Undone. PV Leveret Finished

22 Apr 2023, 21:21

• OUR VERY OWN, PUREBLOOD, SOAP OPERA •

15th April | Selwyn Manor
wc: 959
Avery's Hex #136b5c
Cadence's Hex #6d80ab

Outfit: Weekend (Smart Casual)
Reducio

Avery:

Cadence:

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-----A nother day, another event.

Avery didn’t mind it too much, especially as it served as an excuse to spend as little time in his fraught household as humanly possible, which suited his mother also. Avery’s father had returned from their Edinburgh property for the easter break, and whenever that occurred it seemed as though Moredell Manor was filled with a tense atmosphere that could be cut with a blunt knife; that was to say, very easily.

Cadence had taken over leading the family, and that had rocked the boat with the old fashioned Leveret sire. Though, she was of a similar mind in some ways. How they hadn’t split was beyond Avery, but there was an unbreakable bond in marriage, something Cadence had often alluded to when speaking to Avery’s older brothers who she was constantly trying to teach them the art of finding a lifelong partner. She had failed, obviously, but she would not see her children do the same. It was part of the reason she had initially started taking Avery to these kinds of events; to get his face and name out there to make an impression, but also to show him how things should be done.

This event was no different to the many others he had attended, but it was the second one of the week. First they had travelled north to Fort William for Beatrices’ easter feast and now, a week later, north again to the Selwyn manor. When he travelled to other Pureblood estates he was always victim to a pang of jealousy, and rarely: judgement. He tried not to judge other Purebloods too harshly for it was always better when birds of a feather stick together, but his jealousy stemmed from the fact that hosting an event at Moredell was out of the question; something that he hated. Hosting society seemed like such a fun idea, at least for a child. Avery could show off all his cool things; perform archery in the grounds, walk the river and gardens and show people the vast ‘manor’ they owned. These days it was mostly empty, almost begging to be filled with guests.

He silenced those thoughts as he and his mother strode up the estate path and were granted entry, to find their gracious hosts in the foyer; welcoming those that had or were arriving. Cadence had her ever pleasant smile on her pristine features, always having put in the effort to make herself the very image of charm with subtle and natural leaning makeups, accentuating her hazel eyes that always seemed to sparkle and invite people in; though this was part of her playbook.

“Phinehas.” She greeted with an even wider smile, inviting him forward to her hand as a sign that he could well give her the French greeting by kissing on either cheek. Avery always thought that was a weird way to greet people, but then again it was French, and although his paternal relatives were that way inclined, he still cringed whenever such happened to him; more when he saw it happen to his mother. June may well have caught his very brief twisted expression, as he met her with his ebony eyes; panicking a smile at her in the hopes that his distaste would be forgotten.

“I couldn’t miss the launch of a friends’ newest release now, could I?” Cadence said with a smile, turning her eyes to Louise and June as they were introduced. She leaned in to give Louise that same greeting, exchanging faux compliments that only those with extreme knowledge of these kinds of battlegrounds could well detect; for there was an immediate tension between the women. Avery, being 11, was nowhere near that level and so he nodded to Phineas’ introduction and naturally followed the conversation to June.

“June.” He smiled and nodded, it was all he could muster in introductions, formal and stiff. He knew his introduction was coming, as this was a routine formula the Leveret pair executed often enough. The pressure of parents was certainly present, and he shared a look with her that spoke of a desire to leave them to it, but they would of course have to go through the pleasantries.

“-and your dress is exquisite, Madam Malkin?” Cadence continued from some of the conversation that Avery missed in his wandering thought. “It’s our pleasure, especially to meet you June!” She had directed at the girl in the red dress. “This is Avery, my youngest and brightest.” She said, turning the spotlight onto him. “– They think he’ll make the duelling team in the upcoming stage, as a first year.” She said to Phineas and Louise.

The pale lad dipped his head in greeting, not flushing at the embarrassment that was parent-pride.

“Mr and Mrs Selwyn. Your home is quite lovely. - I can’t wait to read your book!” He gave, best to give a good first impression, even if he wanted to dip out of this conversation as soon as possible. As much as he loved to compete with other students, he much preferred to do it when he set the terms; he didn’t need his mothers’ support. June seemed pleasant enough, and by the looks of it, was the only other child present; competing with her would only shoot himself in the foot.

