. Caitie squinted her eyes.

Did she want to go all the way out here to talk about this? the quarter-Veela wondered as she sat upright on her saddle.

"I don't speak much to the help," Caitie admitted. "Still less the tenants on the estate. It's true that Derek's grandparents live on the grounds, or at least did. You know he pulled a gun on me, once," Caitie admitted without humour or a smile. "I wouldn't exactly call him a friend, that is to say."

What's this all about?

[Arlye Austros]

Amelia Grenwald

She nodded between expressionless and with a slight hint of understanding. “Well, no, not quite.” The woman admitted herself. Amelia’s ears sharpened, as she attempted to check whether they had been followed but didn’t turn her gaze from Caitie. “Still…” She muttered, not quite voicing the idea in her mind. That was beyond the point.
“Do you know where they used to live? I would actually like to have a word with Derek Forester as well.”

Perhaps she was pushing it too far. Knowing Edmund, somebody was most certainly watching, and she had to be ready to conceal herself. Another thought crossed her mind, and the woman wondered if she was already in danger. “It should come to no surprise now to you, Caitie, that I do not trust your aunt, not to mention the Lord Minister of Education.”

[Miekzhemy]

Andrew

Andrew blinked.

"Wait, that was Derek walking around in that getup?" He shot a look between her and Ed. "...Damn. Well, like I said, I ain't seen him."

Though Madi didn't seem as concerned as he thought she'd be. Maybe she was used to Derek pulling that type of rubbish? Honestly, now that he thought about it, there was rarely a time Derek wasn't running off getting into trouble. Hell, if Madi still puts up with him, she and Derek are probably a match made in heaven.

The subject had suddenly turned to Caitie's party, which actually jogged his memory.

"Oh, you got an invitation too?" Andrew piped up again. "We actually got one in the mail the other day. Should be in another week or so. You lot gonna go?"

[Segral]

Ed Wilson

"Suit of armor..." Ed trailed off with a mixture of awe and amusement. Derek was definitely nutty enough to just..walk out the main gates in a suit of armor, Ed had felt that aura of chaos every time he had gotten within a five metre radius of that weirdo. But this specific incident was exceptionally nutty, even by Derek's standards. Maybe he had done nuttier things before. It would explain why Madi seemed completely unfazed by the concept of Derek walking out the main gates of Hogwarts like Sir Galahad, and probably why everybody in Hogwarts had let him waltz right off the face of the Earth. Andrew looked just as bewildered as Ed did, and all Ed could so was shrug slightly at him, a vague movement that expressed a very clear "I don't have any more close than you, pal".

However, what he did have a clue about was Caitie's party, which he had somehow gotten an invitation to. He didn't know how, but if it was an excuse to get out of taking a Gringotts night shift, he would jump across a canyon for it, and he said so in his own roundabout way, with a slight sarcastic hint to his voice.

"No Andrew, I'd rather chain myself to my desk and take a Muggle-Exchange overtime that pays me a six-sickle-per-hour surplus instead of going to a massive English mansion for a party." he said dryly, a grin working its way onto his features. "At least, I think it's a mansion, right? It's probably a mansion, only rich girls stare at me the way she does..." he lamented woefully, clutching his chest as if his heart was being run through by a blade of solid gold, with rubies embedded on the hilt. "Oh, if only I was wealthier!"

[Britanania]

Glacies Estate

Glacia continued to look off at the horizon of her estate as Amelia more or less admitted her reasons for visiting the manor today. She remained silent for a few moments as a gust of wind blew past them.

"The cottage is on the other side of the river," she said to Amelia. "I never really went over there, and as I said, Derek and I were not close." She shrugged. "I am going to pretend I did not hear you say that," Caitie added with a hint of sharpness to her voice as she moved her horse back towards the manor house.

"Now, if you do not mind, Mrs Grenwald, I should show you back to the stables."

---

Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Dahlia led the five Britons through an old path through the jungle, seldom used by the locals.

"As I said at the tavern, the locals have queer stories about this region," she informed them. "A force called 'La Llorona' that prowls about, a woman dressed in white who kills children. Some of the natives claim she's been known to attack any trespasser."

Devonshire blinked a few times as he followed Dahlia up a steep hill through the jungle pass.

"Well if it keeps people away, I don't mind such stories, where we are going." Dahlia looked back and chuckled.

"Yes, I think that's why this network was set up in this location. The locales don't ask questions, and we can disappear in peace." The group stopped in a clearing a few minutes later, to catch their breath.

"I'll go on ahead," she told them, "and tell the others we're on our way."

