Underwing Fin.

Banner was made by the great Fang Yun-Xin

Date: 18 October 2023 Time: Midday, between classes

Interacting with: @Pericles Dralt Mentions: X

English | French Thoughts

Mahlioz had just made it out of her Herbology lesson, stifling a yawn. Herbology was not one of her favorite subjects, and most of the time she found it slightly boring. It didn't help that she'd read until way too late last night, and hadn't gotten enough sleep. Old habits died hard, she guessed.
As she made her way across the campus, trying to wake her brain up, she realized something was wrong. She felt like she was missing something. She stopped to check her bag as the other second years kept going without her. Wand, check, books, check, quill and ink, check, parchment, check... what was she missing?

It was as she put her quill back into her bag that she realized what it was - her ring. A simple black beaded ring she'd made last June. She kept it on her right middle finger at all times, only ever taking it off if she really needed to. It didn't really seem important, and was very probably easily replaceable, but to Mahlioz it meant a lot. She'd grown attached to it in the four months she'd had it, and going without it now felt impossible. Frantically looking around her, she cursed under her breath.

Where is it where is it where is it??... She was going to be late, she was going to be late but she needed to find it. Where had it gone? When had she lost it? She distinctly remembered having it on in Herbology... It must have fallen off when she came out. And she'd been fiddling with it too, right? Maybe she'd pulled it off by accident?
She retraced her steps, trying to see a speck of black between the long green blades of grass, but there was nothing. And there was no way she'd be able to find it easily, either. The Hogwarts grounds were enormous, even if you only counted the places she'd walked. Why did the grass have to be so long?

The worst part was that she was going to be late. Sure, she had some time, but she was sure it would take her way more than five minutes to find her ring. She couldn't risk being late, but she couldn't just leave the ring there... it meant so much. Come on, it's fine, you can just make a new one. It's not the end of the world, just get to class. But as much as she tried to convince herself, her legs would not listen to her and she kept pacing, eyes glued to the ground as she searched for something there was only a tiny chance she would ever find.

When all she felt was stress and despair, she looked up at the sky for a moment, perhaps for some sign of divine interference, she didn't know. All there was were the clouds and the fog... and a bird. A very big bird. And it seemed to be circling above her. The young Slytherin honestly had no idea what to think of this. Maybe it had spotted her ring, and wanted it for its nest? She didn't know how birds worked. But it was her only lead at the moment, so she followed it with her eyes.

"If humans had vision as good as an eagle's, we would be able to see an ant on the ground from the roof of a ten-story building."

@Mahlioz Evethisawe

A great deal could be deduced from the scene below: the way the student rummaged through their things, glanced at their hand before muttering to themselves, and began pacing the area with a downcast focus. The Slytherin was searching for something alright, but they didn't look to be having much luck finding it. Hopelessness turned her head towards the heavens, where the eagle met Mahlioz's eyes: greener than the rolling hills and shining with distress. Peri felt a twinge of pity in his chest. Tilting its head, the bird gave an encouraging chirp, and with that the animagus joined her hunt.

Flying was the most obvious perk of an avian form, yet one of Peri's most cherished traits was the exceptional sight that came along with it. As his human self, he had a moderate case of farsightedness, enough that he needed glasses when reading. As the sea-eagle, he could have easily counted the freckles on that stranger's face. The seemingly mundane path towards the greenhouses was brimming with nature's displays. Speckles of dew clung to blades of grass, gleaming like a sky full of stars. A wood mouse scurried across the trail, snatched up someone's discarded biscuit, then darted for its den. A dragonfly buzzed towards the lake, carapace flashing a rainbow of metallic hues. The eagle soaked in the sights and colors, scanning left and right, curving his wings to glide on an updraft. It only took two passes to spy something out of place: a cluster of gleaming black beads, standing out against the sea of emerald.

Now for all the practice Pericles had put into flying, he had never caught anything quite so small. He had experimented with catching his own wand midair, grabbing bottles from a windowsill without breaking them, even snagging fruits from trees. A little ring would be a challenge, but it was one he was up for. The eagle drew in its wings, bowed its head, and dove for the earth. He relished the howl of wind whipping by, feeling his feathers fight against the perilous descent. At the final moment, before he could collide with the trail, the bird extended talons designed for plucking fish from the water. Instead, the shiny accessory hung from a claw. A few hard beats of his wings and he coasted triumphantly up the trail.

