Closed Liber-Tea Time

Roleplaying as approved Ilvermorny iNPC Cyrus Darsel.
Summer Camp.
4 July 2023.

It seemed that, still, more students would find their way to Cyrus's little celebration. Perhaps his spells really had done the trick! The Verdimillious had been done for fun, yes, but Cyrus also knew it was a location indicator... Maybe people were realising he wanted them to find him.

The new student was a boy who had an accent that was largely unfamiliar to Cyrus, who was not great at geography. The new boy definitely wasn't British, and he definitely wasn't American. That was pretty much all Cyrus could decipher at first. 'Yeah, please join us! The more the merrier!' Cyrus told him.

Cyrus raised his hand and grinned when the boy mentioned the spell. 'That was me.' He was not humble.

The new boy then commented that this was not America. Cyrus was glad the newcomer was good enough at geography to deduce that the United Kingdom was not the United States. Since lots of people in both countries spoke English, surely it was sometimes difficult for those not used to the UK or US to think one was the other. Cyrus himself had never had that problem, being American and all, but he wouldn't be surprised for someone else to feel that way.

Then, the new boy introduced himself as... Vyach... Vyacheslav? Cyrus nodded. Aleksandrovich was an interesting surname. The boy then asked to be referred to as Slava. Cyrus would have tried to pronounce his name, but he decided not to. After all, Slava's wishes deserved to be respected.

'Thanks!' Cyrus said in regard to the compliment. His entire face lit up ─ his eyes shone brighter, and his teeth gleamed in the fleeting sunlight. 'It's got two ducks and a goose on it,' he said, the perfect iteration of Captain Obvious, but then he continued, 'because ducks are actually really cool. I mean, all birds are cool, but did you know that ducks have regional accents and are generally better at seeing than humans are?' Cyrus wasn't always the smartest, but he did know a lot about one thing; birds. Specifically, ducks.

He was very pleased when Alyssea cast Verdimillious to the sky. 'Fun, right?' he commented, his elation making him giggle when he spoke.

'Violaceous.' Cyrus pulled his wand out of his pocket and cast the spell with wide, dramatic arms. Purple fireworks would join Alyssea's green sparks, lighting up the air in bright colours that would only become more visible as the sun set.

His grin widened even still. His cheeks would hurt later, he was sure of it, but he just couldn't stop smiling. He hadn't had so much fun on the 4th since his uncle was alive.

His uncle...

He wouldn't have time to dwell on the thought, but his smile faded slightly when a new girl entered the clearing. Cyrus waved almost slowly, but his demeanour brightened when the girl asked if she could take a picture. She was American ─ she was like him.

'Oh, yeah, of course! Er, as long as it's okay with everyone else.' Just a bit of his ever-present enthusiasm was forced this time. He couldn't get his Uncle Eric out of his mind's eye. 'Please join us.' Please. 'I'm also from the US. Manhattan, specifically, you?'

If everyone else was okay with a photo, he would do a silly pose that would probably involve peace signs or finger guns. He was tempted to refill his cup of chamomile and eat some vegetables, but he would wait to see what everyone else did first.

Interacting with @Alyssea Brown & @Amaris Knight & Vyacheslav Preobrazhensky @Ruby Cazares & Estelle Hughes @Kayla Realma

==

Writing as approved Durmstrang iNPC Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Preobrazhensky

Slava smiled as one of the girls introduced herself as Amaris from Hogwarts, giving her a nod. He didn’t know her well yet, but she seemed friendly—or at least willing to welcome him, given her smile. The other girl was similarly friendly, as she welcomed him enthusiastically, causing his smile to grow even wider. She bowed as he introduced himself and he wondered if this was a custom he didn’t know, bowing slightly in return. In Russia, the most common action to perform alongside introductions was handshaking, although when it was between a man and a woman/boy and a girl, it was considered polite to wait for the woman to extend her hand first. Nevertheless, he was adaptable, and outside of his own country and culture, he would go with the flow and mimic whatever the person/people he was interacting with found to be most comfortable, even if it wasn’t what he was used to. “Nice to meet you too, Alyssea!”

