7 Mar 2021, 10:36
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
The aching of his joints, the tensing of his muscles, the fatigue and the occasional vertigo were all tell-tale signs that it was nearly the time of the month once again. Heinrich could feel it.
The disease was always present, lurking in the hollow of his bones, the product of a nearly fatal freak accident. Like an infection, it would gradually claim his eleven-year-old body with every nearing moon phase. Eventually, on the night when the moon was at it's prime, the excruciating process would begin. It was how it was going to be for the rest of his years. Similar to every young woman and their cycles, the symptoms were similar only that theirs did not involve broken bones and a transition into a four-legged beast.
Terrible. That was the only word the juvenile lycanthrope could describe both his physical and mental state. His appearance was that of a child with a bad case of the flu. The disease was taking another toll on his body. Sick, nauseous, paranoid, agitated, tired and depressed, Heinrich was far from okay. His senses were heightened tenfold, every smell and chatter becoming too apparent and acute for him not to get upset over. The inside of the castle with its students and professors became nothing more than overwhelming. He was a timid puppy amongst waves of hectic crowds.
Fortunately, this was not his first rodeo. It was only but in October had the bite been set on the crook of his arm. The wound, now a healed scar in the form of a canine laceration, came with complementary slashes across his abdomen and back. For the past few months, Heinrich had been learning about himself and now, the young pup required the comfort of his 'kennel', a peaceful, isolated place to brood and more importantly, where he could not hurt anyone.
With a deep scrunched up scowl on his face, the eleven-year-old stomped across the soiled ground. He was a very grumpy child indeed. The possessions in his arms were quite an oddity. A warm quilt from the Hufflepuff common room, a picnic basket filled with - as one would expect - food, a few articles of clothing that seemed like womens blouse and coat, and lastly, a colourful box of scooby-doo 'graham crackers'. Heinrich was clearly no James Bond when it came to sneaking around to places he should not venture too.
After a short walk, a little into the wall of trees but not so much into the forest itself, Heinrich reached his destination, a cabin. It was not maintained well, the flora had claimed parts of the architecture with a blanket of moss over the roof and vines scaling up its walls. With an incantation followed by the wave of his wand - or ten - the lock clicked and the door creaked open. Aside from the dust, the furnishing was still quite in good condition, with three bunk beds, a lamp, a mat and a small couch.
Peace at last. Heinrich set up the things he brought, unpacking the food in the basket and tossing the quilt onto one of the bunks. The clothes he brought weren't just any women's apparel, they were Aurelia's. Her clothes, or more specifically, her scent, brought him comfort at the worst of times. With a deep inhale, Heinrich would take in the subtle scent of a floral cocktail of Valerian, Lavender and Verbena. The musky scent of the pet, Aspen. An oddity of silver. Lastly, the nostalgic scent of Aurelia herself that he could not describe, was an individual accent every individual had like a signature of their own.
However, he would soon feel the moisture welling up in his eyes. He missed her dearly. Curlign into a ball huddled under the warm blanket, Heinrich popped a few chunks of 'graham crackers' into his mouth before another one of his sobfests began.
The disease was always present, lurking in the hollow of his bones, the product of a nearly fatal freak accident. Like an infection, it would gradually claim his eleven-year-old body with every nearing moon phase. Eventually, on the night when the moon was at it's prime, the excruciating process would begin. It was how it was going to be for the rest of his years. Similar to every young woman and their cycles, the symptoms were similar only that theirs did not involve broken bones and a transition into a four-legged beast.
Terrible. That was the only word the juvenile lycanthrope could describe both his physical and mental state. His appearance was that of a child with a bad case of the flu. The disease was taking another toll on his body. Sick, nauseous, paranoid, agitated, tired and depressed, Heinrich was far from okay. His senses were heightened tenfold, every smell and chatter becoming too apparent and acute for him not to get upset over. The inside of the castle with its students and professors became nothing more than overwhelming. He was a timid puppy amongst waves of hectic crowds.
Fortunately, this was not his first rodeo. It was only but in October had the bite been set on the crook of his arm. The wound, now a healed scar in the form of a canine laceration, came with complementary slashes across his abdomen and back. For the past few months, Heinrich had been learning about himself and now, the young pup required the comfort of his 'kennel', a peaceful, isolated place to brood and more importantly, where he could not hurt anyone.