He didn’t speak out of turn then, waiting for the conversation to be led by his elders to a point in which it’d be acceptable to leave their company.

┗ ┛

Interacting with: @June Selwyn

22 Apr 2023, 22:44

One, two French air-kisses were exchanged between Phinehas and Cadence. One, two, three were exchanged as the woman greeted Louise. The exchange was precise, almost mechanical, a practiced routine performed by those who moved in high society circles. The way they spoke to each other was fluid and nuanced, each word imbued with layers of meaning that only those familiar with high-context conversation would understand.

It was odd to know that people were viewing them as a perfect family unit, united on all fronts, when not so long ago it felt as if the very foundations of the family had been rocked. And while June had forgiven her mother, it was still uncomfortable to see her parents continuing on as if nothing had happened. She returned the polite nod to the boy, not bothering to interrupt the flow of practiced introduction by asking for his name. Introductions were something akin to monologues, something to be rehearsed, practiced, and comfortable in. Turning such a thing into an improvisation through stray questions was nothing short of an unspoken faux-pas. June and her father exchanged knowing glances as the two mums danced through conversation in a way that the patriarch of the Selwyn family hadn't exactly mastered.

“-and your dress is exquisite, Madam Malkin?” June had only been half-listening to the conversation, far more interested in the tables of hors d'oeuvres she knew that sat further inside of the manor, or running outside and feeling the fresh air while feeding the fish in the pond in their courtyard.

"It's actually custom-made," Louise responded, her facial expression terse as Cadence took hold of the conversation and moved it along. June's face lit up at the attention, it was always nice when adults spoke to her as if she wasn't a baby, and June decided that she already quite liked Cadence. She was pretty, seemed friendly, treated June her own age and made her mum uncomfortable, all things that scored points in June's book. It was a bad habit June had, judging books by their covers, but it hadn't steered her incredibly wrong before, and so she wasn't going to stop it any time soon.

She looked back at Avery as his mother praised him. It was always to be expected, and it was never particularly enjoyable to be on the receiving end, but it certainly was helpful when getting to know someone. Phinehas extended his hand towards Avery for a firm handshake. "Avery Leveret, a first-year duelist? Has a nice ring to it, I'm sure you'll do your house proud." He gave Avery a wink, more animated in this interaction than he had been with most that had come before it. "Ah, yes, the book. Let me know what you think of it, I've been so deep in my next draft that I can hardly remember what happens in this one." Louise let out polite laughter as she gave her husband a slight look of warning.

"Phinehas has been working very hard on his latest, it's a sequel to his best-seller," she put her hand on Phinehas's chest. "We're all very proud of him."

June patiently stared at her father until he met her eyes, giving him a "please let me out of here this is so boring" look that only he could decipher. Thankfully, Phinehas understood June in more ways in one, and spoke up. "Junie, why don't you show Avery around? You can give him the grand tour of the place while the three of us play catch-up."

Thank Merlin. June nodded, and regarded Candence once more. "I hope to be able to talk again soon!" She stepped out of her position to the side of her parents, and, if he'd follow, would begin to lead Avery through the manor to somewhere without adult small-talk.

Lira | June | Finley

23 Apr 2023, 02:03

•OUR VERY OWN, PUREBLOOD, SOAP OPERA •

15th April | Selwyn Manor
wc: 576
Avery's Hex #136b5c
Cadence's Hex #6d80ab

Outfit: Weekend (Smart Casual)
Reducio
Avery:
Cadence:

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┓

-----
W hen Mr Selwyn opted to part words of encouragement, Avery couldn’t suppress a genuine smile. As he shook the gentile man’s, surprisingly firm, hand with an equal sum of strength. A handshake was important in circles like these, as it spoke much about a person.

“Thank you sir.” He said, as the discussion came back to his book. He hadn’t had the chance to ask his mother about it, he was simply told that he was coming and that he had to get ready; so here he was. Like June, he was keenly aware that these interactions were almost scripted, and to interrupt the ebb and flow was to assign a target to oneself; and that was the last thing the Leveret family needed. Perhaps details of this book could be gleaned by passive observation, or carefully placed questions with other guests as time went on; and then Mrs Selwyn did something odd.