[Arlye Austros]

Amelia Grenwald

The woman’s eyes rested on the other. Grenwald could only wonder what was happening within Caitie’s mind. She didn’t need to attempt to realise reading it would be fruitless. Amelia didn’t care to hide her own thoughts either. Two thoughts were on her mind: Find Forester and keep her daughter safe. Of course the latter branched off into hurting Avery as much as she could. It also reflected into something else. She smiled vaguely, as she realised her own instincts towards Isolde once more taking there and in that company.

"The cottage is on the other side of the river." She heard. "I never really went over there, and as I said, Derek and I were not close. I am going to pretend I did not hear you say that."
Amelia nodded, but as the girl’s mount passed by her, climbing back the hill and away from the stream, Amelia’s wand drew.
The charm confirmed it. There was nobody beyond the river. Another one confirmed the cottage was there; empty and long devoid of life.

”So he isn’t here…” She muttered while turning the mount. Amelia didn’t say a thing as they rode towards the stables, unsure of that girl’s real attitude towards her. However after giving her the beast the woman said something else.
“Take care, Caitie.”
Moment later Amelia vanished at the edge of the Estate. Her plans had suddenly crumbled. But the desire she had to make things right still raged below, and it wouldn’t be long before they soar again.

[Triassica]

Raphael Raymond
Grandparents house,
France

Raphael woke up the next morning in the bedroom he was staying in at his grandparents house for the summer. A pecking and hooting at the window disturbed him from his slumber and he groaned as he slogged out of bed to open the window to help the owl out. The Great Gray Owl swooped inside immediately with an envelop attached to it's claw, staring at the muggleborn intensely. Raph sighed and took the envelop from the owl, paying it with what wizard money he could find in his packed belongings, before watching as the owl fly away into the rising sunlit morning.

Opening the letter gently, Raph noticed that it was none other than the invitation he was expecting to get. Funny. He thought it was going to be another beach party, but there must have been some miscommunication on that. Raph sighed and put the letter aside before tossing himself back into bed for more sleep, wondering how on earth he was going to get to the party from here. Perhaps there's some way he could borrow his grandparents fireplace without causing too much trouble, the boy wondered before sleep retook him for a little while longer.

[Britanania]

Glacies Estate: A few weeks later

The next few weeks whirled by for Caitie. At her aunt's insistence, in part because of her status as an important socialite, the daughter of a former Minister of Magic at that, and as the scion of one of the most distinguished branches of the extended Malfoy Family, Caitie was to host a party for her classmates at the estate.

Caitie herself wasn't exactly thrilled. Memories of the last two parties she held flashed her mind as she finalised the invitations and sent them off to all of her classmates--regardless of social rank and blood status--but it could not be helped. For her last summer, before she gained total control over her fortune, she was willing to indulge in her aunt's requests, however ludicrous they might be.

And so the day finally arrived. The servants and house-elves were abuzz in the activity, finalising every last detail until the first guests would arrive.

And Caitie at least hoped no one would point a gun at her.

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Henry

Henry stared in the mirror, carefully moving his head around. The enchanted razor made it's way around his neck, scraping off his stubble as it did so. It took a few more moments, but it was shortly finished with removing the lather from Henry's face and his stubble since. The young man rubbed his face. Smooth. Smoother than he, or even a professional barber could get it. The runes were working far better than in Henry's initial attempts enchanting.

Squirting aftershave onto his hands and applied it onto his hands and then his face. Just then, his door burst open. Bjorn Alfridsson was big. Standing at just under seven feet, his coarse hair and braided beard gave off the image of his viking ancestors, while his intense blue eyes pierced through the soul of whomever he locked them on. He had been among the first to offer Henry an apartment in Stockholm, and due to him being only two years older and working as a liason to the Albion Consulate, he had been a natural choice of roomate. It didn't help that he was Freyja's brother either.

He looked Henry up and down as the other got ready in the small apartment. The Swede asked in a deep voice "So, you intend on going then?"

Henry grinned back and said "Bjorn, I anticipate a deeply religious experience tonight."

Bjorn's face turned to steel. "No one talks of my sister that way." The words hung in the air a moment before he guffawed and said "Without knowing the dangers that come with her. You play with fire Grey."

Henry joined in the laugh and said "Did you get what I asked for."

Bjorn nodded and pulled a rather scuffed up tankard out of his backpack. Henry raised an eyebrow, to which Bjorn responded "We disguised our storage facility as a bar. Old ministry joke says it was because the Magical Transport department put an Imperius on the Minister at the time."

Henry nodded and said "Can't think of a wrong reason to do that." Henry pulled his trademark cloak over his shoulders, now shining pure silver as the outer material had burned away during the battle, revealing the magical hide underneath. Raising his arms, he asked his roomate calmly "Well, how do I look?"

"Funny"

"Haha, that mug supposed to go off on schedule?"

"If my friend is to be trusted, which he is. The time is upon us."

