6 Jun 2019, 05:26
Self Isolation
Illowy would be the first to admit, she was terrible with things such as crying. She’d never been taught how to properly deal with it, be it her own tears or someone else’s. She always felt so frustrated and angry with herself when she began to cry. It was a sign of weakness in her home; and it was always reinforced due to the fact that every time she recalled crying, it was in moments when she felt the most helpless.
When she saw the tears welling in the boy’s eyes, she nearly panicked. Why was he crying? Had she upset him? Did she do something wrong? It didn’t occur to her one might also cry in moments of relief, happiness or comfort. The girl nearly pulled away before he gently traced his finger over scared skin.
Isaac rubbed the stray tears from his cheeks, trying to pull himself together as his gaze returned to her. The look in his eye was one she couldn’t quite place. He uttered such a simple sentence. Perhaps she expected him to say more? Though what more she could have wanted him to say, she wasn’t quite sure. The words weren’t the point though.
In her mind, she made a new promise to him. She’d look out for him, help however she could, protect him if she had the chance. He had earned that loyalty, she decided. She wanted to give him that much; the assurance that there would always be someone in his corner.
A small smile graced her lips as her eyes fell to their hands. She wanted to stay in that moment forever. This... strange quiet place that the rest of the world couldn’t touch. The child slowly dropped her hand from his cheek, resting it overtop his to now hold his hand in both of hers.
Pale eyes took in that memory. His soft hand warm between her scared and bandages ones. Her thumb gently stroked over his knuckles as her eyes flicked over every detail of the sight, “Isaac... will you promise me something?”
Illowy wasn’t a fool, even in this moment of peace. At some point the two of them would have to go separate ways, and go on battling their own minds alone. At least until their next chance to see each other, “Promise me that, if you’re struggling or... if you someone, you’ll come find me?” She spoke so softly, she wondered if he heard her request. As she spoke, her hand carefully traveled up to lightly rest in his wounded wrist, keen not to hurt him, “No more brash actions over this... please.”
When she saw the tears welling in the boy’s eyes, she nearly panicked. Why was he crying? Had she upset him? Did she do something wrong? It didn’t occur to her one might also cry in moments of relief, happiness or comfort. The girl nearly pulled away before he gently traced his finger over scared skin.
Isaac rubbed the stray tears from his cheeks, trying to pull himself together as his gaze returned to her. The look in his eye was one she couldn’t quite place. He uttered such a simple sentence. Perhaps she expected him to say more? Though what more she could have wanted him to say, she wasn’t quite sure. The words weren’t the point though.
In her mind, she made a new promise to him. She’d look out for him, help however she could, protect him if she had the chance. He had earned that loyalty, she decided. She wanted to give him that much; the assurance that there would always be someone in his corner.
A small smile graced her lips as her eyes fell to their hands. She wanted to stay in that moment forever. This... strange quiet place that the rest of the world couldn’t touch. The child slowly dropped her hand from his cheek, resting it overtop his to now hold his hand in both of hers.
Pale eyes took in that memory. His soft hand warm between her scared and bandages ones. Her thumb gently stroked over his knuckles as her eyes flicked over every detail of the sight, “Isaac... will you promise me something?”
Illowy wasn’t a fool, even in this moment of peace. At some point the two of them would have to go separate ways, and go on battling their own minds alone. At least until their next chance to see each other, “Promise me that, if you’re struggling or... if you someone, you’ll come find me?” She spoke so softly, she wondered if he heard her request. As she spoke, her hand carefully traveled up to lightly rest in his wounded wrist, keen not to hurt him, “No more brash actions over this... please.”
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
7 Jun 2019, 21:47
Self Isolation
wi fi was down yesterday sorry!!@Illowy Magnard
Her lips pulled up into a quiet smile, and she looked down at their hands, impossibly intertwined. Tears forgotten, he smiled too, softly and genuinely, holding her hand a little bit tighter, just to remind himself that it was real. He had a real friend.
And she isn't going to leave me.
A memory flew into his mind, worn, faded and sad. He had buried his face in his arms, crying, alone. It was the night after they had come back home from a long trip. All of them were tired. But then the screaming had begun, and lasted deep into the night. Beth had fled upstairs, and he had closed himself into a closet.
