30 Jan 2022, 21:03
Potential Ally or Enemy?
"I didn't know you and Mr.Chen are that close Ms.Ashwood," Hunter was slightly surprised to hear that Avery and Vale had gone to the Fall Ball together, he himself avoided the ball since he had such little social interaction with people. If he had gone he wouldn't have known anyone, and besides Hunter usually preferred a lonely night to himself.
"Yes, I've healed since then and I would prefer if we didn't bring it up again," Hunter still dreads the thought and day that occurred back on the feast that Avery had hosted. It resulted in him being attacked by a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin in the same location. It was one of the biggest moments he had interacting with other students and it's probably another reason as to why he was so cautious of others."Never knew being lonely made people hostile, I've been alone for a while and I rather despise violence. So sure, I'll let them push me around." Hunter had never really been pushed around or bullied before, but he knew he could survive and find ways around it. He's always found solutions, on his own and never with others. When he thinks about it, he usually just talked to others to learn about them, not really befriending them. " Ms. Schneider can try her best, but if she tries to mess with me then I can handle her myself," Hunter paused for a moment. "You are right, it is dangerous for my own house and Slytherins to think I'm weak, but I'm not." Hunter was beginning to grit his teeth and clench his hand a little. He noticed this quickly, "The less they know, or the less truth they know the better."
Hunter took two pinches of the mixed mixture of crushed mistletoe berries and standard ingredients and added it to the cauldron. He then stirred the cauldron 5 times counterclockwise, and this time waved his own wand to finish the potion. From a slightly yellow to a bright orange upon being finished, it would appear a practice of brewing was unnecessary. "You really are bringing out the slight worst in me Ms.Ashwood," Hunter thought about it a bit longer. He released the grip and relaxed his jaw. Speaking with other students really hasn't gone well for him so far. He hasn't really made a friend over the passing months and he's been doing so well so far. Vale made being lonely sound bad, but Hunter saw it as beneficial. He was slightly beginning to regret having brought up this entire conversation in the first place.
He already shook Vale's hand, a deal was made and it would be horrible of him to back away from it now. Hunter looked over the cauldron and thought for a moment, he was losing his train of thought as the vapors from the cauldron slowly flowed into his face. Then, an idea came to mind. He looked over towards Vale, "Care to make our deal slightly more interesting Ms.Ashwood?" Hunter took out the journal and re-opened it to the same page as before, "How about this. We still have plenty of time till class is over, if you can find something in the journal before I can, then I'll get you any sort of sweet you want. If I find something before you can, then you have to take a small sip from the cauldron. If we find something at the same time, we both get each other a sweet and if we both can't, then we both take a sip. What do you think?" A rather odd and possibly unfair bet, but it had benefits and drawbacks. If something was found, then Hunter would know it. If nothing is found then Hunter and Vale won't recall this entire interaction. Meaning Hunter won't have to worry about interacting with Vale for a while. In his belief, being alone is perhaps how things should be for him. "If you agree, then let's begin."
"Yes, I've healed since then and I would prefer if we didn't bring it up again," Hunter still dreads the thought and day that occurred back on the feast that Avery had hosted. It resulted in him being attacked by a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin in the same location. It was one of the biggest moments he had interacting with other students and it's probably another reason as to why he was so cautious of others."Never knew being lonely made people hostile, I've been alone for a while and I rather despise violence. So sure, I'll let them push me around." Hunter had never really been pushed around or bullied before, but he knew he could survive and find ways around it. He's always found solutions, on his own and never with others. When he thinks about it, he usually just talked to others to learn about them, not really befriending them. " Ms. Schneider can try her best, but if she tries to mess with me then I can handle her myself," Hunter paused for a moment. "You are right, it is dangerous for my own house and Slytherins to think I'm weak, but I'm not." Hunter was beginning to grit his teeth and clench his hand a little. He noticed this quickly, "The less they know, or the less truth they know the better."
