5 Sep 2024, 20:21
Hogwarts is a Second Home
Banner by Xiomara Torres
Sunday | 15 September 2024 | dinner time
Dinnertime had come to Hogwarts like any other night, but Marcus Iwasaki sat at the staff table feeling nauseous. It wasn't just the impending full moon that had taken his appetite - it was the plan to give a speech to the student body. Marcus was not a speech giver, he did not have the same level of eloquence as his colleagues did in front of huge crowds. One-on-one conversations or small groups are where the Blasian man shined, but tonight he would be addressing the entire student body. As he got to his feet, he looked over towards @Hjørdis Jensen and @Caradoc Browne, offering a nod in acknowledgement.Marcus' Intimidation is always in effect. He cannot turn it off.It is a sentiment that enters people's hearts when they are in your presence. They feel dis-ease when you are present, even if the interaction is casual or even friendly.
The Head of Ravenclaw walked to the lectern that was usually occupied by @Solomon Lear, and he called for the attention of the room. Dinner had just shifted to dessert, so most (if not all) students were still there. As Marcus looked out at the crowd of young students, he steeled his nerve and cleared his throat.
"Here at Hogwarts, we are accommodating to all the magical beings we have enrolled. We welcome part-goblins, part-giants and part-veela. We provide blood supply for our Dhampir population. We even have the talents of seers, parselmouths and metamorphs among us. However, there is a specific population here I'd like to address tonight, and that is the werewolves." A bit of murmuring throughout the room at this point, but a mild scowl on Marcus' face made the room silent once more.
"For those who may not know, lycanthropy is a magical disease that is spread by a werewolf biting someone while they are in wolf form. The full moon that happens once a month forces werewolves to shift into an abnormally large wolf and lose their sense of humanity." He let that linger for a moment. The muggleborns or the younger years may not have been aware of these specifics until now. This would just be a reminder for everyone else. "Thankfully, if a werewolf regularly takes the Wolfsbane Potion, they will at least maintain their humanity in wolf form. It can't prevent the painful transformation, but it does remove the concern of not being able to control oneself. Our staff - Nurse Sabo, Care of Magical Creatures Professor Blumenthal, Potions Professor Regan, and all the Heads of House - work together to brew and provide this Wolfsbane Potion to all affected Hogwarts students. And to affected staff, like myself." Probably not the most eloquent way of announcing to the student population that he - the Head of Ravenclaw - was a werewolf. But there it was. He allowed the sudden chatter that broke out among the students to last for a minute this time.
The werewolf students who had been there since the year before or over the summer break would - of course - know this already. Every full moon that he collected them, he asked for discretion from them, and would offer the same in return. Lycanthropy was not something you wanted to have put out there by someone else. He was grateful to every student who had not shared this secret before now. But of course he had also heard the rumors, people speculating, just nothing ever confirmed. Not until today.
Eventually, he raised his hand, asking for silence, and he got it. "I started my time at Hogwarts as the Caretaker in 2020. I did not think I would have a very student-facing role so I kept this information to myself. When I was accepted as the Head of Ravenclaw, perhaps I should have been more open with you students from that point, but at the time I just wasn't comfortable yet. That said, I have grown to feel that Hogwarts is a second home - a feeling that I'm sure many of you have, or that many of you will feel as you start your time here. And for that reason, I wanted to share this with you." Keeping this secret is what had led to him not knowing his own daughter for all those years. And she was a large part of why he was so willing to be open now.
Times had changed a lot since he was younger - lycanthropy was far more accepted now than it had been in his youth. He vividly recalled the time he spent under lock and key during his childhood, his own parents terrified of him. That may well be the experience of some people still, but he'd seen far more progress in recent years than he ever thought he would. There was a lot of hope. Still, he understood and respected those who didn't want to have their status on display, and he wasn't going to go around shouting this to complete strangers - but Hogwarts really was Marcus' second home at this point. And... well, he wanted to show that if Hogwarts could be as accepting as to hire him, then the werewolves in this school would be okay. It felt like an important message for them to have, especially among the younger crowd who might be new to the whole wolf shifting thing.
