9 Aug 2018, 06:53
Searching for the Unknown
Nova regarded her father as her best friend. Together they played jokes on her mother, traveled to different countries, and played games in their home's courtyard nonstop. The only time Nova can remember her father being truly disappointed in her was when she was 5--her first sign of magic. And Nova knew that it wasn't her fault at all--she was only 5, and didn't mean to make the ball spontaneously combust--but the memory still pained her. And for the longest time, she wanted to just leave it at that--not bring up magic anymore, and have her and her father go back to their happy, carefree friendship.
But Nova had questions that piled up in her head. However, she knew to ask sparingly, for she didn't want to open up old wounds--her father lost his first child, after all, her older sibling. He wouldn't want to talk about it. So she let all her questions about magic be historical--related to the origins of magic--or about the present--what the magical world is like today. And while Nova is grateful for her father taking up a post at St. Mungo's and letting her shadow him at work, saving Wizard money for her schooling, she still was curious about the huge gap of time her father never told her about.
What was he like while he was at Hogwarts? What house was he in? Did he play Quidditch? Nova wondered. She didn't want to ask--their unspoken rule of "don't ask, don't tell" had served them well and kept their bond as strong as it had always been--but she just wanted to know.
There's got to be something here. Nova thought, trying to quickly read the trophies for any sign of her father's name or father's picture. Him taking her mother's last name didn't help much either, for Hogwarts would have no record of Sirius Hamidi anywhere, just Sirius whatever his last name used to be. Nova huffed and crossed her arms. She wouldn't admit defeat, but she would admit to getting a little frustrated at her lack of finding anything.
But Nova had questions that piled up in her head. However, she knew to ask sparingly, for she didn't want to open up old wounds--her father lost his first child, after all, her older sibling. He wouldn't want to talk about it. So she let all her questions about magic be historical--related to the origins of magic--or about the present--what the magical world is like today. And while Nova is grateful for her father taking up a post at St. Mungo's and letting her shadow him at work, saving Wizard money for her schooling, she still was curious about the huge gap of time her father never told her about.
What was he like while he was at Hogwarts? What house was he in? Did he play Quidditch? Nova wondered. She didn't want to ask--their unspoken rule of "don't ask, don't tell" had served them well and kept their bond as strong as it had always been--but she just wanted to know.
There's got to be something here. Nova thought, trying to quickly read the trophies for any sign of her father's name or father's picture. Him taking her mother's last name didn't help much either, for Hogwarts would have no record of Sirius Hamidi anywhere, just Sirius whatever his last name used to be. Nova huffed and crossed her arms. She wouldn't admit defeat, but she would admit to getting a little frustrated at her lack of finding anything.
Last edited by Serena Towers on 9 Aug 2018, 10:40, edited 1 time in total.
9 Aug 2018, 07:47
Searching for the Unknown
If she had to be honest with herself, Lara knew that by stepping into the Trophy Room, she was only delaying the inevitable. Sure, it would be a fine place to hide out for now, but eventually, she would have to leave, and then either one of two things (or, with her luck, both things) would happen:
A) She’d have to go back to her Common Room, and then, even worse, to her dorm, where all the green and the silver and the stupid sense of Slytherin pride that permeated the air would strangle her.
Or B) She’d run into one of her siblings and the unfairness of it all would consume her. She’d spontaneously combust on the spot to avoid their questions and their confrontation and the blue lining on her brothers’ robes, or the red on her sister’s.
Hiding out in the Trophy Room would definitely be easiest. Her siblings wouldn’t be here, that she could count on. Her brothers haunted the library; her sister would be with her friends. It could just be Lara, and whoever else wandered in - though by the looks of it, Lara herself was the one doing the wandering, because there as already a girl in front of her, scrutinizing the trophies. Lara scuffed her boots on the floor as she stepped closer, making sure her presence was known, before she offered the other girl a friendly smile.
"Hey," she said. "What're you looking for?"
A) She’d have to go back to her Common Room, and then, even worse, to her dorm, where all the green and the silver and the stupid sense of Slytherin pride that permeated the air would strangle her.
Or B) She’d run into one of her siblings and the unfairness of it all would consume her. She’d spontaneously combust on the spot to avoid their questions and their confrontation and the blue lining on her brothers’ robes, or the red on her sister’s.