Hunter took two pinches of the mixed mixture of crushed mistletoe berries and standard ingredients and added it to the cauldron. He then stirred the cauldron 5 times counterclockwise, and this time waved his own wand to finish the potion. From a slightly yellow to a bright orange upon being finished, it would appear a practice of brewing was unnecessary. "You really are bringing out the slight worst in me Ms.Ashwood," Hunter thought about it a bit longer. He released the grip and relaxed his jaw. Speaking with other students really hasn't gone well for him so far. He hasn't really made a friend over the passing months and he's been doing so well so far. Vale made being lonely sound bad, but Hunter saw it as beneficial. He was slightly beginning to regret having brought up this entire conversation in the first place.
He already shook Vale's hand, a deal was made and it would be horrible of him to back away from it now. Hunter looked over the cauldron and thought for a moment, he was losing his train of thought as the vapors from the cauldron slowly flowed into his face. Then, an idea came to mind. He looked over towards Vale, "Care to make our deal slightly more interesting Ms.Ashwood?" Hunter took out the journal and re-opened it to the same page as before, "How about this. We still have plenty of time till class is over, if you can find something in the journal before I can, then I'll get you any sort of sweet you want. If I find something before you can, then you have to take a small sip from the cauldron. If we find something at the same time, we both get each other a sweet and if we both can't, then we both take a sip. What do you think?" A rather odd and possibly unfair bet, but it had benefits and drawbacks. If something was found, then Hunter would know it. If nothing is found then Hunter and Vale won't recall this entire interaction. Meaning Hunter won't have to worry about interacting with Vale for a while. In his belief, being alone is perhaps how things should be for him. "If you agree, then let's begin."
Last edited by Hunter Argentum on 31 Jan 2022, 04:18, edited 1 time in total.
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
31 Jan 2022, 00:01
Potential Ally or Enemy?
When the deal was brought up again, Vale turned excited. Hearing that Hunter wanted to make it where she could forget this conversation in comparison to sweets was the most excellent of challenges. Chocolate frogs and jelly slugs! It made Vale slightly giggle at the risks in comparison to the rewards. Instead of encouraging Hunter to fight back those who wronged him, he was more willing to directly remove the topic at hand, for good.
"A sip of forgetfulness, or delicious treats." She hummed, and once again her fingers were tapping. "Sounds like fun!" Vale stopped her fingers and immediately pointed to the book. "Shall we search at the same time then? Surely, if you only feel well now." A wide smile was on Vale's face.
Yes, risks she would be more than willing to take.
After all, what secrets would lie in wake for little Vale to see? How much fun! Almost as fun as broom racing, pain and all. Then, all of a sudden, a thought pushed past Vale's mind.
"...Even if I forget, will you still be nice to me?" Vale questioned, a stark change.
"Even if its only like passing notes or something." She looked up to Hunter, rubbing her fingers together in an almost nervous manner.
31 Jan 2022, 05:06
Potential Ally or Enemy?
Hunter was caught off again by Vale's request and mood. If anything, this girl has caught him off way too many times than he would ever expect from a person. He gave a slight sigh, "I don't believe I have yet to be anything not nice to you, Ms. Ashwood. If we ever speak again after one or both of us drink the potion, I'm sure I'll treat you the same way as I have today." Hunter wasn't trying to hurt Vale or make her upset, what he said was merely the truth. He let out another sigh, "If you do forget, I'll still give you a chocolate frog, alright?" Hunter was still a kind person when his emotions took control rather than his thinking.
"Alright, let's hurry. If we keep talking we'll lose time," Hunter said in quick haste. The page that contained both their family's confrontation seemed like it had nothing to offer, but it had so many black spots, odd writing, and symbols, that clearly there had to be something. The class was about to end in half an hour, so they had no time to waste. It took a large amount of time, but eventually, Hunter found a small snippet of words. It seemed like a mixture of letters but roughly said 'Ubao (wood) to Ash." The wording was obviously something to do with the Ashwood's but what? Hunter couldn't find it, and time was running out. He couldn't think of anything. Should he point it out to Vale who is vigorously looking through the journal like him? Or should he keep quiet and let the mystery continue and forget it all by drinking the potion. At the rate the two of them were going, Hunter was going to have to drink the potion and forget everything he's learned in his father's journal. His anxiety rose a bit, and he decided that knowing more was obviously better than forgetting. Vale was smart, and Hunter didn't have to be stuck with her 24/7 all the time. Hunter had been alone most of his time here at Hogwarts, but perhaps he needed a slight change from that.