"Now, you may be wondering why I've decided to announce this tonight of all nights. The first full moon of the school year is in just a couple days, and I wanted to take this time to not only spread a bit of educational information, but also to remind students that your safety is guaranteed. As I mentioned before, staff ensure all Hogwarts werewolves are amply supplied with Wolfsbane. On top of that, I personally escort all werewolf students off of school grounds to a secure location for the full moon transformation. We have been doing this for many years, and there has never been an incident where any student werewolves infected someone else."
"So with all that said, please go back to enjoying your desserts." With his speech finished, Marcus immediately turned on his heel and went back to the staff table. He felt relieved that it was over, so it was easy now for him to relax back into conversation with his colleagues. The colleagues whom he had spent the last few weeks informing of his status, and whose support he felt while giving his speech. A pat on the back from @Galahad Browne and a nod with @Magdalena Wickham-Deakin. Even though the nausea lingered from the approaching full moon, Marcus Iwasaki was feeling better.
OOC Note: This thread is marked as open so that Hogwarts students can write about reacting to the speech, but this is not a thread to interact with Marcus directly. Feel free to send me an owl if you want to setup a private RP regarding the events of this thread.
PC: Aaron Jones | iNPC: Madeleine Nakamura | Former staff account: Marcus Iwasaki
2nd Gen PC: Idalia della Torre
Best way to contact me? Discord or owl Idalia
8 Sep 2024, 19:40
Hogwarts is a Second Home
Dee looked up from her piece of cauldron cake with a vague sense of surprise when Professor Iwasaki stepped onto the lectern to get the attention of the crowd of students. In the four years since he had become the Ravenclaw Head of House, Dee could probably count the times he'd addressed the entire student body on one hand. Maybe even a hand that was missing a few fingers. And this wasn't even a special occasion, for all that she was aware.
The opening of the speech sounded like a typical appeal for tolerance and solidarity, and Dee frowned, her eyes trailing down the house table. Had there been a new incident she hadn't heard about? Attacks of some kind? If so, no one else seemed to know anything more about it than she did.
Still slightly confused but figuring she was likely overthinking things, Dee turned back to her cake, and hence almost missed the understated announcement about Iwasaki's secret double life, delivered in half a sentence as if to emphasise that this is not a big deal. Naturally, Dee choked on her cake. A sympathetic student next to her thumped her on the back as she coughed, but when she was done, her eyes watering, Professor Iwasaki was already continuing his announcement. Dee's head swiveled back around, her mind going back over the last four years and trying to find the clues she'd missed. Really, she'd spent so much time trying to figure out the werewolves and dhampirs and part-veelas of the school that she was rather disappointed in her detective skills for not seeing it.
She shifted, thoughtful, while Iwasaki continued to explain the precautions the school took, assuring everyone that they were still safe, nothing had changed, they just knew more now, and when he ended the speech with an abruptness that made it even more obvious how uncomfortable he'd been up there, a smile stole onto her face. This couldn't have been an easy step to take. Rather than going back to enjoying her dessert as instructed, Dee whistled loudly and started clapping. "Go, Professor Iwasaki!" she yelled over the general noise. He deserved some support, even if he likely hated the delivery. "Making Ravenclaw proud!"
Now... back to her cake.
Finishing her cake and leaving unless interacted with
Mentions @Marcus Iwasaki
"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
12 Sep 2024, 05:24
Hogwarts is a Second Home
Announcements at dinner were generally boring. They were usually about rule breaking (Colin rolled his eyes at those) or some part of the school that was temporarily closed because some kid incorrectly epoximised himself to the ceiling and the area was off limits until all his bits could be extricated from the wood (Colin always kept an ear open for these, as such a scene would be truly exploration worthy!). Tonight's announcement began rather along boring lines, Colin thought.
