Where Earth Meets Sky PV Closed

It was the first day in a long time that Valentin felt clear-headed enough to be making impactful decisions again. In the morning, he’d found a baby bird with brand new wings singing from a cozy nest right outside his cabin, and so he decided to make it a good augury. He still had his beautiful Durmstrang, countless blessings, and new hope blossoming in his chest. Finding Maila at the pitch as expected, Valentin tipped his head in greeting.

“Hello, little tiger,” chimed the seeker. “How is the season treating you?” Slipping his Silver Arrow from one shoulder, Valentin remembered the night of the Spring Ball when they had last flown together. “Thank you for coming. I was hoping we could talk about something I was thinking about, but everything moves so slowly on the ground. How about we go for a little flight?” The invitation was no coincidence, of course. He was doing that frost captain thing again, as he did when testing out possible recruits for the quidditch team… but today was not about quidditch. No, even bigger stakes were on the table today.

“What’s going on in your world lately?” Lowering the Arrow into mountable position, Valentin gestured for Maila to get on first. He did not indicate whether he wanted her to sit at the front or at the back because he wanted to see what she would choose.

Abilities: Keen Eye / Charmer / Evasive Maneuvers / Fearless / Comprehend Parseltongue
Stats: STA 8 (11) - EVA 20 (23) - STR 3 (6) - WIS 15 [17] (20) - ARC 1 (4) - ACC 15 (18) (parentheticals use broom stats)

^{roleplaying as maila. a. l.}

^{•Date• 17 July 2023
•Location• Hogwarts, Quidditch Pitch}

• • • • •

• • • •Finnish •Swedish •Russian •English • • •

•Word Count• 505 •| Valentin Schnell @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood |•

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Maila had just finished stretching a little when she heard a familiar voice call her a not so familiar nickname. She twirled around, a bright smile spread across her lips as Valentin came into her sight. His light hair seemed to sparkle ever so slightly in the sun to Maila and she immediately noticed the broom he had with him. His silver arrow. Walking closer, she felt as though this was going to be an important day. „Hello! It's been wonderful, the sun and warmth is so nice, don't you think? I just love how everything is radiating with happiness. It seems as though the summer brings this good feeling with it every single time.” she took a deep relaxed breath of the fresh air, almost as if she was trying to underline her words. She smiled and nodded her head as he thanked her for coming, not interrupting him but trying to motion something like "of course". When he mentioned the broom and going for a little flight, her smile dropped ever so slightly as her eyes focused on the broomstick in his hands. Maila wasn't particularly keen on flying on a broom, it just seemed so dangerous compared to the way muggles flew. There was just a small stick to sit on and in sports such as quidditch you were easily thrown off of it. However, Maila had sat on a broom with Valentin before and she had felt safer than she would alone. She just didn't want to sit on the thing on her own. It just felt weird to her. One of the reasons why she had chosen Duelling instead of Broom Racing or Quidditch.

Throwing those thoughts out of her mind, she looked back up at Valentin and smiled again. „Sure.” she said. He did not tell her to sit in the front or the back, which slightly confused her and after thinking about it for a few seconds, she choose to sit in the front. Hopefully this wouldn't be the wrong decision. As she got on, Valentin asked her another question and Maila did not hesitate to answer. „Well, right now it's really just summer camp and it's activities. I've really been enjoying nature and being back at Hogwarts. It's so pretty here and the Scottish air feels quite fresh. It's really nice for Yoga or Pilates in the mornings. The sky is so clear here I feel like I can still see the stars even when the sun is already rising.” she mentally prepared for their offtake. „Oh! And I am really excited to go home, later this month, of course. It feels like forever since I've last been home and I really miss my Mother. She's sometimes so lonely when we're away at school..” she trailed off shortly before clearing her throat. „What about you?” she tried turning to him to the best of her abilities and send Valentin a smile. She still remembered the day in Durmstrangs music room and the heated conversation in the maze.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Valentin nodded back to Maila. He did appreciate the fine weather and the abundant light. It made everything easier, except for his truly deep-rooted problems anyway. It doesn’t matter. None of it matters right now. I'm here with Maila, and this is a moment to remember.