With a deep scrunched up scowl on his face, the eleven-year-old stomped across the soiled ground. He was a very grumpy child indeed. The possessions in his arms were quite an oddity. A warm quilt from the Hufflepuff common room, a picnic basket filled with - as one would expect - food, a few articles of clothing that seemed like womens blouse and coat, and lastly, a colourful box of scooby-doo 'graham crackers'. Heinrich was clearly no James Bond when it came to sneaking around to places he should not venture too.
After a short walk, a little into the wall of trees but not so much into the forest itself, Heinrich reached his destination, a cabin. It was not maintained well, the flora had claimed parts of the architecture with a blanket of moss over the roof and vines scaling up its walls. With an incantation followed by the wave of his wand - or ten - the lock clicked and the door creaked open. Aside from the dust, the furnishing was still quite in good condition, with three bunk beds, a lamp, a mat and a small couch.
Peace at last. Heinrich set up the things he brought, unpacking the food in the basket and tossing the quilt onto one of the bunks. The clothes he brought weren't just any women's apparel, they were Aurelia's. Her clothes, or more specifically, her scent, brought him comfort at the worst of times. With a deep inhale, Heinrich would take in the subtle scent of a floral cocktail of Valerian, Lavender and Verbena. The musky scent of the pet, Aspen. An oddity of silver. Lastly, the nostalgic scent of Aurelia herself that he could not describe, was an individual accent every individual had like a signature of their own.
However, he would soon feel the moisture welling up in his eyes. He missed her dearly. Curlign into a ball huddled under the warm blanket, Heinrich popped a few chunks of 'graham crackers' into his mouth before another one of his sobfests began.
8 Mar 2021, 06:54
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
Kazuo had been developing a skill over the year, something he hadn’t meant to do but more recently had grown to appreciate. Most people wouldn’t see it as a valuable skill - being overlooked, going unnoticed - but it made his people-watching pastime much easier. Sit in an out-of-the-way place. Keep quiet. Don’t make eye contact with others. Look busy. Small things that others took as a subconscious sign to pass over his presence. He hadn’t really noticed at first, simply doing what he always did when surrounded by people but his habit of people-watching had led him to notice the other students’ behaviours in response to his own.
So it was that he had been sitting with an open book on his lap, presenting himself as reading though a single page hadn’t been turned since he had taken up that spot. So it was that he watched a certain Hufflepuff stomp his way across the thaw-soggy grounds, leaving a trail of footprints. The scowl on Heinrich’s face might have been ominous on a different student but on the little Puff it simply gave Kazuo the impression of a child in the midst of a tantrum. If there had been any doors in Heinrich’s way, Kazuo imagined they would have been slammed behind him.
Kazuo couldn’t remember the last time he had thrown a tantrum. He had learned very early in his life that they simply didn’t work the way he wanted. Neither of his parents had been particularly receptive to screaming, wailing, foot-stomping or flailing. As such, he wasn’t entirely sure he understood Heinrich’s show of storming across the grounds. Did it make the young Puff feel better?
Even more curious, Heinrich appeared to be carrying all the accoutrements of a picnic. Kazuo could understand the eagerness of wanting to get out of the stuffy, old castle as the weather had begun to warm but it seemed too early for picnics. Not to mention he storm cloud hanging over Heinrich. Who went to a picnic looking like they just sucked on a yuzu? Very strange.
Kazuo closed his book and slid it into his back pocket as he stood, deciding that this was an opportunity. He had been meaning to seek out the little Puff anyway, to interrogate ask him some questions about Aurelia but now he was also curious about where the boy was going with his blanket and basket. He was momentarily assailed by the mental image of Little Red Riding Hood and he snickered as he began to cross the grounds, following the obvious trail of Heinrich’s stompy footprints into the trees.
Kazuo hadn’t had a motive to explore the campgrounds before the chill of winter had set in and certainly no desire to do so after the snow had blanketed the grounds so the existence of the cabins was a new discovery, one he filed away for further exploration later. As Kazuo approached, he could hear the unmistakable sound of crying. He froze with his hand on the doorhandle, head tilted slightly as he strained to listen, wondering if Heinrich was alone. He could hear nothing else, only the muffled sobs of the child. What to do?
