ERRAND Starborn Wonders mass thread The Lyrids Meteor Shower

Wc: 620 Interactions: N/A Date: 22/04/26 Time: Around midnight

:Mentions N/A N/A :OOC Note :Speech #6397b0

The Lyrid Meteor shower. Fawkes had been slowly counting down the days to when it would occur. Though there were a few meteors that came every year, a full blown meteor shower only occurred once every 60 years. She was excited to witness it in person. Her father had shown her a few drawings of the showers made by their ancestors and he had also told her how beautiful it was to witness. She had been planning on sneaking out after hours to go to the Astronomy tower. With its high viewpoint and open observatory she would have been able to see the shower amazingly. Granted going in an open field would be the best way to experience the full glory of the Lyrids but she wasn't planning on going onto the courtyard after hours. That was until she passed by the announcement board a week-end prior to the shower.

She had to read the notice multiple times to make sure she read it right. They were being invited to watch the shower on the grounds. It was a dream come true for her! To watch the shower in it's full glory.

She could hardly contain her excitement for the next few days, waiting eagerly for April 22nd. When the day finally came, she went onto the ground around two hours before the shower was supposed to peak. She made sure to wrap warm because even if it was becoming warmer during the day, the night was still cold.

She listened inventively as Elena was explaining the Lyrid Shower's origins and features. She had brought along her notebook with her and wrote down whatever new information she got. She brought a few stickers and pictures she had collected during the Christmas break. She placed them next to her writing work based on the facts. When Elena mentioned Vega, she looked up to see if she could find it. She held up the April star map she made last year and found the star quickly. She lowered her hands before wandering around the grounds some more.

The myth of the Lyre of Orpheus. Fawkes had heard the tale from her mother once. Her mother had an interest in mythology from all cultures and would tell them to Fawkes and her brothers instead of bed time stories. She honestly preferred them over the regular bed time stories her friends were told. They had a lot more character and more interesting concepts in her opinion. She sat a little away from the fire and listened to the Librarian tell the tale. The way she narrated the story had Fawkes captivated.

After the tale had ended she got up and walked over to go pitch up a tent. Thanks to the numerous camping trips her parents would take her on, she knew how to set one up quickly and had hers up in no time. She placed her bag into it since it was too heavy to keep carrying around everywhere. She also brought with her a sheet to curl up on while watching the shower. When she was happy with her set up she went to get some snacks and get ready for the Lyrids to start.

She lay back on her sheet and waited. It wasn't long before she spotted one, then two, then multiple meteors flying across the sky. She was awestruck by the beauty of the meteors, making sure to do a rough sketch of them for her own star chart collection. She also made some minor technical notes regarding how many meteors were there based on the time. She hoped she wouldn't fall asleep and could stay awake watching the meteors fly by for the rest of the night...

Aly Salinger was no stranger, by now, to the idea that she might be the eldest student there at any Hogwarts-hosted official event or errand. Sure enough, as she traipsed up the mountains to the chosen stargazing plateau with her cohorts, she could spot only perhaps a small handful who looked to be anywhere close to her age - though, with her diminutive stature causing her to blend in amongst the taller youngsters, it was hard indeed to tell.

She was no stranger to the Lyrids, either. Having watched them atop the Astronomy Tower two years back, following a disastrous Fall Ball in which her best mate and that night's stargazing partner Peri had lost an eye, Aly had always felt comfortable with this meteor shower. That didn't mean she didn't love other ones, however, having done a similar towertop stargazing session with @Dealla Prince for the Quadrantids as well as plenty of lone times for various other showers throughout the years. Such was a perk of being an Astronomy Intern - Professor @Rigel McCoire, and his predecessor @Gargamel Starwise, usually always let her have free roam of the tower, so long as she kept the orreries polished and the star charts neatly stacked. Stargazing in the open field, however, without the golden lantern glows of Hogwarts polluting her view, would be something else entirely.

As such, Aly was alone in a small Muggle tent on the very edge of the clustered students and staff members. Though she would have liked to just settle down and watch the shower there, in the peace and quiet away from the brightly lit bonfires and the sharp tang of smoke that lingered in the air around them, the Lyrids weren't set to peak until the early morning, and the moon still hung heavy in the sky, its waxing crescent throwing a silvery sheen over the otherwise dark landscape. Once it had set and the chaos of the fires had died down, Aly was sure to get a much better view. Until then, however, she reluctantly joined the librarian's fire, listening to the lovely @Helen Aletheia Doukas - who, really, could not have been that much older than Aly herself, perhaps a decade or less - read out the tale of Orpheus and his lyre. Doomed to fail, and yet she told it anyway; perhaps the sad song would turn out differently this time.

