4 Nov 2022, 05:53
The Ambrosia Owl
Banner Credit: Kim Sato
November 5th. 2022 Early Morning
Hunter coughed and wheezed, almost feeling like vomiting but surprisingly found himself incapable of doing so. He couldn't help but find the need to sit down and relax, breathing in and out slowly to relax his body. It wasn't the first time the young boy had dealt with poisoning but that didn't exactly mean he was immune nor was he getting used to it. His ambition in potion brewing saw no end, and there was little to nothing stopping him from trying at new attempts.
The Owlery was one of the very few locations Hunter visited. Its location by the West Towers was luckily close to the Ravenclaw common room, but he felt the place was brimming with students from time to time due to the amount of mail that was sent and received. However, he soon discovered that very few visited the fourth level of the Owlery as it contained the dirtiest of the baths. He timed it, waited, and checked his stopwatch non-stop for this moment. The bath on the fourth floor should have been recently changed and upon his arrival, he was proven right. Clean, but already beginning to be filled with feathers and bird poop. He had brought numerous items with him in his satchel and carried his copper cauldron as well. He finally considered it, to attempt making a potion of his own.
The idea was slightly outlandish and extremely dangerous. This is why Hunter had chosen such a location, no students, no professors, not out in the open, and thus gave the best chance at not getting caught. His actions would get him in trouble if caught, but arriving early in the morning was a classic move of his. As the sunlight began to trickle drops of light onto the walls of the Owlery, Hunter began his brewing.
Time had elapsed, and Hunter believed his "new potion" was possibly a success, unfortunately, he wasn't exactly sure and had nothing to attempt or try it on... except himself. Taking an empty glass vial, the boy filled and drank the potion. Unfortunately, all he would receive is a bitter taste of poison and a headache to go with it. He cursed, coughing and having a bit of trouble breathing as the bitterness grew in strength. It was a failed attempt, and there wasn't much he could have done to predict the outcome. He coughed, wheezed, and immediately went for his satchel. He swiftly began to toss all the items in his bag across the floorboard (carefully with the glass vials) desperately searching for "Bezoar, where's my damn bezoar?" His voice wasn't of rage or confusion, but rather an attempt at desperation. Eventually, he'd reach in and grab the hard rock and consume it with little to no hesitation.
Hunter would breathe steadily, falling on his back breathing from slight exhaustion due to fear. The experience wasn't pleasant and he was lucky things were mostly in his control. Reaching into his robe, he took out a chocolate frog and snacked on the little treat. Sweets always calmed the boy down, but the amount of time he left with brewing and possibly almost incapacitating himself still left the poor boy exhausted. He looked around, taking note of the various potion ingredients scattered in cloth bags or jars: "Rat Spleens" "Bat Spleens" "Doxy Egss" "Silver Powder" "Honey" "Potato Peelings" "Aloe Vera" "Belladonna" and "Fire Seeds." Some were used in the concoction he attempted to craft, but now they were just littered across the floor in a mess around him as he lay on the ground. Only two of Hunter's actual successful potions were presently on him a teal potion indicating an antidote to common poisons, and a golden one to be a memory potion. The rest were hidden away in his dorm and he only had the need to bring these two for now. They stood still, unbroken during Hunter's frantic search for the Bezoar. He sighed in relief, at least nothing was lost and he hoped nobody or no owls would accidentally begin to pick at his items. He gazed at the stone ceiling sighing as he felt the combined weight of deprived sleep and current exhaustion oversweep him. His eyes grew heavy, and he slowly began to drift to sleep as his robes became dirtied by the flock of feathers and dust.
@Aurelia Notresvace
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
14 Nov 2022, 01:48
The Ambrosia Owl
The residents of the owlery, the owls knew Aurelia well. She visited the place very often, Eurasian Eagle-owls weren't a common sight and she was quite intimidating with her larger form. It was her place to brood and watch the world go by her and more often than not, got to hear the gossips and witness the sentiments of the students that visited. Recently, there had been quite a few homesick first-years. She pitied them, having been in the same dilemma many years back as a young eleven-year-old. Today, entering the owlery was a young lad, no older than a third year she presumed, unlikely a first. Only hours after the sun rose from the horizon.