The other boy present also welcomed Slava and identified himself as the one who had cast the spell. “It was great!” he complimented the other again, grinning. The American—? maybe? Slava wasn’t quite sure—proceeded to talk about ducks, which was surprisingly intriguing as he started divulging facts. “Really? That’s so cool!” And he meant it—Slava was genuinely interested and thought that this boy must be cool if he knew so much about something as simple as ducks. “Are ducks your favorite animal?” he asked curiously, wanting to engage further with him. “Oh, and what’s your name?” The boy hadn’t answered the first time Slava had asked the group generally, so he figured he’d ask him specifically and see if that provided him with better luck at finding out his name this time around.

Slava watched as the boy cast purple fireworks again, joining Alyssea’s green sparks. Eagerly, Slava added to it, with an enthusiastic “Caerulimillious!” Blue sparks shot into the sky alongside the already-present purple fireworks and fading green sparks, and Slava grinned. However, his attention was soon drawn away by a nervous-seeming girl arriving. He greeted her with a smile and a wave with his free hand (the other holding his plate of food), and she asked if she could take a picture of them. The other boy quickly accepted and Slava nodded too. “Yes, that’s okay with me as well.” The American boy was soon talking to the girl about the US, confirming his identity as an American and saying he was specifically from a place called Manhattan. Slava wasn’t too familiar with place names in the US, but that didn’t matter. This day seemed to be for the Americans, not for him—the girl had said something about this being the celebrations of her own country, and the boy’s comment had identified both of them as Americans. But, anyway, the rest of them had been asked a question that demanded answers. If the others accepted the idea of the photo, Slava would stand next to the other boy and raise his hot dog with a smile, showing off the party food and, to be honest, not knowing what else to do when he had so little time to prepare.

july 4th 2023; interacting with Cyrus Darsel @Koko Riddle, Vyacheslav Preobrazhensky @Ruby Cazares, Estelle Hughes @Kayla Realma, and @Amaris Knight

Her light-hearted laughs were cut off by another person coming in and asking to take photos. Instinctively, Alyssea adjusted her hair, tucking in a stray strand by her ear. She offered the girl a warm smile. "I'm down for a pic! And yeah, come join us!"

Alyssea didn't mind photos, especially wizarding photos. She was still shocked by the fact they moved, considering she spent most of her life before Hogwarts in Muggle school and taking still photos on a decent phone. But she liked magic photos; the fact they moved made the memories more special to preserve.

Cyrus' fun fact about ducks piqued her interest. Mostly because it was the strangest fact she'd heard that evening. "Ducks have regional accents? That's actually really interesting."

Soon enough, the green sparks she set off were joined by more purple and blue sparks. She couldn't contain the gasp when she saw the colours blend together. If she had other colours, she'd totally use them. But of course, the First Year curriculum only taught the Green and Red Sparks Charms.

"When did you guys learn those colours?" Alyssea asked. "I've never seen them, before. I mean, I've just finished my first year, so I don't know that many sparks spells, yet. They're really pretty."

Roleplaying as approved Ilvermorny iNPC Cyrus Darsel.
Summer Camp.
4 July 2023.

Cyrus sometimes forgot how much he enjoyed being near other people, what with having no friends and all, but as he listened to the others talk and watched them enjoy the snacks, Cyrus found himself feeding on their energy. His feet tapped against the ground as his internal battery recharged. He tapped his wand almost carelessly against his leg, the gentle press of the wood stopping him from talking nonstop.

The fact that both Alyssea and Slava thought his fact about ducks was cool blew his mind. Cyrus's fidgeting stalled, and his smile faded as he wracked his brain for a response. 'Thanks' simply did not cut it. Only Thea had ever entertained his adoration for anatidae. He finally giggled, partially from surprise, and said, 'Yeah! It's not like a British accent versus an American accent, but more like...' He paused, not knowing enough of Great Britain to make a decent analogy. 'Erm... More like a London accent versus a Hogwarts accent.' Did a Diagon Alley accent exist? Surely that was just part of London. 'Although I'm pretty sure British ducks and American ducks would sound different, too. And Russian ducks. I'm sure Russian ducks have their own quack.'