“Mm,” Val affirmed, climbing onto the broom behind Maila. Perhaps she would be alright steering, since she took a seat where there was the clearest line of sight. There wasn’t exactly a rudder on the Silver Arrow, after all. “You know, Maila, I was wondering last time… do you have any problems with flying? You were breathing differently during our first flight, on the night of the ball… I was thinking, maybe a little time in the air with me might do you some good. Besides… I’m curious about something. Hey, do you want to steer? Go ahead.” Valentin sat peaceably without even trying to take a handhold around Maila. He didn’t want to create any interference with her natural behavior. “You’re right, though, the sky is so clear the stars may as well be an arm’s reach away. What do you think, Maila, if you could reach out and grab a star and make a wish on it, what would you ask for?”

Leaning subtly to help correct for any problematic movements Maila might make, Valentin helped ease his fellow Durmstranger into flight in a way that would help her gather confidence. When Maila mentioned her mother, however, Valentin bowed his head sadly. It was possible that she wouldn’t even notice, as silently as he began to mourn his own mother’s untimely departure from life, but she might have noticed his chin stooping to only an inch over her shoulder as if he were hiding behind her body to block out the wind.

“Me?” Val asked in surprise, not used to people inquiring about his personal life regardless of how social a creature he was every day. “Well, there’s the upcoming quidditch game,” he began, trying to ease himself into exposing more of his private life. “I kind of miss my friends. We’re all separated, in different cabins… I feel pretty isolated. It’s kind of disorienting… Well, I guess I’m already…” Shaking his head, Valentin shut himself up before he could blather on any more about the unsolicited details of his problems. Once they were stably in the air, Valentin eased off on his corrective shifts of weight, allowing Maila full control of the broom without interference. He’d give her a few moments to get used to this kind of flight before pushing it any further.

“You know Maila, I have a challenge for you… Do you like challenges? Do you want one? Would you, in fact, have room in your life for particularly big ones?”

Abilities: Keen Eye / Charmer / Evasive Maneuvers / Fearless / Comprehend Parseltongue
Stats: STA 8 (11) - EVA 20 (23) - STR 3 (6) - WIS 15 [17] (20) - ARC 1 (4) - ACC 15 (18) (parentheticals use broom stats)

@Beatrice Dupont

^{roleplaying as maila. a. l.}

^{•Date• 17 July 2023
•Location• Hogwarts, Quidditch Pitch}

• • • • •

• • • •Finnish •Swedish •Russian •English • • •

•Word Count• 785 •| Valentin Schnell @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood |•

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Taking off into the sky felt quite weird to be completely honest. Maila's legs felt a little shaky and she tried hard not to gulp when looking down at the floor. At the earth beneath them, the flowers and how they got smaller... Valentin seemed to see right through her and as she tried to control her breathing and heartbeat, she still chuckled lightly at the older boys words. „You see right through me, don't you?“ she asked, although it was more of a rhetorical question. Trying to steer, as he had asked her to do, Maila gripped a little harder onto the broom stick. „I don't think I have a problem with flying per say, it is just weird. You see, muggles, is that what you call us?“ she trailed off for a second, „Well, we- they use brooms for cleaning and it is quite scary giving all your trust into a thin stick that you could use to swipe the dust from the floors. We have these big things called airplanes to fly, I am sure you have heard of them, they are pretty secure and although I have never been in one, I believe I'd feel a little safer with something around me that could hold the fall off a little better. Cracking my skull open or breaking some bones when falling from this height really does not sound fun. One of the reasons I choose Duelling honestly,“ she was talking way too much again. „Although, I guess I could get used to this and I really don't feel as scared on here with you.“ she said, wondering if that was weird to say, considering they had not had years of friendship behind them. Taking a deep breath after all those words, she tried enjoying the view and the cool air up where they were. Perhaps they weren't even that high but it surely felt like a couple meters to Maila. Valentin seemed to want to talk today, because he asked Maila another question with his sentence. It confused her a little. What would she wish and ask for? Her thoughts trailed off. That was a good question. Would she wish for something sentimental or perhaps something material? No, she knew what she would wish for. For her mother not to worry about money so much and for her to have everything she wanted. And for her to be safe. Safe and sound and loved. That was all that Maila wanted and something she would always want to achieve. But she couldn't say that. Valentin was one of the rich purebloods, at least from what she had heard, and perhaps this wish would sound pathetic to him. He probably had everything he could wish for.