If seeing an eagle fly directly in their direction wasn't surprising enough for Mahlioz, the spectacle to unfold just might do the trick: once it neared, the thing erupted in shape in size. Where one moment flew a bird now trotted a boy. He was tall and eerily pale, with off-white hair, a smattering of grey freckles, and silver eyes with a hint of bags beneath them. Momentum made his boots hit the path at a jog, though he slowed after a few paces, coming to a standstill a ways away with an outstretched arm. If his age and robes were anything to go by, this was certainly a student. The bronze badge above his heart pinned him as a Ravenclaw duellist. Pericles wasted no time. He had never been the best at delivering proper introductions, instead smiling and skipping straight to: "Is this what you were looking for?" In his upturned palm sat the beaded ring.

Reducio

Does he spot it...?
Observation: 25% chance of seeing something out of the ordinary automatically. [DC: 75 or up]
Roll: [d100: 95] Success

Banner was made by the great Fang Yun-Xin

Date: 18 October 2023 Time: Midday, between classes

Interacting with: @Pericles Dralt Mentions: X

English | French Thoughts

Minutes were passing, minutes in which she was supposed to be getting to her next class. She'd looked at the bird for a couple of seconds - it had even chirped at her, a peculiar but encouraging sort of sound - but it was just a bird, and she had a ring to find. So her eyes had left it to go back to the long, annoyingly visible grass that she was beginning to hate. If only it could disappear, she would be able to find her ring. Was there a spell for that?

She was pulled out of her thoughts when the bird (who, to be honest, she had thought was already gone) suddenly pulled its wings close to its body and plummeted down towards the ground. The young girl couldn't help letting out a small yelp, both of surprise and worry for the creature. What on earth was it trying to do? It was getting closer to the very cold, very hard ground, and she almost wanted to run over and catch it, though she knew she was nowhere near fast enough to get there in time.

Thankfully, at the last second, the bird extended both its talons and wings, stopping its nearly deadly descent before it got, well, deadly. Mahlioz didn't even have time to feel the wave of relief wash over her before something else happened, and it was somehow even more insane than the bird's plunge.
Right before it hit the ground, the creature was suddenly no longer a bird - it gained a whole lot of size and shape all at once, too fast for the Slytherin to really recognize what in the world was happening, and then suddenly in place of the bird there was a human, slowing themselves down from their flight.

Mahlioz was frozen in place. She could do nothing but stare as the student walked up to her, smiling and holding something in his outstretched hand, like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She only actually registered what he was holding when he asked her whether it was what she was looking for - and it was, there it was, the ring she'd been looking for for what had felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes. Had this been any other circumstance, she would have been ecstatic and thanked him a million times, but her brain was still trying to catch up with the fact that he had been a bird, and now he was not.

For some reason, the first question to come to her mind was whether he was a human who could turn into a bird, or whether he was a bird who could turn into a human. The second thought was of something she had read just the day before - animagi. Was he an animagus? He was a student, she could tell from his robes; was he allowed to become an animgus, if he wasn't of age?
She suddenly realized that, unfortunately, time didn't freeze when she did, and the boy was probably waiting for an answer. Or at least acknowledgement that he existed, which she had not yet given him, apart from staring.

Embarrassed, she said, "Er, yes, thank you..." She would have liked to have been just as indifferent and unimpressed as he had been, but she'd just been in too much shock. Gratefully taking the ring from his hand, she added, "You... are you an animagus?" Was that a stupid question with an obvious answer? Maybe, she didn't know, she was too busy going from flabbergasted to confused to awed.