It was an odd scene that played out, taking advantage of the vacancy of the owlery, oblivious to the owl animagus that perched above him. First, he took out some items from his bag, one a glass vial, a potion that soon grazed his lips as he took a dose. The owl was curious as to what it was, it didn't take long before she figured it out at the boy's desperate question between wheezing coughs for a bezoar. A poison? Aurelia was prepared to intervene, not that she could do much but rush him to the hospital wing in her human form but it seemed at first, that he did not need it as in his hands was a glossy rock that he promptly swallowed.
If owls could heave a sigh, Aurelia would. Once again, continuing to mind her own business, she began communicating with the other owls. There wasn't much about those owl's days, they mostly had the same routine, but at times, she could get some juicy information about the people in the halls. Some of these owls were pets after all. But amidst her conversation, she hadn't notice the boy losing unconsciousness until he was splayed on the dirty owlery floor, his items messy around him. Shit. Instinctively, concerned, Aurelia would swoop down, shortly regaining her human form, her hand would reach out to give the boy a rough shake on the shoulders.
"Whatever potion did you take? Are you out of your mind?" She whispered harshly under her breath.
It was an odd scene that played out, taking advantage of the vacancy of the owlery, oblivious to the owl animagus that perched above him. First, he took out some items from his bag, one a glass vial, a potion that soon grazed his lips as he took a dose. The owl was curious as to what it was, it didn't take long before she figured it out at the boy's desperate question between wheezing coughs for a bezoar. A poison? Aurelia was prepared to intervene, not that she could do much but rush him to the hospital wing in her human form but it seemed at first, that he did not need it as in his hands was a glossy rock that he promptly swallowed.
If owls could heave a sigh, Aurelia would. Once again, continuing to mind her own business, she began communicating with the other owls. There wasn't much about those owl's days, they mostly had the same routine, but at times, she could get some juicy information about the people in the halls. Some of these owls were pets after all. But amidst her conversation, she hadn't notice the boy losing unconsciousness until he was splayed on the dirty owlery floor, his items messy around him. Shit. Instinctively, concerned, Aurelia would swoop down, shortly regaining her human form, her hand would reach out to give the boy a rough shake on the shoulders.
"Whatever potion did you take? Are you out of your mind?" She whispered harshly under her breath.
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“One can never be too careful,” STM — 5 | EVA — 19 | STR — 5 | WSD — 12 | ARC — 5 | ACC — 9 |
Lovely Creature — Evasive Manoeuvres — Monster Hunter — Terrible Presence
26 Nov 2022, 05:05
The Ambrosia Owl
The young Argentum boy groaned, complaining in his native tongue of Kiswahili. For those capable of understanding, it would have been a comment about wanting more sweets before going to bed; it seemed he was having a rather pleasant dream of his insatiable sweet tooth. Eventually, though, he'd groan a little bit more, with his vision coming from lucid to reality. The boy was in a sense of panic, and he begrudgingly began to push the hands on his shoulder off from being shaken. He was awake but was still feeling the effects of fatigue and drowsiness overcome him. He was having difficulty gathering the many thoughts in his head from what occurred.
At first, he had to look around the scenery, to remind himself of where he was and what had occurred. Yet, the more drastic issue was more toward who he was facing. The girl that stood across Hunter was clearly older in aspect based upon her height to his. So he knew he was at a disadvantage. Actually, even if she were the same age as Hunter, he would still be at a disadvantage from how tired he felt.
The boy stood and kept his distance, patting away the dust and feathers that littered across his robes. The boy even took the time to unsheath a mechanical watch from his robe and check the time. Little time had passed from when he took the potion, only a few minutes. Had those few minutes really been enough for this girl to have found Hunter on the top floor of the Owlery? It was the only plausible case, and the boy was going to have to be more cautious with his choices of location for the next time.
With that, Hunter's thoughts were becoming more clear. He had to set his goals and his intentions, and the main one was to gather his items without the risk of losing any of them or possibly having them confiscated by an upperclassman. He had to play it safe, but of course, the biggest question still roamed his mind. With a bit of hesitation and weakness in his voice, the words spilled out as he placed the stopwatch back in his robe while avoiding eye contact: "Who are you?"
