closed Pride & prejudice Open DM/Owl to join

No interactions, simply observing
Mentions: @Finnegan Connor, @Avery Leveret, @Remedy Norden, @Helena Rose, @Piérre Marchonné, & @Clark Baird
Astra speaking:
Thoughts:
Others:

Staying late to make sure her potion was absolutely correct was not something Astra would prefer to be doing that say, but alas. When careless you must suffer the consequences. Of course, if she had been paying attention to the brew instead of trying to translate the last few pages of that interesting Russian book about, you guessed it, dragons, with her extremely limited Russian knowledge, none of this would have happened.

But, again, alas.

Which was why she was greatly surprised to find a second-year Slytherdor class already crowding the hall. Keeping herself pressed to the side of the hall, her eyes wide as they scanned for an exit, Astra was stopped. By what, she could not tell you. It was as if there was something gathering, like a storm, and it reeked of trouble.

If Astra was anything, she was a magnet for trouble.

A Gryffindor boy was mocking the absolute daylights out of one Avery Leveret, a recent subject of the Hogwarts Headliner. Astra didn't read the paper often, just scanned to see if anything interesting was happening. She had found Leveret's article to be, well, rather dull and oh-so-stuffy.

There was pure venom in the Slytherin's voice, while fire was in the lion's. Funny, really, how the houses fit sometimes. Tensions age old in more ways than one seemed to rise, especially as a girl with hair of ebony added to the conversation with her smug demeanor, showing herself to be on Avery's side. Astra felt she would puke, the amount of hubris coming from that side of the corridor.

And then spells were cast. Astra watched, not daring to move among the crowd, not timid, but not eager to be hit with spells. For all their show, these two were merely a year older than her, and she didn't know or trust their casting abilities. Anything could go wrong at any point, as she knew from her recent duel.

At this point, she noticed a honey blonde girl behind the smug one, seeming to cower. Ah, one of the scaredy Puffs I suppose. While not all Huffles were as meek and mild-mannered as stereotypes suggested, just look at her family, this girl may have been the fulfilment of said stereotypes.

Oh, and there went a Petrificus Totalus! Astra winced as Leveret was hit. What a blow to his pride. As entertaining as this whole interaction was already was, it was about to get more so from a sassy and apparently quite cultured older year. He also wore the Hufflepuff colors. Astra found herself smiling slightly at his Phantom of the Opera references. Ah, lovely Cat too!

Another Puff, this one on the side of violence. And here I thought Maria was the only one.

The information, the insults, the alliances and rivalries being formed played out before Astra's eyes. Finnegan, that was the one Leveret insulted. Piérre, the Phantom of the Opera. She rather liked this one, he seemed... well, eccentric, but also highly aware. Highly observant. Highly talented. She contemplated finding him later, developing another alliance. Perhaps this one would actually go through. She hadn't heard from Orion in months.

Oh, yes, and Clark. The violent Puff. And Remedy. Odd name. She was unaware she was to meet Remedy again, for good or ill.

But the nervous Puff. Astra would not learn her name, only that she was connected to powerful people in one way or another.

Astra fought her way through the crowd as searing insults were directed at Clark from the two girls. She had witnessed something, be it important or not, and she knew more than she had that morning. Perhaps she would find a chance to play with the strings. Perhaps she would merely keep this in her mind.

There was much to think on.

Astra has left the thread

OOC NOTE: Was given permission by Avery and Finn to do an observer post

· · ─▪───────────── ·· ─────────────▪─ · ·

• PRIDE AND PREJUDICE •

”What will you do when there’s blood in the water...”

