Picture Perfect
date
05/09/26word count
600outfit
⁺₊ ☀︎ ⁺₊speech
#8C2626mentions
@Zephyr Deakinnotes
xxx
September had come once again, and for Hogwarts students, this meant a multitude of things. It meant school, of course, but it also meant fall, being away from your family, and in the company of your friends once more. And, even though it meant that one was to once again put in the immense effort that magical studies required, most, like Lucille, were happy. At least, Lucille thought so.
And she wasn't alone in her thinking. Daisy May had been quick to settle back in, even getting hyped up and sprinting around the dorm room once they'd returned. Lucille had had to hurriedly grab all her fragile items, desperately stopping Daisy from knocking something over. And now, on the first opportunity she could get, she had brought the little cat outside to the grounds, cat toy in hand.
Lucille was thankful that she didn't get much homework during the first week of school. It meant life had been fairly relaxed so far, with most of her time being spent with friends or in the common room, curled up next to the fire and listening to her seniors talk. It was a habit she had picked up in what felt like a long time ago, back when she had just started her first year and had an awful case of homesickness. The low hum of student chatter had felt like home to her and, although Hogwarts was slowly becoming her home, this was something she still needed from time to time.
But today was not the day for any of that. Today was the day for her and Daisy May to spend some well deserved quality time together. She held the cat with one hand, a cat toy tucked under her arm. Under normal circumstances, Lucille would drop the cat on the floor and let her follow of her own accord, but she wanted Daisy May to get used to being back before Lucille trusted her with that again. She cringed, remembering a time when Daisy had run off after a ferret, and then shook her head. That would never happen again. The cat had grown older and matured, to some extent. Still, that character development wasn't enough for her to stop pawing in the air at the toy attached to a string dangling in front of her.
There were magical variants for this, of course, but Lucille preferred playing with her cat by herself. In fact, she had used her wand as a cat toy at times, allowing Daisy May to paw at it instead of using the magical toys that moved of their own accord. She found it more personal and bonded better with her cat this way.
Finally, they reached the grounds, littered with fallen orange leaves. Lucille let Daisy jump to the ground, and she landed with a crunch on top of some leaves. With that, Lucille dropped to the ground, too, sitting cross-legged on the floor and finally grabbing the bottom of the cat toy. She then dangled it in front of Daisy May, and at first the cat pawed at it, but soon lost interest, preferring to bat at leaves instead. She had enjoyed this game since Lucille's first year, and so Lucille left her to it, dropping the toy to the floor and stretching her legs out in front of her. She moved backwards a little until she was resting her back against a tree, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. She inhaled deeply, letting the fresh fall air fill her senses, and enjoying the steady breeze that flew through her hair.
| sta 7 eva 7 str 6 wis 5 arc 6 acc 4 calming presence | iNPC: Antoine de Laurent |
Picture Perfect
Date: September 5, 2026
Location: School Grounds
Word Count: 748
#4e7a27 - Zephyr’s speech
Tag: @Lucille Rosenhart
The first week back at Hogwarts had gone by faster. A year ago, he would have spent most of his time worrying, feeling overwhelmed and missing home. Now that he was a second year student, things were a bit different. He knew his way around the castle, and more importantly, he has friends now who he could talk to and spend time with. Being a second year was strange in its own way. The first week of classes had been fairly relaxing, new things to learn and new spells to get his head around, and he was looking forward to that part. Last year, being around magic was overwhelming. Too much to understand, so many things he had never heard of before Hogwarts. It's much better now, he has a good idea of what he was doing. Still, there's plenty to learn. He's interested in seeing what he could do this year.
That day, he was not thinking about lessons at all. Clover, his crup has been restless since breakfast. He's following him around the dormitory and nudging his hand whenever he stopped moving for too long. "Fine, I get it..." He muttered as he put on comfortable clothes, finally giving in. "We'll go outside." He grabbed his sketch pad and Clover's favorite ball before heading out with the crup. The weather was perfect for it. Not only that, the trees started changing, leaves turning shades of yellow, orange and red. It's his favorite season of the year. Arriving at the school grounds, he sat down on the grassy area and stretched his legs in front of him.
He had not settled in completely yet when he noticed Clover's tails were already waggling while also staring expectantly at the ball in his hand. "You really are demanding, aren't you?" He laughed and tossed the ball, the crup shot after it. It didn't take long for Clover to return with the ball clamped between his teeth and drop it directly on his lap. In the next moment, he would throw and Clover would chase and return. It reminded him of home. Not long ago, he was doing the same thing at Aelwyd Vale with Clover, Scout and Marshmallow running around the open fields. The only difference was that Hogwarts had more students to deal with, and there's always something happening somewhere.
