20 Sep 2021, 13:24
Heir to Despair
After his third school year had started, things quickly and easily got back into a familiar rhythm. Even though he had spent much of his second year dreading the return to his home, he had scrapped by unscathed, if not victorious. Summer camp had not been uneventful, especially with the terrible explosion that actually took the life of some of the visiting students, but all things considered, it had been a pleasant return. As much as Hogwarts was a place that revealed horrors worse than his most imaginative nightmares, it was also where his people were. People that knew who he was, called him by his name, loved him.
Not that his family didn't love him, he was sure that they must. Even if he disagreed with what they stood for, or how they treated him, they still intended the best for him. At least Val did. At least he said he did. As far as his family went, he was now more confused than ever. Even when it came to himself and the path he had been walking on his entire life, he was no longer certain. He no longer felt the conviction he used to that he knew what was pure and what was evil, whether good intentions mattered, or whether honesty was truly virtuous. It bothered him deeply, underneath his skin.
But otherwise, it was exercise, classes, socializing and studying as usual. He had many people interested in busying him with their problems, and with the new electives, there were so many more books to read. He was not as far ahead as he would like for comfort, as last year he had time to do a lot of preparation over summer. He longed for those young days when he was still naïve. These days, seeing new first years made him feel a sting of bitterness. They were all so small and stupid, they didn't know what they were getting themselves into, how hard life was. He kept it to himself though, no one wanted to hear his grumbling.
He was always glad to run into a familiar face. Friends were a far leap from acquaintances as far as he was concerned. Even doubly so when he caught a glance of Winnie Harper in the hall, someone who he was on the brink of hunting down in order to return the book she lent him. She was a bit of a special case, since his first meeting with her had coincidentally been in a vulnerable place for him. Not only that, but her family owned a bookstore he liked in Dublin. He had gone there more than a few times, since one of his father's stables was near enough that they visited the city often while he was growing up.
The book she gave him had been an unprecedented surprise-- he hardly expected a sweet, socially awkward girl a school year below him to offer one of the most visceral, if not poetically humorous books he had ever read. It was deeply character focused, and at times difficult to stomach. Still, it was highly entertaining both as a Muggle's interpretation of magic and a pulpy thriller. He was eager to tell her how much he had enjoyed it, and whether she had further suggestions.
"Winnie~!" He'd call, a song-like ring to his voice. He'd wave to get her attention, but when the crowd realized who the tall boy was that waded through them, most of them made way. "Stay put!"
Once he was by her side, he was already digging the book out of his bag and handing it over, a warm smile on his face, expectant of the thrilling discussion they were about to have about the book's themes and characters. He had so many thoughts, so much to share. If his last interaction with her was anything to go off of, she would be just as interested in having a hefty discussion.
"I really loved it, thank you." He searched her expression expectantly, confusion starting to grow the longer she didn't acknowledge him.
@Winnie Harper
Last edited by Koko Riddle on 20 Sep 2021, 14:01, edited 1 time in total.
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
30 Sep 2021, 20:13
Heir to Despair
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Winnie Harper had spent most of September with her cherish boyfriend, Mathias Pride. She had to ensure he got to class safely. The two also took walks together after meals and had fallen into a pretty nice routine as theend of September drew closer and the darkness of October threatened to make an appearance. Her birthday was also soon, and she had started to map out who she wanted to send invitations too.
A growing issue in the girl's life was that she could no longer remember a lot of the friends she had made, in part thanks to the devious actions of Levi Drakos, whom she assumed had poisoned her food and caused her to forget most of last spring. At least, that was what Mathias had told her, and who was she to question the boy she trusted most in this twisted world? Certainly not Winnie. Still, she would need to find a way to rediscover her lost friends. Luckily a few had already approached her on their own and would not need her guidance, but she and a certain Slytherin had still not had the chance to meet.
Tucked away in the safety of the study room, Winnie had carefully wrote the name of two people she had apparently forgotten. Next to their names were notes, memories those she had reconnected with had shared with her. There was Levi Drakos, the case of her despair. Apparently she had written a poem for him after he had sung her a song. She didn't want to believe she had feelings for the Gryffindor after what he had done, but why had she written such a poem of longing? It made her insides curl a shiver rush up her spine. There was also Santario Martin, a sweet Slytherin whom she had grown closer to lately.
There had to be more, right? But them, if there was more, why had they still not approached her? It was with a sigh that she closed her notebook and shoved it into her satchel, swinging the leather bag over her shoulder. It was growing later in the day, and the Ravenclaw decided to stop taking notes and head back towards the Slytherin dorm to see if Matt was around. Her head had started to pound and usually he was by her side to chase after the lingering fog. As she made her way down the corridors, she suddenly heard the call of her name. She paused in place, turning around to watch a rather handsome boy walking towards her.
Wait, why was he calling her name? He looked too cool to be her friend. Even some of the students were staring at him.
He could light a room with the warm smile he offered her, and Winnie's cheeks heated up as she was passed a novel. "Huh?" She glanced downwards, blinking at the cover of a Stephen King book she recognized. She flipped open the cover to see the name 'Winnie Harper' scribbled inside. Ah, so it did belong to her. "This is my book!" She blurted out in surprise. Who was this boy? She wouldn't lend a book to just anyone. He had to know her. Was he a lost friend? She tucked her long locks behind her ear, her vision flickering up to the older boy.
"I.. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Um, this is going to sound strange but... C-Can we go someplace private...? I have to tell you something." Her brow was furrowed as she glanced around at the students present. She didn't want news of her memory loss whispered among her peers. She would attempt to take Flash's arm, and, if he accepted, lead him away from the crowd and around the corner, where there were no lingering eyes. If he declined, she would ask him to follow her to the same area.