It was stifling, and hard to breathe. He hidden himself in layers of clothes, leaning against the hard wall, hearing the echoes of anger and fury from far, far away. He tugged on the pantleg of one of his father's suits, covering himself in a pile of shirts. Once he was safely tucked away, he let his lower lip tremble, and he choked quietly.
I wish we were normal. I wish Daddy and Mam didn't hurt each other so bad. I wish -
His vision blurred, and he didn't think anymore. He just curled up, listening to his own breathing, sniffling. Isaac wiped his face with a tiny hand, feeling the tears on his fingers. An eternity passed, filled with an aching pain in his heart.
I wish someone understood. I wish I had a real friend.
There would be no more closets.
His mind got carried away, and he dared to hope, to dream of something better. Happy memories that had never happened stretched into the distance like a thousand possibilities, full of sunlight and smiles. And with Illowy, they might come true.
Isaac didn't want the soft smile to slip off her face. He wanted to make her smile again, and again and again, and laugh until tears came to her eyes and she couldn't breathe. They'd go on the most amazing adventures, together, he didn't care when or where. Everything would be perfect, he promised himself, and even if there was darkness, they'd be able to face it.
They'd have a real friendship that would never break.
Her other bandaged hand gently fell over his, soon resting over it while her other hand lay beneath. She whisked her fingers over his knuckles, and at first his breathing hitched, unused to the sensation, but he slowly relaxed.
I'll promise you anything.“Isaac... will you promise me something?”
He was surprised at the thought and didn't dare say it, waiting patiently for her next words. It seemed a little strange and terrifying to know that if she asked him to do something insane, he might just do it.
"I promise," he said solemnly, before continuing, "but only if you'd do the same thing. If you need help with anything, I want to help you and be there. Even if its silly and stupid and you don't want to bother anyone, tell me."“Promise me that, if you’re struggling or... if you need someone, you’ll come find me?”
Her bandaged hand traveled upwards, before she brushed her fingers against the terrible burns on his wrist. He peered guiltily at the red welts where he had picked at them in stress.
"I won't do anything crazy," he reassured her, fixing her a serious look with his blue-grey eyes. "At least, nothing too crazy," he amended, averting his gaze. It would be a hard promise to keep; disaster was attracted to him like a moth to a flame.“No more brash actions over this... please.”
~standing in the eye of a storm~
strength: 6 | agility: 10 | control: 4 | stamina: 10
8 Jun 2019, 19:47
Self Isolation
The girl smiled softly once more as he asked for her to return the promise. She wondered if it seemed as difficult to keep for him as it was for her. It was always such a struggle for her to rely on others for help; actually, simply recognizing when she had reached the point of needing help was a struggle. Illowy had been brought up to be dependent and self sufficient at all times. Unless there was real trouble, her mother didn't believe in holding her hand through it, thinking it best the child figure it out for herself.
"I'll do my best..." she agreed softly, "I've never really had anyone to depend on before."
His eyes grew serious as she made her second plea to him as he tried to reassure her before breaking her graze once more. It truly made her nervous, and she wasn't sure why. Why did it mean so much to her that he stay safe? Why did it feel so important to know he wasn't in mortal danger or getting hurt? It was beyond her, "At least... if you do decide to do something absolutely mental, will you let me know first?" she tilted her head a bit, once again trying to recapture his eyes, "It makes it a lot easier to save your butt before you get yourself into big trouble." Illowy teased gently, though her words were sincere.
She wished there was a way she could just know he was alright. Part of her worried for him with summer holiday growing closer, and wondering if he would be okay. Of course they could always write to each other, but Illowy didn't always have the patience for that. Perhaps with some research, she could find something that might help.
Her thoughts then went to something her mother had said in the last letter she'd received from home. Every year she and her mother would take some sort of trip for a week or so. It was never anything too spectacular or fancy, but it was always nice to get away from the usual scenery.
"I'll do my best..." she agreed softly, "I've never really had anyone to depend on before."
His eyes grew serious as she made her second plea to him as he tried to reassure her before breaking her graze once more. It truly made her nervous, and she wasn't sure why. Why did it mean so much to her that he stay safe? Why did it feel so important to know he wasn't in mortal danger or getting hurt? It was beyond her, "At least... if you do decide to do something absolutely mental, will you let me know first?" she tilted her head a bit, once again trying to recapture his eyes, "It makes it a lot easier to save your butt before you get yourself into big trouble." Illowy teased gently, though her words were sincere.