Well, he would get no answers standing outside. He pushed open the door and peered inside the cabin, noting that though the outside looked questionable, the inside appeared to be in good - if dusty - repair. His target was also there, curled up beneath the blanket, hugging what appeared to be women’s clothing as he cried. The women’s clothing seemed like an oddity at first but it actually helped Kazuo put the pieces into place. It was a strange scene, walking in on a boy who appeared to be having a breakdown, but also an enlightening one. Heinrich was just a lost little boy, desperately lonely and missing his sister.
“Well… I suppose if I wanted to have a good cry, I’d probably wander out to the middle of nowhere too…” Kazuo spoke, gazing at Heinrich with a sympathetic smile. “Were those hers?” He stepped inside, closing the door behind him and leaning against it.
Don't confuse my attitude with my personality. My personality is who I am; my attitude depends on who you are.
10 Mar 2021, 06:18
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
With such a keen sense of hearing, Heinrich should have heard the approaching Hufflepuff, yet the wolf remained oblivious to the other's presence until the Asian was right on the cabin's doorstep. Kazuo's presence would become known only with the pitched creak of the door that summoned the boy's attention. A fleet swipe of his arm removed the glistering streaks across his rotund face. Another Lycanthrope accessory, Heinrich's usually deep blue eyes were an acrid colour of amber, which now glared harshly at the intruder.
It never occurred to the boy for someone to follow him and therefore, he never thought about locking the door. Now, the peace and isolation he sought were no longer. The words, spoken in an accent relatively foreign to him agitated him. Despite the other boy's softer and gentler demeanour, any cordial reciprocation was nearly unachievable given the sickly state Heinrich was in.
At the indication of the clothing in hand, Heinrich's grip would tighten, clearly very defensive over the odd possession."T-that is none of your business," The Hufflepuff snapped while rising to his feet. Once again, Heinrich could feel the adrenaline fueling him up, rapidly pumping through his veins. There was a reason why he opted for isolation, he had little control over his second nature.
Moreover, Kazuo had shut the door leaving him vulnerable and cornered, further provoking the young boy. "Get out! I was here first!" Another crack would flaw his words as he raised his pubescent voice. Although Heinrich had never spoken to the boy, his face was familiar, after all, Kazuo had humiliated him, in the unforgettable event in the great hall. It was not a nice feeling.
It never occurred to the boy for someone to follow him and therefore, he never thought about locking the door. Now, the peace and isolation he sought were no longer. The words, spoken in an accent relatively foreign to him agitated him. Despite the other boy's softer and gentler demeanour, any cordial reciprocation was nearly unachievable given the sickly state Heinrich was in.
At the indication of the clothing in hand, Heinrich's grip would tighten, clearly very defensive over the odd possession."T-that is none of your business," The Hufflepuff snapped while rising to his feet. Once again, Heinrich could feel the adrenaline fueling him up, rapidly pumping through his veins. There was a reason why he opted for isolation, he had little control over his second nature.
Moreover, Kazuo had shut the door leaving him vulnerable and cornered, further provoking the young boy. "Get out! I was here first!" Another crack would flaw his words as he raised his pubescent voice. Although Heinrich had never spoken to the boy, his face was familiar, after all, Kazuo had humiliated him, in the unforgettable event in the great hall. It was not a nice feeling.
13 Mar 2021, 07:01
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
Kazuo shifted his gaze about the cabin, taking in the empty bunk beds, the couch under the window and the low coffee table. Taking a longer look now that he was inside. It was kind of cozy if you didn't mind tight quarters - at least if all the bunks were full. For one person, he could see how Heinrich might feel more comfortable here. He would have to come back and poke around the other cabins some other time.
His gaze eventually returned to Heinrich and his eyes widened in surprise at the amber eyes that glared back at him. He had seen eyes that colour before... closer to the beginning of the year when he had made a desperate plea to a certain Head of House. Eyes that revealed a secret Heinrich no doubt preferred to keep hidden, Kazuo assumed, based on his understanding of how people seemed to fear what they didn't understand.
"Oh, I see," Kazuo murmured, more to himself than Heinrich. He held up his hands in a show of peace as he watched Heinrich rise to his feet. "Probably not. I seem to have a habit of stumbling onto things that are not my business. But I didn't come here to steal your hiding spot."
Kazuo moved away from the door, moving slowly. He didn't go very far, choosing to perch on the arm of the couch, making sure to give Heinrich space. The young Hufflepuff was quite obviously upset and it wasn't his intention to make it any worse. Considering his options, it might have been better to leave Heinrich in peace but he also sensed it could be an opportunity. Away from the crush of students, perhaps he could coax a less heated conversation out of him.