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│ │ | │ │ | STA: 15 • EVA: 18 • STR: 8 WIS: 11 • ARC: 7 • ACC: 17 | │ │ | • Healing Sage • Muggle Condition • Paragon of Health • • Poison Resistance • Animagus • Wandmaker • Lovely Creature • | │ │ | │ │ |
18 Oct 2021, 14:05
Heir to Despair
When he gave her the book, the reaction was a far cry from what he expected. For one, she acknowledged him with not even a scrap of the eager enthusiasm from their first encounter, then she checked for her name in the book and exclaimed surprise loudly, as if she could scarcely believe the exchange was occurring. Something was not right, which put Flash off. His smile was gone by then, exchanged for a look of concern. He'd train his eyes on her, looking for any kind of detail that could explain the discrepancy between reality and his expectations, but it was simply unclear.
Luckily, he wouldn't be abandoned in the dark, as after a few fleeting words of placation, she asked if he would follow her to a secluded location. Though an alarming statement coming from some, Winnie was a non-threatening presence, a girl who was brought to near tears by the mere thought of causing him disturbance in the past. Flash nodded solemnly, mentally preparing himself for whatever words of hers needed privacy to be spoken. It was a bit jarring to go from elation to seriousness so swiftly, but it was a transition he was sadly used to. He would let his arm be guided to her desired location, not sparing more than a moment from arriving before confronting the issue.
"What's wrong?" He crossed his arms, mostly for warmth, but partially in a subconscious feeling of defensiveness.
@Winnie Harper
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
30 Dec 2021, 21:40
Heir to Despair
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Winnie felt more secure hidden away from the prying eyes of her peers, but she recognized she would now need to break the news to this nice boy, as she had done with a few others. She gnawed nervously at her bottom lip, her brows knit together as she tried to think of the best way to tell him. She didn't want to beat around the bush, so perhaps a direct method was the best choice of action. Her eyes were cast downwards as she turned towards the boy, almost mimicking the appearance of a dog who had just been scolded. "Um... Well..." She just had to spit it out already. She hugged the book against her chest, forcing herself to look at the rather handsome boy. He had a very nice set of eyes, two different colours.
"The truth is... I don't know who you are." Wait, that came out a bit harsher than she meant it to. She quickly shook her head. "W-What I mean to say is that... A few months ago, I was given a potion and I forgot several months of my life." With the news of her amnesia, she released a breath she had not known she was holding. "I have been trying to piece together the pieces. I seem to have forgotten during August, at summer camp. I can clearly remember everything before May of this year, but other things are a blur... My boyfriend has been helping me, if we're friends I'm sure you know him... His name is Matt Pride." She then tried to offer the boy a weak smile, "O-On the bright side, I am really happy to have found you! It means that we get to reconnect, and maybe you can help me remember a few things? Clearly, we've spoken about books because I wouldn't just let anyone borrow one of my favourites!"
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│ │ | │ │ | STA: 15 • EVA: 18 • STR: 8 WIS: 11 • ARC: 7 • ACC: 17 | │ │ | • Healing Sage • Muggle Condition • Paragon of Health • • Poison Resistance • Animagus • Wandmaker • Lovely Creature • | │ │ | │ │ |
7 Jan 2022, 19:51
Heir to Despair
The anticipation of her answer starting to wear on his nerves, he controlled his reaction purposefully. She was a fragile girl, and her emotions now were also clearly on display. No doubt this nervousness and bashfulness were part of why she wanted to be away from prying eyes. What she said however was a true shock, and he would not control the creases forming on his brow. Flash was not the kind of person who blended into the background, whose face was mistaken for another's. He was tall, clean, commanding, and unique (and humble,) not to mention having a name he chose specifically to be memorable.
He'd stand uncomfortably motionless as she explained, his arms folding unconsciously and his back straightening, a stark contrast to the calm and friendly demeanor he had held only moments prior. She mentioned a potion of forgetfulness, which would make his shoulder ease slightly. There was something wrong about the air between them, the sheer cliff between Flash losing someone and Winnie needing to explain that she was victimized. Flash would no longer make eye contact, finding instead some blank spot on the floor behind her to stare at. It was the nature of magic to rob people of things in the blink of an eye, he should not be surprised.
At that point, Flash just listened as she filled in the details herself without needing to be asked. He remember what a talker she was, which seemed to not have changed. Suddenly forgetting would be a nice excuse for a hag, for instance, after pulling the real Winnie aside during Summer, when the children were closer to the forest. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time that a girl got close to Jack Burnett and then started having memory problems.
Of course, immediately something was very wrong. Mattias Price... her boyfriend. Really. Uncharacteristically, Flash's face would abruptly change to incredulity. You must be making a joke... She wasn't joking. "I know him." To that, she would smile. Suddenly, it was a mystery. What once was only a feeling of abandonment, now he considered the data with curiosity. So many elements at-odds, and a girl he had considered quite sincere and genuine at the center of it.
"Yes. We were friends." Flash's answer would at first be terse, his eyes and mind were elsewhere, still thinking. One hand would rise from his chest to his face, rubbing it thoughtfully. "We did talk about books. Quidditch too, and about your paintings and poetry. We talked about Pride as well. The last I recall, you despised him. You said... I can remember this... 'the very sight of him makes my blood boil.' That he was harassing you, and you felt bad that I had to live with him as a roommate."
Flash had to be careful how much information he gave away. He would have liked to trust Winnie, but the last time he said too much, he was cursed by a dark creature disguised as a beautiful girl. Allow him to find this situation remarkably similar. "What changed your mind? Well, I guess you already answered that. You forgot."
Sighing, Flash would finally look back to her, no doubt his words not being a great comfort. "It must be difficult to suddenly forget so much time... I would be devastated if something like that happened to me. How are you holding up?"
@Winnie Harper
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15