He was about to throw the ball when someone caught his attention, it was a girl with a cat. She settled down among the fallen leaves, and, seeing their interaction, he couldn't help but smile. The two were obviously enjoying, the girl was comfortable around the cat, and the cat obviously trusted her. Without meaning to, he watched them for a few minutes. It was only when Clover grabbed the ball from his hand did he realize he had been distracted. "Hm..?" The crup nudged his knee. "Sorry." He picked up the ball and tossed it again, but his attention went back to the girl. The view was mesmerizing that he decided it would be nice to draw it.
He opened his sketchbook and started with the tree, then the rough lines of the branches, and the falling leaves. He didn't want to interrupt her, so he kept his distance and worked quietly. Now that he was focused on her profile, he realised he knew her. It was one of his classmates, Lucille. Hopefully, she wouldn't mind if he sketched her. He just wanted to capture the moment as he saw it-- a girl sitting peacefully beneath the tree, the cat and the autumn colours which made the place look magical.
Clover returned with the ball again and sat beside him, "Just a minute." He was good at drawing, but it's very seldom that he shows his work to anyone. Most of his sketchbook was filled with things from home and from Hogwarts. He liked drawing people, too, there was something more honest about their expressions. It was only the first Saturday of the year, but he's already enjoying his time in school. If there's homesickness sitting in his chest, it was more manageable. He still missed Aelwyd Vale of course, that's part of who he is but Hogwarts became his second home now, and returning for another year was an exciting time for him. Clover nudged him again so he sighed and tossed it once more, farther than before. "Let's see how fast you'll get that!" He shouted as the crup chased after it, leaving him laughing.
Calming Presence | The Muggle Condition
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Picture Perfect
date
05/09/26word count
898outfit
⁺₊ ☀︎ ⁺₊speech
#8C2626mentions
@Zephyr Deakinnotes
xxx
Lucille was having a lovely time, eyes closed, the breeze brushing gently against her. Her head was tipped back, face pointed towards the sky, or rather, the tangle of branches above her. She opened her eyes when she felt Daisy May's soft body against her, backing up until she was pressed against the girl's thigh. She watched the cat's movements, noting the gentle swish of her tail as she waited, waited, waited, and then pounced on a leaf that was lazily shuffling by in little increments, guided by the wind. Lucille laughed, watching her cat closely.
She noticed movement in the corner of her eye, which wasn't something she paid much attention to. She was in the grounds, so of course her peripheral vision was full of children running about. But then, she saw it, or rather, felt it, again. Subtly, Lucille glanced in the direction of the movement, only to see a boy and his Crup playing together. She smiled, enjoying the vision of another pair of companions just like her and Daisy May. The boy was busy with his notebook, or was it a sketchbook? She couldn't tell, but the broad strokes of his quill suggested that he wasn't writing something. She smiled; she was certainly one for doodling on her notes. She wasn't quite sure, but she thought the flashes of movement had been him looking up at her, over and over again. But she didn't want to seem presumptuous, and it was certainly quite self absorbed to assume someone was staring at her.
With these thoughts, she focused her attention back to Daisy May, grabbing a leaf and dragging it along the ground as the cat chased after it. The diversion was short-lived, however, because a flash of movement caught her eye once more. She looked up, and the Crup was running. For a second, she almost grabbed Daisy May, fearing the Crup had taken it upon itself to chase the cat, before she noticed that the boy had thrown a ball, and it had completely captivated the little Crup,
She breathed a sigh of relief, but she now looked closer at the pair. Zephyr, she thought his name was. A second year, like her. She was sure she'd taken some classes with him before, but they hadn't gotten the chance to interact before. The Crup, she didn't know anything about, but it seemed quite well-behaved as it brought the ball back to Zephyr. Pushy, too, she judged by its nudges, and she smiled. It was reminiscent of how Daisy May often behaved.
Resolved to meet the little dog, Lucille got up. And besides, she should probably offer an explanation for the ten seconds straight of staring she had just done, regardless of whether Zephyr had been doing the same or not. Hopping to her feet, she slowly made her way towards the pair, the leaves crunching under her feet, announcing her arrival much louder than she would have liked.
As she got closer, she was sure of it. Zephyr was drawing. The movements of his wrist and arm were all too familiar for Lucille, having spent hours in the grounds drawing just like he was. Now whether he was ruining his notes was another question. Astronomy notes, I hope, Lucille thought to herself with a small smile at her joke. It was no secret that the girl had trouble with her Astronomy lessons.
As she walked, she could hear the odd crunch behind her. Daisy May's footsteps were much quieter than her own, but even a cat can't slink around in the grounds in Hogwarts autumn. She wondered what she should ask Zephyr when she was finally within earshot. Were you staring at me? Are you drawing me? What are you drawing? Are you even drawing, or am I interrupting an intense study-
"I like your Crup!"