He began tapping his wand again, his smile widening once more when Slava asked if ducks were his favourite animal. 'They sure are! They're super regal and really cool. They can fly, they can swim, they can walk... Everything I ever wished I could do.' He was joking. Mostly. Cyrus could swim decently enough so long as he stayed above water, but his skill on a broom was better left unsaid. 'Oh, and I'm Cyrus.' He paused. Others had called him Cy before, including his aunt and uncle, who sometimes called him CyCy. 'You can call me Cy if you want, or Russ, it's up to you! Feel free to be creative. I love creativity.'

Cyrus watched with wide eyes as Slava cast the blue-sparks charm. 'That was really good!' he commented. After his last year at school, he had gained a knack for spellwork, and after watching Slava's cast, he assumed that translated to him also having a knack for spotting excellent spellwork. 'And festive. Thanks for doing that.'

When Alyssea asked when he had learned the colours, Cyrus had to think. He had an awful memory, and before last year, he had zoned out or doodled during most of his classes. 'Slava, correct me if I'm wrong, but... Second year, maybe third? I think?' Cyrus would chuckle as he finished the rest of his chamomile ─ just the dregs, really, not that he minded. 'I'm super forgetful, so I'm sorry if I got something wrong.'

He would tilt his head, curiosity taking over his thoughts. In his deep-dive into spellwork, he had grown far more attuned to the peculiarities of each spell. So, he had to ask: 'By the way, what are your favourite spells? Mine's the bird conjuring charm.'

Interacting with @Alyssea Brown & @Ruby Cazares (Slava Preobrazhensky) & @Kayla Realma (Estelle Hughes)

☆ 4th July 2023

☆ RPing as iNPC Estelle Hughes

☆ Outfit

Estelle focused a bit on the boy who responded to her first. He, as he stated, was also a fellow American. A faint smile appeared on her face, as he spoke. Estelle hadn't met anyone else from Ilvermorny at camp yet, so it was sort of refreshing to see someone from her school. Even so, it wasn't as if she had many friends from school. As a matter of fact, the only person who she could consider as a friend was Andy. But she hadn't seen him in a while.

"Huh. I'm a New Yorker too," Estelle said, "from Queens."

Once she replied, she turned her attention away from him, but to the rest of the group, who happily gave their consent to a picture and Estelles smile widened a bit.
"Great, okay, this might get a bit awkward," Estelle informed them, "so just act natural. Laugh, smile, cry, whatever. Just act like I'm not here for a sec."

After that happy note, she moved around a bit, looking fr a perfect angle. The lighting wasn't ideal, so the photo would probably be slightly blurred. She moved a bit more to the right, wanting to catch more moonlight. Satisfied with where she was, she raised the camera up to eye-level.
"Dont blink," she warned as she clicked and a bright light flashed for a brief moment. A humming sound lingered as the photo slowly printed out of her camera and she took it, examined it, nodded before taking another one.

Estelle grinned as the second one printed out of her camera. The lighting was still kinda eh, but otherwise it was a beautiful picture. Everything looked natural. With the other Ilvermorny kid making conversation, it was easy to belief it was a live photo. Unfortunately, Estelle didn't have any developing solution, so the photos wouldn't move. But the still photo looked just as good, so it didn't matter too much.
"You guys wanna see?" Es asked the group. She sat down, a little distance away from all of them. It was hardly noticeable, but someone who paid enough attention could poibt out how she separated herself from the group. "It doesn't move- I don't have developing solution," she added quickly as she showed everyone the photos. "What do you think?"

Estelle didn't really show people the photos she took. Occasionally her mom could get a glimpse of a few, or her dad, yet those were the ones uploaded on her laptop. But then again, everyone here was litterally in the photo, so it would be pretty damn selfish to not let them see. Estelle wasn't all that bad.
"I'm Estelle, by the way. Everyone calls me Es, though," she added. This was a start- making conversation. "I'm in Ilvermorny- what about you guys?"

july 4th 2023; interacting with Cyrus Darsel @Koko Riddle, Estelle Hughes @Kayla Realma, and Slava Preobrazhensky @Ruby Cazares

Alyssea followed along with the camera girl's instructions to stay natural. She tried her best to keep engaging in the conversation and drinking her cup of chai.

