Inner Scars, Outer Scars Open ReOpened

Interacting With :@Opeila Winters

Scribble
Scribble

“Anjfsbaidaoidi!”

A loud groan filled the almost empty study room from a girl as she put her hand up to her hair in frustration. She spent hours in the study room erasing more words than what she had written before.
“Why does it have to be so hard? Just write the bloody letter!”

She raised her hand, still holding to her hair, making it messier than it already was. Suddenly the urge to pee was hitting her like a truck. She looked down at her wrist and cursed at herself when she realized she never wears a wristwatch. From her ‘usually not so accurate’ judging ability, it might be around seven or eight at night, which meant it was almost curfew, or worse, it was already curfew. Frantically, she strategized a whole plan and excuses if she ran towards a prefect or professor or anyone, which will make her lose house points. The nearest option to calm her bladder down was the abandoned bathroom, it was on the same floor, but who knows whether it worked or not. Her second option was going to the fourth floor, which could end her up peed on her way to the bathroom. But, her brain was dysfunctional at the time, her short legs seemed to move by themselves towards wherever it wanted to lead her, leaving all of her messy belongings in the study room.

The tiny bladdered girl ran as fast as she could like her life was depending on it, her legs led her to the fourth-floor bathroom as she encouraged her own bladder as if it would do something.
“Just a little more, dear bladder. Just a bit more! You can do it! You can do it!”
She kicked the girl’s lavatory door wide open. It was the door’s lucky day because Aurora was not an obnoxiously strong first year that she did not manage to break it. Aurora let out a rather loud gasp, not expecting another student in the lavatory. She moved her legs in multiple directions as she stood on the same spot.
“Hi- hi.. um- sorry, I thought there’s no one here, and I need to pee, and I want to cry because I CANNOT HOLD IT ANYMORE!”
She screamed and whispered at the same time and ran towards the nearest empty cubicle. In less than five seconds, she sighed in relief as her bladder was finally empty. Then, a little worried feeling creeped up her chest, was she being rude to interrupt someone's moment with themself? That student looked rather distraught from Aurora's perspective, or maybe she just has the face. She cleared her throat and decided to speak once again.
"Hey- um- if you're still here, i'm really- um- sorry for my sudden- um- entry." She paused for a bit,
"Um- Ar-are you o-okay?" Aurora waited for the other student to reply, patiently on top of the toilet.

Atlas took excruciatingly slow steps up toward the girls' lavatory, attempting to stretch her time outside the Hufflepuff dormitory for as long as possible. Piles upon piles of assignments awaited Atlas back in her dorm and when she went searching for productive ways to avoid said piles only one option came up. This option was heading to the girls' lavatory and getting ready for the night ahead.

Not wanting to reminisce about the horrid future awaiting her Atlas let her mind wander. As she passed the second floor she thought of what it held. The study room, that always provided Atlas with undisturbed silence when she asked for it. Atlas rarely used the study room for actual studying, deciding to use its quiet to her advantage and make it her designated reading spot. The Hufflepuff dorms would always get too loud and annoying during the day, and although blocking out noises didn't take much effort, Atlas didn't see the logic in settling for the dormitory when she had access to a place where the only sounds would be the dialogue playing in her mind. If she ever failed to bring a book to the room Atlas was sure the several copies of Alice and Wonderland the study room held would be more than happy to keep her company. The abandoned toilets were also on the second floor, they were repulsive, to say the least, and yet there was a great mystique attached to these toilets. There hadn't been a single time that the abandoned toilets hadn't caused goosebumps to cover her skin, and these goosebumps weren't a result of the old lavatories temperature.

As she passed the third floor Atlas thought of the Hospital Wing. Past the double doors was very likely the place in the whole castle Atlas liked least. It wasn't the floor, or the wing itself, but the residents that pained her. Hearing groans and moans of pain, without knowing how to help, day in and day out would be her version of hell. She avoided the place as much as possible and directed her thoughts toward the trophy room, a much more pleasant place on the third floor. Atlas recently found out that it stayed open round the clock, and her mind quickly tucked this knowledge away under the information she would need if she were to stay out past curfew.

When she finally reached the fourth floor, Atlas stopped in her path and took a couple of deep breaths. Although the walk didn't take exceedingly long, the moving staircases were being rather annoying today and Atlas got fed up with having to stop and constantly figure out where she was in the castle. As she approached the girls' lavatory the atmosphere changed. She could hear water dripping inside the lavatory and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Atlas hoped she wasn't going to be the only one in there. "Um, are you okay?" Atlas let out a breath she was holding in when she heard the words. If someone was talking, there must be at least two people in there. The lavatory was usually a calm and safe place Atlas could visit, so the unwelcome feeling it caused today surprised her to no end.