War raged on in the minds that stood taller than his, but even he noted the exchange of expressions between mothers and then again when Mrs Selwyn jumped at the chance to ‘stake her claim’ over her husband, as it were. Avery was certain that his mother didn’t have the slightest interest in the man, which made Mrs Selwyn’s behaviour just that bit more odd, but it would be pathetic if it was a move borne of envy.

“There’s much to be proud of, Phinehas here was always expected to exceed expectations. – I think even that there was one year book vote that saw him win that title fair and square.” Cadence delivered with a small laugh, her intonation indicated that there was some kind of meaning behind the words but if Avery knew his mother; this was just a carefully manufactured ploy that aimed to see Mrs Selwyn overreach and expose her true visage.

Thankfully, Mr Selwyn came to the rescue of both Avery and June, and the former had to suppress the urge to give a relieved sigh.

“Junie, why don't you show Avery around? You can give him the grand tour of the place while the three of us play catch-up." He had said. He was both receptive and kind.

“We’ll catch up soon, June.” Cadence smiled genuinely and intently, having recognised that she had previously made the girl feel seen. She capitalized on that, as though to purposefully tread on Louise’s toes. It was all fun and games but there was an unwarranted unease here, and Cadence wasn’t one to cow to pressure; she much preferred to play the game and see who was left standing.

Avery let June lead the way, and as soon as they were out of earshot he let out a breath, shooting a gaze back through the doors they had left through.

“That’s always the worst bit. – Sorry about that…” He gave with a brief laugh. Apologising for his mother wasn’t something he often did, but this situation felt distinct enough to warrant such; as though even he could tell that there was something that lingered in the shadows behind every word.

“I’m not surprised we haven’t met in school, I don’t usually like other students, but if we had at least that would have been easier.” He gave, somewhat awkwardly and yet completely direct.

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Interacting with: @June Selwyn

23 Apr 2023, 06:36

[quote]As the pair put more space between them and their parents, June felt the air around her get less and less heavy, the weight in her stomach lessening just a bit, her muscles relaxing ever so slightly. While she was free from the grown-ups, she didn't know this Avery Leveret well, and thus impressions were still somewhat important. She mimicked his laughter, full of understanding. "It's alright, no need to apologize. At least you haven't had it done to you several times today already. I think if I had to answer another question about how I think I'll do on my end-of-terms I'd burst." Adults often tended to ask the exact same questions, and any novelty they had wore off extremley quickly.

Avery was direct, that much was obvious. Which was a trait June didn't mind, people often spent too much time beating around the proverbial bush, anyways. She shrugged, "Well, I'm not the most social at Hogwarts, either. Too many people running around as if they've had their heads cut off, making messes and shouting all the time. I'm happy to keep my distance from most of them. Besides, if we had known each other, then we would still be stuck there explaining how we met and what we thought of each other and whatnot." She took a deep breath, the comforting smell of home filling her soul. "I much prefer this."

June was supposed to be giving a "grand tour", but there wasn't much for a twelve-year-old to show a peer that she didn't know at an event where she wasn’t meant to be celebrated so much as be a nice accessory to acknowledging someone else’s success. Perhaps the event space would be enough for now. She led Avery into the large sitting room, where only a few clusters of people stood and talked, and decanters of spirits and bowls of punch were artfully arranged on tables lining the sides of the room. Much better.

"Would you like something to drink, Leveret?" Hospitality was an important value, every guest needed to feel welcomed and wanted, no matter their familiarity. And, as June's mother had reminded her many times before, it was always more polite to use surnames when you first met someone whose status you didn't know, as to not offend them. It was a habit June had fallen out of slightly at Hogwarts, what with all of the people who hadn't grown up the same way she had. Perhaps the practice was a part of pure-blood society, perhaps it was a French custom, or perhaps June's mum was just crazy. Who knew what the case was, certainly not June.

"We're housemates, correct? I feel like I've seen you in passing around the Slytherin common room." She offered a genuine smile, ”I’m sure you’ll be a brilliant duelist." A small, unconscious assumption that someone who was here would be an adept spellcaster, but one that was certainly correct.