It was his time of the month anyway, so he tuned out whatever it was Professor Iwasaki was going on about. His body ached, his head hurt, his muscles hurt and he'd shoved no fewer than four poor firsties out of his way between classes last Friday. He'd even pushed two besties apart! Some wee Ravenclaw and her Gryffindor mate! He and Liam had spent much of the weekend down in the deep dungeons, just to get away from people and be together in misery. He took a sip of water and pushed his plate away, left unfilled, while he rested his head on the table cloth. Nothing was appetising, and it hadn't occurred to him before, but he wondered if this was why he and Liam were so skinny. They could only eat properly only every other fortnight!
Colin turned his head to the other side, in the hopes that maybe the headache would rattle around and fall out through his ear. When he last looked over towards the Ravenclaw table, he had seen that Liam was in similar straits and was hunkered down as well. But now! Liam was sitting bolt upright, turned sideways along the bench and his attention raptly on Professor Iwasaki.
"Bloody Ravenclaw teacher's pet!" he muttered. Colin generally tried to keep a low profile whenever Professor Wickham-Deakin was addressing the school. On the off chance she had heard some completely bogus rumour about his activities. Colin smirked. Not all the runours were entirely bogus! His sensitive ears picked up on a word that floated down from the dais.
Lycanthropy.
Colin spun in his seat, adopting a posture very much like his brother's! Sitting bolt upright, nearly crouching on the bench! What was Professor Iwasaki on about anyway? Colin sideglanced at the kids near him. Some were busy eating, others were listening politely, still others were whispering about dhampirs and veelas. Colin had clearly missed the context of this speech! And now it seemed like the Ravenclaw Head of House was going on into a lecture about lycanthropy! And it wasn't a school day! Sneaky Ravenclaws, trying to cram every breathing minute full of education! Not that Colin was adverse to education, he just preferred it to be on his terms, rather than being surprised by it!
He talked about wolfsbane and the disease and all about the moon phases and what happens when you don't take your potion. Colin made a retching sound. Wolfsbane was nasty stuff! Darkest Night was much better! For that matter, goblin piss was tastier! It had only one saving grace, wolfsbane. A werewolf would maintain his humanity in wolf shape.
"Tell me about it Prof!"
Colin's eyes widened in surprise! He wasn't keeping his own lycanthropy a secret, but he wasn't going around telling everyone either. He had been thinking about it though. For almost a year. He reckoned a lot of kids already know or suspected. He'd even shown Ava his scars last June and actually opened up his heart to her about his werewolfry. And of course, there were rumours that even the tightest lipped werewolves couldn't escape. Even the densest student could put two and two together, when the same group of kids disappeared for a day or so every month. At the new moon.
"...affected staff, like myself."
Whoa. Colin perked up. Wait. Colin shook his head like a dog. It really helped to clear the mind! Of course, Colin knew that Professor Iwasaki was a wolf. All the other wolves did. But, did he just tell the entire world that he's a werewolf too? The rest of the speech was drowned out by Colin's own thoughts. He had never had much of a chance to talk with Professor Iwasaki, but his heart leapt when he heard the announcement. He was definitely a man who had now totally earned Colin's respect, though probably never quite as much as Liam did!
Several cheers were raised and many kids clapped. They probably didn't quite understand what had just happened. It might take them a while to sort out the implications that Colin knew in his heart. He caught Liam's eye.
Colin smirked.
Liam smirked.
Colin inclined his head slightly and raise his left eyebrow.
Liam inclined his head slightly and raised his right eyebrow in response.
Colin unfolded his long and skinny frame, standing up on the ancient wooden bench. Through the corner of his eye, he could see that Liam was doing the same.
He wondered if any other wolves would respond, would take up the howl...
"OWOOoooOOoOOOooooOoo!!!"
Reducio@Keith Moore | @Sonya Herrera | @Myra Markab | @Lucian Mornstern | @Tesla Stone | @Meyra Lancaster | @Jun Mayumi Mochizuki | @Colby Vidler
Keep your mind in hell; and don't despair.