@Aurelia Notresvace
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
12 Dec 2022, 13:22
The Ambrosia Owl
Please don't be dead, she thought as she shook his shoulders. Had Aurelia just witnessed a junior poison himself? From the bezoar he swallowed, the effects of the potion he ingested were quite evident. They were as stupid as they came. The boy was not dead, he had just decided to take a nap on the dirty owlery floor of all places. Aurelia sighed, visibly relieved as she released the breath she had been holding. "Good, you are alive," she remarked, still quite displeased at the boy's idiocy.
"Aurelia." She replied, not quite bothering to provide her last name. Not that he would recognise the name of her dead French matriarchal family. At only a peak of 158cm, it was not her height that made her appear visibly older, more so the way she carried herself and the eerie presence she reeked off, sending chills into the near vicinity. "You?" she asked. The boy was acting incredibly suspicious, glancing at the ground, and avoiding eye contact. Ashamed? Most likely, after she had just witnessed him take a dose of poison. It was unsettling. Was this young lad suicidal? her voice toned gently down. "It was a poison you took just then," She stated matter-of-factly. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Aurelia." She replied, not quite bothering to provide her last name. Not that he would recognise the name of her dead French matriarchal family. At only a peak of 158cm, it was not her height that made her appear visibly older, more so the way she carried herself and the eerie presence she reeked off, sending chills into the near vicinity. "You?" she asked. The boy was acting incredibly suspicious, glancing at the ground, and avoiding eye contact. Ashamed? Most likely, after she had just witnessed him take a dose of poison. It was unsettling. Was this young lad suicidal? her voice toned gently down. "It was a poison you took just then," She stated matter-of-factly. "Are you feeling alright?"
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“One can never be too careful,” STM — 5 | EVA — 19 | STR — 5 | WSD — 12 | ARC — 5 | ACC — 9 |
Lovely Creature — Evasive Manoeuvres — Monster Hunter — Terrible Presence
17 Dec 2022, 23:00
The Ambrosia Owl
The boy further dusted off more feathers, even plucking one out of his hair. After today he certainly needed to find a new location based on how filthy he felt. He reached into his robe and took out a black notebook and a muggle pen as well. He opened it up and began to scribe something inside. His eyes jerked back towards Aurelia, with a brief pause in his writing, and resuming back when he looked away. He was most likely writing Aurelia's name with a brief description of how she looked. Hunter had a bad memory when it came to people, and he needed to keep tabs on everyone he met. As he wrote he also spoke a little. His strength was coming back to him, but he still didn't feel 100%: "Argentum, Hunter Argentum." Hunter wasn't a fan of sharing any information about himself, even his name. Yet he needed to try and gain this person's trust, be honest, and only lie when needed.
He placed the journal back inside his robe, and took note of the surrounding ingredients; some were close to his feet. He bent down and began placing some of them back inside his satchel, hopefully, this student he just met would assist him in being given his items back rather than stealing or "confiscating" them. However, something felt a bit off as Hunter placed a jar of fire seeds in his bag. He jolted back up, taking another slight step back from the upperclassman. "How did you know it was poison?" There was something very off about her claiming he took a potion. It's true he was lying on the ground perhaps motionless, but still breathing. It was clear based on the cauldron and scatter of ingredients that Hunter most likely took a potion, but to immediately claim, no she sounded like she knew that it was a poison felt very off. He was a bit on guard, worst case scenario he would just grab his potions, and cauldron, and cast the smokescreen spell to run when needed.
@Aurelia Notresvace
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
20 Dec 2022, 14:54
The Ambrosia Owl
The boy introduced himself as Hunter. It wasn't quite a common name around here, his last name, on the other hand, was one she had heard many times before. How could she forget when the Bezuidenhouts supplied tinctures from the adept potioneers for her brother's condition? But regardless of whatever this boy's ties were to the pureblood potioneer family, chugging a poison was still incredibly reckless.