Pulling on a sweater she was holding, having remembered that the lavatory is almost always cold, Atlas stepped inside. She only saw one girl, a redhead who was standing by one of the fifteen sinks. The other girl must be in one of the stalls then. Atlas approached a sink next to the redhead making sure to leave at least one sink in between them, for personal space. The girl was holding a hairbrush either about to start brushing her long locks or having just finished. Stopping by a sink, Atlas tied her own hair back into a small braid, making sure it would stay out of her face. As she reached for the toothbrush in a small toiletries bag she had brought with her, Atlas turned her head toward the other girl. "Hey," she smiled, there was breathing coming from one of the stalls but Atlas assumed it would be extremely awkward to yell hi to a random stranger in a toilet stall and so she decided to say a quick hello when the girl got out.

@Opeila Winters @Atlas Rey

What is the best way to start a conversation with a stranger? Certainly, it is not between the toilet cubicles. But there she was, asking if someone was okay, as she sat on the toilet emptying her bladder. If by the end of the week nobody knows about this awkward moment, that student probably a good person. There was a slight of pause before the girl said that she was okay. Maybe it was best not to pry if she doesn’t want to.

When the girl introduced herself as Opeila Winters, that name somehow rang a bell in Aurora’s mind. It was familiar, but she did not think she ever had any interaction with her.
“Wait, Opeila Winters? Tha- that sounds familiar, but I- I might be wrong, though.”
She paused for a bit, a memory of reading the name on the letters from her quill pals made her curious whether it was the same Opeila or not. Then, she added,
“Do you know someone named Aurora? Aurora Ranvier.”
“It- it was not me haha, totally not someone who screamed that she needed to pee at someone she barely knows.”
The Ravenclaw tittered lightly, her eyes searching for a sight of toilet paper. Then she realized that something was indeed, very, very wrong. Blood pounded in her ears, her heart beat faster on her chest, cheeks began to flush. She muttered ‘oh no no no no’ over and over again. There was no toilet paper.

“Uhh.. Opeila, uhh..” Both of her hands covered her entire face in embarrassment. Then, she added, “If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind to hand me a- uhh.. toilet paper, from the- the other cubicle?”
Aurora wanted to disappear from existence. She might as well transfigure herself into something before walking out from the toilet cubicle. This was the most humiliating thing that could ever happen. She groaned in frustration and talked slowly to herself
“Do witches and wizards even use toilet paper? Shouldn’t have left my bag.”

When someone spoke from one of the stalls Atlas concluded she was right about there being two people in the lavatory. She had been about to turn on the water to wet her toothbrush but now that people were speaking it seemed rather awkward to do so. Turning on the water would make a sound and maybe disturb their talk, not wanting to be rude Atlas put down her toothbrush and decided to play with her hair until they finished talking.

Their conversation was amusing, one girl in the stalls was asking the other to bring her toilet paper. Her voice sounded familiar as if they had met before, but Atlas couldn't place a finger on where she knew it from. Her first instinct was to get the toilet paper herself and hand it to the girl but it sounded like she was embarrassed or maybe didn't even know Atlas was there. Not wanting to further her embarrassment Atlas decided to stay by her sink.

Her hair was now out of the braid and fully brushed. Not knowing what else to do with it Atlas let her eyes travel around the lavatory trying to find something that would pique her interest. Something to keep her occupied while waiting for the girls to finish talking. As her eyes moved over the redhead next to her Atlas tried to hold back a gasp but couldn't stop herself from spurting out "Oh my god! What happened?" Her shoulder had visible veins running through it, black veins, and the skin on it looked dead. They reminded her of a boy from a book she once read, a boy that was injected with demon blood before he was born. She had always imagined his blood to be black instead of red, the color of demon blood. For the blood to thicker and slimier than the blood of regular human beings. But that wasn't what she was looking at. She couldn't even be sure that it was the girl's blood that made her veins so dark, so prominent. Atlas once again wondered what this person has been through, as she had so many other times this year. Everyone in Hogwarts had a story, most people had a tragic one.

