Hard Times[PV Raizel V.] - Rehearsal Room

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Verity Engels

Second year, Duellist, Hufflepuff

284 818

1 Feb 2026, 11:12

xxx

𝐕 𝐄 𝐑 𝐈 𝐓 𝐘 • 𝐄 𝐍 𝐆 𝐄 𝐋 𝐒

date january 31st, 2026
time evening
outfit hufflepuff robe, white button-up blouse, black midi skirt, white socks, and black loafers

xxx

It was hard to believe that it had already been five months since starting Hogwarts. Five months since stepping into this new world of magic and actually living in it. Of course, the honeymoon phase had long faded into a mix of frustration over homework, stress over sports and new commitments (her new secretary position, to be exact), and boredom over not having much to do in the castle now that all this time had passed. Seriously, once you'd explored the whole castle, there was little to do. Even if Vera was a duellist, a captain, and Headliner secretary, there were days where she still wondered, what else can I do?

Finding the rehearsal room had been a blessing of sorts. There was, suddenly, hobbies she could fill the extra void with. Dancing, playing instruments, and singing, even. Vera had finally brought her dance shoes, opting to keep her bag light and forego her instruments. Hogwarts had them, anyway, so there was no need. She did, however, bring sheet music as Cecilia had done the first time Vera ventured to the room.

Vera opened and closed the door in one swift motion, humming as she picked up a music stand and set it in front of the harp, where she then placed her sheets. The music wasn't anything flashy or complex; she had only picked up the harp just months before starting Hogwarts. She adjusted her skirt as she sat in front of the instrument, placing her hands on opposite sides of the harp. Then, after giving the music some thought, she tilted the instrument to let it rest on her shoulder.

Playing the harp was different to the other instruments Vera had learned before. Sitting at the piano and staring down at black and white keys was simple. The violin was a bit more difficult, and she was glad she had learned the piano first because even the slightest shift in hand placement gave a different chord. Playing the harp, on the other hand, was a sort of intimate affair. On the piano, the closest point was the fingertips, or even the hands. On the violin, the closest point was the shoulder and chin. With the harp, the instrument was right against the player like a gentle weight.

It was all for visibility of the strings, of course. But some days, Vera appreciated the weight. It was grounding, in a way. Plus, the image of playing at the harp looked more... beautiful, in Vera's opinion.

Vera's gaze relaxed as she looked away from the sheet music and onto the strings. She let muscle memory take over as she gave the strings a gentle tug and let the music echo out to the walls of the room.

@Raizel Voltrouz
playing greensleeves on the harp

xxx

inpc: aloysius go | adult: sereia clairmont
check out the hogwarts headliner!

Raizel Voltrouz

Fifth year, Broom Racer, Gryffindor

986 815

12 Feb 2026, 14:19

Interactions ❯❯ @Verity Engels | @ | @
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❂《 ⌜ January 31, 2026 ▎ Evening ⌟
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Countless times had she walked through these corridors, countless times had she found herself with no destination. There was only senseless wandering, letting her feet take her wherever it pleases. Whether it’ll be through the quiet hallways of Hogwarts for an evening walk or the more dangerous outskirts of the Forbidden Forest for some surprise adventure. Either way, both were welcomed, a way to take her mind off of a couple things like that awful race- hold on, could that be even called a proper race? No, it was a bloodbath disguised as an official sports game made for entertainment.

Oh yipee, what a way to start a new year. As if her lack of confidence wasn't enough along with her unsatisfactory performance and absence of progress. A heavy sigh escaped her as she wandered some more, only stopping just before the door that leads to the rehearsal room. A faint melody from within could be heard through the slightly opened door. Normally, she would ignore it. After all, the only people there would be strangers that she doesn't know. Heck, even those that she does know were starting to feel like strangers due to her distant nature that she had recently picked up on. What was with today that compelled her to check it out? It was like a siren’s song drawing her in and she hoped that it would not kill her. In Hogwarts, you’ll never know. You need to assume that most things were out there to hurt you. Then again, that's just her speaking through her horrible experiences whenever there was an event.

And there it was, the source of the music that had lured her in. As she thought, it was someone she barely knew, someone that she thought might be crazy for asking her for a sparring match but who was she to judge her when she used to do the same? And to be fair, compared to her, she did a lot better than when she tried to fight a fourth year. Ah, yes, there it was, she could feel the pang of jealousy, an emotion that wasn't that much of a stranger although one that she always tries to hide. Awful, it still made her feel so icky and horrible but she couldn't stop feeling that way. Wasn't she doing the same effort, if not, more? Yet the results were always worse than what she could imagine.