Hunter continued to gather his fallen items around him, most of which were potion ingredients and confectionery. Aurelia merely stood and watch as he did, arms crossed and indifferent. Of course, he would wonder how she knew, there had not been anyone else present in sight while he had thought to test a poison on himself. For what reason, she still could not fathom. "The bezoar is the direct counter for poisons. I'm a sixth-year, I would know," Aurelia stated plainly.
After a few moments, chin tilting upwards, Aurelia would point across the owlery towards a coop where a brown owl now resided, a little above them. "There. I was right there." A statement that would surely leave some confusion without further elaborations. But she would leave Hunter to figure that one out. "I could have witnessed your death. Honestly, I had thought you dead while you decided to take a nap here of all places."
Hunter continued to gather his fallen items around him, most of which were potion ingredients and confectionery. Aurelia merely stood and watch as he did, arms crossed and indifferent. Of course, he would wonder how she knew, there had not been anyone else present in sight while he had thought to test a poison on himself. For what reason, she still could not fathom. "The bezoar is the direct counter for poisons. I'm a sixth-year, I would know," Aurelia stated plainly.
After a few moments, chin tilting upwards, Aurelia would point across the owlery towards a coop where a brown owl now resided, a little above them. "There. I was right there." A statement that would surely leave some confusion without further elaborations. But she would leave Hunter to figure that one out. "I could have witnessed your death. Honestly, I had thought you dead while you decided to take a nap here of all places."
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“One can never be too careful,” STM — 5 | EVA — 19 | STR — 5 | WSD — 12 | ARC — 5 | ACC — 9 |
Lovely Creature — Evasive Manoeuvres — Monster Hunter — Terrible Presence
3 Jan 2023, 06:30
The Ambrosia Owl
The mention of the bezoar threw Hunter off even more. To know he took one meant she saw him take it... but he saw nobody, not a single soul in the room when he drank the potion and took the bezoar immediately after. Also... a 6th year!? Her experience and skills were most likely better than Hunter's. To him she was scary, and his thoughts on escape diminished. He reached over picking up a few more of the last items he had littered around the floor, his fear slowly creeping up his skin. He needed to choose his words carefully... but something else caught him off even more.
His head looked upward as the girl pointed at a brown owl resting in a coop. This confused him even more, so many more questions were popping in his head because of this girl and her responses. he needed a bit more time to think about it... just what did she mean by up there? He paused for a bit, just a bit more time to clear himself and think clearly. He suppose he should probably explain himself as the crossed arms this girl displayed made him worry even more: "I... well I had it under control. I had the bezoar for such instances like that. I'm close to a breakthrough and I just needed to test things a bit more." Slightly a lie, Hunter wasn't close to any sort of breakthrough. He was still at the start of his testing phases: "Risk comes with a great discovery. I just need to keep trying is all."
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.
13 Jan 2023, 18:08
The Ambrosia Owl
Aurelia was beating around the bush, that was for certain, never providing the answers to the prevalent questions he had, albeit all the more silent ones. Glancing up to where she pointed and back to her, it was clear he was very much confused. And she thought it very amusing, entertaining even. Now with his things stashed away in his backpack, he crossed his arms, finding an excuse - a feasible explanation that would allow him some pardon for his dangerous action. It wasn't quite enough.
"You're an Argentum. Related to the Argentums, I reckon - happens to be the people whom my family supplies their potion from, Bezuidenhouts, sound familiar? What do you think they would say it word gets to them that you've almost poisoned yourself to demise for a... breakthrough, hmm?" Aurelia wasn't one to snitch, it was too much trouble, so her words were more of a threat that would never come than anything else. If it meant it would help this younger boy think more rationally in the future, then so be it.
The pretty brunette shook her head. "Do you have any self-preservation at all?" she asked, there was a slight exasperation to the air she carried her words with. "Everything comes with a risk, sure. But you're young, and if it means death, sometimes a risk just isn't worth taking. There are much safer options to facilitate your own passions." Who knew the Gryffindor sixth-year was someone to deliver a lecture to this younger boy, she wasn't even a prefect, why care?