Quickly turning her face away from the girl and muttering an apology Atlas stared into the mirror in front of her. She didn't want to be rude by continuing to stare after the mortifying way in which she asked the girl what happened. Maybe the girl didn't want anyone to notice. Atlas's eyes instinctively traveled to her own shoulder that was covered by the sweater she had put on. Discretely shifting the sweater off of it Atlas let out a breath when she saw that her shoulder was completely fine. She wondered whether it hurt for the girl to touch it, whether there was any way to heal it or to make it normal again. Maybe the girl hadn't thought of going to the Hospital Wing, maybe she did want someone to notice, someone to talk to about it.

Atlas decided she wouldn't continue to pry if the girl didn't want to open up but if she did want to speak to someone then Atlas would be there to listen. Turning to the redhead Atlas took a breath and looked up, "I'm sorry again, I didn't mean to spurt it out like that. I was just surprised and you don't have to answer the question. Are you okay though? Do you want to go to the Hospital Wing?"

@Aurora Ranvier @Atlas Rey

Opeila turned her head when the girl said that the name sounded familiar. "Does it?", the Slytherin asked, not too surprised. Being a duellist, her name could be read on a board three times a year, so it seemed that her name was more often familiar to students she hadn't talked to before than it was not. Besides, with a reputation as hers, people would spread word.

But then the girl mentioned a name that Opeila knew as well, Aurora Ranvier. A few weeks ago the Slytherin had exchanged letters with Aurora and another first year named Paige Grant. She grinned when the girl added that it was totally not her- of course. Honestly, who did she think would believe her that? "I do know her, she and I wrote letters. Do... Do you know her well?" Fine, Opeila would play along, if that would make the girl feel more comfortable.

Only a few moments later she would hear Aurora's voice again... asking Opeila to hand her toilet paper from another cubicle. Forcing down a chuckle, the second year sent a quick look to the other girl through the mirror before she went into the cubicle next to Aurora's, grabbed some pieces of toilet paper and crouched down to hand it to the other girl, beneath the toilet wall. "Here, you got it?"

Back in front of the mirror, Opeila had another look at the black veins, this time less passive but more observing. Had anything changed? Was the curse spreading or even going back? It was unlikely. The thick golden potion didn't have the purpose to heal but to slow down. It made the curse rest in her body.
When she heard a gasp, her fingers tightened around the collar of her top before letting go of it, allowing it to cover her shoulder again.

The girl seemed to be embarassed about her staring and turned away from Opeila again, muttering an apology, before she... checked her own shoulder? Opeila didn't look away. For only a second she had wondered if the girl had gasped in recognition. If they had the same marks on their bodies. But the other girl's shoulder was clean skin, as Opeila hoped hers to be again one day. The marks made her feel ugly, dirty often enough, but at least they barely reached her neck. Poor Illowy had them on her face.

Then the girl turned to her again, apologized again and then asked Opeila if she was fine, or if she wanted to go to the hospital wind. Opeila sent her a weak smile. "The nurse knows. I'm not the only one with these marks." She pulled the fabric back down again to be able to look at the marks. "It's spider venom. No, not the normal sort of spider you would find in every other corner in Hogwarts, so don't worry, it was... Halfway through my first year some kids heard noises in the middle of the night. We all went down to the common room and some idiot decided to open the door. Moments later we were attacked by spiders, everyone who got bit was in agony. I get a potion every week to keep it from spreading.", she explained.

Slowly she began to pack her bag again. "I am Opeila Winters by the way. I don't think I caught your name?"

Her hair is still brown, without bangs.

Banner made by Winnie Harper

Mentioning None

Interacting with @Opeila Winters @Atlas Rey

The same Opeila Winters was talking to her now through the bathroom cubicle and she remembered her name even though they only exchanged letters with each other and another student in the same year as Aurora. It was pretty clear the Slytherin did not buy any of her foolish excuses but decided to play along with it. “Aurora? Nope, never heard of that.” Lying was not really her talent.

Then the words from Opeila hit her hard. It was not something new. It was a recurrent thing, and nobody tried to increase the security of Hogwarts. Surely the adults were more than capable to do such a thing and were not opposed to the idea. That, of course, if they had nothing to do with it to begin with. As far as her concern, the parents were not informed with the actual fact as they kept it pretty vague about what had actually happened. If only they did, Hogwarts will cease into unexistence due to the nonchalant demeanour of the authority of their student’s injury and mortality. Perhaps they were trying to do their best. But sometimes trying isn’t good enough. After she took care of her toilet paper absentee, thanks to Opeila who was kind enough to help her get one, the cubicle door slowly opened, and both of the other students would be greeted by Aurora’s slightly horrified face. “D-did you say, spider? Was it the shadowy one as well?” Their legs, colour, skins. Hideous. Where did it come from? Most importantly, who brought it and the other thics inside? Things like those were not supposed to be running around the castle so casually. “Some of the Ravenclaws got bitten as well, and it was-“ Some pictures of the necrotic skins of her dorm mates flashed in her mind. It was not the kind that will likely fade any time soon. Or perhaps, ever. “-really bad.”