"Vale, I found something... but I can't quite figure out what it means. It says "Wood to Ash" but it just doesn't make any sense. The letters are hidden, but clearly it mu-" Hunter was slightly interrupted. Vale began to do her surprise giggling and clapped her hands a bit. A sign of excitement, and possibly she figured it out. Without a second to lose she grabbed the journal and brought it over to the flame by the cauldron, "Hey! What are you-" this time Hunter cut himself off. As he looked at the journal he could see some of the black ink begin to vaporize into thin air, but not all of it. Within a few seconds, a lot of the blacked-out wording had been moved around. Some previous text had now been blocked, but some new ones were now on the pages. It was as if the ink was alive and it moved around the pages to adjust to the heat. Vale clearly figured out the clue that Hunter found, 'Wood to Ash' clearly the answer was fire! Hunter grasped the journal in anticipation and placed it back down (also in fear that Vale would leave the journal near the flame too long). As it was left wide open, a new paragraph of text was seen:
"Alright, let's hurry. If we keep talking we'll lose time," Hunter said in quick haste. The page that contained both their family's confrontation seemed like it had nothing to offer, but it had so many black spots, odd writing, and symbols, that clearly there had to be something. The class was about to end in half an hour, so they had no time to waste. It took a large amount of time, but eventually, Hunter found a small snippet of words. It seemed like a mixture of letters but roughly said 'Ubao (wood) to Ash." The wording was obviously something to do with the Ashwood's but what? Hunter couldn't find it, and time was running out. He couldn't think of anything. Should he point it out to Vale who is vigorously looking through the journal like him? Or should he keep quiet and let the mystery continue and forget it all by drinking the potion. At the rate the two of them were going, Hunter was going to have to drink the potion and forget everything he's learned in his father's journal. His anxiety rose a bit, and he decided that knowing more was obviously better than forgetting. Vale was smart, and Hunter didn't have to be stuck with her 24/7 all the time. Hunter had been alone most of his time here at Hogwarts, but perhaps he needed a slight change from that.
"Vale, I found something... but I can't quite figure out what it means. It says "Wood to Ash" but it just doesn't make any sense. The letters are hidden, but clearly it mu-" Hunter was slightly interrupted. Vale began to do her surprise giggling and clapped her hands a bit. A sign of excitement, and possibly she figured it out. Without a second to lose she grabbed the journal and brought it over to the flame by the cauldron, "Hey! What are you-" this time Hunter cut himself off. As he looked at the journal he could see some of the black ink begin to vaporize into thin air, but not all of it. Within a few seconds, a lot of the blacked-out wording had been moved around. Some previous text had now been blocked, but some new ones were now on the pages. It was as if the ink was alive and it moved around the pages to adjust to the heat. Vale clearly figured out the clue that Hunter found, 'Wood to Ash' clearly the answer was fire! Hunter grasped the journal in anticipation and placed it back down (also in fear that Vale would leave the journal near the flame too long). As it was left wide open, a new paragraph of text was seen:
Hunter was frozen for a slight moment as he read the wording. Students began to get up and leave as class was about to be over. He looked over at Vale in slight shock, "Well... it seems I owe you some sweets, my relative." He gave a slight smirk at this newfound bit of information.JournalI spoke with my mother as to why she despises the Ashwoods so much. It would appear word had gotten to her about my visit to their estate. She explained that the Ashwoods have apparently always been rivals to the Argentum family back in Africa for a rather long time. When I asked her to tell me why that is, she scoffed and told me to visit our old village. I did exactly that and was greeted with surprising kindness and generosity from the locals. Apparently, my grandfather's grave was located within the village, and my mother told me to dig it up to find the reasons as to why the Argentums and Ashwoods have had disputes for quite a while. I dug up the grave and found an interesting book. It was old and wrinkled, torn to pieces. It took me days to read through it, it appeared to hold [black ink blocks the passage, making a few lines illegible]. It would appear... that the Argentums and Ashwoods are actually related by blood. I have heard pure-blood families typically being related to one other, but I hadn't expected this. It would seem, based on the passages of the book, that both families shared an ancient ancestor named [two spots of ink block the name stated]. The ancestor had two children, who eventually grew up to be the founders of the Argentum and Ashwood families. The two siblings were noted to have rather different views and disputes thus resulting in the hatred the two hold for each other. That hatred has been passed down for centuries, but I believe it's about time our families found peace. I hold no grudge towards them, as they have not towards me. It is about time we healed the pain between us and our distant cousins.