─▪────────────────────────▪─

26th September | Home - The Dungeons
Avery's Hex #136b5c
wc: 895

Ref. Headliner Interview

─▪──────────────▪─

┏		┓
	----- When does a candle become a blaze? That precise moment was lost to him, just as the preceding moments that forged his ire had. With it, came a clarity that was dangerous and cool, one that tamed the fire that burned behind his gleaming ebony eyes. If ever there was a look that could kill, Avery would have murdered everyone in this corridor. He had yet to make the face of his cousin and her ally, but it was indiscriminate and undeniable, and they too; victims. It didn't let up even as the effects of the body binding curse were lifted, and it enraged him further that he hadn't had the chance to break free of his own will; to release the unbridled wrath that shredded his insides and made every muscle of his swell with a desire to take hold of the fetid rodent and remove the burden of his head from his body. Perhaps that was a silent blessing, perhaps he wouldn't have happened upon this moment of clarity at all if such had been the case. The duo- trio-, quartet would all be a number of spells into an all-out brawl, and although the thought of scalping, snapping and splintering every fragment of their being pleased him, it was not him; no not at all. Even as he loosened, his recovery was graceful; moving from being a propped up plank to a marvellous image of composure. Though, even with that clarity, his body still yearned to take a shot at the fuckwit that had struck him like some lowly, gormless, peasant and he instinctively tightened his grip of the unruly chestnut wand; so much so that he was certain he could hear the fibres straining. That was about all the physicality you’d get from the boy; for now it seemed that all that was to come from him was a view of him adopting a most smarmy look as he took a step onto the high road after dusting himself off. A small nod was awarded to Remedy and the blonde beside her, and a look that spoke of his appreciation and recognition of the bond that the cousins seemed to now share; having met the muster call that was an attack on their own. His bold eyes spoke that he would later seek her out, or at least owe her something though he was loathe to admit; but right now there were more pressing matters. The same look passed off an equally unimpressed glance to those of his house that were bystanders to his assault. This time there were witnesses, but he didn’t think that was going to change a thing. His look first befell Pierre, and with it came an unimpressed dismissal that spoke of Avery’s permanent judgement that was wrought by Pierre’s own, wrong, rant about ‘everyone was a mudblood. Frankly, it sounded like something a mudblood would say in their defence. He was a sharp tool but one who wasn’t worth any semblance of Avery’s attention just now. A chancer, playing at playground influence. His role here wasn’t too clear, but Avery was a betting man, and yet he couldn’t help but think he was somehow linked to this. Not the matter. He certainly wasn’t owed any respect or answers. His ire was present in the form of a glower, and it swept through the corridor, touching upon Finn and Clark. His mind was ablaze with all the ways he would fight back, and yet his hands worked to stow his wand. “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is a green-eyed monster-” he began, looking to Clark pointedly at that word; “- which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” he finished the quote, which was in itself ironic that he would quote muggle literature; although it was lost on him it . The words themselves had been made to cut, as Avery reeled to stitch up his pride. The plan to exit this mire of misfortune wasn’t straightforward, and so he positioned himself accordingly. As much as he wished to dash the thick, empty, skulls of those to impure nobodies across the flagstones, or twat them in the mouth until they lost teeth; he would step carefully. Or at least, that’s what he thought he was doing. Finn was an enemy to be wary of, and goading him might backfire, especially now, but he too recognised the weakness in Clark, and Avery would certainly press into that shared space, to save face. “That’s cultured person for: fuck off you three-inched cockbiter. - Run to your dad, run to your safe space and pray to whatever pagan gods your mud-hut dwelling family worship that this castle protects you.” he directed to Clark, a promise made. “This isn’t over, Conner. You can take your cheap ambush whatever way you want. - I’m sure the world sees it as I do, a small mutt yapping at my heels. - Nevermind. I’ll have my pound of flesh.” He finished, and made to leave; through the parting the gaggle of onlookers had made upon realising he was approaching them. Whispers began about how it seemed Avery was about to skip a lesson; but he was walking to delve deeper into the castle; not towards the stairs that leads to the grounds where students usually flunked.
┗		┛

STATS:
Stamina: 8 | Evasion: 10 | Strength: 0 | Wisdom: 9 | ArcPower: 4 | Accuracy: 12
Abilities: Statistical Relevance, Prodigal Charms Learner

Action: Avery leaves the thread to brood.