"I saw you crossing the grounds and I was curious. I've been meaning to ask you about her... your sister. Would you be willing to tell me about her? About what happened?"
Don't confuse my attitude with my personality. My personality is who I am; my attitude depends on who you are.
23 Mar 2021, 10:22
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
To the young lycanthrope, each and every sound made was so profound, crisp and clear, amplified tremendously. The boy's foot softly scraping the ground and the shutting of the door made him uneasy. It was loud when it should not be, that it made him incredibly uneasy. With his own peace clearly disrupted, the words Kazuo spoke contradicted his actions greatly.
He could smell every bit of the other boy, most of his scent was the familiar ones of the Hufflepuff common room. There was nothing which smelt offensive, except... his chest heaved as he took in another breath. There was a faint, extremely subtle scent of a dhampir. Everyone had their own accent to their scent, and this one, Howard, was one he could not easily forget. His sister's attacker.
Identifying such a scent would cause his eyes to narrow condescendingly. "Y-you've been with Howard recently. You know what he's done to her." He stated bluntly with his arms crossed over his chest.
"You're on his side. Why should I tell you anything about Aurelia? " It was a tight rope he was on. At such an unpredictable state psychologically, the conversation seems to revolve both on the one he cared for the most and one he despised, was to be quite the challenging one.
He could smell every bit of the other boy, most of his scent was the familiar ones of the Hufflepuff common room. There was nothing which smelt offensive, except... his chest heaved as he took in another breath. There was a faint, extremely subtle scent of a dhampir. Everyone had their own accent to their scent, and this one, Howard, was one he could not easily forget. His sister's attacker.
Identifying such a scent would cause his eyes to narrow condescendingly. "Y-you've been with Howard recently. You know what he's done to her." He stated bluntly with his arms crossed over his chest.
"You're on his side. Why should I tell you anything about Aurelia? " It was a tight rope he was on. At such an unpredictable state psychologically, the conversation seems to revolve both on the one he cared for the most and one he despised, was to be quite the challenging one.
24 Mar 2021, 05:19
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
Heinrich appeared to be more skittish than usual, a curious reaction. Despite Kazuo’s attempts to set the boy at ease, Heinrich continued to watch him warily. Well, it was something he had expected after calling Heinrich out in the Hall, that Heinrich would be hostile to him, but this seemed like more than that. He watched Heinrich with seeming casualness but his eyes focused sharply, watching for subtle signs.
“Howard?” How could Heinrich have known he’d been around Howard? Were his senses really so sharp? Kazuo’s eyes widened in surprised delight. “How can you tell?” The genuine curiosity and excitement was obvious in his voice, a grin spreading across his lips despite the antagonism Heinrich had aimed at him. It wasn’t that he couldn’t read the room, so to speak. It was simply that he didn’t exactly care. Kazuo’s curiosity and his desire to indulge in it had always come first in his life with little reason to hold back. Heinrich’s irritation at him was simply a hurdle he must navigate to gain the information he was seeking. So he would ask his questions, willing to risk Heinrich’s ire.
“Ah, well, perhaps these questions can wait but I can’t help myself... You’re okami aren’t you? A wolf pup? The eyes… I’ve seen them before…” Kazuo met Heinrich’s gaze, studying those yellow eyes for a silent moment. When he continued, he addressed Heinrich’s fierce accusations, crossing his own arms over his chest in a more relaxed way.
“Because there are no sides in this mess,” Kazuo replied bluntly. “Bezu, I don’t know what happened between your sister and Howard and neither do you. We weren’t there and the human condition guarantees that whatever we’ve been told has been through the lens of other people’s thoughts and emotions. Your sister was bitten by Howard, that is a fact. Howard regrets his actions, that is also a fact. Your sister went missing, another fact. Howard isn’t your enemy and neither am I. I want to find out the truth behind all of this. I want to find Aurelia. But to do that, I need to see the whole picture, not just the bits and pieces. For that, I need your help.”
He wasn’t sure if the rational argument he was presenting would reach Heinrich. What he knew of the young Puff showed him to be more of an emotional type and his current state of mind was clearly not what Kazuo would consider to be stable. However, he simply didn’t have the connection to either of the siblings to try for an emotional plea. Heinrich would see through that sort of falsehood. So he hoped the honesty of his intentions would reach the other boy.