„World Peace and for everyone to accept everyone. Whether they are Pureblood or Half-Breed. To end world Hunger and so many more things. Valentin there are so many problems that we do not even see in the privileged world we live in. So many things that need to be fixed. Climate change too. How could we let it get to that point? It's everywhere and everyone has a part in it.“ she sighed, this was not a lie. Maila wished for this too and she so hoped Valentin would know what she was talking about. He wouldn't be fully oblivious. He couldn't be fully oblivious. Or.. could he? When they continued talking, Maila noticed at one point how close Valentin's head was hanging over her shoulder at one point, which made her wonder if he was feeling okay. She tried to look back but threw that plan over board fastly because the broom made a jerking motion into the direction she had leaned in and Maila felt like she would tumble off and fall, gladly she did not. When she asked him what was going on in his live, he seemed surprised. Yet, the white haired seeker opened up a bit and Maila felt that that was already quite a big step for him. She listened but he did not finish his sentence, which made her want to squeeze his hand with compassion and tell him it's okay. That he can talk to her. But she wouldn't try to look back again, that would not go well. Then he let her fly on her own and as horrible as she thought it would be, it didn't turn out horrible at all. It was nice. Freeing even. Then he spoke again, asking her something. Maila frowned a bit, feeling intrigued. „I don't have a problem with a bit of a challenge, no.“ she said. „In fact, challenges are what makes live exciting. Don't you think?“ she asked.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

„You see right through me, don't you?“ asked Maila.

With an amused smile and eyes drifting up to the highest cloud, Valentin had no defense. “Well, that’s the captain’s job after all. How else could I know what my team needs and wants?” Shaking his head and rolling his eyes at himself, Valentin realized he’d just given off a tell. He’d already made up his mind about Maila. This was really about what she wanted now, and for her to find out for herself what made sense.

„I don't think I have a problem with flying per say, it is just weird. You see, muggles, is that what you call us?… Well, we- they use brooms for cleaning and it is quite scary giving all your trust into a thin stick...“

Val’s smile broadened. Maila was flying the broom, not him. He could hardly call her a muggle. If he had to use such a category, he’d say half-blood perhaps, but Val would rather just call her Maila. Still, this was quite a happy moment for Valentin, who hid a muggle toy airplane and spaceship at the bottom of his drawer at home. He really hadn't had the right people to talk with about his secret passion. Perhaps if Maila got to know him better, even their economic disparity might not seem so cut and dry. Still, despite the pause while Maila was thinking, Valentin could only accept Maila’s self-professed heart’s desire at face value. What right did anyone have to question such an answer, however much one’s voice wobbled? If someone lied to a shooting star, there was no fault in the star no matter the outcome.

“You’d have no way to know this, but I’m actually a big fan of muggle aviation, and even their space travel. These are all just pieces of a glorious whole, and there are lessons to learn everywhere. You know what pilots do when their plane is crashing, yeah? Maybe even better than me you know they have these things called parachutes. Ideally, the pilots don’t stick around for a crash. Maila Aurora Laine, I challenge you now, because you clearly want to take on the problems of the world, and you’re going to need to grow stronger to accomplish that. Challenges are indeed what makes life exciting, and they are what makes us ready for ever greater challenges. Now, if you please, accept my promise that if you do as I say now, you will grow more capable of attaining your dreams. Maila, right now, I want you to push me off this broom. Please. Just do it and see what happens.”

Valentin smiled and put his hands casually into his pockets while leaning back, ensuring Maila would have plenty of room to execute such a maneuver. He would not resist whatsoever.

Abilities: Keen Eye / Charmer / Evasive Maneuvers / Fearless / Comprehend Parseltongue
Stats: STA 8 (11) - EVA 20 (23) - STR 3 (6) - WIS 15 [17] (20) - ARC 1 (4) - ACC 15 (18) (parentheticals use broom stats)

@Beatrice Dupont

^{roleplaying as maila. a. l.}

^{•Date• 17 July 2023
•Location• Hogwarts, Quidditch Pitch}

• • • • •

• • • •Finnish •Swedish •Russian •English • • •

•Word Count• 623 •| Valentin Schnell @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood |•

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

With every growing minute, Maila was becoming more comfortable in the air. She would not want to sit on this broom alone, but she did not feel as scared anymore. Her muscles felt more relaxed and she had long stopped flexing her whole body with anxiety. The air felt nice and the sun was shining upon them as they rounded the quidditch pitch. This conversation, this interaction, it felt like a comfortable and a safe place for Maila. She trusted Valentin, she really did. Even when the wind picked up slightly or when she felt him move behind her. The silence between them was never uncomfortable, but rather exactly what made their being together comfortable sometimes. At least that was how Maila felt. She enjoyed listening to Valentin talk. Maila turned a bit, to see how he talked about being a fan of space travel and aviation in the non magical world. He asked if she knew what pilots do when their plane is crashing. The occurrence of sitting in front of the TV and watching in the news, how a plane crashed to the ground, killing more than a hundred people, sadly happened more than anyone would like. „Yes. It differs between transport planes and private planes.” she uttered in between his words, not wanting to disturb his flow of words too much.