Apparently, she was going to say none of those things, and sound like someone who had just followed his Crup over. Not her best moment. But then again, all the other things sounded far too rude or presumptive or-
"Sorry, but were you looking at me over there?" She pointed back to where she'd been sitting. "Is something wrong? I don't mean to sound rude, but I swear I thought you were staring at me. For a second, I felt like I was sitting underneath a Whomping Willow."
She ended her uncalled for passage with a joke, hoping he wouldn't think she was some sort of conceited person, assuming everyone was staring at her. Lucille offered a small smile, not sitting down just yet. Under ordinary circumstances, the girl would have plopped right down with no other thoughts, assuming the other person was just as invested in the conversation as she was. However, these were no ordinary circumstances, and she still wanted to make sure the little Crup was friendly enough for Daisy May and her to sit down before she made any assumptions.
Speaking of Daisy May, the little cat stepped forward, emerging from her hiding spot behind Lucille's legs. Quickly, Lucille scooped her up without thinking. "Oh, no no," she said softly to the cat, no longer looking at Zephyr. "We ask before we find out if a Crup likes you or not." She didn't intend for that to be loud enough for Zephyr to hear, but she wouldn't be surprised if he did.
| sta 7 eva 7 str 6 wis 5 arc 6 acc 4 calming presence | iNPC: Antoine de Laurent |
Picture Perfect
Date: September 5, 2026
Location: School Grounds
Word Count: 881
#4e7a27 - Zephyr’s speech
Tag: @Lucille Rosenhart
Z ephyr managed to get a few more parts drawn onto the page when the sound of crunching leaves was brought to his attention. He assumed it was just another student passing by. There were other students wandering around the school grounds that day that he learned to ignore most of it especially when he’s busy sketching. The only reason he glanced up was because he heard the footsteps were getting closer.
Recognizing who was coming, jade eyes widened as they dropped quickly to his sketchbook. Of all times to come over, why now? He couldn’t tell if she noticed him looking earlier or if she was only interested in Clover. Sketching someone without asking first was a worse idea now that she’s approaching compared to five minutes ago. He resisted the urge to close the sketchbook but that would only make him look suspicious, not to mention guilty.
Clover was completely unaware of his predicament, he just sat beside him with his ball and looked at Lucille curiously. He put his quill down and muster a smile just as she reached them. Her greeting was not what he expected. His shoulders relaxed and chuckled as he looked at his pet. Talking about Clover was easier than explaining what was currently sitting in his lap. “Thanks.” He scratched behind his ear affectionately and immediately, he wagged his tails to the attention. “His name’s Clover, my family got him for me over the summer, as a birthday present.”
He noticed the cat lingering around Lucille’s legs. “I saw you playing with the cat earlier. Looking pretty.” His smile appeared at he gave the cat a curious look. Her next question froze him on the spot, feeling the warmth in his ears. “No… I mean, yes.” Looking down at his sketchbook again, he pressed his lips together. There was no convincing way to explain that he’s been repeatedly looking at someone without embarrassing him even further. Her comparison that she felt like sitting under a Whomping Willow prompted him to laugh although it didn’t help the color spreading over his ears.
“Nothing’s wrong…” He said in a rush, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.” He hesitated for a moment but coming to a decision, he turned the sketchbook around so she could see it. There’s no point trying to hide what he’s been doing now. “I was drawing you. Well, not just you, even your cat and that tree with autumn colored leaves.” His explanation was becoming unnecessary. she could see what he’d done so far. “You can look, if you want.” Part of him was questioning that decision. He very seldom show anyone his drawings especially when it’s still unfinished. The finished ones were still embarrassing to show. But then hiding it from her would make the whole staring situation even worse. “It’s not finished yet,” he warned her so she won’t expect much, “I was still working on the leaves.”
The drawing started with her sitting on the ground, her head tipped back against the trunk. As for the cat, he managed to catch it reaching for one of the leaves, although he had only gotten as far as the shape of her paws and tail. “I draw a lot in my spare time, usually whatever catches my attention. You just happened to be there at the right place and time. It looked like something worth drawing.” Warmth crept back into his ears. His explanation sounded reasonable enough, but he was not entirely sure it accounted for every time he looked at her. He didn’t mean to stare or at least he didn’t think he was staring. Drawing required looking at the subject, right? How else was he supposed to remember where everything was? What he didn’t expect was for Lucille to notice.
Am I staring? He rubbed the back of his neck. “I should have asked you first, I just didn’t want to interrupt you.” Embarrassment aside, he didn’t regret drawing it. The scene caught his attention for a reason, it was l the sort of ordinary moment he liked putting in his sketchbook. Lucille scooped the cat into her arms. Hearing what she said, he laughed, finding it amusing. “He’s friendly, don’t worry. He lives on a farm, so he’s used to other animals.”