It was here, by the librarian's fire, that she waited to see if anyone else her age might make an appearance. If not, the seventh-year Ravenclaw would be content to sit and listen until the fires were extinguished and she could finally get what she had come here for: a pure, unobstructed view of a night sky that shimmered with shooting stars.

Open to interactions from fifth-years and up | WC: 458/600
Apr. 22, 2026 | outfit in banner | #C47DDB
lovely & charmer affect everyone | sta 10, eva 14, str 5, wis 19, arc 7, acc 18

English | Parseltongue
interacting: @Aly Salinger

As the end of the year approached, Della was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on what some people called “downtime.” Between broom racing practice, studying for OWLs, and the new mountains of homework, she was forgetting what it was like to relax. Last week, when she realized she hadn’t brushed her long silver hair in three days, she knew it was time for an intervention. Some of the professors were hosting a star-gazing night. Students were free to stay out on the grounds after hours and enjoy the Lyrid meteor shower. A night away from books, a night with hopefully some socialization, was what she needed.

Lyrids—yearly meteor shower—every April—brightest star Vega—near Lyra and Hercules—also known as Herakles—oldest continuously observed meteor shower—the centaurs think that—

Oh! She was doing it again. It was really that difficult to stop studying for a second.

The fifth-year Gryffindor wasn’t sure what it was about this year that had her unraveling like this. She had always felt like a competent student without trying too hard; she knew she could ace the OWL for Care of Magical Creatures, Flying, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. And she would probably be competent on the others—well, if she didn’t make it to NEWT Transfiguration would that really be a loss?

But there was something about adulthood that scared academic confidence out of her. She was essentially alone in the magical world. Her muggle mom and aunt could offer her no practical advice. Last summer, her mom had asked if witches needed to pay taxes—and Della had no idea. She would need money, a job, a purpose, something, to keep her afloat in this strange world. Or she would be doomed to rejoin the muggle world, probably another Starbucks barista with a full sketchbook, able to perform a “magic trick” for a customer here or there. So yeah, she had to pass these tests.

It didn’t help that she was leading the Gryffindor team down an abysmal road of coming in last at races. Was racing a potential career path that was now lost to her? She probably needed more office hours with the flying professor to find out. Add it to the list.

Somehow, she walked herself straight to the edge of where most of the students were. She hadn’t even glanced to see if she knew anyone along the path. The sound of talking and laughter was dimming, but at least the stars looked brighter. Della looked up at them and started to recall them—which ones would be on the astronomy OWL?—oh, yeah, wait, that wasn’t what tonight was about.

She looked down; the Gryffindor girl hadn’t noticed where she stopped walking—she was standing a little too close to another student. A Ravenclaw. Probably seventh-year. Della was sure she was a Quidditch player, probably a captain? There was no exam on the student body, so it was difficult to recall these facts.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there!” The older girl was alone and had a pretty good view. And it would look silly to turn around and walk back now. “Um, do you have room for one more?”

The moment Zephyr saw the notice, he signed up right away, not even a second thought. Viewing and enjoying the night sky is nothing new to him. After long days of work on their farm, stargazing was one of the few moments where he could relax and slow down. On most quiet nights, he would lie on the grass up on a hill behind their house or sit on a fence and just look up. Since they’re far from the city, it was mostly quiet and peaceful. There were no city lights and noise, only the wide fields and a sky that seemed endless. He needs no telescopes and no explanations, he would just guess shapes in the stars. For him, it’s not so much about knowing all the names of the constellations or all the theories behind them but feeling connected. It helps him clear his head especially on stressful days. It’s one of the few times he doesn’t overthink.

He also enjoys the practical side of the night skies, it was something he picked up from farm life. How cool it was to know the time by the stars or recognizing weather changes from the sky. While others might get excited about the scientific rarity of something like a meteor shower, he enjoys it differently. He had seen the sky his whole life and yet it still finds a way to surprise him. So when he heard about the Lyrid meteor shower, he didn’t think twice about joining.