The next thing he said, made her wip her head around. „Excuse me?” Maila's eyes widened in shock. Had he just told her to push him down? Her eyes desperately tried to meet his argentium-amethyst colored ones. Earth colored iris' were searching for crystal colored ones as Valentin leaned back with ease. He was making himself vulnerable. Easy to push off. But why? Why would he want her to do that and why would he think that is something she would do? Maila slowly shook her head. „A piolet stays with his team. He does not flee from a threat. He would not abandon them to figure everything out on their own.” She reached out to him, grabbing his arm if he allowed it. „A team works as one. They don't abandon their piolet either. If you would fall, I'd go down with you or try everything in my might to catch you again. A team would fight for one another, not push you into your death. Now talking as a friend, I am not going to push you, how would you even catch your fall? Spongify?”

Maila's breathing had picked up a bit. She did not know what he wanted to hear from her or if he really wanted her to push him off. She had a couple options. „I trust you Valentin. I really do. Probably more than I should trust someone I haven't known for too long.” her brown eyes were observant and a certain sureness was carried in her words. „I would go down fighting for those I love and trust. I'd sacrifice myself.” her breathing was becoming steadier again. „If you really want me to push you, for whatever reason, we are flying this broom down there to just above the ground or you can try assuring me that nothing will happen to you in some other way. I am not about to send you into the hospital wing.” If Valentin had allowed it, Maila's hand was still remaining on his arm. It wasn't a tight grip, but it could be. It was a kind of reassurance that he would not just let himself fall. Thoughts were racing through her head, competing against one another. She really did not know why he would want her to do this. This was not what she had expected when he asked her to meet her here.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Leaning back, Valentin had indeed made himself an easy target, and his smile glowed with casual warmth despite the meters of empty air between them and the hard ground. Nonetheless, Maila didn’t seem keen on pushing the captain off and controlling the broom without him sitting right there with her.

„A pilot stays with his team. He does not flee from a threat. He would not abandon them to figure everything out on their own.”

“You know, Maila…” began Val, his eyes half-closing as he looked down at a distant warbler flitting flashes of gold over a grassy knoll. A pain lanced his heart, but he didn’t know why. It was as if he’d forgotten something truly important but was still carrying it inside. “Even if I were on the ground now, that wouldn’t make you alone. It’s not abandonment when I can still do things from a bit of a distance. The most important thing… is to keep my presence and power still flowing your way. Even when I’m one inch away, I could be blotting you out from my mind and you would be alone anyway, but I'm with you. I don't abandon the ones I love even when I'm countless kilometers away. Take quidditch – we still operate as a team even when some of us are on the bench, let alone how we each operate our own brooms until it’s time to share. Being a seeker, I often have to fly far away from my comrades to find the snitch, but I am still acting in concert with them and will return to them. That game, like life, is really a dance of wills. A team exists in harmony of action, in shared emotion, in a connection of minds and wills – not merely through physical proximity.” Turning to catch a watery gleam winking through the treeline at the lakeshore, Valentin sighed into the breeze.

“There are a dozen ways I could save myself, from basics like Arresto momentum to inventing a solution using our environment, but fundamentally there’s no difference between magic and a muggle parachute. It is not the physical, but the domain of the heart that determines if we live alone or unify with someone at any given moment. If you joined my team, it wouldn’t be a strip of parchment that would make that real, just like galleons are as inert as stone if no one believes in their value.” Craning his neck back to stare into the apex of the sky, Valentin thought he could almost remember why he didn’t feel so alone anymore. “What’s essential is invisible to the eye. I saw in you exactly what your words are now telling me now – you’re fierce, loyal, and would go down fighting for those you love if need be. You have the spirit of a horntail. Now I want you to show me that you can fight like one. I assure you I’m not out for self-destruction. Push me off, please, both to see with your own eyes that everything I say is true, as well as for my sake… but this time I’m going to resist a little in order to feel the strength of your resolve.”