Lira | June | Finley

24 Apr 2023, 00:19

• OUR VERY OWN, PUREBLOOD, SOAP OPERA •

15th April | Selwyn Manor
wc: 601
Avery's Hex #136b5c
Cadence's Hex #6d80ab

Outfit: Weekend (Smart Casual)
Reducio

Avery:

Cadence:

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-----
T he pair of snakes left the elders to their phatic chit-chatting, something they could both be thankful for.

Undoubtedly, Cadence would continue to kill with kindness, measuring the interaction carefully and opting to mingle with other influential figures that were also in attendance; to be seen by the other guests as not favouring anyone in particular with her time. Many of them, she already knew and put in the effort to keep up relations; as was her charge. Those that she didn’t, she would make her pleasant introductions to each of them.

Avery related to the endless sea of questions that surrounded the end of year assessments that were just around the corner, offering a small laugh and a nod. Even people he didn’t know were asking, and frequently too. It seemed an entirely appropriate attitude when mingling in this level of society; people only wished to mingle with people of similar or better standing, to surround themselves with greatness or aspiring greatness; having that drive was a key indicator; but also the discipline of taking one's examinations seriously. It usually pre-empted the question: “Which is your favourite subject’?, and then ‘What do you want to be when you grow old like me?’ His responses were always appropriate to give off the right impression, but the truth was he didn’t know what he wanted to do; only that he wanted to end up better off than the kind of students that June was referring to.

“Making messes, shouting and trashing classrooms, withholding property and assaulting you, in my experience.” He hummed amusedly.“I actively try to avoid them, especially when it’s hard to be certain of their blood. – I suppose you’re right though.” He smiled then, willing to move on and leave her with more questions than answers; as he usually favoured. It was a chosen strategy, designed to command the focus of whoever he was talking with, so that he could take the front foot; even if he was on foreign ground.

“A drink would be nice, I’m easy!.” Avery said with raised brows, as if to say that whatever she would kindly bring him would certainly be appreciated. He widened his smile, receptive to her use of his surname; though it held some baggage, he still enjoyed hearing it. He made sure to follow her through the sitting talking as they walked but keeping enough to himself as he followed her through the sitting room so as to not intrude on the various other conversations being held by their elders.

“Thank you, Selwyn.” He smirked. “I hope to be. My being on the team isn’t a fluke, I’ve had as many hours in the duelling room as I could get. Even got to practice with Alan Vanes before the easter break.” He said with a small bit of pride, and the assumption that she knew the Gryffindor Captain. “That may be another reason we’ve not met properly, I’ve been working to a goal; I just got there sooner than I thought.” He admitted, having not told his mother that he already had confirmation that he had made the team. Why he’d share this with June and not her was another mystery.

“What about you though? What’s your focus been on?” He asked idly, turning the attention on her. She seemed nice enough, now he just hoped she was interesting too.

┗ ┛

Interacting with: @June Selwyn

24 Apr 2023, 05:25

[quote]Withholding property and... assault? June shouldn't be so surprised, she herself was assaulted in her first year, but she hadn't had anything "withheld" from her. It didn't sound completely out of the question though, and was something June had now added to her list of things to be prepared for at Hogwarts (which was rapidly growing by the week).

Selwyn. It was as if June's very soul took a breath of fresh air. It had been so long, too long, since June last did this sort of song and dance. As mechanical and methodical as it could be... She'd be lying if she said it wasn't fun. Dressing up, dancing, showing off, meeting people with all sorts of titles and positions, it was something that June couldn't completely detest. And while some had put up with June's platitudes of surnames and were kind enough to attempt to return the favor, it wasn't quite the same when someone didn't know just how much weight that name held. A Selwyn. Even Monica, sweet Monica, called her that for a substantial amount of time, but it felt different. Here there was a purpose, a respect, an intentionality. And it just felt so... Correct. As for the weight of the Leveret name, June was almost completely in the dark. Her father always did try and shield her from the messier parts of their world, things that he didn't feel she was quite old enough for yet. She was likely old enough now, should she choose to ask about this family later. Oh the joys of adolescence.

June was a stickler, and thus two glasses of shimmering silvery punch were poured into ornate crystal glasses, adorned with carvings of dragon wings and scales. June handed one to Avery, "There you are. It's supposed to taste of a different tropical fruit with each sip, I chose it myself."