Meteors or shooting stars, as they're often known are visible with the naked eye, and meteor showers are usually reliable and predictable stargazing events. And with rare phenomenon like that, it was good enough to participate. On the day of the event, they were asked to gather first in the Great Hall, and as per usual, he came early, just quietly looking around. There were a lot of students at that time. After some time, they finally started moving. The walk itself was not really challenging, at least for him who was used to running and climbing trees and hills.

He glanced around as they walked, wondering where his friends went. Didn’t they register for this activity? He knew for a fact some of them love stargazing while some were Astronomy enthusiast. Maybe later he would see a couple of his friends. Night has its own charm and walking around would give you a different perspective of the things around you. It felt good. Better than being stuck inside, this is a good excuse to step away from studying. But he didn’t forget bringing his sketch pad with him. The moon barely poke its head above the horizon making the sky darker, perfect for meteors shower viewing. While following the others, he would often glance at the sky, remembering the stories his mom shared with him and Zaria before going to sleep. Each constellation, planet, and any celestial body was assigned a story with accompanying lesson that would offer insight into human’s everyday existence.

According to his mother, there’s a blur line between mythology and astrology. And this Lyrid meteor shower was no different. Originating in the Lyra constellation and visible from anywhere on the planet, it was indeed worth experiencing for the nighttime spectacle alone. When he read about it, he was reminded of the story behind it, the unconditional love Orpheus felt for Eurydice. Zephyr took a deep breath as the cold wind blew past him, the chill didn’t bother him much. It actually kept him awake and focused as he made his way up the mountain. His gaze returned to the sky again, not even bothering to check the usual stars that fascinates him, he didn’t try finding any patterns that night, he just watched it in silence.

Aly was brain-deep in the tale of Orpheus, listening to a very long walk down into the Underworld of Greek lore, when footsteps nearby caught her attention. There had been plenty of folks walking by and wandering around, hopping from bonfire to bonfire, so the footsteps themselves were no issue, but rather, how close they were getting to her. Aly turned slightly, peeking over her shoulder, only to be greeted by the sight of legs.

She looked up. Ah, the legs were attached to somebody: a tall girl with silvery hair and the same green eyes and freckles that the Ravenclaw herself boasted. She looked awfully familiar, and with a start, Aly realised that she had sat herself somehow directly in the path of one of the Gryffindor broom racing captains, the girl who had snatched the gold in the elder years' bobsledding at the International Magical Olympic Games. Judging by the look in her eye, she didn't know Aly, but Aly sure did know her; the seventh-year had attended the IMOG partially as a fan to cheer on her friends, but also partially as a Headliner reporter. She had made it her personal job to find out the names and Houses of everyone who had taken a medal for Hogwarts at the Games, and so it only took a minute of brain-racking to come up with this girl's moniker. Della Barfield, she was pretty sure. Gryffindor... either fifth or sixth year? She'd never responded to Aly's request for a Headliner interview, so that was about the extent of her knowledge.

"Oh! No worries. Yes, absolutely, take a seat," the elder girl replied, scooting over to the side and patting the ground next to her. It wasn't the most comfortable of locations, but what else was there to do when you were outside at a campfire? "You're Della, right? Congratulations on that gold in bobsledding - you were bloody brilliant, even if I was rooting for another team." The acknowledgement was tinged with a playful tone, for the bitterness Aly had felt surrounding the fact that her best mate @Dealla Prince hadn't made it even past the starting line had long since faded. "I'm Aly, by the way. I dunno if we've met before."

She gave an awkward little wave rather than reaching out for a handshake, as that would've been even less comfortable given the two girls' seated positions. After a moment, the Ravenclaw continued, "You're a year or two younger than me, right? Fifth-year? Or is it sixth? Hard to keep everyone straight."

Interacting with @Della Barfield | Closed to other interactions | WC: 458 + 424 = 882/600
Apr. 22, 2026 | outfit in banner | #C47DDB
lovely & charmer affect everyone | sta 10, eva 14, str 5, wis 19, arc 7, acc 18

Beowulf had been excited, sure he had a reputation as being a bit dimwitted compared to his peers, a musclehead with little wisdom to stand on, but still just like with magical animals his fascination when it came to the stars and cosmos eclipsed his usual slower demeanor, that coupled with the fact that this was an opportunity to mingle with students of other houses and year-groups and to enjoy camping out under the stars and watching such a stunning event as the rare lyrid meteor event, well. It had been a no brainer, in that he had not thought twice about signing up, then again, he rarely ever thought twice about anything, signing his name to the paper to go and enjoy time outdoors.