Clover already noticed the cat. His favorite ball ceased to exist. His ears perked up as he stared at the cat in Lucille’s arms. He put a hand over Clover’s chest before his excitement could turn into an attempted introduction. Finally noticing she’s just standing there, “You can sit down if you want. I don’t mind some company.” There was still the matter of the sketchbook which was open on his lap. It really was a nice view. “I can stop drawing if you don’t like me making you a subject.” It’s only fair now that she knew. “Or I can leave you out and just finish the rest.” He was hoping she wouldn’t ask him to, he could easily change the drawing if he wanted. It was just that taking Lucille out would make it incomplete. She and the cat were what caught his attention in the first place. Without them, it would just be another tree on the Hogwarts grounds.
Calming Presence | The Muggle Condition
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Sta: 7 | Eva: 8 | Str: 7 | Wis: 5 | Arc: 8 | Accu: 5
Picture Perfect
x x  It seemed Zephyr was just as flustered as she was, his eyes widening as she spoke. It seemed his little half-Crup didn't share the feeling, its tails wagging rapidly as it looked up at her and Daisy May. Finally, Zephyr explained himself, and it left Lucille more flustered than when she'd started walking over. For one thing, Zephyr said she'd looked pretty. Lucille wasn't used to hearing that. In fact, she thought of herself as quite plain looking, or certainly not someone noticeable. And her surprise only increased when he flipped the book (it was a sketchbook; she'd been right about him drawing) and Lucille saw a beautiful drawing of herself staring back at her. People often say that art is expression, that it exposes your true feelings. She could see now what Zephyr had seen in her ordinary day; she looked amazing. He was still talking, but Lucille was now bending down, her face close to the page, studying every line. "It's perfect," she said softly, her eyes still on the page. When he said he should've asked her, she finally looked back at him, shaking her head profusely. "Certainly not. I wouldn't have been so natural if you'd asked, I would've gotten all awkward and flustered like I am now." The girl's face had turned pink, and, she noticed, so had Zephyr's, although it wasn't so noticeable on Lucille's tanned skin. She decided not to mention it; she wasn't quite sure how exactly she would, but it seemed Zephyr was already struggling enough. Getting permission from him about the cat served as a good tension breaker, and she let Daisy May jump from her arms. The little cat wasted no time in approaching Clover, sniffing him gently. Lucille, too, collapsed on the floor at his invitation, sliding forward a little so she was sitting directly across from him. When he mentioned that he'd stop drawing her, once again, the young girl shook her head. "No, I love it. It's the best compliment I've ever received, really. You have a good eye. I can't imagine what you saw in me," she joked, as she planted her hands no the floor and, leaning forward and using them for support, she stared at the sketchbook once more. For a while, the girl was silent, simply watching him and the animals. And then, with a start, as if it had just occurred to her, she spoke again. "Hold on. Did you say you live on a farm? What a coincidence, so do I!" Or, at least, sort of. The Rosenhart estate had horses, and that counted, right? She was just excited to talk about animals with someone. "Or, at least, we have horses and dogs and cats. It's a whole menagerie, although not a magical one. Dad's a Muggle, so can't exactly bring a Hippogriff around. That would frighten him half to death." Lucille's signature rambling had started, despite the rocky (ish?) start she and Zephyr had had. She placed her hands behind her, leaning back on them and looking up at the sky. The rosy color in her cheeks was beginning to fade and, although Lucille couldn't see that, of course, she could feel the heat in her cheeks drifting away, too. She hoped that meant she was done looking like a tomato. This was certainly an interaction she hadn't had before, although Lucille had often been on the drawing end of this exchange, she'd never been the art, only the artist. She decided right then and there that she would someday draw Zephyr and Clover in exchange, or at least thank him in some other way. Perhaps buy him some ice cream at Florean Fortescue's. No matter what, she had to do something, and she knew that, although they barely knew each other, she would now go out of her way to speak to him. The gesture was amazingly sweet. "You're quite interesting, Zephyr. I didn't expect this from you. But it's a nice surprise," she finished finally. The girl had the habit of rambling and talking a lot, and it was quite clear the second someone spoke to her. She glanced at Daisy May again, but the cat was completely occupied with the half-Crup, her owner forgotten. Traitor, Lucille thought to herself with a smile, before she collapsed backwards onto the ground, now lying flat and staring at the sky, legs bent at the knee. She figured she shouldn't bother Zephyr too much, what with his drawings and all, and besides, it was a nice day and Lucille was relaxed. No reason to sit up straight when she'd rather be nestled in the grass. |  STA 7 EVA 7 STR 6 WIS 5 ARC 6 ACC 4 calming presence x x x  |
| sta 7 eva 7 str 6 wis 5 arc 6 acc 4 calming presence | iNPC: Antoine de Laurent |