She wished there was a way she could just know he was alright. Part of her worried for him with summer holiday growing closer, and wondering if he would be okay. Of course they could always write to each other, but Illowy didn't always have the patience for that. Perhaps with some research, she could find something that might help.
Her thoughts then went to something her mother had said in the last letter she'd received from home. Every year she and her mother would take some sort of trip for a week or so. It was never anything too spectacular or fancy, but it was always nice to get away from the usual scenery.
She wondered if Isaac would want to join. Even if the destination had yet to be planned, perhaps he'd enjoy spending a week or so in a proper wizarding household. Or would that seem too pretentious to even consider offering? Maybe it was best to hold off on putting out such an offer until it seemed like something he might actually want to do before she shot her mouth off so presumptuously.Perhaps, if you like, you might even bring one of your new friends along. I'd love to meet them.
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
10 Jun 2019, 22:29
Self Isolation
activity going to be a bit slow this week, but it'll pick up next week I promise@Illowy Magnard
At her gentle teasing tone, Isaac smiled crookedly, meeting her pale gaze with an amused one of his own. In truth, it was a little funny how often things went wrong, if he thought about it from an outside point of view."At least... if you do decide to do something absolutely mental, will you let me know first? It makes it a lot easier to save your butt before you get yourself into big trouble."
"I'll try my best," he promised her, growing serious. He knew that it wasn't as reassuring as hearing that he'd always talk to her in times of disaster, but the truth was that he wanted to be honest. Reality began to creep into his previous happy visions, and the sunlight faded slightly. No matter how hard they tried, life would have some way of separating them. It was an idiot's dream to think that they'd always be together, or able to support one another. They could try, but 'always' would not be possible.
Isaac tried to capture the joy he had felt before, and slip rose-tinted lenses back on the world. But thoughts rose back into his head like a torrent, full of doubts. The air tasted murkier than before.
Don't think about it. Don't think about it, he willed himself.
But it was like a dam had broken. There were a thousand and one ways that anything and everything could go wrong, and who was to say that they wouldn't? The lingering fear of a fight between them, the thought that she might leave someday - thinking him to be too crazy to stay around, or something even as plain as her moving to a far off country in the middle of nowhere. He'd lost a friend once when they disappeared off the map, leaving nothing but their most prized lucky rock behind.
Isaac didn't think that it would happen to Illowy. But then again, he didn't expect shocking things to happen when they did, and then when they happened, it threw his life off track with the force of a tornado.
His free hand almost came to tug at his curls again, but he stopped it in time. If there was something he had figured out quickly, it was that his face was like an open book, emotions flashing across the pages. Closing his eyes briefly, the boy tried to focus on the feeling of the moment again, and spin humor into the situation.
They were alone. Sitting in rickety chairs, that had likely sat there for at least a hundred years and were as crusty as the librarian. Holed up in the back of a dusty library for magical kids. Surrounded by old smelly books that probably had mold all over them. The worst and most boring books. - he noted with a brief glance to the shelves -
And perhaps strangest of all, holding hands after talking about a magical creature that looked like the grim reaper and sucked souls, and could only be fought with the power of love. It couldn't get any better or worse than that.
Good spirits somewhat restored, he looked to Illowy to see a thoughtful expression soften the lines of her face. Her pale eyes gazed into the distance. She clearly was turning something about in her mind, but she didn't say anything to hint at what it might be. He guessed that it couldn't be terrible news. Knowing her, it was probably a very interesting idea.
"What's eating you?" he asked, tilting his head in curious puzzlement.
~standing in the eye of a storm~
strength: 6 | agility: 10 | control: 4 | stamina: 10
11 Jun 2019, 22:17
Self Isolation
You're all good! Take your time 
For a moment, the girl lost herself in thought, wondering what it would be like if he did come to stay, even for just a short time. The only time there had ever been someone her own age in her home was whenever her cousin Kyle came to visit. Those visits were hardly a holiday. She and her cousin where known for being constantly in competition with one another if they weren't physically trying to fight. There was never any hate or malice behind their antics though.