Henry grabbed the mug, tucked his wand into his cloak, and grabbed a nearby bottle of Shortsnout Firewhiskey, straight from the distillery. Nodding to Bjorn, Henry said "Well roomie, see you in a few days" before the feeling of being caught by a fishing rod overtook him.

The Glacies Manor

Henry felt himself land on top of a table. Before he went flying forward, he caught himself with the grace of a quidditch player and dropped to one knee. Standing up, he yelled out excitedly "WHAT IS GOING ON SEVENTH YEARS!" A moment later however, he looked around proper and realized that there was in fact a lot more people at the party than just his class, and that they were all staring at him. Henry cleared his throar, and stood somber for a moment. "Allow me to rephrase..." He threw the mug away and removed his wand from his cloak, before pressing it to his throat. "WHAT IS UP PARTY PEOPLE!!!!"

A cheer rose out of the crowd in the grand hall of Caitie's manor. Some shouts of his name began to flit throughout the crowd who hadn't gotten a good look at his face. Henry grinned, before spreading his arms, and falling backwards onto the waiting hands of some of the partygoers. Clearly something had gone wrong, because this party was way too exciting for just Caitie to be running things behind the scene. He turned his head to the partygoers and said calmly "Take me to Caitie when you folks have the chance."

[Miekzhemy]

July
Manchester, England
Rachel Ackerley

Following the usual bouts of summer storms sweeping over England, Manchester settled down into yet another day of steady rain showering down upon it. Suburbs ran quiet as parents urged their children to stay inside. Not that it stopped them, of course. The occasional group of teenagers traipsed their way down the sidewalks to downtown, shielded by raincoats and umbrellas. On the second floor of one of these typical muggle suburban homes, with the muffled pattering of rain against the window, Rachel sat half-naked at the side of her bed.

She felt like little more than a walking corpse.

It was honestly difficult to discern her from one. Her skin was pale, her body thin as if she hadn't known a hearty meal in years. Her unkempt hair, long uncut, ran all the way down her back. Even worse was her constant feeling of weakness - the feeling that she may crumble to dust at but a single nudge. Everything from the blink of an eye to a tilt of her head seemed to take all her strength. She slowly looked down at her bare chest.

Marred by horrible burns that still had yet to scar over, every breath of air sent an almost paralyzing pain shooting up from her chest and back. These burns continued down the entire length of her left arm. Even that side of her face was hardly spared the wrath of William's cursed flame. As the witch's gaze went lower, down to the leg that had since been regrown, she blinked. She could still hear him...


And as the maniacal laughter continued, Rachel found herself falling to the ground, a sharp pain shooting up from her leg to the rest of her body with such intensity that every nerve in her being went into shock. The shadowy bindings dissipated as she landed face first onto the cold floor of the dungeon corridor. Too pained even to scream, her hands shook in her feeble attempts to push herself upward. All she could do was divert her gaze, from the blood pooling below, to the crimson trail behind her.

Where she found her leg had been completely severed from her body...

“Now beg...”


She came to, and brought up the roll of gauze with her good arm. With sluggish, almost robotic movements, she began to dress her wounds.

Later
Glacies Manor

Dressed casually in a button-down, jeans and a boonie hat, Andrew sat upon a chair at the far end of one of the Glacies estate's few docks overlooking the lake, not far from the manor itself. With an open tackle-box beside him, he swiftly stuck his fishing hook with an earthworm, and just as enthusiastically cast the line out into the water.

They had arrived fairly early to the event, but quickly found themselves going outside once things started getting loud. With still some daylight left, Andrew had decided to dust off some of his old unused fishing gear. In fact, he seemed quite happy to do so. It brought back memories of the fishing trips with dad.

Rachel stood off at Andrew's right, leaning lazily against a nearby post. She was dressed comfortably in a simple but elegant white summer dress. But despite its length, it did little to mask the bindings that covered her leg and arm. Her seemingly hollow gaze stared off into the distance over the water...

[United Democratic Christian States]

David

Ever since his day in Cardiff, David simply could not get his conversation with Isolde out of his head. Torturing himself on how to handle the situation. Going back and forth between being loyal to Isolde and being loyal to his friends within the army. Eventually deciding that protecting the army from Avery's supervision is what is best for the school and it needs to be done. He even managed to convince himself that perhaps it may even allow Isolde to break free from Avery's grip if her use to him was no longer present. However deep in his heart he knew it probably was not true.

However the only thing he could do now was tell Andrew, or even Rachel, if she was awake, about Isolde.

Arriving at the party to a massive crowd, one far larger than he was expecting, he decided to go ahead and get a drink.

[Arlye Austros]

Isolde Grenwald.
Cardiff.