Aurora looked at the older student in empath, knowing how much pain she was in when the attack happened. “Are you feeling okay now?” The presence of another girl startled the Ravenclaw since she did not expect for anyone except Opeila to be there in the bathroom even though there were literally two distinct voices other than her own. Did she hear about the pee screaming? Embarrassing. Say goodbye to her reputation, she just flushed it down the toilet. “OH HI! H-how long have you been standing there?”

From the way she spoke about them, it sounded as if the girl had had the marks for a while. That there wasn't anything she could do except take the weekly potions and accept the pain. But how was that possible? How was it possible that a school of magic filled to the rim with unimaginably talented wizards couldn't stop the spread of spider venom? In her time at Hogwarts, Atlas had realized that not everything can be solved using magic but she refused to believe that one of these things was the bite of a spider. Especially when, according to the redhead in front of her, it was causing multiple students constant pain.

"Is there anything you can do? Or anything the school can do to make it go away?" It was obvious that the school had probably done what it could to help, but something still pushed her to ask. "What about a blood transfusion?" Atlas glanced back at the girl's shoulder, squinting at the marks. They resembled veins so the venom must be in her bloodstream. "If the venom is in your blood, wouldn't that get rid of it?" She knew it was a stupid idea and replacing the blood of every student that got bitten would be impossible but she had to at least try and offer some help. Hoping to think of something else, Atlas searched her brain for any information she might have read about magical spider venom and possible cures but came up empty.

The girl in front of her began to pack away her things and Atlas was reminded of the fact that she was in a Lavatory getting ready for bed, and should probably try to get back to her homework instead of spending her time chatting. She was just about to turn her head toward the sink and pick her toothbrush back up when the girl offered her name. It was a really nice name, one Atlas hadn't heard before but best of all it matched the person standing in front of her. It was always oddly satisfying when she met someone with a name that fit. A name that she herself would choose if given a list and told to match one to the person in front of her. "I'm Atlas Rey, a Hufflepuff," she replied, her mouth subconsciously forming into a smile.

The smile grew as the second girl, who just stepped out of one of the cubicles, seemed to notice that there were more than two people in the room. She seemed almost embarrassed and asked Atlas how long she'd been there. This meant that there must have been more to the conversation Atlas overheard about toilet paper. What she heard was definitely funny but it wasn't worth stressing over so Atlas attempted to her the girl at ease. "Hi! I just got here a minute ago. I'm Atlas."

@Atlas Rey @Aurora Ranvier

Opeila decided not to call the younger girl out, she didn't feel the need to cause Aurora anymore discomfort than she was probably feeling anyway. The Slytherin just continued packing her things, when the first year came out of her cubicle. But apparently she had listened, Opeila's head snapped up when Aurora asked if it had been a shadow spider. "Yes, it was. They flooded our common room last year and bit about half of Slytherin."

Dread filled Opeila's stomach when Aurora said that the Ravenclaws had been attacked too and some were bitten. "But everyone is... alive?" She turned around to Aurora now. "When was this?" How was it that Opeila hadn't heard of it? An event like this would usually go around the castle in no time, right? So how could it be that it had never reached the second year's ears?
When Aurora asked if Opeila was alright, the Slytherin shrugged. "I guess so. As long as I take the potion. I just... You know, I hope there will be a cure someday."

The other girl asked if a blood transfusion wouldn't get rid of the venom. A good question actually, but it seemed a bit... too easy and too mundane. "I don't think that muggle methods work against magical curses. Besides, someone did take blood from me and... it came to live. Like... It attacked an owl. So taking it out is not exactly safe either."
Opeila finished packing up her bag and took it off the sink. "I guess we'll just have to see. So far no one seems to have died from it."

She walked over to the bathroom door, but paused before she walked out. "Weird things seem to happen in Hogwarts at night. Try to be back in your Common Room before curfew. Good night." With a light smile, she closed the door behind her.

Opeila is leaving the thread.