At times, Illowy often concidered Kyle her closest, if not her only, friend. However, most of the year he'd been avoiding her like the black plague, more then likely because she'd been sorted into his precious Slytherin house while he'd been sorted into Gryffindor. Grudges never lasted long between them though since after they finally escaped the clutches of the forest and she woke up in the hospital wing, he was right there at her side. That was the biggest relief to her at the time.
For a moment, the girl lost herself in thought, wondering what it would be like if he did come to stay, even for just a short time. The only time there had ever been someone her own age in her home was whenever her cousin Kyle came to visit. Those visits were hardly a holiday. She and her cousin where known for being constantly in competition with one another if they weren't physically trying to fight. There was never any hate or malice behind their antics though.
At times, Illowy often concidered Kyle her closest, if not her only, friend. However, most of the year he'd been avoiding her like the black plague, more then likely because she'd been sorted into his precious Slytherin house while he'd been sorted into Gryffindor. Grudges never lasted long between them though since after they finally escaped the clutches of the forest and she woke up in the hospital wing, he was right there at her side. That was the biggest relief to her at the time.
Her attention was brought back to the present at Isaac's voice, "Hm?" she nearly missed what he had said before shaking her head, "Nothing... I was just thinking about how my moment said that she was working on planning a trip for the summer holiday." she explained. Maybe she could gauge his interest and try to figure if he'd want to come or not before she outright asked him."What's eating you?"
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
13 Jun 2019, 01:12
Self Isolation
He was surprised by her thought. It was surprisingly normal, but not unpleasant to think about.@Illowy Magnard
Her comment made him realize that summer truly was coming soon, sooner than he expected. And summer meant that he was going home again. His stomach churned, and he felt a little sickened at the thought. A finger subtly scratched his burns. He didn't want to go home. It wasn't that he didn't miss his cat, or his room, or Katie. It was that he couldn't face the hours of fighting and loneliness again, and in truth, was afraid to find out what had happened to his old primary school friends.
So Isaac let himself dream for a moment what a wizarding family would get up to in their free time. He always thought of dragons, but perhaps dragons weren't everyone's idea of a vacation. Most people were terrified by them, after all, and would rather not be chased by one.
Then, Isaac came up with wilder ideas. What couldn't magic do? Perhaps wizards had their own little pocket dimensions they could shape as they pleased, a beach here, a palace there, sculpting the land with mountains and valleys and plains. Or they wandered with fantastical spirits and creatures, exploring the world. Or maybe, just maybe, they could even travel through time and space! None of his teachers had said anything that indicated it could never happen, meaning that it could.
A twinge of interest became a current, as he began to fidget, still holding Illowy's hand. It was just too fascinating not to talk about. If she traveled through time with her mom, where would they go? And when? Isaac had no clue if she had a favorite time period or place, but if she did, he really wanted to know. Even more than that, time magic had to be the best sort of magic to learn. He'd dreamed of travelling through time a million times before, glued on movies and books and plans that would never be - but if it could be real, he would probably explode.
He tried to stop himself from fussing with his sleeve first. Illowy was probably giving him a weird look by now, wondering what other issue had come over him. But moreover, he realized that it was her summer vacation anyway, so if she was going through time and space, it'd be her and her mother's adventure, not his. There was no reason to be crazy over it.
"Does she have a plan on where to go yet? Disneyland is good, it's got plenty of rides and castles. Thunder Mountain is the best coaster. There's also the Running of the Bulls. It's terrifying, but also really exciting," he recommended from personal experience, before balking. Did wizards have a Disneyland? This set him on yet another train of thought, as he wondered if wizards even watched television and movies. It was unthinkable to him.
Who didn't know what Mickey Mouse was?
His curiosity multiplied, and he watched Illowy with his blue-grey gaze, searching for a flash of recognition in the pale depths of her eyes. He was intent on knowing what her summer vacation was about now that she'd mentioned it, and even more oddly, whether or not it involved Disneyland.
