15 Aug 2023, 10:04
Don't do anything stupid til we're back
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Irina tugged on her trunk, managing to pull it free from the door to the carriages. It didn't get super stuck and after a little while, it popped loose, almost squishing her. As she lugged it towards the waiting Hogwarts Express, she felt a wave of sadness at leaving - although nothing compared to the warm embrace of her family, Hogwarts felt like her second home now and she didn't want to leave.
Instead of boarding the gleaming red train, she stood up her trunk and sat on it, watching the chatting students pass her, enjoying her final moments at school before heading home.
A group of Ravenclaw boys passed her, causing her mind to drift instantly to Simon Tilia, one of the smartest and most compassionate people she had ever met. Throughout the year, they had been on many adventures together, escaping a mandrake, being attacked by the Whomping Willow and the revelation about Irina’s family. This final one had been very difficult to experience as it had uncovered some difficult and shocking truths about Irina’s great-uncle and great grandma. Simon had stuck with her throughout the revelation, supporting her and encouraging her to speak to her parents about it. Which she had.
As soon as she had gone home for Christmas, she told them everything, showing them the box of papers. They had been shocked, and for the rest of the year, there had been an increase in whispered conversations and visits from her Aunts and Uncles.
She knew for certain that something else had been uncovered within the box, but her parents had refused to tell her until the Summer. All she knew was that her Grandpa had started writing to Adelio again, something that hadn’t happened for well over 50 years.
Irina blocked her questions and wondering from her mind, knowing she could do nothing until she learnt more. Instead, she thought about Simon. Throughout the year, they had grown closer, going on more crazy adventures and talking about everything together. It had shocked Irina just how kind Simon was, how empathetic and how open-minded he could be. She remembered his slight caution when they had first started their adventures, but by the end of the year he was the one suggesting and dragging her onto his own hair-brained schemes!
Another smile lit up her face, coupled with a heightening sadness at the fact that she wouldn’t see him again for the whole summer. He had been kind when she needed kindness and enthusiastic when she needed adventure. He had listened, laughed and shared his own problems with her, a factor that Irina considered most bonding (besides near-death experiences). What more could she ask for in a friend?
Her heart glowed as she thought of her Ravenclaw friend and just how lucky she was to have met him all those months ago when wondering past the greenhouses.
Irina looked up as someone knocked past her trunk. She glared after them then, turning her head, saw a familiar tall figure walking along, trunk and Hoax in hand.
“Speak of the wizard,” she muttered a grin spreading across her face. “OI! Knucklehead!”
Last edited by Opeila Winters on 18 Aug 2023, 14:47, edited 1 time in total.
I don't have a train of thought. I have 7 trains on 4 tracks, all narrowly avoiding each other when the paths cross, all the passengers are screaming and there's that annoyingly calm female conductors voice in the background.
18 Aug 2023, 10:43
Don't do anything stupid til we're back
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Reducio
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It was a weird feeling, not wanting to leave school. Simon had always looked forward to the summer breaks back in Edinburgh. But not now. His first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been quite eventful, with surprising encounters, new friendships, some rule-breaking and mischief here and there, but in the end he had graduated with an average grade of 'Outstanding' – and Ravenclaw had won the House Cup!
As he looked back at the castle over his shoulder with the wind in his hair, he realized just how many memories he had made there. Sure, he had blown up one or two potions – and nearly been squashed into jelly by the Whomping Willow with Irina Shevel. But if there was one thing he had learned on his journey towards becoming a wizard, it was that spells and magical bravados were not always as handy or important as having friends by your side. And Irina Shevel was indeed one of his dearest and most valuable friends.
During this last day, he had met each and every one of his friends and said goodbyes – everyone except Irina. It was a shame that they had completely missed each other. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, so much he owed her, and now he couldn't. Even if he were to find her on the busy Hogwarts Express, taking the hundreds of students back to London, they would not get to talk in private in the crowded compartments and tight corridors. That was when he heard a familiar voice.
"OI! Knucklehead!" The voice was pitched with an almost excessive level of confidence.
He turned his head and saw Irina sitting on her trunk on the platform. His heart skipped a beat and a smile spread across his lips.
"You go ahead," he told his fellow Ravenclaws. "I'll catch up with you later."
With a wide grin on his face, he rolled his trunk towards his friend.
"Look who's here! Isn't it Princess Shevel? About time you showed up. I wondered where you'd gone." Simon parked his trunk and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't think about leaving before we could say a proper goodbye now, did you?"
Last edited by Simon Tilia on 19 Aug 2023, 17:45, edited 2 times in total.