"I want to get to the bottom of this."
Don't confuse my attitude with my personality. My personality is who I am; my attitude depends on who you are.
24 Mar 2021, 07:02
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
His hostile attitude clearly did not have an effect on the Japanese boy who remained incredibly calm, contrary to what he had expected. Perhaps it was his own general demeanour, a soft-spoken little Hufflepuff, a child who produced tears with a little collision on the ice during the last hockey game. Heinrich was by far the furthest thing from a threat. Aurelia on the other hand... she was only human but one who could deliver fear across those around her so effortlessly.
Okami, wolf pup. Those words alarmed him and set the sirens blaring in his head. The child's thoughts would follow Kazuo. How did he know? How could he identify his condition from just a pair of eyes. His lips would move, struggling to come up with an answer to such an unexpected question. "No-ye- t-that is none of your business." After a moment he would reply, diverting his gaze, his eyes would darting to the ground, but the answer was quite obvious.
Heinrich fought the urge to yell at the other boy. The longer he stood there, with the increasing numbers of mentions of Howard, the more his instincts urged him to lunge: a fight or flight response. He was some part animal after all. But another mention of Aurelia would stop him short. Kazuo wanted to find Aurelia. He wanted to find his sister.
For months, Heinrich had been on the search alone for Aurelia. He had spent countless, mostly futile hours scouring the grounds for any signs of her presence, her scent, any part of her. But the outcome was all but a disappointment. There was not one soul who approached him to assist. Now, after more than three months, this boy, someone who he did not particularly liked, claimed to be on the search for Aurelia.
One could say that Kazuo had quite the charisma. Heinrich would finally give in. "My name is Heinrich not Bezu." He would drop his guard, his expression suddenly making a transition. From hostility to sadness. The sneer would soften into a pout. The pair of glaring eyes now was glistening once again with tears. He would plop himself down on the soft Hufflepuff blankets. Hugging Aurelia's coat closer to himself.
"Yes, this coat is hers. It smells like her, but I'm afraid the scent will fade. It isn't anywhere else in school. Nowhere. I can't find her. Nobody can. Not even the Man and Woman, Mrs and Mr Bezuidenhout sent to search for her can." The tears welled in his eyes as he spoke. "After the accident, b-before she left, before Mrs Bezuidenhout sent me here, Aurelia told me to stay away from dhampirs. She left me a note by my bed in the morning. I've seen her neck. It's bad. "
"What else do you want to know?" Heinrich said with a sniff.
Okami, wolf pup. Those words alarmed him and set the sirens blaring in his head. The child's thoughts would follow Kazuo. How did he know? How could he identify his condition from just a pair of eyes. His lips would move, struggling to come up with an answer to such an unexpected question. "No-ye- t-that is none of your business." After a moment he would reply, diverting his gaze, his eyes would darting to the ground, but the answer was quite obvious.
Heinrich fought the urge to yell at the other boy. The longer he stood there, with the increasing numbers of mentions of Howard, the more his instincts urged him to lunge: a fight or flight response. He was some part animal after all. But another mention of Aurelia would stop him short. Kazuo wanted to find Aurelia. He wanted to find his sister.
For months, Heinrich had been on the search alone for Aurelia. He had spent countless, mostly futile hours scouring the grounds for any signs of her presence, her scent, any part of her. But the outcome was all but a disappointment. There was not one soul who approached him to assist. Now, after more than three months, this boy, someone who he did not particularly liked, claimed to be on the search for Aurelia.
One could say that Kazuo had quite the charisma. Heinrich would finally give in. "My name is Heinrich not Bezu." He would drop his guard, his expression suddenly making a transition. From hostility to sadness. The sneer would soften into a pout. The pair of glaring eyes now was glistening once again with tears. He would plop himself down on the soft Hufflepuff blankets. Hugging Aurelia's coat closer to himself.
"Yes, this coat is hers. It smells like her, but I'm afraid the scent will fade. It isn't anywhere else in school. Nowhere. I can't find her. Nobody can. Not even the Man and Woman, Mrs and Mr Bezuidenhout sent to search for her can." The tears welled in his eyes as he spoke. "After the accident, b-before she left, before Mrs Bezuidenhout sent me here, Aurelia told me to stay away from dhampirs. She left me a note by my bed in the morning. I've seen her neck. It's bad. "
"What else do you want to know?" Heinrich said with a sniff.