@Mahlioz Evethisawe // Honorable mentions: Piérre Marchonné, Ami Procoppio, and Jack Warren

It was perfectly possible that spending more time in animagus form had an impact on Pericles' social life. He had always been a bit odd, often roaming on his own, seeming lost in the clouds when caught in conversation. Now that he had an excuse to stay up there for real, mingling was more unusual than ever. His smile faltered as the green-eyed girl could only gawk up at him. Had he just brought a random item to a random wix? Was his entry a bit... too much? Not helping her confusion on whether he was a boy or a bird, Pericles' avian quirks shone through with an eagle-like tilt of his head, waiting on an answer. As soon as he had one, relief brought back his smile. "No trouble." The words rang with finality. It seemed he was simply going to flutter off again, shoulders braced for the shift. But before he could exemplify the word "flighty", they posed one more question, framed in awe and innocence. Peri paused with a taken-aback arch of the eyebrows, a reaction quick to soften. He didn't think it was a stupid question at all.

Achieving animagus status was a goal that he had chased for years. Reaching it was a personal triumph, one which would alter his life permanently, though he hadn't thought much about how others would perceive it. When the wix questioned him, Peri thought he saw a glimmer of that same dream in their eyes. The eagle replied with warmth and a hint of humor: "That I am. There's a few of us around the school, as a matter of fact. A friend of mine can turn into a hummingbird, there's a seventh-year who can become a bear, and I've recently heard of a Hufflepuff who likes roaming the grounds as an elk. I-" he touched a hand to his chest "was lucky enough to be bound with the white-bellied sea-eagle. Befits a Ravenclaw, or, so I'm told." A ghost of a grin came and went from his tranquil expression. Pericles folded his hands behind his back, subtly studying them as he asked, "Did you have an interest in animagi...?"

Banner was made by the great Fang Yun-Xin

Date: 18 October 2023 Time: Midday, between classes

Interacting with: @Pericles Dralt Mentions: X

English | French Thoughts

Once Mahlioz had found her voice and taken her ring back, slipping it onto her finger again - wow, an object should not have had this much reassurance tied to it - she couldn't help herself from asking about the transformation. She had sort of been expecting him to say something about it in the first place - it wasn't every day she watched someone literally transform. But it seemed he didn't feel the need to, because a second before she asked, he looked just about ready to take to the skies again.

She definitely could not blame him. She almost felt bad for stopping him with her query. Wouldn't she have preferred to be able to turn into a creature at will to get out of social interactions? But her curiosity got the better of her, and she had to ask.
Thankfully, he seemed more surprised than annoyed - even glad, perhaps. In any case, he responded warmly that he was indeed an animagus, and listed a few more students that he knew of who were so as well.

Somehow, Mahlioz had even more questions than beforehand. She'd done her fair share of reading on animagi; she knew things. But that was theory, and theory, though her forte, was very different from reality. How had so many people - people she might have seen in hallways, walking to her classes, without knowing - done the ritual? What was the probablility that so many had managed it? How old did they have to be? Were they registered with the Ministry? They had to be, right? And how did they have the time to do it? She was already quite busy with school, and she was only a second year.

The other student, as calm as ever (that was something else Mahlioz couldn't get over; how could you be so calm about something like this?), went on to say that he'd been bound with the white-bellied sea-eagle. Mahlioz had never heard of those before, but after today, she knew for a fact the bird would be engrained in her memory. She nodded, trying to comprehend that this was actually weird. She'd grown up in a magical household, this wasn't that crazy, was it?

She hadn't seen the bird too well, except that it was very grey and white and not much else in terms of color. Actually, now that she thought of it, the pallette went quite well with his human form - apart from the few splotches of dark blue from his uniform and badge (wait, he was a duellist too? She would have to ask about that later), he was rather pale and muted in color. He almost looked like a sketch that had come out of its page. It gave him a mysterious, whimsical sort of vibe.

The boy must have noticed the glint of curiosity in her eyes as he spoke about himself and his other transforming acquaintances, because, after observing her for a few moments, he asked whether she had an interest in animagi. "Er- yeah, I, um..." How to go about answering this? Her interest had only been revived the day before. Maybe it was just another phase. But Mahlioz had never been one to dismiss phases.

Still, she had no idea how to answer this question. "I've done some research and I've sort of always been... intrigued," she started again, making sure not to stumble over her words. "And, well, I've never met a real animagus before." Before she could help herself, she added, "What's it like?" There were plenty of other questions that could have been deemed more important - how he had gotten to it, what this type of bird meant, how long it had taken him, heck, even his name - but that was all rather theoretical, and Mahlioz was good enough with theory. She wanted the reality. She wanted to know how it felt to soar through the air, to see through the lenses of another creature.