Cursa McCoire
Rigel McCoire
12 Sep 2024, 22:06
Hogwarts is a Second Home
September 15th 2024
Speech: #cfa120
Thoughts: Italics
Open to any and all available interactions!
Mentioning @Marcus Iwasaki, @Simon Kincaid and @Scout Fu-Hai
Voices across the Great Hall could shout and and clamber all they wanted but none of them were reaching Emily's ears. Her entire train of thought was consumed with far too many things. Classwork. Homework. Research. The Forest. Casey's wellbeing. His investigation into his brother Nick's disappearance. Her own goals and ambitions of befriending the creatures of the dark and wicked. Bridging the gap that still lingered and divided humans and creatures. She was barely grounded enough to remember to eat her dinner, plucking tiny nibbles of peas and mash into her mouth every now and then.
When she finally emerged from out of her inner monologue stupor and back into the outside world, she noticed how incredibly quiet it had gotten, something which was uncharacteristically strange for the likes of the Great Hall. It was then that Professor Iwasaki addressed the hall.
Oh yeah.
Emily had clean forgot about dinner announcements for that evening. Not that she could see herself paying much attention to them, still chasing a pea around her plate with the edge of her fork as her head went elsewhere.
But as Professor Iwasaki started talking, all focus immediately went to him and his words, with Emily sitting upright like she was struck by lightening. Every word that travelled across the canals of the hall reach her ears, all full of purpose.
Part-Goblins, Part-Veelas, Part-Giants... Aside from Scout and Simon, and the sinking feeling that there were more like them around the school, Emily didn't realise just how diverse the school was when it came to those with magical heritages. But one thing stuck out more than the rest.
Werewolves.
Now that, Emily relaxed her shoulders with a look of "whoa..." plastered across her face. Werewolves. Actual, real living werewolves. She looked around herself discreetly. Was she sitting next to one right now?
What about that guy there?
Or her?
What about the lad seventeen seats to her left?
She kept listening. A combination of fascination and sympathy twisted into her expression as Professor Iwasaki delved into some facts and specifics. It all sounded... Painful. Aside from the whole "man to wolf" conundrum. It sounded more painful mentally and emotionally; constantly having to remember to take some kind of medicine just to retain a single shred of humanity as they go through a change - at least from what Emily was taking away from all of this. It was still a lot to wrap her head around, especially the idea of sharing classes with werewolf students and--
Teachers?
Emily heard that last bit correctly, didn't she? Professor Iwasaki... The Head of Ravenclaw... He's a werewolf?
Oh jeez. Oh man...!
Emily's mind imploded. The questions! The intrigue! The desire and demand to know more! Not only for the obvious want to know what it's like to live with something as delicate as lycanthropy but also... If Emily was out looking for ways to bring magical creatures and human beings together, then she had to learn how people like Professor Iwasaki feel comfortable - let alone confident - to be open and honest, and proud of having that gift. She hardly doubted that not everyone had the same luxury as feeling welcomed as Professor Iwasaki might be, if the books she had read so far had taught her anything, and there was probably more than a fair share of those who feel out of place - or God forbid, despise themselves over their lycanthropic inheritance. Scout wasn't even a werewolf and even she had been feeling withdrawn and insecure lately. It was all something Emily had to put a stop to. Like magic, everything that lingered in a person's genes and bones was a gift, not a curse. Pride be damned Emily would prove it.
Emily abandoned her dinner altogether as she hunched over her spot at the table like a vulture, deeper than any layer before in thought.
Now that she had just unironically witnessed living proof of magical beings and humans getting along, she was determined more than ever to help spread that sentiment further.