Valentin knew the ways of evasion well enough to throttle them to a level that would challenge Maila but not make the task too frustrating. She would have to execute a kind of martial arts maneuver or something unexpected if she did decide to try dethroning the immortal king.

Abilities: Keen Eye / Charmer / Evasive Maneuvers / Fearless / Comprehend Parseltongue
Stats: STA 8 (11) - EVA 20 (23) - STR 3 (6) - WIS 15 [17] (20) - ARC 1 (4) - ACC 15 (18) (parentheticals use broom stats)

@Beatrice Dupont

^{roleplaying as maila. a. l.}

^{•Date• 17 July 2023
•Location• Hogwarts, Quidditch Pitch}

• • • • •

• • • •Finnish •Swedish •Russian •English • • •

•Word Count• 325 •| Valentin Schnell @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood |•

• • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Maila's eyes widened. The spirit of a Horntail? Her heartbeat picked up and her eyes focused completely on the white haired boy. „What are you saying?” Perhaps it was the panic or perhaps it was this utterly ridiculous situation they were in that resulted into Maila switching into Russian but now she suddenly understood why he wanted her to push him. Valentin wanted to see if Maila would follow his orders. If she would fight for him or against him if the situation needed it. Her dark brown eyes flashed with a mix of excitement and unsureness. He wanted her on his team? Surely Valentin could recruit far better students than Maila but he had chosen to give her this opportunity. Her head tilted slightly to the side, letting her curls fall in the same direction as she thought about her options. Her heart was racing. Why her? Why a third year instead of someone that is stronger and has more advanced spells?
Maila bit her lip as she sat up straighter -as far as that was possible in the air- and her gaze changed to a questioning one. Was she overthinking this? Yes. He had told her this was not to hurt himself and Maila knew she could very well try and catch him again if he did end up falling or try and use a spell. She glanced down to the ground again before looking back up at Valentin. Then she extended a hand fastly, gripping his shoulder if he allowed it. Her eyes were expressing the question on her lips. Should I really push you? Her hand would move quickly down to his arm if he did not stop her and then she would try and pull with all the force she had in her, which was not a lot to be quite honest. This was a weak maneuver and she knew. She wanted to see how much he would actually resist.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

„What are you saying?” asked Maila with wide eyes.

“It takes a dragon’s heart if you’re going to fly with horntails. Prove yourself to me.”

Once Maila’s hand gripped Valentin’s shoulder, an electric smile shocked across his face. His irises, already naturally bright, seemed to almost glow purple with the sheer vibrancy of his life force. Maila’s eyes, dark and insistent, asked him – should I really? – but Valentin’s gaze only laughed like a child’s in return. The girl’s hand passed quickly to his arm then, and even at a fraction of Valentin’s strength, she pulled with all her might. This was the important point for Valya, and only once he understood that she was giving it her all did he allow himself to follow the weight of her throw without any further resistance. It was as light and easy as pouring a pitcher of water onto the ground.

Leaning back, Valentin spread his arms and legs out to maximize air resistance as he dropped off the lightning-scarred Silver Arrow. In an instant, Maila was alone on the broom, and still she rocketed forward with momentum as it became clear that indeed, she had really been the one flying it for the last few minutes. As Maila and the broom sped ahead, she would have to turn to look to find the boy again. The wind carried a breath of his words away past her ears, but only in a whisper– would she hear and know them? Either way, once spotted, she would see Valentin laying there as comfortably as on a silken sofa of pure sky.

The champion’s eyes reflected the heavenly blue above as he sighed with pleasure, suspended motionless in the air by the pull of magic against his tight-fitting clothing. With wand in hand, Valya batted his long white eyelashes back at Maila, lounging in mid-air from his successful [1d20:7+17=24] cast of the levitation charm after the fashion of the spell’s inventer, Jarleth Hobart. It was the simplest of beginner spells, but Val was a sucker for the classics and tipping his hat to history.

As if the boy had been born in the sky and knew no safer place to be, Valentin continued to lay there in levitation at length, watching how Maila would react.

Abilities: Keen Eye / Charmer / Evasive Maneuvers / Fearless / Comprehend Parseltongue
Stats: STA 8 (11) - EVA 20 (23) - STR 3 (6) - WIS 15 [17] (20) - ARC 1 (4) - ACC 15 (18) (parentheticals use broom stats)

Broom stats are not currently in use by Valentin, although they will apply to Maila.

@Beatrice Dupont