@Mahlioz Evethisawe

Those first few months after achieving animagus were something of a dream. Though the first transformation had been brutal, once Pericles endured it, the change came as naturally as breathing. Often times he skipped the stairs, coasting down to the Great Hall rather than risk them moving. He glided between classes, and on off days, it wasn't unusual to spot a pale eagle soaring around the grounds or flying for Hogsmeade. Even his dreams were muddled between the bodies of a bird and a boy. When the stranger asked what it was like, it took time to find the right words.

The wonder in their emerald eyes reminded Pericles of how he'd felt in his earlier Hogwarts years. She was so caught up in curiosity that she hadn't asked for his name, or offered her own, a bad habit he still struggled with himself. It was easy to forget formalities when one's intrigue was snagged. There was also something humbling about being the first animagus they'd met. Motivated not to disappoint, the Ravenclaw tilted his head in that birdish way, glancing around the grounds as if about to indulge an especially precious secret. "It changes everything," the bird rhapsodized in hushed tones. "Not just the shape your body takes, but how you think and feel, too. It's difficult not to see the world differently when you're looking through a new set of eyes."

Like the eagle he had bonded with, Pericles was something of a solitary creature these days. He didn't mind socializing now and again, but he rarely seemed to seek out companionship, content to have the cloudy Scottish skies to himself. Yet something about the wix was endearing. He could respect those willing to research their interests, unafraid of asking questions, with a kindred hunger for new knowledge. Unorthodox introductions were a good sign in his book, too. "I'd tell you more, but the truth is..." he lowered his voice and raised his eyebrows for dramatic effect. "...now might not be the best time, considering our third class is about to start. We could exchange notes when we're not tempting detention. I'll be spending Saturday on that hill, for an hour or so after lunch, if you'd like to join me." Peri pointed south at a grassy knoll, crowned by a large oak overlooking the Lake. The invitation was framed in an open way: whether or not they came along, he would be there, undoubtedly as a bird in the boughs.

Banner was made by the great Fang Yun-Xin

Date: 18 October 2023 Time: Midday, between classes

Interacting with: @Pericles Dralt Mentions: X

English | French Thoughts

Everything. It changed everything. Mahlioz had been expecting nothing less, yet it still astounded her. Everything was quite a heavy word. But of course it changed everything. It's difficult not to see the world differently when you're looking through a new set of eyes. Wasn't that exactly what she witnessed every single time she opened a book? Wasn't that how she felt whenever she dived into a different reality? She knew there was a gargantuan difference between reading a book and living as an animal, but she could at least say she knew how a tiny part of it felt.

Everything. Could she imagine that? Could she imagine soaring through the skies, seeing a world she knew so well so differently? The Ravenclaw had said it not only changed your body but also your mind. What would that be like? Mahlioz barely understood her mind now. Maybe that was why you had to wait until you were older. But sometimes she still felt like she'd never understand it. What would happen if it changed? What would happen if... Would she still be the same person?

The older boy pulled her out of her thoughts, though, by reminding her that this was not exactly the best time for a conversation. She blinked, all of her worries from a couple of minutes ago rushing back to her. "Right - classes!" She'd found what she was looking for (or rather, he had found it); what was she still doing here? How on earth had she forgotten that she had classes to get to? She never forgot things like this.

Then again, she'd never met an animagus before. And certainly not anyone like this boy.

Still, she was disappointed that she had to leave now, with so many questions still weighing on her mind. But the Ravenclaw told her he'd be spending Saturday on a nearby hill, and invited her to join him. Mahlioz's eyes lit up. "I would love that, thank you!" To be honest, she was honored he still wanted to talk to her, after how... herself she'd been. Not introducing herself, asking random questions, staring at him, let alone losing her ring... But he didn't seem to mind at all, and she really appreciated that. Everything about him was reassuring, actually. She didn't feel judged about her social skills (or lack of them).

She glanced at the school and then back at him, unsure of how to end the conversation (not that she wanted to, but she had a class to get to). "Uh, I - thank you again! I should get going." But he could be sure that he would be seeing her again in three days. And she couldn't wait.