Her own reflection stared back at her, and the prefect leered, uncertain.
“Too much.” Isolde muttered as she turned aside. The dress was green, with white flowers on the side-drop. She liked it at first but now she wasn’t so sure the garment she bought in the Lane was fit for the situation. She took it off, and just sat on her bed, still staring at the mirror from a distance.
She had changed, somewhat. Her hair was darker under that light, and her cheeks seemed a bit boney. Perhaps all that pedaling and the stress. Should she use make-up? Isolde didn’t answer that straight up, and after a minute of laying on her bed she wielded the wand at the dress. The flowers vanished, and the drop shortened. Also the green became more lively, in accordance to the summer. Better.

<<Now to deal with the warpaint.>> Isolde leaned at the mirror in the cludgie, doing as best she could. At least it softened her face a bit.

Half an hour later she was ready and checked one last time. She then realised why she was anxious; Rachel.

“I was hoping to find you.” Amelia said as soon as she opened the door. “They told me downstairs they didn’t see you leave, but I feared you might just have apparated.”
Her mother seemed aged. It looked as though she had gone through a hurricane, her hair slightly more disperse than acceptable, and the wrinkles in her face were shocking, compared to her own results.
“I… What are you doing here, mom?” She said, unable to smile back. But Isolde allowed her in. The woman closed the door as she entered.
“I need to talk to you before you go. It is important… I hope not urgent, but I can’t be sure.”


Glacies Estate.

Something was not right. Isolde had reached the gate after successfully using a portkey. Then a house elf apparated her before the manor. But for a second she thought the servant made a mistake. The girl felt there was too much people chatting in the front of the building and around. And there were more inside the house. It was certainly different from last year’s event, and while most of the faces were at least somehow related to Hogwarts, with even some Alumni in there, she realised some foreign words in between. Some people seemed to be leaving the house towards the lake, but Isolde thought about getting herself something to drink. She walked inside and looked around. No Caitie to be seen. But she did locate a table with drinks. After pouring in some simple pumpkin juice she looked around, and somebody seemed to be causing a ruckus, as people were chanting a name.

It seemed Henry was on top of the world. He was on top of the crowd, for sure. Isolde sipped through her drink while watching the scene and found it impossible to smile. Her mother had warned to be careful and look around for Derek Forester. Of all people she wanted to find out about him. Why?
And where to find him? Derek was a bit of a loner, and she imagined he wouldn’t loiter a lot in that place. Isolde made her way out and looked around. She didn’t see David passing near on her own way out. There was a lagoon. It somewhat resembled Hogwarts, and Isolde vaguely recalled Derek retreating to the Lake to seek solace. Perhaps she would be lucky there.
She wandered through loose pockets of people before finally getting to the drop of the terrain leading to the lake. There she noticed some familiar faces, though a familiar feeling crept through her gut.
“Rachel! You seem fairly recovered!”
She said with a masked cheerfulness. Isolde walked through the dock towards Andrew and Rachel, considering she wasn’t interrupting anything. She also realised making noise while he fishes might not be polite, so tried to muffle her own steps until she got close enough. “Hi, Andrew. This isn’t your first break through summer, right?”

[Segral]

Ed Wilson

Too many people.

Wasn't this supposed to be a small, dignified, "rich-people-gathering-of-close-friends" type of event? There were only three explanations for this. One, there had been some mistake in the invitations that had somehow brought half of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry into orbit. Two, the number of seventh-years enrolled had doubled since last year, which he highly doubted. Sure, he had smacked his head more than a few times playing Quidditch, but not enough to see double. Three, this was some sort of sick practical joke that he had walked right into, right through the front doors of Glacies Manor. A thousand curses upon that blonde vixen! If this was all some foul game, then Caitie was winning; hundreds had been bamboozled by her schemes from the looks of it. Of course, it was possible that Ed was overreacting, and that one of the other two explanations was responsible for this massive crowd, but that didn't reduce the sheer treachery of this """"little gathering""", not one bit.

He waded through the thick throng of people, shoving and forcing and slipping around. He stepped on people's feet, and caught his elbows on their chests, muttering out a mixed string of apologies and expletives. Dirty looks were being cast in his direction everywhere he turned, but he couldn't care less. He was hot, way too hot. Sweat was everywhere, soaking his collar, his hairline. He tried to lift an arm to wipe it, and knocked some girl's glass of Butterbeer right out of her hand. She was tall...really tall. She wasn't glaring at him, she was glaring him down, through a certain of blonde bangs that she brushed away with her muscled bicep. What in...when did it become biologically possible for women to grow muscles like that?! Did Caitie send invites to the East German women's swim team too?