Word Count: 722
Stats: Stamina: 7|Evasion: 6|Strength: 6|Wisdom: 8|Arcane Power: 7|Accuracy: 6
Abilities: Non-Human Enthusiast |Cat's Grace
Trust Yourself - Love Yourself - Be Yourself
iNPC = Casey Stone
13 Sep 2024, 00:06
Hogwarts is a Second Home
september 15th, 2024 wc: 450 interacting with: @Emily Shephard
Feel what?
Her youth (though it was nowhere near over) had been spent in the depths of secrecy. A part of Scout became innately aware of the implications of what he was saying, and a horrible feeling of relation washed over her like boiling water. Professor Iwasaki was so respected, and that was an understatement. Head of a house of the smartest people in school, a good person, someone who was highly admired, but he was just like Scout.
A perceived monster.
Did that mean, then, that he also felt the same way she did? A hidden disgust breathing beneath skin, aching to get out to prove to everyone who the monster truly was? No, she figured he felt differently. How could an adult like him understand even an inkling of how she felt? Maybe werewolves felt more pride than vampires did. Scout wouldn't know, the only experience she had was with herself and her father, both of which kept their secrets hidden. To announce something with such confidence in front of a room filled with people, all of which could have different opinions and thoughts on the matter?
It filled Scout with a little bit of hope. Not a lot.
"Emily, hey! Did you hea- woah, what's with the bird pose?" She had snuck out of her seat at the Gryffindor table to go talk to Emily. There was not a single doubt in Scout's mind that her friend was consumed with thought on the subject- she knew Emily way too well for that. But she hadn't expected such a visceral response from her friend. Well, then again, this was like... Emily's thing. A hope for a better world in which nonhumans and humans got along, that was her Hufflebuddy's whole plan.
"Uh... Emi...?" She prodded Emily's shoulder with a clawed finger, tilting her head as she sank down onto the bench at the Hufflepuff table. "You should like totally go ask the professor what he thinks about this whole thing, Em." That'd be a little more productive than whatever was going on with the vulture-pose.
don't look at me; you can't understand, right? i'm just like a monstrous flower that bloomed too soon
scout fu-hai & zyair ona'je
13 Sep 2024, 14:24
Hogwarts is a Second Home
|
Thinking: Italics
13 Sep 2024, 14:31
Hogwarts is a Second Home
September 15th 2024
Speech: #cfa120
Thoughts: Italics
Lycanthropic Learning with @Scout Fu-Hai and @Minnie Duke
Open to any and all other available interactions!
How repetitive it would be for someone to admit that Emily was definitely not in the room right then and there. Well, she was... But her head was far removed from all social interaction. She may as well have been a gargoyle with how she was acting at the table. It wasn't until something grabbed her shoulder that made her move, freezing her thought pattern.
"Uh... Emi...?"
"Eh wha--?" Seeing the familiar face of her best bud snapped her out of her dazed self, immediately replacing it with a relieved and welcoming one. She didn't even realise Scout had snuck over to the Hufflepuff table. "Scoutie...! I'm going to go ahead and assume you just heard what the Professor said, yeah...?" The acknowledging look in Scout's face gave the answer away.
Scout knew Emily better than even Emily knew herself on the best of days. The Gryffindor gal knew what Emily was thinking. "You should like totally go ask the professor what he thinks about this whole thing, Em."
That was the thing though. Emily could, but would she really?
"Are you kidding...??" Emily hissed gently. "It's one thing to admit something so personal like that, but I wouldn't want to ruffle feathers and get even further into Professor Iwasaki's private business...!" But of course her inner cravings for knowledge were betraying her claims. Scout had a fair idea about Emily's little "project" to know that she was just as bubbling at the idea of learning a thing or two about lycanthropy at a glance than Emily was trying to let on.
She bit the top of her nail conflictingly. "Still... I guess anyone would want to ask a question or two about being a werewolf, huh..."
It did also make Emily think... As equally unlikely as it could be, she couldn't help but wonder if she had been conversing and befriending any other werewolves about the school without her knowing this whole time...
"Excuse me, but I wouldn't talk to him. It seems a bit rude after what he just did."