~standing in the eye of a storm~
strength: 6 | agility: 10 | control: 4 | stamina: 10
13 Jun 2019, 04:24
Self Isolation
The girl watched him curious as the cogs came to life in his mind once more. She wondered if he thought in his head the same way he talked when he got excited about a topic; with a thousand different ideas coming to his mind all at once. A thousand questions, memories, ideas... he was a curious one to try to understand. Most people here seemed so one note. They were easy to read and understand without really needs to dive into them. Most people, in her opinion, had about as much depth as the kiddie pool, but Isaac.
Her eye caught a finger fidgeting towards his wounds. Did she accidentally trigger a bad thought? Perhaps he wasn't wanting to go home. After all, there were some students that chose to stay behind over breaks, perhaps he was wanting to do that instead?
He finally spoke again... but she was lost very quickly, "Disneyland?" she asked. Vaguely she knew of it. She knew that it was the brand of cartoons Muggles seemed to enjoy, and she might've heard once or twice children talking about a Disney theme park, "The thing with the American mouse, right?" the mouse head was iconic to Muggles. Whenever she'd go shopping in Muggle stores, his face was every where; though at the moment she couldn't remember the silly creature's name for the life of her.
Her family was pure blooded, and for the most part her mother kept her secluded in that circle. Naturally though, living in a place heavily Muggle populated city, she was bound to come into contact with some of the pop culture, but rarely did she take interest in it.
Isaac went on to talk about castles and rides... Thunder Mountain? Was that a place in Disneyland? Or somewhere else? Was the Running of the Bulls one of the rides as well? It was rare for her to feel out of tongue about topics, but perhaps she needed to brush up on her Muggle Studies, "I um... I don't really know." the girl blushed a little, embarrassed and feeling silly for not knowing, "Last year, my mom took me to Paris. There were some cool special art exhibits in the Louvre in the wizarding section, and then we went to the Pantheon for a special event about Joan of Arc. My mum says Joan is her favorite witch of all time." she explained. Then she suddenly worried about how lame and dull that must've sounded, going away on a trip just to learn, "My uh... m'mum was a Ravenclaw if you can't tell. She likes historical and educational trips."
The girl paused for a moment, thinking, "Um... you know... m'mum said that I might bring a friend when we figure out where we're going to go. Maybe you can come with us..." she spoke softly, almost nervously, "I mean... if you would want to even." her eyes stayed cast down as she pressed her lips in a tight line, almost feeling like a fool for even asking such a thing. Why should she assume that just because in this moment, everything felt safe and open, that once they left the sanctuary of their little corner that he would outwardly want to be her friend where the whole school could see him being around the stoic, cynical Slytherin? Much less give up part of his summer to hang out with her when he probably would rather be with his own family and his friends back home?
Her eye caught a finger fidgeting towards his wounds. Did she accidentally trigger a bad thought? Perhaps he wasn't wanting to go home. After all, there were some students that chose to stay behind over breaks, perhaps he was wanting to do that instead?
He finally spoke again... but she was lost very quickly, "Disneyland?" she asked. Vaguely she knew of it. She knew that it was the brand of cartoons Muggles seemed to enjoy, and she might've heard once or twice children talking about a Disney theme park, "The thing with the American mouse, right?" the mouse head was iconic to Muggles. Whenever she'd go shopping in Muggle stores, his face was every where; though at the moment she couldn't remember the silly creature's name for the life of her.
Her family was pure blooded, and for the most part her mother kept her secluded in that circle. Naturally though, living in a place heavily Muggle populated city, she was bound to come into contact with some of the pop culture, but rarely did she take interest in it.
Isaac went on to talk about castles and rides... Thunder Mountain? Was that a place in Disneyland? Or somewhere else? Was the Running of the Bulls one of the rides as well? It was rare for her to feel out of tongue about topics, but perhaps she needed to brush up on her Muggle Studies, "I um... I don't really know." the girl blushed a little, embarrassed and feeling silly for not knowing, "Last year, my mom took me to Paris. There were some cool special art exhibits in the Louvre in the wizarding section, and then we went to the Pantheon for a special event about Joan of Arc. My mum says Joan is her favorite witch of all time." she explained. Then she suddenly worried about how lame and dull that must've sounded, going away on a trip just to learn, "My uh... m'mum was a Ravenclaw if you can't tell. She likes historical and educational trips."