"Ich entschuldige mich?" he offered, only to receive a prompt sock in the jaw in response, sending him stumbling away with a pained yell, one hand lifted in the air in surrender, the other clutching his sore, tender mouth. Did she knock a tooth loose? Great, now he would dripping blood all over the next hulker he met. The embarrassment was making him flush over, his face and neck practically swelling with heat. It was getting hard to even walk straight, his legs wouldn't stop shaking. What was going on?

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, was he having a panic attack?

If it wasn't a panic attack, it sure felt like one. There were too many crowds, too many people. They were pushing in on his chest, forcing the air right out of it. He couldn't breathe, and it was making his head feel fuzzy. Voices were starting to blur into one, big, long voice, one big wall that made him wince in pain. Too many crowds, too many people. He stumbled against a wall, feeling its cool surface pass over its cheek. The drink table looked a little looser, with fewer people pressing in around it. If he could make it there, past the crowds, and the people, he would be free. If he didn't faint, or fall over on his way to the table. Where was the table? Oh right, there it was. Final push, nothing to it. Here went nothing.

With a surge, he stumbled forward, using his wiry frame to slide between the masses. His heart leapt harder and his legs got weaker the closer her got, as if something was sucking him back. He extended a hand forward to grab the table edge, and for a second, he was reaching for his wand, and the thick mass of people was a wall of crumbling, thick rock. A coffin.

No, not a coffin.

His fingertips touched the polished wood, and suddenly, it all faded. There was no wand, no stone, just a table filled with bottles of everything from Pumpkin Juice to Ogden's Old. He needed a glass of the latter. The air was clearer and the bodies were fewer here, but his hands were still shaking, and sweat was still soaking his collar. Thank God he had decided to wear an undershirt.

Although, an undershirt couldn't soak the sweat off of his palms, and, thanks to the added effect of the bottle's moisture and his own trembling figures, it made picking up the bottle rather difficult. His arms felt weak, to the point where he could barely pick up the half-full bottle of Firewhiskey. It nearly slipped out of his hands entirely, but he managed to save it with the other hand, the end of the bottle catching in his palm. Pouring it was even more difficult; a quarter of it didn't even make it to the glass, spilling all over the table. Still, it was enough. Clutching the glass as tightly as he could, he went bottoms-up, swigging the whiskey back into his mouth. Oh...oh, wow, this was good. It had a funny burn to it, but he was already used to that, his face had been burning for the past five minutes now. He could feel his head clear, his hands stop trembling and go steady as William Tell's arrow. His veins were afire with hot blood, lighting was jittering in his heart. Oh, what a time to be alive! This was amazing!

With another swig back, he knocked back the rest of the glass, and as soon as that was done, filled up another. The heat was now all over his body, but it wasn't nervous heat. This was passion, this was fire. And it was spreading to his head. That stupid Henry Gray was grandstanding yet again, jumping up on the table and yelling about as if anybody actually wanted to hear his stupid little voice. Ugh, he hated that prick so much. Always parading with that hot girl hanging on his arm and a circle of smooth-brained idiots hanging around him. Ed clenched his fists, the sheer disgust at the mere thought of his face rolling over him in waves, and making him more queasy. More Firewhiskey would settle his stomach.

Maybe it was ol' Ogden speaking in his ear, but Ed couldn't help but feel a slight urge to...pummel someone. Henry. He wanted to bash his face in, scuff up that pretty little face. Maybe a bloody nose would do the trick, or a big right hook. An elbow smash, like a Muggle wrestler! And then, once he was done with all that, he could take down that East German swimmer, take revenge for his loose tooth. It was a foolproof, genius plan, aside from one small flaw: he couldn't do it alone. Henry probably had his lackeys guarding him, and they could take Ed in seconds. He needed a partner-in-crime. Or better yet, two. Maybe three. Maybe...a whole gang! But where to find them?

Perhaps right at the table.

There was a student he recognized, another seventh-year. Derek? No, not Derek, that bloke was probably still waltzing around in a suit of armor somewhere. Darryl? Darren? Daniel? Demetrius? David? DAVID! Of course, it was David! His Hippogriff shit-shovelling partner. Surely he would aid him in his noble quest. If that French dick Raph was here, that would make three! Maybe he could convince a few other Ravenclaws to join in as well...

But first, David. Ed sidled up quietly to his unsuspecting prey, who was busy pouring his own drink of something far weaker. Pity. The sober ones always took a little more convincing. Shouldn't be too difficult though, it was a perfectly reasonable request. Still, it was important to start off his request with a formal greeting, clear the air. Maybe a little nudge to remind David of their friendship, their bond.

"Heeeeeey, David!" he said excitedly, striding up to his fellow student and clapping him on the shoulder. "Just the bloke I was looking for! How've you -hic- been?!"

[Miekzhemy]

Rachel

She wasn't even stirred from her trance until Isolde called her name. Andrew peered over his shoulder, taking one hand off the fishing rod to give her a wave. Rachel took several seconds to turn around, clearly trying to do so without losing grip of the post and falling.