She led the pair over to an empty corner of the room, next to a large window that overlooked the courtyard that lay in the centre of the manor. A large, organically-shaped pond sat off to the side of the outdoor area, and even from this vantage point it one could see the flashing of scales from the koi fish that inhabited it. One large tree stood alone in the center, while stone and marble sculptures were artfully placed around. A collection of a well-travelled man, surely.

June took a sip as she listened to Avery's spiel about dueling. Her face dropped slightly at the mention of Alan Vanes. Oh yes, June did indeed know the Gryffindor dueling captain. He likely didn't remember her by name, but June was completely certain that he hadn't forgotten the first-year who made an absolute fool out herself at George's detention and gave the talk-down of a lifetime to. No chance.

The young snake quickly recovered, opting to take another sip to attempt to calm her. It's fine, you and George have made up now, you'll be able to make a better impression the next time you meet Alan, you'll see, she thought to herself. She smiled, "So you know you're on for the next round then? Impressive. I might just have to stop by and see just how well you'll do." June had gone into the dueling club room a grand total of one (1) time, and even then it was a bit underwhelming to her. But perhaps that was because there weren't any actual duelists there, only woefully inadept casters mucking about.

June's focus? She thought for a moment, but only a moment, before the answer came running to the forefront of her mind. Ah, yes. "Well, it's not quite as specific as yours, but reputation." She sighed, unsure of how much was appropriate to divulge to this near-stranger, how much she could honestly share before painting herself in a bad light. "I was quite... passive for most of my first year. And I'm simply not content with being a nameless face or a weightless name to my peers anymore." Now, the specifics of doing such a thing was far more complex than the intent to do it. "I suppose now that I'm a captain of our racing team I'll have some help with that, especially once I lead the team to our first victory this spring." Honestly, it was quite embarrassing how the Brisk Basilisks had performed since their creation. June was resolved to not have her first race as captain be such an embarrassment. "But I don't want people to know me just for that. Merlin, that would be atrocious." There she went again, sharing her train of thought for all to hear. June collected her thoughts, now attempting to give a concise answer. "So my focus has been on making the name of June Selwyn one that people at Hogwarts react to. Respect, even." She looked Avery in the eye, offering a soft smile as she hoped he could relate to what came next, almost afraid to admit it herself. "Feels a bit odd to have to work for it, rather than people just doing it automatically."

Last edited by June Selwyn on 9 May 2023, 03:26, edited 1 time in total.

Lira | June | Finley

27 Apr 2023, 20:29

• OUR VERY OWN, PUREBLOOD, SOAP OPERA •

15th April | Selwyn Manor
wc: 712
Avery's Hex #136b5c
Cadence's Hex #6d80ab[/size]

Outfit: Weekend (Smart Casual)
Reducio
Avery:
Cadence:

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┏
┓

-----
H e took the draconic crystal glass with some trepidation, inspecting it in his grasp by moving his head around either side with a wide smile. Dragons were probably the only thing cooler than duelling, and he was sure that if there was a house that had a dragon emblem, his family would be in it.

“Good choice then, I’ve not been to the tropics!” He said, as if that had any bearing on the conversation at all. Avery had of course eaten tropical fruit, but maybe this little slip up was sign of his limited social skill; or worse yet, nerves. Often he had found himself involved in the song and dance, but usually with people he was trying to figure out, or would-be peers; but June was none of these. Bizarrely, Avery somewhat respected her as if there was already some kind of unspoken understanding between them.

It wasn’t to do with her being his senior, as they were only a year apart and so her experience couldn’t be that grand; not like Alan Vanes. She was awarding him plenty platitudes and pleasantries, but something about her commanded the same level of respect that he expected. He was always on edge in Hogwarts, especially since the recent discovery of secrets and the incident in the Astronomy tower; he was steeled in his resolve to avoid bad company as soon as they were back in school with no exceptions. He could be certain of her blood, and perhaps that put him at ease; lowered his guard; and he noticed that as they moved across the room to the large window.

