29 May 2021, 19:03
Checking on the Enemy
@Vladimir Athanatos/ @Solomon Lear
Opeila had needed a little time to get over the events from a few weeks ago. It had almost beaten the spider attack in how terrifying it had been. With the spiders, she had always been aware that there were professors, someone would be coming for them and help. It had been different with those men on the train. The wagon had been detached from the train and she had been alone with a bunch of Gryffindors, many of them but first years.
Now while she had still been thinking about how they could keep the youngest ones safe, they broke in. And then it was suddenly her, who needed saving. One of the men had grabbed her by her hair and told the others to hand over their wands. The young Slytherin had seen enough movies to know that if the others refused long enough, she would have been the one with the knife at her throat.
And then there had been Gris. And Katrina. And... to Opeila's immense surprise the Ravenclaw boy, who she had been so sure of that he wanted her dead. Suddenly he had been there, told the men that she was a pureblood and let them almost beat him to death. He had attacked them, telling them to leave her alone.
To Opeila it was nothing but a big unsolved riddle that got more puzzling along the way.
But surprisingly to herself, what she had felt first was not curiosity, it was concern. After everything that had happened, this year as well as last, she was scared that Vladimir's injuries were too dire. Whatever he had done to her and to others, he did not deserve to die. Especially not for an attempt to defend Opeila.
He had been gone for weeks, probably to have his wounds treated in a hospital. Opeila remembered sitting on the ground taking off her coat and then her thinner sweater to keep him warm and stop the bleeding- without success.
But only a few days ago, she had been sure that she saw him in the corridors. Or at least she had hoped that it was him.
So with slightly trembling fingers she sent one of the school owls away with a letter on one afternoon.
The letter had a different tone than her conversations with him before. She had written from her depth again, as Jack would likely say, but Opeila didn't mind. Often she had noticed in the past, that she came further by talking from her heart than by holding up a shield. The young Slytherin leaned on one of the railings of the owlery, watching the silhouette of the owl shrink as it flew away.FEBRUARY 18TH
Dear Vladimir,
Athanatos,
I am happy glad to see that you have returned to Hogwarts- to be honest, I was not sure if you would. Are you doing better now?
If you feel like you can, I would like to meet and talk. Or if you don't, at least write letters. There are some things I would like to ask you. You have every reason not to trust me but there are no traps this time, I have talked with no one. None of my friends know that I am even sending you this letter.
I just want to see you and talk. Please.
Kind regards and best wishes,
Opeila really hoped that he would write back to her this time.
OOC: If you don't have time, that's okay. Opeila would send it out anyway XD
Last edited by Opeila Winters on 18 Jun 2021, 22:52, edited 1 time in total.
29 May 2021, 20:51
Checking on the Enemy
What Opeila did not know could not hurt her. After the train ride that went terribly wrong, Vladimir had bled out into the snow. It was on that day that his father had come to learn of his affliction, a secret the politician had not been aware of. He was brought to St. Mungos and then after to curse breakers and varied healers. Money was no object to a man with such substantial means. Yet in the end, it would be to no avail. Weeks spent under the medical care of the 'best', Vlad was injured in the explosion. He suffered more than broken bones and contusions, several of his organs her nearly pulverized. Had it not been for magic, he would have died on that icy field.@Opeila Winters
The weeks following, those periods where he was conscious that is, he was sharing his account with his father's 'people.' His letters, intercepted, which included Opeila's. A short letter that mentioned 'trust' and 'nobody knowing.' It sounded ominous, Vladimir's response to their inquiries equally troublesome as context to Moore's 'accident' were revealed fully as well as the youth's interest in blood magic.
It was not written by Vladimir, he never received the owl. He would return to Hogwarts well before the ball, however an incident that left him again injured would take him out of school again for a number of weeks. He would only return to the school, this time free of crutches a week before the ball.Miss Winters;
Thank you for your concern, it means a great deal to me while I heal from my grievous injuries. I am unable to make a meeting with you as I am previously engaged with rehabilitation at my father's kind behest and also my academics. The Ministry has taken the incident on the train rather seriously, as such I must dedicate myself to their needs for the time being. I do not anticipate returning to Hogwarts for several weeks if I have the fortune of returning this year.
Thank you for your concern.
Vladimir
Aamon
29 May 2021, 22:39
Checking on the Enemy
@Vladimir Athanatos/ @Solomon Lear
Opeila was almost surprised to receive an answer, though it could have hardly been more impersonal. But at least he was alive.
Mr Athanatos,
I see, thank you for your response, I am glad to hear that you are healing. I mainly wanted to thank you for defending me when those men took me in the train. Please take care of yourself, no matter what happened before, I do not want to see you hurt.
Please do not get hurt trying to defend me again. I hope you'll get better soon and can return to Hogwarts next year.
Kind regards and best wishes,
30 May 2021, 15:05
Checking on the Enemy
The weeks would pass without incident, no owl was received by Vladimir Athanatos. He spent these months alone in recovery, less the occasional weekend visit from Marion Davenport, a muggle-born with limited means who oddly was able to make the journey to the recovering boy's bedside.
He would keep up on his studies. He would remain isolated from the changes that took place in the school for the duration of this time. There were discussions about moving schools supplied by Vladimir, however his request was denied. He had obligations - to not only himself but also to others that he needed to satisfy. Hogwarts was, according to his father's claim a 'superior educational establishment.' There was also the suggestion that he could not abandon his friend, that the curse he endured would likely have an answer he could only find on those Scottish grounds.
Begrudgingly, he would go where he was sent. He would return to Hogwarts but the fit would never be seamless. He would participate in class, he would attend school functions but he would not represent his family in any way. He would be a quiet specter, a forgettable observer. He would endure and complete his tenure. His goals would be accomplished and he would move on.
He would keep up on his studies. He would remain isolated from the changes that took place in the school for the duration of this time. There were discussions about moving schools supplied by Vladimir, however his request was denied. He had obligations - to not only himself but also to others that he needed to satisfy. Hogwarts was, according to his father's claim a 'superior educational establishment.' There was also the suggestion that he could not abandon his friend, that the curse he endured would likely have an answer he could only find on those Scottish grounds.
Begrudgingly, he would go where he was sent. He would return to Hogwarts but the fit would never be seamless. He would participate in class, he would attend school functions but he would not represent his family in any way. He would be a quiet specter, a forgettable observer. He would endure and complete his tenure. His goals would be accomplished and he would move on.
Aamon