"I've only got a couple shifts before the next term starts," Andrew said, keeping his voice low. "Just taking it easy right n--"

There was a sudden tug on the line, followed by the rod being almost yanked completely out of his hand. "Oh shit--!" he hissed, quickly sitting up to focus completely on whatever he just snagged. Rachel looked over, bid him a shake of his head, and turned back to Isolde. She opened her mouth to speak, but coughed.

Rachel reeled forward, putting a hand on her chest, but eventually stood back up after a moment. She looked as if she was winded simply by standing there.

"Fairly my arse... I feel dead..." she muttered bluntly. Still, the good side of her face formed a warm smile. "How are you, Is?"

[Arlye Austros]

Isolde

The dock creaked slightly as Andrew struggled to recover the line. Isolde stopped just next to Rachel when she turned and coughed. Perhaps she spoke too fast. She recalled the damage she had gone through in the dungeon.
”Fine, actually…” She replied after considering it wasn’t better to push through Rachel’s health. Although she had other worries at her mind as well. “I escaped home as soon as I could and now work in a small newspaper in Cardiff.” The girl narrated with a joking grin which she accentuated on her flight from home. “Which comes in handy for my mother as well. I think she needs her space.”

Although, Isolde couldn’t help feeling her mother had, perhaps, gone too far with that freedom. Again she feared she might be in trouble. She shifted her footing, the dock protesting at the movement again. “Have you seen any other of the Army? I saw Henry inside, he’s quite the party-goer it seems.”

[United Democratic Christian States]

David

David sat there at the bar enjoying himself as Henry made the crowd absolutely explode.

He really can make an entrance. While he may be a faggot in the pitch, he did help save the school. David thought almost jealously compared to his own failures during the previous battle. As further flashbacks and nightmares surfaced again. Only to be meet by the soothing nature of alcohol.

"Heeeeeey, David! Just the bloke I was looking for! How've you -hic- been?!"

Jesus Ed is already drunk

"Oi mate! Pretty good whenever I can get out of the house. How have you been?"

[Miekzhemy]

Rachel

Rachel bid Isolde a slow nod as she spoke about her current situation at home in Cardiff. It actually reminded her of her own pondering of what to do over the summer - just as Andrew got his own job. Though circumstances seemed to throw the proverbial wrench into any of those plans. A knot formed in her throat at the thought. What would she do now? What could she do now?

Thankfully, that feeling of dread was cast away in lieu of another sharp pain shooting up her back when she tilted her neck. She shook it off.

"Sounds like him..." she jeered at Isolde's mention of Henry, before jutting a thumb towards Andrew, who was still preoccupied with his 4D chess battle against whatever he had just caught.

"Andy and I got here early on. Haven't seen anyone else from school so far though..." she took a few breaths. "Everyone's okay...right?"

[Segral]

Ed Wilson

Excellent. David was nice and buzzed and enthusiastic, the perfect fly in Ed's flytrap, the perfect feather in his cap, the perfect pin in his cushion. He could see that contemptuous little side glance he gave Henry, the venom in his eyes. He wanted to sock Henry in the jaw just as much as Ed did, and with a little bit of ol' Ogden's help, he would soon be on his way to doing so. This was too easy. If David, a Gryffindor, was ready to lay down house rivalries in order to bring down Henry, think of how many people he could amass! Gryffindors would be easy, they hated the Slytherins. Ravenclaws would be dying to help a fellow member. Those damn Hufflepuff pacifists would take some prodding, but he was a cunning man, he could convince a few stragglers. Even Slytherin had some potential defectors, those rebellious fellows who were tired of Gray's big-shot status. With all of these bloody people milling around, it wouldn't be hard to pick out some ripe, innocent first or second-year who had gotten invited by accident, and sow the seeds of rebellion.

"Oh, I'm -hic- fantastic, Daniel." Ed said with a coy grin, gesturing about with his hands as he leaned closer, almost resting his chin on David's shoulder. "Although, to tell you the truth, I'm...vexed! I can't hear much over the sound of all of these -hic- people! Can you believe the -hic- maaaayhem?" he slurred out in a half-yell into "Daniel's" ear, apparently under the impression that David needed help hearing him as well, as well as the impression that he wasn't quite tipsy enough yet, as he took another sip of Firewhiskey to steady himself before continuing on. "It's all because of that bloody Henry...Henry...-hic...Henry...Gray, that's his name, Gray! He's gotten everybody roused up as usual, and they're all licking his feet, acting like he's the greatest thing since -hic- Ogden's Old Firewhiskey. Don't you hate his guts?!" Ed asked, a deeper and deeper scowl progressively etching itself onto his face as he explained his pressing predicament to Derek. No, not Derek, Daniel, Daniel was his name. Or was it David? No, no, it was definitely Daniel. He was so close to striking precious gold, to gaining an ally, he just needed the final push, that last stride forward, that massive leap. Oh, the agony!