Emily figured she wasn't being subtle enough if Minnie Duke could hear them as she came to observe the conversation.
Ah, even Minnie thinks so...
Emily's chin was buried in her hand, a soft but audible exhale slowly filtering out of her mouth.
Why did magical beings have to be such a cool and sensitive topic??
Word Count: 439
Stats: Stamina: 7|Evasion: 6|Strength: 6|Wisdom: 8|Arcane Power: 7|Accuracy: 6
Abilities: Non-Human Enthusiast |Cat's Grace
Trust Yourself - Love Yourself - Be Yourself
iNPC = Casey Stone
13 Sep 2024, 16:05
Hogwarts is a Second Home
Iris sat silently amongst her housemates, posture sharp as the scheduled commotion of dinnertime commenced.
The day had passed like any other since her arrival. With mornings spent in the library pouring over texts that had since lost their appeal, it was clear the Ravenclaw's mind had been.. elsewhere. The hours leading up to the evening meal were no different, thoughts that circled endlessly around the hollow outlines of her own plans. Anything outside of it deemed irrelevant, even the bustling crowds that surrounded her.
It was in the warm atmosphere of the dining hall that she could not escape, a sensation that always managed to catch up with her in some form or the other. The buzz of students; their laughter, their chatter, served as nothing more than white noise. All unnotably, should she add.
As the head of house's voice filled the hall, tone clearly indicating a carefulness around the subject, her gaze drifted with the hushed whispers that fell upon the room. Not quite focusing on the man at the center of attention, but rather somewhere in the in between. His words brushed past her, carried in a current she didn’t care to follow. She wasn't unnerved by the topic, nor by the man delivering it. In fact, Iris was barely moved at all.
Still, she listened.
The professor’s voice grew quieter for a moment, as if pulling something deep within himself. A confession? It rippled through the hall, like a stone tossed into still waters. An announcement that should have shaken the room. A werewolf? Her eyes flickered, focusing on him with a newfound intensity. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, given the recent state of affairs at Hogwarts, but the revelation carried more weight than she anticipated. A subtle shift ran through the air, Iris could feel it. As it wasn’t the declaration itself that unnerved her, but rather the questions it raised. What would this mean for the house? For him? For them all?
Then came the howl.
Loud, almost mocking, yet tinged with the kind of reckless nature only a student would dare attempt in such a moment. It echoed from the Slytherin table, no doubt an attempt to stir some laughter among their peers. She however did not spare a glance toward the source of the disruption, refusing to offer even the smallest acknowledgment. Instead, she supplied a single piercing statement to those close enough to hear.
"If half creatures wish to command respect, the least they could do is act like it."
Mentions | @Marcus Iwasaki & @Colin McCoire
| sta : 7 ⸝ eva : 7 ⸝ str : 0 wis : 9 ⸝ arc : 9 ⸝ acc : 8 |
Iris E. Athanasiuo ·𖥸· |
━━━━━━ | Wings of silver, talons of gold. |
13 Sep 2024, 17:54
Hogwarts is a Second Home
september 15th, 2024 wc: 430 interacting with: @Emily Shephard
"In my opinion," she hums, "it's only digging into someone's business if you have bad intentions. If I were like Professor Iwasaki, and felt confident enough to announce to everyone who I really was... then I'd be at a point where questions and intrigue wouldn't bother me."
Only Emily knew the truth behind Scout's veiled words. If there were ever a point where Scout felt like she could say 'I'm a dhampir!' to her entire school, then she'd clearly be confident enough to answer the questions that would come, whether or not she wanted them to. When her dad had told her the story of how he revealed his heritage to her mother, the same thought process had followed then. It's impossible to drop a bomb and not expect just a little bit of inquiry. Especially when you were telling it to a room full of preteens and teens.