Alyssea listened to Cyrus' explanation of ducks' accents. British accents and American accents had a few distinctions, but it really mattered where that person lived in each respective country. But a Hogwarts accent? Alyssea had never heard of that. Did Hogwarts students have a particular accent? Guess she'd have to figure that out the more she got to know students from other schools.

She chuckled at Cyrus' last statement. Russian ducks surely had their own quack.

Alyssea then turned to the photographer and got up to see the photos. The photos weren't moving yet, and Alyssea was about to comment on it when the girl explained that she didn't have developing solution. Alyssea's eyes widened. That was a thing?

Gosh, she was learning a lot of things today.

The camera girl, now labelled Estelle in Alyssea's mental acquaintance list, asked for everyone's names. Alyssea cleared her throat. "I'm Alyssea! I'm from Hogwarts."

Then, Alyssea turned back to Cyrus and Slava just as he asked about their favourite spell. After a sip of tea, Alyssea hummed. "I think I like the umbrella charm."

==

Writing as approved Durmstrang iNPC Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Preobrazhensky

The other boy clarified that the regional accents of ducks were more specifically akin to accents varying within one country rather than accents from people in different countries and Slava smiled. He didn’t exactly know what the differences between a “London accent” and a “Hogwarts accent” were—accents in English were a lot harder for him to differentiate between and fully understand than different Russian dialects were, given that he still wasn’t completely fluent in English—but he at least knew that a bit of a difference existed, and he thought it was cool that ducks had such similarly subtle differences, too. Clearly, Alyssea was thinking the same thing, voicing that she found it interesting, and Slava enthusiastically nodded in agreement. He wondered what other facts the American knew about ducks, especially since he had said they were his favorite animal—maybe Slava could ask for more information later.

When the boy explained that he wished he could fly, swim, and walk because that was what ducks could do, Slava looked at him, puzzled. “Do you not swim?” he asked, picking what seemed to him like the most likely reason why the boy would have said that. Things were moving on, though, with Slava finally being given a name for the person he was talking to: Cyrus. “I like your name! And it is nice to meet you, Cy.” He grinned, his smile only widening in appreciation when Cyrus complimented his spell use. “Thank you!”

Alyssea inquired about when they learned the different colors of spark charms, drawing Slava’s attention and prompting him to think. His gaze drifted back to Cyrus as the other boy spoke, giving an estimate of the year and asking for Slava to correct him if that wasn’t true. With a small hum, Slava rubbed the back of his neck. “I think when we learn spells would be different in our countries,” he pointed out, “but I think it was around then for me as well.” He shrugged. “Our years at school in Durmstrang are different, too. We start our first year when we are ten. I will be a seventh year soon, but I’m sixteen and I still have a year after that one. I think I would be sixth year at Hogwarts…? Is that true?”

After the newest arrival had taken their picture, Slava moved closer to her after the invitation to take a look. While he looked at the photos, the girl introduced herself as Estelle, or Es. Slava smiled. “It looks great. Thanks for that, Es.” He paused, glancing between the Americans. “Did you say why you are celebrating?” he asked, still mildly confused about what the occasion was. Was it just something to do with the end of the school year? No, it wouldn’t be that—Estelle had mentioned earlier that this celebration was to do with her own country. Regardless, she had asked about their names and schools and it would be rude to ignore the question. “I’m Slava, and I study at Durmstrang.”

Cyrus had also asked a question—one that went a bit beyond the surface-level introductions. It made Slava pause, listening to Alyssea’s answer before humming noncommittally. “I don’t have a favorite, but I like spells that can be used for pranks… which is almost everything if you are creative enough.” He grinned cheekily. “I do like the sparks charms because I like glitter and it looks much like glitter. Also, the Cracker Jinx is fun if you can get out of the way quickly.” He shrugged, taking another few bites of his hot dog. He liked unconventional, creative spell use, along with spells that were dramatic or caused a commotion. Chaos was just so fun, especially if it stayed lighthearted. Perhaps that was why the purple firecrackers Cyrus had cast had attracted him so easily in the first place.

Roleplaying as approved Ilvermorny iNPC Cyrus Darsel.
Summer Camp.
4 July 2023.