The girl paused for a moment, thinking, "Um... you know... m'mum said that I might bring a friend when we figure out where we're going to go. Maybe you can come with us..." she spoke softly, almost nervously, "I mean... if you would want to even." her eyes stayed cast down as she pressed her lips in a tight line, almost feeling like a fool for even asking such a thing. Why should she assume that just because in this moment, everything felt safe and open, that once they left the sanctuary of their little corner that he would outwardly want to be her friend where the whole school could see him being around the stoic, cynical Slytherin? Much less give up part of his summer to hang out with her when he probably would rather be with his own family and his friends back home?
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
14 Jun 2019, 02:50
Self Isolation
@Illowy Magnard"Yeah, the one with the mouse." he affirmed, eyes glittering with a bit of amusement. So she did know about Disney stuff, a little at least. "They have huge theme parks with him all over the world. In fact, there's one in Paris! And one in Florida, but that's down in the States with alligators." Isaac made a comically disgusted face when talking about alligators. He didn't really like swamps that much; they stank and had rotten garbage all over."Disneyland?" she asked. Vaguely she knew of it. She knew that it was the brand of cartoons Muggles seemed to enjoy, and she might've heard once or twice children talking about a Disney theme park, "The thing with the American mouse, right?"
"It's fine." In truth, he didn't expect her to know that much. It really was a Muggle thing, now that he thought about it. Roller-coasters and advertisements everywhere, stories and popular news. It made him wonder what on earth wizards watched if they didn't watch cartoons. Did they only read books? It made him shake his head; it was saddening to think that everyone could only read things to pass the time. No movies, no TV, no internet, no videogames. No wonder there was so much mischief at Hogwarts."I um... I don't really know." the girl blushed a little, embarrassed and feeling silly for not knowing more.
His attention drifted back to Illowy as she began to speak.He knew the Louvre was some sort of high-end art place. Beth had gabbed on and on about modern art, past art masterpieces, and most of all, mystery artist Banksy and his version of the Mona Lisa. Red lipstick hastily smeared on, she spoke with grand and flamboyant gestures, talking about the graffiti artist's genius talent. His sister badly wanted to see the offending work of art, and last time he saw her, she was saving up to travel to France. It was surprising that Illowy had went with her mother already, especially to such a fancy museum."Last year, my mom took me to Paris. There were some cool special art exhibits in the Louvre in the wizarding section, and then we went to the Pantheon for a special event about Joan of Arc. My mum says Joan is her favorite witch of all time."
He had no clue who Joan of Arc was. The name sounded French at least, and from the girl's praising description, it was easy to see that Joan must have been a legendary warrior. The Pantheon sounded funny - was it Greek or Roman? He was sure he'd learned about this last year in World Studies, but couldn't remember. All he saw when he focused was a blind man wearing a toga, and gladiator battles.
"What'd Joan do?" he muttered thoughtfully, drumming the fingers of his right hand on the chair. His words were quiet and almost inaudible.
Illowy looked embarrassed as she continued, blushing slightly.He smiled at that. Her mom sounded like a Ravenclaw alright, one made of iron and tough as nails, but a curious person too. Perhaps she even studied history and art to escape from the Great War and keep her fears at bay. There was no proof it was true, but it was possible that thinking about the Muggle world drove away her nightmares about the wizarding world."My uh... m'mum was a Ravenclaw if you can't tell. She likes historical and educational trips."
He knew wryly that if his mom and her mom met, they'd either be the best of friends or the worst of enemies. Now that he thought about it, his Mam would likely be sorted into Ravenclaw too. She'd been discovering new things in science her whole life.
Shock coursed through him, and he was speechless for a few moments."Um... you know... m'mum said that I might bring a friend when we figure out where we're going to go. Maybe you can come with us..." she spoke softly, almost nervously, "I mean... if you would want to even." her eyes stayed cast down as she pressed her lips in a tight line, almost feeling like a fool for even asking such a thing.
Invite a friend along? That's amazing!
He tilted her face upwards gently so he could meet her eyes. The gesture felt foreign, but he didn't want her to look downcast and gloomy. She had that look on her face, the look where she was feeling awfully nervous but didn't want to say anything.
The thought of going on a vacation, a magical vacation with her family, made him feel as light as air. The storm of ideas fluttered in his head - time, space, creatures, ocean, sun, sand, mountains, snow. Blurry as a cyclone, bright images flashed through his vision, softly glowing with promise.