Hiding out in the Trophy Room would definitely be easiest. Her siblings wouldn’t be here, that she could count on. Her brothers haunted the library; her sister would be with her friends. It could just be Lara, and whoever else wandered in - though by the looks of it, Lara herself was the one doing the wandering, because there as already a girl in front of her, scrutinizing the trophies. Lara scuffed her boots on the floor as she stepped closer, making sure her presence was known, before she offered the other girl a friendly smile.
"Hey," she said. "What're you looking for?"
9 Aug 2018, 17:50
Searching for the Unknown
Nova heard a few steps behind her and realized she wasn't alone in the trophy room. She turned around and saw a small girl with big eyes and high cheekbones. The girl offered her a welcoming smile.
How do I explain that I'm looking for something that may not even be here? Something that I'm not sure I'm even going to find? Nova looked just beyond the girl's shoulder and saw a picture of a Slytherin quidditch team from what seemed to be the 1970s. The timeline would be right... I think he was a teenager in the 1970s...She noticed it because there was a boy in the picture with her same oddly shaped lips--a pursed upper lip and pouty, strangely fat lower lip, the same lips as her father. She stepped past the girl and picked up the frame.
"I, I think I may have found it." Nova said, rubbing the dust off the bottom part of the frame to get a better look at the team roster. Polaris, S. was inscribed in the position the boy she thought could be her young dad.
"Do you think you could help me read it though? I can't quite see what it says." Nova asked the girl, looking at her strangely as Nova held the frame towards her.
"Ha," Nova scoffed."Hey," she said. "What're you looking for?"
How do I explain that I'm looking for something that may not even be here? Something that I'm not sure I'm even going to find? Nova looked just beyond the girl's shoulder and saw a picture of a Slytherin quidditch team from what seemed to be the 1970s. The timeline would be right... I think he was a teenager in the 1970s...She noticed it because there was a boy in the picture with her same oddly shaped lips--a pursed upper lip and pouty, strangely fat lower lip, the same lips as her father. She stepped past the girl and picked up the frame.
"I, I think I may have found it." Nova said, rubbing the dust off the bottom part of the frame to get a better look at the team roster. Polaris, S. was inscribed in the position the boy she thought could be her young dad.
"Do you think you could help me read it though? I can't quite see what it says." Nova asked the girl, looking at her strangely as Nova held the frame towards her.
9 Aug 2018, 23:32
Searching for the Unknown
Lara watched as the other girl walked past her, rather confused as to what was going on. She hadn’t gotten a clear answer, and generally, when that happened at home, her immediate reaction would have been to keep pushing. Somehow, she managed to keep her mouth shut until the dark-haired girl spoke again.
“A quidditch team?” she asked, even though she knew that’s what it was. “Slytherin, from… 1976? Or 1978? The last number is kind of hard to make out.” She glanced over the names, then the faces, checking if there was anybody she recognized - any of her father’s friends, maybe. Instead, her eyes caught on a boy, standing third from the end of a row. She looked up at the girl in front of her, then back down at the photo.
“This guy kind of looks like you,” she offered, jabbing at him with her index finger. “Do you know him?”
“Sure,” Lara said, puzzled, taking the framed photo offered to her. It was a bit dusty, as if it hadn’t been touched since school had ended the year before. Lara wiped at the glass with her sleeve, dust staining the black fabric, and peered at the image.“I, I think I may have found it. Do you think you could help me read it though? I can’t quite see what it says.”
“A quidditch team?” she asked, even though she knew that’s what it was. “Slytherin, from… 1976? Or 1978? The last number is kind of hard to make out.” She glanced over the names, then the faces, checking if there was anybody she recognized - any of her father’s friends, maybe. Instead, her eyes caught on a boy, standing third from the end of a row. She looked up at the girl in front of her, then back down at the photo.
“This guy kind of looks like you,” she offered, jabbing at him with her index finger. “Do you know him?”
10 Aug 2018, 00:12
Searching for the Unknown
Nova beamed. Okay, this girl I don't know agrees, then it's got to be him, right? She gave a soft smile then ran a hand through her hair nervously.“This guy kind of looks like you,” she offered, jabbing at him with her index finger. “Do you know him?”
"Yeah, I mean I think I do. I think that's my dad. His name is Sirius, but he took my mother's last name in an effort to sever himself from the Wizarding World. So I don't know anything about what he was like as a wizard before, you know, me."