Cyrus's eyes widened almost comically when the American girl said she was also from New York City. That was surprising ─ what were the odds that they would both be here, now, at the same time? He almost wanted to ask if she was a No-Maj-born, too, just because that would be crazy, but he was startled into rare quietness when she got ready to take a photo. He kept his eyes wide because Estelle said not to blink, and he gave a big grin for the photo. His wand tapped against his side as he smiled.

He was surprised enough when Slava asked if he could swim that he didn't respond immediately. He blinked. Of course he swam. But then he thought about the three things he'd listed off: walking, swimming and flying. Ah. 'I swim pretty well, actually! Not like I would if I had webbed feet, but well enough. But I don't fly.' He might congratulate Slava later. It seemed as if the Russian boy had finally found the thing Cyrus didn't want to talk about.

He couldn't name the feeling that spread through his chest when Slava complimented his name and called him Cy. He blinked, surprised, and smiled warmly at the other boy. If this wasn't a sign of the possibility of friendship, then what was? This was going to be the best Fourth of July ever. 'Thanks, Slava! Your name is cool, too. Even if it's hard for me to pronounce.'

Slava mentioned that schooling years were different when comparing Durmstrang to the other schools, and Cyrus nodded slowly. 'I don't know about Hogwarts, but you'd be a sixth year at Ilvermorny. We start our first year at eleven. I'm sixteen, too!' Soon to be seventeen, but he didn't want to think about that yet. Sixteen was good enough for him.

It was then, in his distraction, that he noticed Estelle had already taken her pictures.

He watched, intrigued, as the camera worked its magic. It printed out two photos, and he craned his neck to see before eventually moving closer to get a better look. 'Oh, cool! It's like...' He paused. He knew some wizarding folk didn't take well to non-wizarding folk. '...like a No-Maj photo. They don't move, but they still look really awesome all the same.' He would offer Estelle a reassuring smile. 'I think it's really cool that you know how to use a camera, and the photo looks so good, too!'

'We're celebrating our Independence Day, the Fourth of July,' Cyrus said to Slava. 'I didn't know if it would be bad taste, seeing that we got our independence from the British, and this is Britain, but... it's fun. Hot dogs, tea and fireworks. And friends.'

Cyrus's smile widened when he heard about everyone's favourite spells. 'Ooooh, the umbrella charm! That's fun!' He hadn't used it in a long time, but while it was practical, it could be used for anything. He could even imagine fencing with a wand-made umbrella! 'And the Cracker Jinx! That's surprising! But it's fun when used responsibly.' The irony of his statement was completely lost on him as he twirled his wand around his fingers. At least it wasn't at risk of being stepped on right now. 'I think pranks are a responsible use of the Jinx, at least. As long as they're good pranks that won't hurt anyone.'

Interacting with @Alyssea Brown & @Ruby Cazares (Slava Preobrazhensky) & @Kayla Realma (Estelle Hughes)

july 4th 2023; interacting with Cyrus Darsel @Koko Riddle, Estelle Hughes @Kayla Realma, and Slava Preobrazhensky @Ruby Cazares

Alyssea listened to them chat about their spells and all. She'd never heard of the Cracker Jinx until today (what did that spell do? Why was it called the Cracker Jinx?) and it was giving the same energy as her watching Colin duel against Dan. Now that some time had passed, she knew most of the spells they threw. She could even cast them! Others were still a mystery she hoped to solve in the next year or two.

Cyrus looked to know exactly what Slava was talking about, though. "What does the Cracker Jinx do?"

Understandably, they had a cooler arsenal of spells than Alyssea since she just found out they were years older than her. And not just one or two years. They were four years older than her. Older than her brother, too.

"It's the same in Hogwarts!" She said. "You start your first year at eleven. I just finished mine! I'm gonna be a Second Year after this summer break."

Alyssea had mixed feelings on being a year older at Hogwarts. Sure, cooler spells to learn and more to do, but now there would be a group of First Years who would probably look up to her. Not only that, more exams! Fun times!

She took another sip of chai and a hotdog. Despite having dinner earlier, she wanted a little snack. "As long there's good food and drink, a Fourth of July celebration doesn't hurt anyone," Alyssea chuckled, "And the food and drink is definitely good."