As the 22nd came he had been practically buzzing with anticipation, he hadn't any attention for anything else during the day and had rocked up rare for him, two or so hours earlier, he'd spotted another arriving at the same time as him and from guess-work the young pre-teen had gathered that she may be in the same year, but she seemed too focused herself on the upcoming shower and so he'd given her a polite nod before setting about getting ready.

He listened and watched quietly as Elena explained about the Lyrid Shower's origins, fiddling with the scuff of his robe, sure he had come out to enjoy the shower and make friends, but the act of actually making friends with so many other students around, many who seemed to be gathered in their own groups was daunting to him, so the usually loud boy held his tongue, finally as the story finished and everyone retired to their own tents he made his way over to the eaves of a nearby tree, the weather though chilly for many was a good deal warmer than the stormy Isle of Skye and he had brought out his blanket but hadn't bothered with a tent, not seeing the point in setting one up for himself as it would not be the first time he had enjoyed sleeping out under the stars.

Laying back he rested against the tree as the rare night show began, staring up he let out an awed 'Ooh' as the Lyrids started to dance across the sky, his eyes widening as though trying to take the full show in deeper, wondering how far many of them had traveled to meet their dance and how far they would travel after.

He'd heard somewhere, in one of the rare moments his attention had stuck to a lecture rather than drifted out the nearest window, that the Lyrids were the leavings of a comet whose name he could not properly remember now, something with a Thatch or a Thatcher in it, and the thought that these little streaks of light were bits of something so old, older than he could really imagine, perhaps older than even the oldest sagas his grandfather used to tell him by the peat fire back home, well, it made his chest feel a touch tight in a way he could not quite put words to.

He thought about his grandfather then, the old man's gnarled hands wrapped around a mug of something warm, telling tales of ancient warriors who had sailed by the stars and read the heavens like other men read books.
Beowulf had always loved those stories the best, the ones that outlined the sky as not just a faraway thing above your head but a map, a guide, heck even a friend, it comforted him and he pressed his back a bit firmer against the rough bark of the tree letting the cold creep through his blanket where it would, his father had always said that the cold built character, and his mother always said his father said a great many things that needed taking with a fair bit more than a grain of salt, but on this particular point Beowulf was inclined to side with his dad, because there was something about being just a touch too cold, just a touch uncomfortable, that made you feel awake and alive in a way warm rooms never quite managed.

A particularly bright Lyrid streaked low across the sky, brighter than the rest, and he sucked in a sharp breath, not bothering this time to keep his reaction quiet, though there was no one near enough to hear him.
There were always going to be other nights for friends, other days for being the loud one, the boisterous one, the one cracking a joke and pulling some bit of mischief in the corridor between classes but tonight was not for that, no, tonight was for sitting quiet and small under something far bigger than himself, and he had the sense that if he tried to fill it up with chatter and introductions he would only end up missing the point of the whole thing, it was a feeling he was not too used to having, this wanting of quiet, but he recognized it as a cousin to the same feeling he got when he was out walking the Highland tracks back home, alone but for the wind and the heather and whatever sheep happened to look up from their grazing as he passed, there was a kind of company in solitude that other people did not always understand, and he supposed that was why he had ended up under his tree rather than with the cluster of students he could just make out as soft shapes around their tents in the dark, their voices a low murmur carried on the breeze.

He wondered idly what his housemates would say if they could see him now, sat up under a tree by himself when there was a perfectly good crowd to be loud in at not fifty paces away. They would probably tease him for it, call him moody or claim he had finally cracked, and he found the thought made him smile a little against the bark, let them!
A lad was allowed a quiet night now and again, was allowed to look up at and marvel at something older than he has knowledge of, far more infinite than he could comprehend and feel small in a way that did not hurt, in a way that felt almost like being held, nurtured by the mother universe and her infinite creation.

Word Count: 1070
Mentions: Very briefly @Fawkes Chaos

English | Parseltongue
interacting: @Aly Salinger

Surprisingly, the older girl made room for Della next to her. And even more surprisingly, she knew the broom racing captain’s name. Della made herself comfortable on the ground, hoping to finally find that relaxed feeling—not that a brand new social interaction was the best possible bit of mindfulness for this fifth-year, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

The Ravenclaw girl recognized Della from the recent bobsledding game. That seemed like an eternity ago. It was nice to finally win something. The girl said her name was Aly and that she had been rooting for the other team. She was probably talking about @Dealla Prince, who was an absolute menace on the racing track. Come to think of it, she had seen this girl with Dealla a lot. Aly … Aly … that did ring a bell. There was a note with that name … somehow connected to Della’s gold medal … Oh!