"Hey," he said quietly, "I think it's a great idea, if she'd really let someone else come along...but if it's just a trip between you and your mam, I don't want to get in the way. You should have fun during summer, without-"
Without some troublemaking idiot hanging around you, getting you into danger. Without me reminding you of everything that's wrong with this place.
If the vacation didn't work out, or she didn't want him, there was another option. He could just stay at Hogwarts. His father would likely be livid, his mother, terrified, and Beth, ignorant. It wouldn't be a problem. Disappointment tainted his thoughts, but he swallowed it down, steeling himself for rejection just in case. There was the chance she'd say that her mom would loathe someone like him, and he didn't want to be crushed by her words.
Isaac leaned slightly back in the torn chair. He calmed down by focusing on the silence pooled around them, squeezing her hand briefly. The bandages wrapped around them were still rough, and he was careful not to press down much, but her fingers were soft. A weird feeling twisted in his chest, one that he didn't have a name for yet.
He hoped against hope that her mom would say it was okay.
~standing in the eye of a storm~
strength: 6 | agility: 10 | control: 4 | stamina: 10
15 Jun 2019, 21:44
Self Isolation
Illowy smiled as Isaac seemed to light up a bit more talking about these theme parks. She'd never been to any type of amusement park before aside from when she was little and her mother would take her to the splash pad, similar to a small scale water park of fountains to play and run around in. That might've been the closest thing. She figured at least one of the parks would be stateside though. It made sense since she was fairly sure it was an American company. However, if it had alligators simply running around all over the place, then she had no interest in going, "Why is it so popular exactly? I mean, he's just a mouse. How many things can you do with just a mouse to have parks all over the world?" she questioned, not realizing that it covered much more then just a silly mouse.
When he asked her about Joan, she smiled, "So, Muggles know her as this girl in the middle ages who was a huge French War hero by like, the age of sixteen or something like that." she explained, "She said she could hear God and angels and that's how she was so successful on the battlefield and pretty much saved and free medieval France from the English. But actually, she was a witch. I don't think she ever formally studied or anything like that. She was raised by Muggles, so when she first started developing her powers, she thought it was a gift from God, and held onto that until the very end." she explained, "I'm sure there's book here about her somewhere. She's really interesting to learn about from both a Muggle perspective and from a Wizarding perspective." Illowy added thoughtfully.
After she'd explained her mother's offer, the child chewed her lips a little, peaking up from her curtain of hair a little as Isaac seemed to like the idea, at least until he let himself trail off. He seemed to let himself fall away into doubt once one. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he leaned back into the chair once more, "My mum never says something she doesn't mean." she explained. The Slytherin shifted awkwardly in her seat, looking down at her hands once more, "I don't exactly have a whole lot of friends.... three, actually. I have three friends, not including my cousin." she offered a sheepish smile, carefully brushing her thumb across his knuckles lightly, "and my mum knows I don't usually like people, so she really wants to meet anyone I've actually made friends with." she tried to explain, feeling lamer and lamer as she went on.
How embarrassing to have to admit that you had no friends. It was bad enough simply knowing it was true, but letting the truth of it spill into the air was terrible. It was certainly no way to convince someone to hang out with you over the summer, that was for sure.
When he asked her about Joan, she smiled, "So, Muggles know her as this girl in the middle ages who was a huge French War hero by like, the age of sixteen or something like that." she explained, "She said she could hear God and angels and that's how she was so successful on the battlefield and pretty much saved and free medieval France from the English. But actually, she was a witch. I don't think she ever formally studied or anything like that. She was raised by Muggles, so when she first started developing her powers, she thought it was a gift from God, and held onto that until the very end." she explained, "I'm sure there's book here about her somewhere. She's really interesting to learn about from both a Muggle perspective and from a Wizarding perspective." Illowy added thoughtfully.
After she'd explained her mother's offer, the child chewed her lips a little, peaking up from her curtain of hair a little as Isaac seemed to like the idea, at least until he let himself trail off. He seemed to let himself fall away into doubt once one. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he leaned back into the chair once more, "My mum never says something she doesn't mean." she explained. The Slytherin shifted awkwardly in her seat, looking down at her hands once more, "I don't exactly have a whole lot of friends.... three, actually. I have three friends, not including my cousin." she offered a sheepish smile, carefully brushing her thumb across his knuckles lightly, "and my mum knows I don't usually like people, so she really wants to meet anyone I've actually made friends with." she tried to explain, feeling lamer and lamer as she went on.