==

Writing as approved Durmstrang iNPC Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Preobrazhensky

To Slava’s casual, confused question about whether Cyrus swam, the other responded that no, he did swim well. Not as well as if he had had webbed feet, he clarified, which elicited a laugh from the Russian. Instead, it was the flying that he didn’t do. Slava idly wondered why—was he just not interested, had he had bad experiences, or was he scared? Slava could sort of understand if it was the last option—he himself had been a little bit afraid of heights a long time ago, after all. He had overcome that pretty easily once he joined Quidditch after a dare from his brother, though, and had found a true passion in the sport, but he knew that not everyone could get over fears that easily. His ex-girlfriend had taken a lot of convincing just to get on a broom with him, but they had eventually accomplished at least that. He was curious whether he could perhaps help Cyrus with flying, too, or whether it was completely off-limits for the other boy. Regardless, he wouldn’t press, not in front of others, so he just nodded.

He listened with interest as Cyrus and Alyssea explained the difference in years between their schools. He had been right—Durmstrang was a year early, but when Cyrus confirmed that Ilvermorny was the same as Hogwarts, it made Slava wonder whether all of the other wizarding schools were like that. Was Durmstrang just an outlier? It was also nice to hear that Cyrus was the same age as him. Slava enjoyed meeting people of any age—he would be kind to any of them and he didn’t believe that (at least surface-level) friendships needed to be limited to just upper years—but it was still cool to meet more people who were actually his age. Alyssea mentioned that she had just finished her first year, though, which sparked a related thought for Slava. “So I have visited Hogwarts over more years than you.” He frowned slightly before grinning again. “Is that not strange?”

He was distracted once more by the discussion around the photo, learning a new word from Cyrus: No-Maj. From the context with Cyrus explaining that the photo stayed still unlike wizarding photos, Slava could figure out that it probably referred to those without magic. He supposed that made sense—Maj, magical… Still, it was different from the English word of Muggle or the very similar Russian магл. Was it an American thing, or was there some other reason to use that word over others? As Cyrus complemented Estelle’s camerawork, Slava smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “I agree!” But he did want to ask… “Cy? That word, No-Maj, is it American, do you know?” Slava questioned quickly before the conversation could be forgotten.

An explanation of the occasion had been given, though. Apparently it was Independence Day for the Americans. Slava shrugged as Cyrus suggested that it might not be suited to their current location. Surely a bunch of kids having fun at summer camp wouldn’t care that much. Alyssea seemed to agree, saying that good food and drink made it alright. “That is always a good idea,” the Russian said with an approving nod before finishing off his hot dog. A smirk appeared on his face at Cyrus’s comment about the Cracker Jinx being surprising, and it widened into a full mischievous grin as Alyssea asked what it did. “What does the Cracker Jinx do?” he repeated, excitement clear in his voice. “Alyssea, let me show you what it does.”

He put his plate down on the nearest table and then moved away from the group, warning them by shouting as he walked, “Do not come closer to me.” Once he was satisfied he had put a safe enough distance between himself and the others, he stopped. Keeping his back turned to them so that he could cast away from them, he pointed his wand in front of him and tilted it slightly up at the sky as he said the incantation. Exploding Wizard Crackers burst from his wand, blowing up in the air across from him as a series of loud bangs echoed throughout the clearing accompanied by a cloud of blue smoke. Smiling brightly, he turned to face the others with a playful and overdramatic bow. “Isn’t it fun?” It was loud, full of energy, and colorful—much like him.

He rejoined the group properly now that he wasn’t at risk of exploding stuff in their faces. It suddenly occurred to him, however, that it was starting to get later and he had forgotten about something. “Sadly, I need to go now, but I hope the rest of your night is good. It was nice of you to do this, Cy, and really lovely to meet you all.” With one last kind smile and a wave, he would depart with a slight bounce in his step. He felt warm and content—evenings like this one were so enjoyable for him. He always did love interacting with new people, especially if they were open-minded and fun to be around. Maybe he would even get to see them again sometime, if he was lucky.

Slava leaves the thread unless stopped.