28 Mar 2021, 05:10
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
He had surprised Heinrich with his questions about the wolf pup’s nature. A slight smirk edged itself onto Kazuo’s lips as Heinrich backpedaled, not wanting to admit to the truth of it. The inevitable retaliation of none of your business drew a chuckle from him. “Maybe it isn’t. Of course, it might become my business if T. Ruth decides to writing a slander article on werewolves. We’ll see how long that takes.” The observation was partially aimed at Heinrich but also a commentary on the mystery writer.
He could see that Heinrich didn’t really want to hear him out. The young Hufflepuff seemed to want to be angry, to fight and Kazuo couldn’t help but to admire that. Though Heinrich seemed soft - maybe too soft for Hagwarts - moments like in the Hall and here, in this cabin, showed Kazuo that there was something firmer beneath the surface. A thread of steel, maybe, at the young boy’s core. It fascinated him, made him want to dig at it, to discover what would bring it out. That wasn’t why he had come, though, so he pushed away the urge to poke and prod for more.
In the end, though, Heinrich was a lost little boy looking for his sister with no one else to help him, no one who even seemed to care that she was missing. So the offer of aide Kazuo had extended was enough to break through that anger. Did Aurleia not have friends? Or had those friends never been made aware of her disappearance? Did everyone just assume that she had transferred schools as other students had done? He had too many questions, it was hard to choose a starting place.
Kazuo reached into his pocket and pulled out his journal. “It sounds cliche but… I think I need you to start at the beginning. When did Aurelia go missing? When did your parents find out?” Why does he call his parents ‘Mr and Mrs’? A stray thought. “Your parents sent people to search. Were they wizards? What, if anything, did they find?”
He paused, considering the warning Aurelia had delivered, head tilting slightly in curiosity. Issuing such a vague warning… He supposed it was possible Howard’s attack left Aurelia shaken but surely there were greater dangers lurking at Hagwarts? Why specifically warn her little brother about dhampirs? “You saw her before she disappeared? Her neck… As I understand it she was taken to the hospital ward immediately after the attack. The wound should have been healed? Her warning sounds vague. Did she specify Howard was her attacker?”
Don't confuse my attitude with my personality. My personality is who I am; my attitude depends on who you are.
9 Apr 2021, 16:01
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
Questions, questions. The other boy had many. Having never been interrogated much in his 11 years span of time, such an interaction did not quite appeal to him. Not when he was till a boy who still struggled and fumbled with his words. With his impending transition, his thought process was wild, further more, the tiny huffle realised he couldn't sit very still with the adrenaline constantly pumping through his system.
The boy would rise to his feet, Aurelia's coat in hand, just to move to one of the lower bunks, as if trying to find a spot he felt the most comfortable. Kazuo urged him to think deeper, to analyse his past moment with his sister.
Inhaling deeply, Heinrich would take a moment to think through. "She came back home one day, in a very nice dress, from an... event. She wasn't very happy." Heinrich began slowly at first as he collected his thoughts.
"She had a bad... A bad date. She stayed home for a while. Then... That day..." Heinrich struggled finding the words, looking very much dumbfounded. He continued, "...something happened and Mrs Bezuidenhout found out that Aurelia was at home and not at Hogwarts. She wasn't very happy. She didn't want me to be homeschooled anymore and wanted me to go to Hogwarts with Aurelia the following day. But Aurelia left."
His small Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed, seeming to get uncomfortable. "You see... Aurelia is very important. There is a contract with the Zuheir family for when she gets older, she has to join their family too and... then start her own. Her missing is a... a big thing for both families if something bad happens to her..."
"Mr and Mrs Bezuidenhout sent wizards to find her, yes. They are bounty hunters, good at finding people. The Zuheirs funds them as well. Mrs told me they found some - very few traces of her, she's all over the place. They think that she has the help of her house elf to hide and is not using magic that's why they can't find her. But her owl is here at Hogwarts." Heinrich answered, his hands fiddled with the lose ends of the cardigan.
"Aurelia never answered me when I asked her about it. I don't think she likes to talk about it. She usually covers it with makeup, she told me its not nice and makes her ugly."
The boy would rise to his feet, Aurelia's coat in hand, just to move to one of the lower bunks, as if trying to find a spot he felt the most comfortable. Kazuo urged him to think deeper, to analyse his past moment with his sister.