"You're an Argentum. Related to the Argentums, I reckon - happens to be the people whom my family supplies their potion from, Bezuidenhouts, sound familiar? What do you think they would say it word gets to them that you've almost poisoned yourself to demise for a... breakthrough, hmm?" Aurelia wasn't one to snitch, it was too much trouble, so her words were more of a threat that would never come than anything else. If it meant it would help this younger boy think more rationally in the future, then so be it.
The pretty brunette shook her head. "Do you have any self-preservation at all?" she asked, there was a slight exasperation to the air she carried her words with. "Everything comes with a risk, sure. But you're young, and if it means death, sometimes a risk just isn't worth taking. There are much safer options to facilitate your own passions." Who knew the Gryffindor sixth-year was someone to deliver a lecture to this younger boy, she wasn't even a prefect, why care?
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“One can never be too careful,” STM — 5 | EVA — 19 | STR — 5 | WSD — 12 | ARC — 5 | ACC — 9 |
Lovely Creature — Evasive Manoeuvres — Monster Hunter — Terrible Presence
1 Feb 2023, 05:33
The Ambrosia Owl
Hunter looked at the girl, he gave a look that had a mixture of confusion and interest. Yet just as quickly did the look come, did it vanish as well: "I know nothing of my father's business when it comes to other families." A truth of its own, one that Hunter wasn't sure if he should or shouldn't be interested in. The boy's father was the only current Argentum that Hunter knew about to be even relatively close to other wizarding families. Of course, the boy had an interest in knowing what sort of work his father had gotten himself into, after all, Hunter looked up to his father a lot. Yet, there was still a slight resentment he felt as his father had been gone more and more as time went on. He never blamed his old man for being busy, if anything it just meant Hunter had more time to rummage through his father's notes and office while his Grandmother took a nap. Bezuidenhouts... it didn't ring any bells, but there was possibly a book or journal full of records on who Hunter's father has made deals with. Perhaps even the mysterious journal he did have could reveal a few things. He was uncertain, and wouldn't be capable of knowing at the moment.
The boy's fingers curled and his foot began to tap at an impatient beat. Slight anxiety and paranoia leaked into the boy from just being caught doing something not allowed. The threat of his family finding out about his meddling in poisons on the other hand wasn't exactly as strong of a threat as this 6th year may have thought. Of course, it would most likely cause a ruckus and he'd have to find and develop some sort of mixed lie and truth to prevent his mother's or grandmother's hearts from breaking. In reality, though, his tapping came more from an annoyance. Annoyed he was seen, annoyed he was in the situation he was in. Fear was unsettling, no matter who the boy met he just had difficulty being in a calm or relaxed sort of vibe like the student in front of him: "Although, I may be able to find a few things about transactions when I go back home possibly during the break. Did your family have werewolf problems?"
The boy and his questions had an undemanding tone but were intrigued and slightly pushy. If his father did have relations with this girl's family, then perhaps he could find more information or clues to unlock more of the secrets in the journal his father left him. Or perhaps he could learn more about the students at Hogwarts like this person here. His mind was still attempting to figure out what she meant by being up in an owlery coop. Shrinking Solution? No... Perhaps something more transfiguration related such as an invisibility cloak or an invisibility potion. The potion was doubtful, it is a waste to use it in a location like this... He still needed time and it was clear his mind was racing based on the shifts that occurred from his eyes from the floor to the coop, and the girl.
"A risk you can't win is a risk not worth taking." Lectured, really? Being lectured by others honestly annoyed Hunter a lot, especially if it came to his brewing or any of his potions. Perhaps it was the pressure of his family line, the confidence he had, or the pureblood factor he held within, but the boy had a strong sense of pride when it came to his potions, his intelligence, and his methods. He wasn't narcissistic but sort of a virtuoso in potions who couldn't handle the backlash or criticism of others on his work. Of course he knew the risk, but he knew how to handle it even if it was unpleasant. If anything he kept worse brews for other students, victims of the past and possibly the future.
He was even more annoyed at this point: "What about you? Being cooped up in a location like that?" He pointed towards the coop the girl had previously pointed at, perhaps an attempt to figure out what she meant: "Filth and disease, a risk of sanitation and illness," perhaps he was even slightly trying to provoke her as well.
It takes a Mad King to create Change. I am no King, but I pull the Chords of Insanity.