Last edited by Hunter Argentum on 31 Jan 2022, 07:33, edited 1 time in total.
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
31 Jan 2022, 05:47
Potential Ally or Enemy?
Cousins! Long, lost cousins! Vale couldn't believe it, and it was a risk worth taking! Even more than for a chocolate frog. Vale immediately bounced up once more after placing the journal by the fire to reveal ajarring information. It wasn't unnoticeable to Vale that it wasn't the only piece of information in the journal. There was much more to discover even.
But for now, a cause for celebration.
"Cousins!" She squealed in delight. "I have family away from home too!" Vale picked Ashes off and practically danced around with the small doll.
"You hear that Ashes?! Family! Cousins!" Vale would only stop to twist her head back to Hunter. "You think everyone else already know?" She held Ashes tightly against her body, moving back to the desk to observe the journal. She was already so eager to learn more, but knew that it was better to save such things for another day. Maybe on a weekend off? Yes, it was a decent time for Vale to study. Maybe they could find a way to study together at some point.
"A chocolate frog! Oh, we should keep this partnership up, Hunter! Oh, and jelly slugs too, yes!" Vale took quite a lot of glee out of the situation, and the future it could possibly bring as well.Note: Hunter gotten permission to godmod Vale beforehand.
31 Jan 2022, 06:30
Potential Ally or Enemy?
Hunter placed the journal back within his robes; this was most certainly an unexpected outcome he was not expecting. Hunter wasn't doubting the notes within the journal, it was more of an issue of belief. Having been an only child he had only known his parents and grandmother to be the only family he had. He never knew if he had uncles, aunts, or even cousins around the same age as him. It was... hard for him to process. Was he supposed to be as happy as Vale was with her dance? Or should he be more worried? This essentially meant he shared similar pure-blood to that of the Ashwoods; how distant that bond was is still a mystery.
Then there was the issue of being called a cousin. As Vale said the word it caused a rather odd feeling within Hunter. So far he was unable to create a single friend at Hogwarts, but was capable of figuring out he has a distant cousin? The family backgrounds seemed too similar, and the writing in the book couldn't have been a mistake. Hunter tried to think logically, but it seems the emotional heart his mother gave him was taking control over his quick thought. "I-I was not expecting to be related, Ms.Ashwood. From the writing, I know at least my father and grandmother know. I am unsure if your family does as well." Hunter gave a slight smile as he said this, he was still in a bit of disbelief. He's only trusted family and never became paranoid with those he shared blood with. Could he trust Vale? It seemed illogical, but out of everyone at Hogwarts, she certainly earned his trust. Her quick wit and genius problem-solving allowed Hunter to learn so much within a couple of hours.
He began to wonder what sort of things were they bound to do in the future, what sort of adventures? It was an honest question, and Hunter couldn't think clearly; he was overfilled with a feeling of tranquility and joy. He actually gave off a soft laugh, "Don't worry bintiamu (cousin) I'll give you your sweets as soon as possible. As for now, we should start heading off for our next class. If you wish to tell anyone we share a similar ancestor, then I won't stop you. Also, we'll look more into this journal later. I'm sure there are some useful tips on Potions in here." It was illogical and didn't make any sense for Hunter to trust and be so happy for Vale at that moment; and yet, he was somewhat happy for himself. He began to gather his things and walk towards the exit of the Potions room. He overall wasn't going to say much about this to anyone, he rarely spoke to anyone anyways. He knew he would have to keep this a secret from his Nyanya as well. He wondered if he and Vale were bound to reignite the very thing that caused their families to divide, or if they were bound to end and forget the ancient grudges their families held.