Her mind was always filled with these thoughts but once she started to focus on the music, it slowly left, leaving her with a blank mind. For once, the tension she had always been feeling 24/7 disappeared. Raizel had completely forgotten what it felt like to relax, to loosen up. She had always been hard on herself since her second year to the point that she ended up exhausting her energy almost all the time. She leaned on the nearby wall, arms crossed in front of her and before she knew it, she was captivated by the soothing music. Who knew that getting a taste of peace once more would end up with her wanting more of it albeit temporary because once it stops, the thoughts will come back to continue to torment her.

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⌜ Hard Times ⌟ | ⌜ WC: 540/200 ⌟
««««« Dialogue | #800000

INVENTORY

Outfit
Reducio

Items
Reducio
Enchanted Satchel
Wand
Potions: See Inventory

Verity Engels

Second year, Duellist, Hufflepuff

284 818

7 Apr 2026, 05:12

xxx

𝐕 𝐄 𝐑 𝐈 𝐓 𝐘 • 𝐄 𝐍 𝐆 𝐄 𝐋 𝐒

date january 31st, 2026
time evening
outfit hufflepuff robe, white button-up blouse, black midi skirt, white socks, and black loafers

xxx

Vera remembered hearing somewhere that string instruments were the closest to the human voice one could get with an instrument. Or was that only for the violin? Regardless, after a few repetitions of Greensleeves, she found herself humming the notes as she played along. The timbre was different, of course, because the strings were much higher than her own voice. But the combination of a low rumble under her skin and the weight of the harp against her body felt like—

(That memory felt so distant now. When was the last time she had been hugged to sleep?)

The note that came from the harp didn't match what she was humming, and Vera knew then that her mind had wandered. She hummed a few more notes, all random with no clear melody in mind. Then, she looked up at the music stand she had set up.

What Vera didn't expect was for someone to brood in the corner as she played. Or, well, brood didn't seem like the right term. They were relaxed against the wall, arms crossed. How long had they been there? In the dim lighting, Vera could only somewhat make out their features. Brown hair, pale skin, dark eyes. Their outfit consisted only of black and white shades, which wasn't exactly helpful while trying to figure out who'd just walked in.

But rather than fuss over it, Vera returned her gaze to the music stand. It was only Hogwarts and the security was so tight not even people from Hogsmeade came to visit. Perhaps it was just another student who wanted the space, or to listen in on what she'd been playing. Whoever it was, Vera simply continued. There was no need to be on high alert in such a place.

Her eyes settled on one of her more complex pieces. By skill level standards, it was still a beginner's piece, but the speed at which it was meant to be played made it sound more advanced. She took one look at the starting note, looked back at her instrument, then positioned her hands over the next few chords.

She hoped whoever had come to listen liked this next piece.

@Raizel Voltrouz
playing greensleeves and fields of gold on the harp

xxx

inpc: aloysius go | adult: sereia clairmont
check out the hogwarts headliner!

Raizel Voltrouz

Fifth year, Broom Racer, Gryffindor

986 815

4 Jul 2026, 13:42

Interactions ❯❯ @Verity Engels | @ | @
Mentions ❯❯ @ | @ | @

❂《 ⌜ January 31, 2026 ▎ Evening ⌟
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As much as she wanted to stay, to savor this peace with none of those voices in her head mocking her of her failures, she couldn't. Besides, standing and brooding here felt wrong. It felt creepy and her presence here would just mess with Verity’s concentration on whatever piece she was playing. She had become aware of how unpleasant she could get, of how her mere presence could drive people away now with how she acts, with how mean she looks, with how much of a loner she had become…

And that was fine…

That was the plan after all…

To drive everyone away…

She doesn't want them to see the state she was in, to see this desperate side of hers, the negative emotions that she felt towards her friends. Zach, especially. He was a victim of her jealousy, much like Verity and really, it was disgusting. How horrible of a person she had become? How could she let desperation drive her into this?

Raizel gave the first year one final glance, sighing in silence with closed eyes. She pushed herself away from the wall that she was leaning on, giving her head a scratch before walking back to where the entrance was. She tried to be quiet as much as possible.

She doesn't want to be seen, she doesn't want her presence to be known.

▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▟
⌜ Hard Times ⌟ | ⌜ WC: 227/200 ⌟
««««« Dialogue | #800000

INVENTORY

Outfit
Reducio

Items
Reducio
Enchanted Satchel
Wand
Potions: See Inventory

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Hard Times PV Raizel V.