How embarrassing to have to admit that you had no friends. It was bad enough simply knowing it was true, but letting the truth of it spill into the air was terrible. It was certainly no way to convince someone to hang out with you over the summer, that was for sure.
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
16 Jun 2019, 00:35
Self Isolation
"Well there are these movies," Isaac began, trying to hold back his laughter, "with tons of other characters. Princes and princesses, dragons and sorcerers and wizards and witches, all of them on adventures." How could he even begin to explain how many of those movies there were? Beth had forced him to watch them all, from her favorite, The Little Mermaid, to things as obscure as the Black Cauldron. She never grew tired of the family-friendly movies and songs, even when she grew up and moved away to focus on her studies. And he found that he could never turn them off when they came on. Even though they were sappy and cringey, full of 'true love' and happy endings, he watched as a way to remember her.@Illowy Magnard
"To Muggles, magic is a fairy tale for kids and make-believe. Like when Aladdin uses a magic carpet, or Merlin casts a spell, or Sleeping Beauty is pricked and sleeps for a hundred years. Disney makes tons of stories about magical people and heroes saving the day, makes money, and uses it to build theme parks."
He listened with interest as she described Joan of Arc, slowly able to imagine more and more of her life. He could hardly think about how powerful the heroine's magic would have to be to fight battles and win a war. And she didn't even go to magical school! Joan seemed so breathtaking, so legendary, that he wondered about little things - like if she ever felt scared before a fight, or if she was always soothed by what she believed to be the voices of angels. Or if she liked to climb trees, or run in the woods, or if she felt sad every time she struck someone down in battle.
It made more than a little bit of sense that she would be a hero for so many. But Isaac's brows knitted when she mentioned defeating the English. What did the English do again?
It was a little hard to think about. His father always had glowing praise for his country, and would likely die for the queen if given the chance. Richard loved England, likely more than he even loved his family and friends. To think that his country had done something villainous to France was jarring. It certainly didn't match with the golden image Isaac had of it.
But if what she was saying was true, then he'd likely be able to research it anyway, either in Hogwarts or in a library somewhere. Or even better, he could search it up next time the internet was available.
He lit up at her affirmation. So the vacation was on! It was on!"My mum never says something she doesn't mean."
He was right about to leap out of his seat with joy, shouting madly, until he realized that she was looking quite embarrassed. Her eyes were fixed on her hands, and her voice was painfully quiet.
Three friends, and with a cousin, four."I don't exactly have a whole lot of friends.... three, actually. I have three friends, not including my cousin."
Isaac could tell from the awkward way that she said it that she was feeling insecure about it. But to him, it didn't really matter. Who needed a pool of friends so large that you barely knew them? This was better.
"That means you're special." he said decidedly, as if it were the most logical conclusion in the universe. "And you know, it's better to pick some real friends who've got your back, than a load of dodgy gits. 'Sides, I'd like to meet your mum. She sounds brilliant, being obsessed with history n' learning, and even seeing the whole war."
He hoped Illowy's mum had more stories on Harry Potter. Or even better, if she'd have a ton of information on Joan of Arc and why exactly England was fighting her. Or even better than better, if she was downright exciting and could take them back into time. He couldn't let go of the idea.
What if they went back in time to meet Joan of Arc? And told her that she was magic?
Shaking his head, he realized he was caught on another fantastical tangent. Illowy still seemed a little downcast. So he pantomimed counting the fingers of his free hand, before pausing. "For friends, I've got one, two friends," he stopped uncertainly, holding out two fingers, "I'm not really sure if one of them is still my friend. So really, one friend." A glowing smile brightened his face. "And that's you. It really isn't all that bad."
Being a trio would be fun. Illowy, her mom, and him. They could get into all kinds of outrageous situations, or do something more quiet, if they wanted. He really didn't care. It was enough that of the three friends she did have, she cared enough to invite him along.
~standing in the eye of a storm~
strength: 6 | agility: 10 | control: 4 | stamina: 10