Then there was the issue of being called a cousin. As Vale said the word it caused a rather odd feeling within Hunter. So far he was unable to create a single friend at Hogwarts, but was capable of figuring out he has a distant cousin? The family backgrounds seemed too similar, and the writing in the book couldn't have been a mistake. Hunter tried to think logically, but it seems the emotional heart his mother gave him was taking control over his quick thought. "I-I was not expecting to be related, Ms.Ashwood. From the writing, I know at least my father and grandmother know. I am unsure if your family does as well." Hunter gave a slight smile as he said this, he was still in a bit of disbelief. He's only trusted family and never became paranoid with those he shared blood with. Could he trust Vale? It seemed illogical, but out of everyone at Hogwarts, she certainly earned his trust. Her quick wit and genius problem-solving allowed Hunter to learn so much within a couple of hours.
He began to wonder what sort of things were they bound to do in the future, what sort of adventures? It was an honest question, and Hunter couldn't think clearly; he was overfilled with a feeling of tranquility and joy. He actually gave off a soft laugh, "Don't worry bintiamu (cousin) I'll give you your sweets as soon as possible. As for now, we should start heading off for our next class. If you wish to tell anyone we share a similar ancestor, then I won't stop you. Also, we'll look more into this journal later. I'm sure there are some useful tips on Potions in here." It was illogical and didn't make any sense for Hunter to trust and be so happy for Vale at that moment; and yet, he was somewhat happy for himself. He began to gather his things and walk towards the exit of the Potions room. He overall wasn't going to say much about this to anyone, he rarely spoke to anyone anyways. He knew he would have to keep this a secret from his Nyanya as well. He wondered if he and Vale were bound to reignite the very thing that caused their families to divide, or if they were bound to end and forget the ancient grudges their families held.
Hunter has left for another class
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
31 Jan 2022, 16:01
Potential Ally or Enemy?
Vale's excitement beamed even further when Hunter promised her sweets. She even made a short squeal when Hunter even called her bintiamu cousin. For someone to be okay with such mindbottling information like being related to none other than the Ashwoods themselves is such a treat for Vale alone.
"Bintiamu Cousin! How wonderful, most indeed! I'll call you that too! Almost like a brother away from home." Vale was eager to even force poor Hunter into a hug if he didn't escape in time to leave class. She slightly tilted her head to the idea of telling the whole world about their relations. Who would she tell? Who would care? Such amusing information to spread, but carefully?
Maybe she'll tell Avery, Maggie, o-or Liana, or Hui Ming-!
Oh wait, that's not a lot of people. And Hui Ming probably will not care.
But it was something to do nevertheless. The idea of withholding knowledge, especially new and unique did not sit so well for Vale. Like an unpublished book that will be viewed by a reader's eyes. Or a tree among a forest that is an undiscovered specimen that will never be found.
Yes, Vale decided. Maybe she'll tell a few friends. Well, Avery is a friend. Hunter helped her confirmed that. Maybe him then.
Vale hurried to clean everything up and to get her notes picked up. It was time to go unfortunately, and Hunter made it clear that they can work on the journal some other time. Vale couldn't wait to learn more. Who is this ancestor? What caused them to separate from each other that it ripped their families apart for generations? The secrets; Vale couldn't wait to reveal, to take and show her own family like it was some trophy achievable from some imaginary competition.
"Potion tips! Maybe even a secret, new potion too!" Vale clapped her hands once more as she carried her belongings out the door of the classroom. It was all, ever so exciting for the young Ashwood.
Whatever else lies in that journal, Vale couldn't wait to explore further.
But for now, she will, and she knows it'll be rewarding.
Vale exited the thread.