[Arlye Austros]

Isolde

Isolde as least realised there were substantial differences between Henry and Andrew regarding how they tackled the situation. But both seemed soul-bent towards their respective goals. She then looked back at Rachel and nodded.

“I guess. Unless anyone includes the Death-eaters.” She replied recalling what happened when David visited her in Cardiff, and the conversation they had. “Or if anyone has any relative within that group. I don’t think so.”
Isolde’s mind continued through the conversation she had with her boyfriend. Perhaps she had to take the first step? Or maybe it wouldn’t be necessary at all. “I hope we don’t need an Army anymore. God knows we could use a year-long break.”

The mere thought of what she was doing disgusted her. Isolde knew she had to confess what she had been doing for Avery. But that opened a path she would rather avoid and didn’t feel the strength to go through it at that moment. The once-proud girl recognised herself running away from her actions.
As if the world knew it and wanted to protest, there was a mild tremor, slightly beyond perception. However, the pier shook with it, and magnified its wave as the wooden planks screeched and the pillars holding them moaned. “Did something hit the wharf?”

[Triassica]

Raphael Raymond
Place Cachée, Paris
Several Weeks later

Raph rushed through the busy street of Place Cachèe which was crowded with many wizards and witches off on their own Business. The street seemed just as busy as and overwhelming as Diagon Alley back in the UK. Luckily, however, much of the signs and directions were in his own native tongue, which made things all the more easier. Raph was, of course, well spoken in English and could read English fluently, but his native tongue of French was simply his most comfortable language.

With his parents following him from behind, Raphael came to a stop upon finding the tavern he was looking for, La Sorcière Ardente. He went inside and went right up to an old wizard at the front desk and asked in the French tounge for a fireplace and some floo powder to borrow. There were first some questioning from the Old Wizard, who was the owner of the establishment, about Raph's origins and what school he went to, as the place was often a go to place for students going to and leaving from Beauxbatons for refreshments, for he never recalled seeing the muggleborn's face around. After Raph answered that his parents moved to Britain before his school years and that he thus went to Hogwarts, the kindly old wizard led him to his fireplace, but not before the young boy said his goodbyes to his parents.

Glacies Estate

A flash of green flared up his eyes and Raph found himself almost tripping and falling onto the floor if not for luckily holding his balance by backing up. Although he also almost bashed his head against the fireplace behind him. Raphael breathed heavily and shook himself before looking around. Luckily, the muggleborn got Caitiie's last name, and thus her estate, correctly, and found himself to an already crowded party. He smiled weakly but groaned a little, as he disliked being in crowded areas, even if he had gotten used to them at school.

He quietly scooted himself to some food, only making some short exchange of greetings as he gathered a plate, mostly keeping to himself. Raph looked around for Caitie. If he was going to confront her, the muggleborn was going to need someone to back him up. Raphael quietly gathered some food and a drink before sitting at a table, quietly dining while looking around for someone not busy that he could trust...

[Miekzhemy]

Rachel

The broken witch more or less listened quietly to Isolde, though her mention of the Death Eaters made Rachel perk up a bit. It was one of the biggest pieces of news she had been given since her discharge from the hospital, after all. It was certainly something everyone was understandably astounded and ecstatic to hear, but Dad had refused to go into any detail when she asked. It made her wonder; Without a rebuilt Azkaban, for them to have been "taken care of" would likely mean they were dead. And if that were the case, what was to happen to the rest of the ones that could've escaped? Names ran through her mind...

It was then that Isolde said something she honestly didn't expect.

“I hope we don’t need an Army anymore," Isolde told her. "God knows we could use a year-long break.”

Rachel silently sniffed at the air. What followed was a peculiar feeling in her gut. Something felt...off about her. Much like she had been since Avery gave her and David the proverbial smack on the wrists for their...well, she didn't need to imagine the details. But before Rachel could voice her thoughts on the matter, an audible THUD caused the dock to shift ever so slightly to the side. She glanced over to Andrew, who swiftly reeled in the now-lax fishing line.

Andrew's face scrunched up in confusion as, to his surprise, he saw nothing but a dripping wad of tangled hair left upon the hook. He shot a side glance over at the two girls that seemed just as bewildered as he was.

"The bloody hell was that?"

He quickly looked about, scanning the water around them only to find nothing out of the ordinary. Rachel, meanwhile, turned back to Isolde. And as Isolde seemed atypically hesitant in her choice of words before, Rachel just as uncharacteristically spoke bluntly.

"Is, are you alright...?"