"Besides, it's you who's asking. You're a cute little Hufflepuff who wants to bring nonhumans and humans together, I think if you explained that..." Scout could, of course, be wrong. Her view on the situation was veiled with her own tinted glass of the situation. It had been her courage that gave her reason to tell Emily her situation on her biting-ness, maybe it was stupid to think that a werewolf would feel the same way a vampire would. "Man... I'd totally come with you! I'd have so many questions to ask."
That was... well, more veiling over her true thoughts. She had exactly one question to ask, and that was one that had been flittering in her mind over and over the past few weeks. And that question wasn't exactly one she was interested in sharing in front of Emily, or anyone for that matter. Maybe Zyair, but she still couldn't tell him about her vampirism, so maybe not him. "Wish I were as brave as him, though."
Her brown eyes glanced at Emily, and only one thought could be conveyed. At least she hoped Emily understood. "To tell everyone something like that about yourself. You'd really have to... be accepting of who you are first. Ha." What a joke, she could never be like that-
Ugh! Stop thinking like that, Scout!
don't look at me; you can't understand, right? i'm just like a monstrous flower that bloomed too soon
scout fu-hai & zyair ona'je
13 Sep 2024, 18:39
Hogwarts is a Second Home
September 15th 2024
Speech: #cfa120
Thoughts: Italics
Lycanthropic Learning with @Scout Fu-Hai and @Minnie Duke
Mentioning @Colin McCoire and @Marcus Iwasaki
Open to any and all other available interactions!
Emily didn't know what waters Scout had been treading in that had her so insecure lately, but in a sudden flip of a switch, Scout was now suddenly acting a little more like her old self, despite the lingering flare of the unusual quietness she had adopted in recent weeks. Her words were encouragingly sincere as Minnie's intervention went unheard to the dhampir's ears. Emily certainly did feel a bit more hopeful though she still couldn't shake that inklings of doubt, no thanks to her own stubbornness and Minnie's added claim.
"Even if it was for good intentions... It could still be insensitive to ask... I know it takes a lot of courage to admit something like that..." She paused and gave Scout a tactful "look" after picking up on her signs. "But even if I meant well, he might see it as a bother or maybe think I'm making it a bigger deal than it needs to be..." She wanted to blame her Muggle-born roots for that, but being labelled as a second year simultaneously felt like more than enough vindication for someone - even her - to endorse that it's a normal occurrence and didn't need any further explanation than "It's a magic thing."
Emily's indecisiveness prompted Scout to keep going, even going as far as to offer her companionship and ask with her. Emily, while acknowledging Scout's want to be by her buddy's side, also didn't let it slip past her that Scout was most likely looking to answer some questions that she didn't know she had - perhaps even some reassurance and comfort for her own circumstances, after Professor Iwasaki's outstanding openness to his secret. A dhampir conversing with a lycanthrope undoubtedly offered parallels and discourse to see how they can learn how to live with those special sides of themselves... Something Emily knew that Scout had been seeking for quite some time now.
"To tell everyone something like that about yourself. You'd really have to... be accepting of who you are first."
A-ha! So Scout had been listening to Emily's passionate tangents every time they discussed her vampirism. At least Scout was benefitting something out of this revelation-revealing evening. Emily on the other hand was still playing tug-of-war in her head on how much she was willing to sacrifice self-respect for the sake of politely interrogating Professor Iwasaki over something Emily wanted to see for herself since last year... Never mind the vampires, ghosts, ghoulies and other "unspeakable horrors" she wanted to see first hand!
Out of nowhere, a howl pierced throughout the hall. The sound had Emily look up and around her like a curious meerkat, trying to hone in on where in the Hall it came from. She had heard that sound before, if not something eerily similar. It nevertheless startled the bejeezums out of her.
"What the...??"
Word Count: 524
Stats: Stamina: 7|Evasion: 6|Strength: 6|Wisdom: 8|Arcane Power: 7|Accuracy: 6
Abilities: Non-Human Enthusiast |Cat's Grace
Trust Yourself - Love Yourself - Be Yourself
iNPC = Casey Stone