Nova looked at the picture again, then the name. S. Polaris... Sirius Polaris? Was that his name before he changed it? I know I shouldn't ask him, it's our unspoken rule to not talk about his wizarding past... but I mean, I could ask my mom? She'd know, right? Nova pondered to herself, biting her lip and going over her options. Or, I could just find a record of other Polaris students at Hogwarts... I'm sure his son, I mean my late brother, would've come here, right? Nova smiled. If this is really him, then it's true I have his blood... we are both Slytherins.
Nova then shook her head to get her mind off her thoughts and onto the girl in front of her, looking at her quizzically while she was all up in her head. "Sorry, sorry, just thinking. I'm Nova, Nova Hamidi. And I see you're a first year Slytherin, like me," Nova said with a big grin while trying to recall if she recognized this girl from the common room or any of their other shared spaces.
10 Aug 2018, 01:06
Searching for the Unknown
Lara figured she’d said the right thing, because the other girl’s face split into an excited smile, and she started talking.
Trying to swallow back her bitterness, she asked, “Why not just ask your dad?” It only crossed her mind afterwards, that maybe Nova’s dad had died or something terrible like that, and that was why she was in here, searching for his face. God, she hoped he was alive.
With that, the girl’s gaze fixed back on the photograph, seeming to momentarily forget about Lara. Lara was relieved; she wasn’t entirely sure how to respond. She had a lot of questions, but none of them seemed polite to ask: Why had her father wanted to sever himself from the Wizarding World? Had he done something? Had somebody else done something to him? Was this girl’s mom not a Muggle? Was that why? She tilted her head, eyeing the girl curiously, until she glanced up and introduced herself."Yeah, I mean I think I do. I think that's my dad. His name is Sirius, but he took my mother's last name in an effort to sever himself from the Wizarding World. So I don't know anything about what he was like as a wizard before, you know, me."
Nova. That was a such a cool name, and Lara immediately envied her for it. “I’m Lara Youngblood,” she replied, automatically offering her hand to shake, just like she’d always been taught. “And, uh, yeah. I’m a Slytherin.” She tried to hide the distaste in her voice, but it was the first time she’d had to say it out loud, and she hated the way the words sounded: I’m a Slytherin. It was like admitting she’d broken her grandmother’s good china.“I’m Nova, Nova Hamidi. And I see you're a first year Slytherin, like me.”
Trying to swallow back her bitterness, she asked, “Why not just ask your dad?” It only crossed her mind afterwards, that maybe Nova’s dad had died or something terrible like that, and that was why she was in here, searching for his face. God, she hoped he was alive.
10 Aug 2018, 01:17
Searching for the Unknown
Nova noticed the slight catch in her voice at the mention of "Slytherin." Why is being a Slytherin bad? Is that like, a stereotype of the house? Is that why some other first year boys scurried off when they saw me in my tie? I just thought it was because I'm taller than them... or look old... what's wrong with Slytherin? Nova's eyebrows furrowed, wishing her father had told her about the housing system at Hogwarts. The more time she spent at Hogwarts, the more curious she was about her father's life and just wished she could ask him. But no, she knew the rules. And she loved her father. She didn't want to make him upset, remembering how dark his eyes went at the mention of his late son at Ollivander's.“I’m Lara Youngblood,” the girl replied, automatically offering her hand to shake. “And, uh, yeah. I’m a Slytherin.”
Nova noticed Lara's face immediately flush a little after saying that. Oh yeah, it keeps sounding like he's dead. I mean, which is such a blessing he isn't. I mean that would be way worse than not knowing anything, you know, if he were dead. Nova thought guiltily, trying to reason with herself about how she shouldn't be upset over what her father never told her because at least he's still alive... others have it so much more worse...“Why not just ask your dad?” Lara asked.
"Hah, he just... he doesn't quite like talking about it, I guess. I mean, it's a long story, I don't want to bother you with it," Nova shrugged.