“Oh, yes, you’re Aly Salinger. You wanted to interview me for the Headliner! I’m so sorry; I meant to say yes, but then we started covering a whole new era in History of Magic and it seemed like maybe Professor Rotanski was alluding that it was going to be on the OWL exam, and I didn’t write it down in my planner, and I misplaced your request—“ She stopped. This was probably too much explanation for a first-time meeting. “I mean, that’s all to say, er, we haven’t met before. I’m in my fifth-year, yeah … obviously.” She gave a breathy chuckle and returned the girl’s wave—Della’s being equally as awkward if not more.

“And yeah, thanks, if I don’t have a career as a broom racer, maybe I should take up bobsledding. It was fun! And cold.” She took a deep breath and looked back up to the stars. It was a really good view of the night sky. “Have you seen this meteor shower before? It comes every year, and I’ve never made time for it.”

The Ravenclaw seventh-year wasn't surprised, exactly, to hear her name come out of Della's mouth - her full name, Salinger and all - but rather relieved, especially when the Gryffindor broom-racing captain went on to explain that she really hadn't meant to ignore Aly's interview. The curly-haired brunette gave a little snort with her nose, inclining her head in a gentle manner, as if to say that all was forgiven. "Well, I suppose I'm glad it didn't get lost in the mail," she joked with a grin. "Those school owls are not to be sneezed at." She had been a patron of the Hospital Wing many a time for paste to cover various claw marks or scarring beak-nips, and the egregiously bellicose creatures weren't the most reliable sometimes, either. "No worries, in the end," she said, waving the younger girl off. "The article is all written already and should come out... oh, sometime by the end of April. Maybe week after this? I'll make sure you get a copy, and in return, you can promise to reply to the next Headliner journalist that comes asking for an interview!"

The Quidditch captain kept her tone lighthearted, and even punctuated her sentence with a small laugh; she wasn't trying to make Della feel bad for having missed the reply, especially if she was in the middle of O.W.L. preparations. Aly remembered those all too well from two years prior, and even though the brainy Ravenclaw had managed to pull straight Outstandings on every one of her fifth-year examinations, she knew that the amount of energy that had gone into studying towards the end of that final semester could have powered a small engine. As if recalling how they'd bled after too many late nights of writing out incantations and notes, her fingers ached, and she reflexively pressed them against the fabric of her trousers to blot any imaginary liquid of ages past that seeped from them.

"Fifth year, eh? That means you're probably already nose-deep in studying," she quipped, following Della's lead and staring up at the stars with a heavy lean back onto one hand, which she placed behind her for support. "Not to scare you, but it doesn't really stop once you get into sixth and seventh. My N.E.W.T.s are upcoming, and I feel like I've been working on them for ages - but I'm excited for it all to be over in just a few months." One corner of her mouth quirked up in a wry smile. "Well, excited and sad all at once. It's a very strange feeling. But if you ever have any questions about O.W.L.s, well, I am at your service."

The other girl remarked about how she'd enjoyed bobsledding, and Aly nodded along - "It looked fun, certainly" - before listening to her question about the Lyrids. Again, the seventh-year's head bobbed in agreement. "A few times. I try to watch meteor showers whenever they come about," she explained, her wealth of Astronomy knowledge suddenly swelling to the forefront. "I used to as a small child, and now I have... well, essentially full run of the Astronomy Tower, so I can watch whenever I want - which is often, since there's usually one every few months if not closer together." She pointed upwards to the twinkling stars in the sky, and in particular, at one very bright speck of light. "They come from near the Lyra constellation, see, hence the name. Keep your eye on Vega - that's that star there, at the top of the constellation. Fifth-brightest in the night sky, so don't stare at it too hard lest you lose the meteors. Though, once they start going at a more constant rate later in the night, they'll be hard to spot."

Della had lucked into - or been trapped in, depending on one's view - a conversation with one of the school's most prolific Astronomy interns. The question was, would she stay?

Interacting with @Della Barfield | Closed to other interactions | WC: 882 + 650 = 1,532/600
Apr. 22, 2026 | outfit in banner | #C47DDB
lovely & charmer affect everyone | sta 10, eva 14, str 5, wis 19, arc 7, acc 18