Inhaling deeply, Heinrich would take a moment to think through. "She came back home one day, in a very nice dress, from an... event. She wasn't very happy." Heinrich began slowly at first as he collected his thoughts.
"She had a bad... A bad date. She stayed home for a while. Then... That day..." Heinrich struggled finding the words, looking very much dumbfounded. He continued, "...something happened and Mrs Bezuidenhout found out that Aurelia was at home and not at Hogwarts. She wasn't very happy. She didn't want me to be homeschooled anymore and wanted me to go to Hogwarts with Aurelia the following day. But Aurelia left."
His small Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed, seeming to get uncomfortable. "You see... Aurelia is very important. There is a contract with the Zuheir family for when she gets older, she has to join their family too and... then start her own. Her missing is a... a big thing for both families if something bad happens to her..."
"Mr and Mrs Bezuidenhout sent wizards to find her, yes. They are bounty hunters, good at finding people. The Zuheirs funds them as well. Mrs told me they found some - very few traces of her, she's all over the place. They think that she has the help of her house elf to hide and is not using magic that's why they can't find her. But her owl is here at Hogwarts." Heinrich answered, his hands fiddled with the lose ends of the cardigan.
"Aurelia never answered me when I asked her about it. I don't think she likes to talk about it. She usually covers it with makeup, she told me its not nice and makes her ugly."
12 Apr 2021, 03:23
Feisty Badger and the Angry Pup
Kazuo watched as Heinrich stood and shifted to a different bunk, noting the nervous energy with which Heinrich seemed to move. Was that part of his wolfish nature? Did they grow more restless the closer to the full moon they got? By that logic, did that mean a werewolf was the most stable during a new moon? Passing thoughts that drove him to flip through his journal and write them down as he waited for Heinrich to settle in his new spot and hopefully provide useful information.
Came home from an event… Blossom Ball? Close to school’s end? Kazuo scrawled the notes as Heinrich spoke. Correlate with Howard’s attack. Returned home after the ball? How? Adult ally?
“Aurelia came home on her own? Do you know how she managed that? She was in her fourth year so she couldn’t have apparated even if she left Hogwarts grounds. She would have had to have help to return home.” He continued to make notes in his journal, chewing on his lower lip, expression thoughtful. “Especially as it appears your parents didn’t know she had come home. One of the staff here?” He tapped the end of his pen against his lips as Heinrich continued, explaining Aurelia’s unfortunate yet seemingly typical position as a pureblood child.
Contract. Zuheir family. Arranged marriage? Children. Pureblood politics. House elf involvement. Owl at Hogwarts. Aurelia near Hogwarts?
“So these Zuheirs are also invested in her. How did Aurelia feel about the arrangement? Could her disappearance have to do with this arranged marriage?” It wasn’t hard to imagine the young woman, maybe fourteen, wanting to run away from such an archaic practice. Honestly, it surprised him when he had learned that these sorts of matches still happened in the UK’s wizard society. Not that matchmaking didn’t occur back home but in his experience, forcing it on children was heavily frowned upon. “Bounty hunters couldn’t find her because she isn’t using magic? Still, that doesn’t explain where she could have gone. Or why… Her house-elf…” Kazuo frowned at the mention of house-elves. He wasn't particularly fond of them after the Hallowe'en lockdown. “This house-elf, is it bound to her or free? I suppose it has to be free now, doesn’t it? Has it always worked for your family? What would its motivation be to help hide her? If it is helping her that means Aurelia doesn’t want to be found. If that is the case and this is all Aurelia’s doing, why are you trying to find her?”
He paused, staring at the notes he had made, puzzling out the potential connections, motives and clues. As he thought, he sketched an owl in the margin. “Is it possible the house-elf is actually holding her captive? Or someone else? Supposing this isn’t all her doing, of course.” He raised his gaze, watching Heinrich fiddling with the cardigan’s hem. “Your sister didn’t want to return to Hogwarts… Do you have any idea why?” It was easy to think that Howard’s attack could have scared Aurelia but the picture of her that he was beginning to draw made him think otherwise. Howard’s attack might have scared her but there seemed to be much more to this than that single incident. He needed more information, from other people. Heinrich couldn’t know what had gone on at the school, after all. “Did your sister have any specific people she trusted here that you know of?”
Don't confuse my attitude with my personality. My personality is who I am; my attitude depends on who you are.