[Arlye Austros]

Isolde

"Is, are you alright...?" She heard. But Isolde kept looking into the water under the ensuing darkness. Amelia had asked her to find out about Derek Forester. She feared something had happened to him. For a second the thought frightened her, sending a freezing cold down her spine and blasting at her feet. Then the echo of Rachel’s question in her skull broke the spell.

“Huh? Yes. I am alright. Just, tired… well. Not tired.” Isolde tried to come up with the best reply. “I am just worried about something. If you guys can keep a secret. I fear my mother’s got herself into trouble.”

Isolde explained as best she could what Amelia told her in Cardiff, including that she had been acting strange lately and overworking since Isolde left her home. She voice Amelia’s concerns about Derek, that nobody had seen him since he simply wandered off Hogwarts, and that he was supposed to be at his family cottage in the Glacies Estate, but seemed to have vanished by the time Amelia visited. At first she wasn’t comfortable telling it. But then Isolde realise it avoided the topic of how Avery used her to spy on the Army. After a few minutes she stopped.
“I believe she wants me to find out what happened, so I am planning on going there tonight, see what I can find in that cottage.”

[Skylus]

Madison Goodwill
Date: uhhhhh.... Let’s not worry about it
Glacies’ Estate

Madi had apparated into the gathering hall, then Henry had shown up in some party stunt. Madi said hello to Henry, then had walked over to David and Ed and listened in on the conversation before realizing Ed had gotten drunk out of his mind already and had decided to attack Henry for some reason. Madi wanted no part in it, so she merely said “think about this and ask yourself if getting drunk and threatening to attack people is worth getting revenge.” Madi then left Ed to think about her words and left the party behind.

As she left, she found Raphael. “Hi. I’m going out to the lake if you want to join me.” Regardless if Raph followed Madi, she soon found herself near the lake, where Rachel, Isolde, and Andrew were gathered. She walked up to the three of them just in time to overhear Isolde mention the cottage. “So you’re breaking into the cottage? Count me in. What time are we doing this?”

[Miekzhemy]

Rachel

Rachel listened with the usual listless look about her at first. Though by the time Isolde finished, Rachel closed her eyes and sighed. It seemed almost as if she was annoyed, but then she suddenly formed an amused smile. She fought off the pain that accompanied a stifled snicker.

"You...don't know who you're talking about, don't you?" she started, keeping her voice soft and low so as to not hurt herself again. "This is Derek we're talking about here..."

Rachel weakly held up one hand. "Don't get me wrong. I like Derek. He's a good friend. But he's a fucking idiot. If he's back there..." She gestured towards that cottage. "Whether he's forced to stay home with his family, shoveling horse shit, or chained to a fockin' post - like a bloody dog - I'm willing to bet he probably deserved it. Because unlike McGonagall, Avery's not gonna put up with his rubbish."

The witch stopped herself, taking a couple breaths as she finished her mini rant, and just now noticing that Madi (and maybe Raphael too if he was here) probably heard the whole thing. Not that Rachel really worried about that though. Madi would likely agree with her. Eventually, though, Rachel sighed.

"Is, I don't know what your mum's doing," she shook her head. "But it sounds like you're in enough hot water with Avery as it is. Do you seriously think it's worth getting into more trouble just to find out what sort of shit that loon got himself into this time?"

Rachel started a few steps down the dock with a severe limp in her left leg, the one having been regrown and remained covered in bindings, using the posts to support her. Madi had spoken up, asking if they were breaking into the cottage. Rachel didn't even let her finish.

"Nope," she gave Madi a little pat on the head. "Not me..." she said quietly but in a playful, almost childish voice. She advanced a few more steps, before looking over her shoulder to Isolde.

"I'm gonna take a walk. Strout says it'll help get some strength back. You wanna come with?"

[Arlye Austros]

Isolde

“I’ll go with you.” She said before thinking a lot about it. Isolde understood where Rachel was coming from. Neither did she have any urge to find Derek, mostly feeling a duty to ease her mother about him. On another hand, it diverted her mind from Avery and David. Isolde followed Rachel, quickly noticing they wouldn’t get really far. Madi seemed to follow them too, but Isolde didn’t say anything until they left the pier.

“I think she is playing with fire. My mother, that it.” She started, some distance between them and Andrew. “I can tell she is still furious about… Well, a lot of things, really.” She confessed. “Don’t know what got between her and Derek, but I think it not a safe play, and if I can find Derek tied to a post or something it would be much better for her than...” Isolde didn’t continue, but she imagined the worse, and decided it would be better to just say it. “What if he is dead? He vanished after the Dungeons. And I believe Ricardo’s gone as well. What if William is hunting us down one by one?”

Night was falling fast, and the land around them faded its green for a darkened blue, and already some stars loomed in the distance.