@Mahlioz Evethisawe

The Slytherin lit up with a zeal for intrigue, the sort of wide-eyed wonder which the tired Ravenclaw had lost touch with along the way. Maybe- just maybe- isolating himself hadn't actually been good for him. Spiders weren't the best of conversationalists, shockingly, and the birds he could communicate with were mostly interested in discussing food. Was this what he was lacking? Human company? But initial introductions weren't exactly the best time for introspection. Peri pointed out that they were close to missing class, then watched as awe turned to shock once brought back to the present. The blueblood wore a sly smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, in a way which implied he might have laughed, if not for the fact that it would be rude to do so.

"It wasn't any trouble. You might want to tighten your ring, though," he suggested with a humored hint. The fifth-year gave a wave, turned down the opposite path, and trotted towards the castle. Once he picked up momentum, his robe's fabric folded in on itself before his body was rapidly replaced by that of an eagle again. It swooped towards the school, adding to the many strange sights one could come across when wandering Hogwarts. Wings were an excellent shortcut when it came to avoiding the school's temperamental stair system. Pericles arrived panting yet on time, transformed back at the door, and settled into a seat near the back of the class. The lecture was interesting enough, though off and on, his mind wandered to the prospect of having company at his hilltop haunt.

Saturday, after lunch

Overcast

October 21st, 2023

The hill was as much a vantage point as it was a cozy nook. Sitting at the base of the old oak, one could see all the way to the lake below in one direction, then clear to the school in the other. With Autumn ongoing, the tree itself had taken on a brilliant cascade of yellows, oranges, and reds. It would follow this faux phoenix cycle for years: dropping its leaves in the coming months, sprouting green again at the start of spring. Pericles had the spot to himself so far, having strolled out shortly after eating with the others in the Great Hall. He lapsed into a routine on arrival. It started with tugging a square of green cloth from his back pocket, which he held under the aim of his wand, incanting "Engorgio." It swelled to the size of a picnic blanket and was tossed open on the grass. Pericles set aside his satchel, propped his back against the tree trunk, and started spreading a collection of texts in a half-circle around himself. In case of rain, he'd cast Pluvia Velo and tucked his wand behind an ear, projecting the spell above him like the world's most magical umbrella hat.

Banner was made by the great Fang Yun-Xin

Date: 21 October 2023 Time: After lunch

Interacting with: @Pericles Dralt Mentions: @Irina Shevel

English | French Thoughts

Mahlioz had spent the last three days stressing. In retrospect, she wasn't even sure what about. She'd been worried partly that she had misunderstood what the bird boy had said, partly that he thought her an idiot after how she had just jumped into the questions without even knowing who he was, and partly just because her acceptance of his invitation meant more social interaction. But all three of those worries were unimportant, really - she was just being her normal self and overthinking everything, as usual. She would ignore her thoughts like she always did, and show up nervous as ever. Learning about animagi from an actual animagus was so much more important than a few fears.

And so, when Saturday noon finally arrived, she made her way to the hill the bird boy had pointed out, nearly trembling with excitement. Or nervousness. She couldn't tell; it was probably both. The sky was grey and misty, just like the previous time Mahlioz had seen the Ravenclaw. She found him on the hill, with his back against a tree (which, Mahlioz couldn't help noticing, looked very climbable. Irina's thoughts were starting to seep into her own, apparently).

It wasn't until she started up the hill that she noticed the papers the bird boy had spread around himself, and the translucent umbrella that seemed to be sprouting from his head. As she approached him, she suddenly realized she had no idea what she was doing. Of course she wanted to be here; of course she wanted to learn more about animagi, and maybe even - if things went extremely well - she could learn the boy's name. But where to start? What to ask? Were the texts he'd laid around him studying for his own classes, or explanations he had brought to satiate her curiosity? She didn't even know how to ask, because how could she without coming off as rude?

It was too late now. She had reached the green picnic blanket he had set, and she had to say something, instead of standing there awkwardly. "Uh, hey." Well, that was a start. She had no idea where to go next, though - the only thing that came to mind was small talk, asking how he was, but she hated small talk, and he didn't seem the kind who appreciated it either. So instead, she sat down on a corner of the fabric, making sure not to crumple any of the papers, and asked, "What is all this?"