Interacting with: @Finnegan Connor @Remedy Norden @Clark Baird @Helena Rose and @Piérre Marchonné

F I N N E G A Nx⳧xC O N N O R

☙ Pride & prejudice, 26st of September 2023 ❧

It couldn't be much longer before Professor Regan would arrive and demand to know what was going on. The eerie quiet of the dungeons had been shattered first by spellfire and now by the chatter of students, tumbling over each other to take potshots at each other. Some choose to whisper and murmur among themselves whilst others made their opinions more loudly known. One tiny Hufflepuff in particular insisted on being heard and consequently got all the attention he so craved. The dark-haired, dark-eyed Slytherin girl and her Hufflepuff sidekick couldn't resist the bait, perhaps thinking that a verbal thrashing would set Clark Baird straight.

They're clearly first years, Finnegan thought to himself. Everyone else at Hogwarts surely would've learned by now that Clark Baird was a hopeless case, a unhinged scamp left to wander the corridors only because his father was the Professor of Astronomy. That just had to be it.

There was at least one interesting fact to be gleaned from the back-and-forth. The Slytherin girl who had so boldly stood in his way turned out to be Avery's cousin. It should have been obvious, they were both dark of hair and dark of mind, thinking everyone else inferior to themselves, though perhaps the girl was more outspoken about it. Remedy, the Hufflepuff girl had called her. An odd name to be sure, one he might've thought was funny if it had belonged to someone else.

Tearing his gaze from Remedy, Helena and Clark, Finnegan looked upon what he had wrought with a defeated look. His copy of the Hogwarts Headliner lay trampled and forgotten at Avery's feet. After Pierre had liberated Avery, the lanky boy got up rather gracefully, though he notably refused to thank his savior. For all of Remedy's venom, his cousin probably couldn't do much with her wand yet, or she would have surely set him free herself.

Finnegan slunk back into a small crowd of Gryffindors that had gathered behind him. There were a few pats on the back, some congratulations for his victory, and some concerned murmurs. He paid none of them any mind while Avery straightened back up, looking suprisingly unfazed. Yet any hopes that Avery might take his defeat in stride were dashed the moment he opened his mouth.

Finnegan sniggered. He tried not to, tried to hide and stiffle it, tried to cover his mouth and avert his gaze, but what Avery said deserved to be met with laughter. The boy's frame seemed entirely too small for the inflated ego it hosted and the venom that came pouring out of him destroyed any notion of composure. At least the riddle of what the brooding boy did in his spare time was solved, clearly he enjoyed reading dictionaries for fun, apparently in old English judging by the sound of it. At least he had the decency to offer a rough translation.

The next few words were directed at him, suprisingly mild in comparison though the threat was a bit concerning. He wouldn't always be able to count on luck or Pierre being around. Before he could think of anything witty to say back, Avery had already turned around and walked off. Best let him be, he decided. Any name calling now would just put him in the same bin as Clark and sway the opinions of his peers in Avery's favor.

After he'd given a curt nod of thanks in Pierre's direction, Finnegan's gaze once again landed on Remedy's almond eyes. For a while he held it, just long enough to not be mistaken for an accidental glance in her direction. Though he kept his mouth shut, there was plenty being said. Just before the crowd swallowed him up and hid him from sight, a faint smile played at his lips and he winked at her. Was it a warning? A challenge? A hint of admiration? He wasn't too sure himself, only that the girl intrigued him and that for better or worse, his curiosity about her had been piqued.