Avery admired the view with nothing more than the courtesy glance expected of him, giving a satisfied ‘Mm.’ as to not interrupt the flow of the conversation; but that could have just been the taste of dragon fruit. He nodded at her as he brought the glass down from his lips, encouraging her to come along to a duel simply: “Please do!” He said, keeping it short and sweet so the conversation could turn to her answer; to which he listened intently.

She lit up then, he thought. June Selwyn was a little more interesting, simply as a result of her direct candour; how he hated the skirting and dressing up of things. It was a strange duality. This proverbial tango was often defined by how well one could veil their true meaning, or lead one to think otherwise; but that was what he disliked most. Being candid with someone was much more valuable, mainly because it often threw off whoever you were dealing with and puts them on the backfoot, leaving openings for you to take aim at. Here, she was detailing how she was working on her reputation, and that was something he could both respect and admire.

“If you were content with such, I’d surely be searching for an excuse to leave.” He humoured her, letting her continue. “You’re well on your way then. - Besides the captaincy, what will be your defining moment? Why should the respect you?” He asked, though not with the view to put her down, but to determine her inner workings. His own ambitions related to power and strength, and hers were still yet shrouded.

He related to her in that final statement, knowing just how difficult it is to get used to the idea that people weren’t always receptive to you based solely on your status, name and candour. Unknowingly, he was haughty and aloof. Avery placed himself above others, regularly; even going so far as to name the people he didn’t deem noteworthy as nobodies. Of course, his criteria of such changed on a whim and sometimes contradicted itself, but it was the doing of such that made it relatable to him.

“I know what you mean. There are some that are happy just existing, with little ambition. That's boring to me but then I suppose that's why I'm in Slytherin. - I'd much rather get to know the people with a little bit of- stuff, you know? Grit. Go-Get-Em. Drive. Passion. Even if misplaced, it's far more entertaining."

┗ ┛

Interacting with: @June Selwyn

2 May 2023, 17:19

[quote]Her... defining moment? June's face faltered as she was suddenly enraptured in thought. Why should people respect her? She parsed through her neatly compartmentalized mind, surely she had an answer to this question somewhere. "Well," she started slowly, "because I deserve to be respected. I'm intelligent, top of my class, I don't let people walk all over me," people like Bubba McGarry, she thought. "I'm a Selwyn, and I'm a damn good witch, too." She nodded, slightly talking to herself as she made her case to Avery. "Seems like reason enough to me."

It was a bit strange to brag about your own accomplishments, to rattle off reasons you deserved respect. June certainly wasn't one to flaunt, to want to draw attention to herself without what felt like good merit.

June looked around the room as she took another sip from her glass, observing the conversations dripping with venom and vile, polite laughter paired with devilish glares. Her mother passed by the doorway, offering a smile to June as she walked by. Whatever conversation the parents had must be finished by now. June was sympathetic for her father, he was clearly enjoying catching up with Cadence. But, as June well knew, too much time with one guest at this sort of function would earn her family some nasty words about favoritism and disrespect (which June always found dumb, how people threw out accusations of such things and then practiced them the very same behind closed doors and masked words), so it would need to come to an end anyways at some point.

Was June ambitious? She reflected on Avery's words as he spoke. She supposed she was somewhat, she was ambitious in terms of her marks in class, but in terms of life goals and such she certainly didn't feel ambitious. Though she'd likely never actually ask, she was curious as to why she was placed in Slytherin. She often felt she aligned more with the values of Ravenclaw, or even Hufflepuff. But she took faith in the fact that, as she had heard said many times to teary-eyed first years, "the sorting hat is never wrong." Surely it must have seen something in her that she didn't see in herself. But she certainly did have drive, and if that's what drew Avery to people, she was certain he wouldn't find her boring. She sighed, "Agreed. I've come across too many hum-drums in my classes that I'll almost take anything of interest over nothing." Too much small talk without any meaning behind the words, personalities without any self-awareness. If June was less benevolent she would call it pathetic. Alas, kindness was a value the girl held dear, and so no such thought entered her mind.

The scales of conversation were now uneven, June had divulged much without receiving much in return. She swirled her glass around, "You mentioned you were working towards a goal, yes? I'm sure it's more than just getting off the dueling waitlist, so what about you? I get the impression that your ambition is always pointed in a specific direction."

Lira | June | Finley