19 Aug 2023, 10:53
Don't do anything stupid til we're back
@Simon Tilia
Irina watched as Simon’s head whipped round, a smile forming on his face. She found a grin appearing on her own as he turned back to his friends and said something to them, before walking towards her.
"Look who's here! Isn't it Princess Shevel? About time you showed up. I wondered where you'd gone."
"Oooo, low blow - turning back to ‘Princess’ again?"
"You didn't think about leaving before we could say a proper goodbye now, did you?"
“Hark who’s talking? You’re the one escaping onto a train with your Ravenbuddies,” she grinned, jumping off of the trunk.
She punched him playfully on the arm and gave a mock sigh. “Actually you discovered my ruse! I was avoiding you.”
Irons looked up at Simon, smile warm but heart cold as she faced the moment she hated most about friendships.
“Joking aside Simon, I’m gonna really miss you. You’re a great person and a great friend . . . I’m not looking forward to a whole summer without the threat of death from some crazy tree. Makes it far more interesting.”
She walked forwards and wrapped her arms around his torso, giving him a tight hug.
Irina didn’t do tears at goodbyes, she felt it just made them harder, but she could feel her throat tightening slightly.
She waited for Simon to pull away, before stepping back and grabbing her almost-larger-than-herself trunk.
“I’ll see you in Second Year! Don’t do anything stupid til we’re back,” she shouted over her shoulder, walking towards one of the carriages.
With a lighter feeling in her chest, she boarded the gleaming red train, a sense of excitement and contentment replacing the previous sadness. She couldn’t wait to come back.
I don't have a train of thought. I have 7 trains on 4 tracks, all narrowly avoiding each other when the paths cross, all the passengers are screaming and there's that annoyingly calm female conductors voice in the background.
19 Aug 2023, 12:49
Don't do anything stupid til we're back
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"I was looking for you!" he said with a lopsided smile. "I even asked the Fat Lady if she had seen you leave your common room. Those lion friends of yours was not too happy to se a raven like me hang out around the entrance though."
“Joking aside Simon, I’m gonna really miss you. You’re a great person and a great friend . . . I’m not looking forward to a whole summer without the threat of death from some crazy tree. Makes it far more interesting.”
Simon chuckled. She then gave him a hug and he wrapped his arms around her as well. It turned out to be the longest hug they had ever given each other and he didn't want it to end. He knew that the moment he would let her go, Irina was soon going to disappear and they were not going to see each other for months. He had quite got used to having the frizzy haired little mischief maker around. Besides, when she was not knocking over candelabras or making chaos around her in the hallways (or dragging him into the most odd and dangerous situations), few people had the ability to listen and show support the way Irina did. Yes. He was indeed going to miss having her around during the summer...
Simon closed his eyes, hard. "I'm gonna miss you too, Irina" His deep voice almost cracked and not because of his oncoming voice change.
When he finally let go of her, she had an unusually mature look on her face. He thought about how far they had come in their friendship, where hugs and signs of affection were not as awkward or hard to express as when they first met during that first month of school when she had found him in the Greenhouses, accidentally disturbing a baby Mandrake.
"Promise me you'll write. Or I'm gonna go bonkers not hearing from you for the whole summer." As he looked into her eyes, he thought that maybe he did not have to say all those things that he wanted to say. After all, she already knew. "You take care now, Irina," he said. With a last smile, he grabbed his trunk and they started walking towards the train. Simon picked the door closest to him where his friends had entered and Irina continued along the platform with that seemingly restless and energic gait that she always had.
“I’ll see you in Second Year!" she shouted over her shoulder. "Don’t do anything stupid til we’re back."
"I won't. I'm saving that for next year!" he shouted and smiled, with his hand on the handrail. Almost inaudible, he added: "Be seeing you, Irina."
The wind caressed his hair as he watched her board the train. The next moment, she was gone and the train whistled. When they met again in September, they would be older, hopefully a little wiser (and maybe Irina would be a tad taller as well). He knew that things were about to change. He knew that he had changed significantly during these last few months only, but that aside, he hoped that things would still be the same between them after the summer and that Irina would always be Irina.
The Hogwarts Express started moving and steam erupted from its chimney. Soon the magical castle disappeared behind the tree tops. Their first year at Hogwarts was finally over and he could not wait to see what the next year would have in store for them on their embarking journey towards adolescence and discovering the wonders and mysteries of the wizarding world.
♪ End credits song:
Clocks – Coldplay
Reducio
Godmodding Irina with consent