Stamina 10 ✶ Evasion 10 ✶ Strength 2 ✶ Wisdom 3 ✶ Arcane Power 5 ✶ Accuracy 10

@Avery Leveret@, @Helena Rose, @Clark Baird, @Remedy Norden@, @Piérre Marchonné
Finnegan has left the thread (blended in with the crowd waiting for class) and can no longer be interacted with.
OOC note: what a fun thread! I didn't expect things to go this way at all. Anyone who'd like to do some kind of spinoff or otherwise would like to follow up on this, my owls and discord DMs are open . Everyone is of course welcome to make one (or more) closing posts but Finnegan won't be available for anymore interactions. If for whatever reason you do really need an interaction, you can owl me with a bit of context and I'll try to give you something to work with.

@Avery Leveret, @Clark Baird, @Finnegan Connor, @Helena Rose & @Remedy Norden

House Colours: Hufflepuff

Calming Presence in Effect;
Figaro, Finnegan Connor & Helena Rose Affected

In response to the smallest boy's threat, only a creeping smile flittered across the face of the Britalian; a grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes. "I'd say try it, but I don't think I'd want you to embarrass yourself more..." He bit his tongue in teasing nature. "Because I'm relatively well-natured, but I'm not sure if I can say the same for many others." A lightly ominous warning, one that wasn't exactly false in nature. "But flaunting your father being in a position of power isn't really... well, it's not a clever card to reveal. For all you know, you've just put a larger target on your back... not to mention potentially threatening your father's job if someone goes over his head. I presume your father isn't our beloved Headmaster, after all. Ergo, tread lightly." Piérre lightly side-tapped his nose as his green eyes glittered with knowing. "I'd hate to see... something unfortunate befall you when it isn't deserved. Pride goeth before the fall."

Acid eyes turned to the others. "And as for you... while hungry dogs may never be satisfied, snakes are crushed by the foot of man. Beware the mouth muzzled, for words are more powerful than teeth; the image is more powerful than the act to kindle the flames unquenchable. Muzzle me instead of him, and you'll find that I become twice the adversary than I was before; your act of passion in an attempt to place yourself among the kings having become your own downfall at the tongue of what you deemed the lowliest animal." The smile never faded, a twinkle in those eyes that could not even so much as allow for a glimmer of a tell.

The smile became a quiet one with continued sparkle of intrigue as the young boy that had once been petrified told off "Clark" before making a brisk exit. Piérre looked at his untaken hand, shrugged with a hum, and then turned away and brushed down his outfit before crossing his arms. His head tipped curiously, but he considered his words carefully before speaking. "What a much more impressive feat it would be, to strangle the accuser with his own rope." He mused softly, a thought that worked in several directions at once pertaining to this conflict where none were in the right. Still... the confrontation was done, a mystery unfolding. A curious squabble, perhaps not even worth much in the eldest boy's mind... but still intriguing regardless. More reasons for him to keep his ear to the ground.

Only the youngest Gryffindor boy was left behind. Piérre slowly breezed by, but not before ruffling the hair on his head as he passed. "To have something to believe in is sometimes stronger than its rightness or wrongness--doubly so if you do happen to have the fully truthful and fully right in intent--but do mind how you go about things for the future. Don't bite off more than you can chew." Emerald eyes looked down at him. "Discretion is the better part of valor." Ironic coming from one who had so little self-control at times.

Piérre had no sides, no alliances, and yet enemies on all sides. For him at least it was in his better interests to act with caution, to criticize both sides with equal fervor until he found some way to break through the ice, to break through the walls that were put up in front of faces in futile defense. Until he could be certain that he had friends, he had to act as if he had none... which had been the path he had been on for nearly his whole life thus far, if one wanted to take a magnifying glass to his nature and the past he had lived. Within and throughout, and yet totally apart and alone.

Figaro followed the steps of the yellow-clad boy, who promptly vanished into the dark like a dream.

Piérre Exits...

Statistics: Stamina 7 | Strength 5 | Evasion 18 | Wisdom 12 | Accuracy 15 | ArcPower 5

Abilities:
Keen Eye | Calming Presence | Beast Master [Cat] | 's Grace | Animagus [Hummingbird]