10 Aug 2018, 01:48
Searching for the Unknown
Oh, thank God, Lara thought, relief washing over her shoulders. She definitely wouldn’t have known what to say if Nova’s dad had died. What were you even supposed to say to that? I’m sorry didn’t seem to quite cover it, and she’d never had anybody die in her life - she’d never even been to a funeral - so she had nothing to reference. Her dad’s parents were both alive, and she was sure somebody would have told her if her maternal grandparents had died. The closest thing to a death that she’d ever experienced had been when her mother left, but when that had happened, nobody had said anything about it, let alone I’m sorry. People had just acted as if her mother had never been there in the first place. She pinched the pendant of her necklace between her fingers, reassured by the feeling of the gemstone against her skin."Hah, he just... he doesn't quite like talking about it, I guess. I mean, it's a long story, I don't want to bother you with it.”
Hoping to get her mind off of all the sudden dark thoughts that had popped up, Lara said, “I mean, if you wanna talk about it, I’ve got lots of time. Nowhere to be, or anything, which is why I’m…” She gestured around the Trophy Room, hoping that Nova understood what she was getting at. Quickly, she added, “But if you don’t wanna tell me, that’s okay, too. We can talk about something else, too.”
10 Aug 2018, 02:04
Searching for the Unknown
She pinched the pendant of her necklace between her fingers, reassured by the feeling of the gemstone against her skin.
Nova looked at the girl's necklace... it was beautiful. She wondered if it had some sort of significance, or if it was just a nervous habit of some sort. By the looks of how beautiful that necklace is, I bet it means something... oh god, did one of her parents die, we are talking about our parents, I mean my parents, but if her parents died while I was talking about my parents then surely that must've brought back some unpleasant memories and-
Nova was so lost in thought about if she accidentally offended this girl that she had to shake herself a little to refocus herself on the conversation. God, why am I so spacey today?“But if you don’t wanna tell me, that’s okay, too. We can talk about something else, too.”
"Oh, I mean, I don't mind sharing, I guess, I mean we are housemates right?" Nova said with a smile, remembering the Sorting Hat's song Or perhaps in Slytherin, you'll make your real friends.
"Basically, my dad was married before he even knew my mom. Like, he's a pure-something, I forget the name, and he married a witch who was also 'pure' I guess, and they had a son together like a long time ago. But then, the Second Wizarding War happened, and I don't really know the details or anything but that wife and his son both died, apparently. I don't know who they were, or even their names, but yeah, basically that's the extent of what I know about my dad pre-meeting my mother. Oh, and well, I guess I now know that his last name used to be Polaris. Apparently that's an important name, or like, significant enough that he'd want to change it. Sacred 28? I'm kind of fuzzy on the details, which is why I'm here, just trying to see if I can learn anything," Nova rambled, smiling wide before taking a deep breath once she finally got to the end of her seemingly super long flutter of words.
10 Aug 2018, 02:27
Searching for the Unknown
For the first time since she’d gotten to Hogwarts, Lara wasn’t repulsed by the reminder of her House. Nova seemed fine with it. She seemed… happy about it, almost, and Lara wondered if she might be, too, eventually."Oh, I mean, I don't mind sharing, I guess, I mean we are housemates right?"
“Pureblood,” Lara corrected, not really meaning to, except that it was a word that she’d heard a thousand times in her eleven years. Immediately, she felt bad about interrupting, but nodded and finished her statement: “Like me.”"Basically, my dad was married before he even knew my mom. Like, he's a pure-something, I forget the name-“
After that, she bit her tongue until Nova had finished speaking, determined not to come off as any ruder than she already had. Her brothers had warned her about her big mouth. So had most of her teachers.
The term “Sacred Twenty-Eight” sounded familiar, but Lara couldn’t quite recall where she’d heard it. She furrowed her brow, trying to remember what it meant. She was pretty sure it had something to do with blood status. Something about Purebloods, probably. That was supposed to be a big deal; her grandfather often told Lara how lucky she was to be Pureblood, untainted by Muggle impurities, much to her father’s annoyance.
“I think that the Sacred Twenty-Eight has to do with, like, being a Pureblood,” Lara offered. “Like, being one of the most pure Purebloods, kind of?”
It didn’t sound quite right, but it was the best she had.
“Do you have, like, any aunts or uncles?" she suggested. "Maybe you could ask them about your dad. Or," she added, as an idea struck her, "I could ask my dad, and see if he knows anything about your family.”
It wasn’t until she said it that she remembered that she hadn’t written to her father since she’d been sorted into Slytherin. She’d started a few letters, but she hadn’t been able to pen the words she knew she had to say. She was too afraid of what he’d write back when she told him.