Open to Interaction

Harvey pulled his winter cloak around him just a bit tighter. Not that it was particularly cold nor did the wind have a bite, but he was unsure if he wanted people to see the attire he wore underneath. There would seemingly be no reason that a boy his age should have any problem being seen in his school robes. Perhaps a bit odd to wear them outside of Hogwarts, perhaps a bit odd to flash the Slytherin green so brightly, but what was wrong with some school pride? However, this was no ordinary day outside of Gringotts. Today marked the planned protest over the arrest and conviction of Marcus Iwasaki.

It had all started when Harvey began to spot the posters going up around school. Normally the boy didn't spare much thought for politics and social issues. He was focused on his studies and his future, but this particular issue struck a cord. One that nagged at Harvey in the following weeks. The speed in which the man was arrested and tried was certainly fishy. How could anyone plan a proper defense in that amount of time, but then there was the fact that Professor Iwasaki was also a werewolf and that fact seemed to be fueling the speculation of an unfair trial. Harvey knew about the troubles facing the other magical races and mixed breeds of their community first hand. While the boy lived a life of privilege there was no denying that his mixed nature presented a problem to many of the magical community.

Harvey's eyes drifted up to the facade of Gringotts Bank. A gleaming beacon of pride for all of goblin-kind, but were it not for the goblin's stronghold on wizarding currency would they too be outcast as the werewolves and the dhampirs? Would they live in rural villages high in the mountains and be feared as the giants were? Would the ministry one day come for their power again? Perhaps it started with people like Marcus? The easy ones. Vicious werewolves that were only a moment away from tearing out your throat. The propaganda was so easily written and digested. From there the persecution could spread like wildfire until it was goblin-kind being dragged from their businesses and homes.

Now public protest was not something Harvey ever thought of himself doing. It was loud. There would be safety concerns. Surely their time was better spent consolidating power and making a push towards change in the halls of power. They should be publishing accurate information to counteract the false facts spread through outlets like the Prophet. Yet every injustice that was not met with outrage would be another detriment to the cause. Harvey may not be the hero. He certainly was no champion of justice or beacon of goodwill, but he did firmly believe in his right to have an equal seat at the table. So, he shrugged off his cloak and let his emerald green be shown.

"Hello." Harvey's voice was perhaps surprisingly commanding as he stepped into the group of protestors. "My name is Harvey Barrows. I am part-goblin and I am here to stand with you in solidarity." He spoke to whoever may listen.

Civic engagement? At Hogwarts? Who would've thought – at least, that was the sort of attitude Jess's husband had initially had when she mentioned the protest occurring in London. Leander had stared at her, a sort of, 'you really think that's a good idea?' in his eyes, but after a quick conversation, they had arrived at the same conclusion: in the face of injustice, the only right thing to do was make a scene.

After having dropped off Roscoe and Camellia at Jess's parents', she and Leander arrived at Diagon Alley with two large signs tucked under their arms. Jessamine herself held a tote bag with a number of scarves, gloves, water bottles and smaller signs on sticks. They would be free for the taking.

Any student she knew would bet met with an approving nod. The others, with a smile that might not have been fully visible.

As the protesters began to walk, Jessamine and Leander found a spot on the starboard side of the mass. Above his masked face, Leander used both hands to lift a sign with words in all-capitals:

YOU CALL THAT A TRIAL?
FREE MARCUS IWASAKI

Jessamine held her sign a bit lower, a result of keeping her right hand free for casting, just in case. Nonetheless, the words inked upon it would be very noticeable, and indeed a homage to the poster made by @Dealla Prince and @Pericles Dralt:

YOU CALL THIS JUSTICE?
NO TRIAL, NO SENTENCE.

As they marched on, Jessamine would keep her eyes peeled for any signs of trouble – and she would also remain on the lookout for anyone who appeared lost or confused.

Open to interactions. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to light godmod Jessamine. Additionally, feel free to say she greeted your character or that your character took one of the signs.

Astra hadn't been home since the morning of November 8th, 2025. The funeral. School was never a place of solace or rest, but it was in several ways less painful than Talla Sindharin, and for that she was grateful.

She should go home. Dad said Sofia was due to have her baby any day now when he met them at King's Cross. He looked awful, like he hadn't slept since November 8th, and had been due a shave weeks ago. That was the sign which told Astra that Hyperion Norrick no longer worked for the Ministry of Magic as a senior auror. Morella's lack of presence had Astra considering that the "prescribed calming draught" had turned into a problem for her dear mother. Hyperion's lack of comment on it all but confirmed her suspicions.

Hermes perched on her shoulder. He was getting too big for that.

Astra had made something up, she didn't remember what, but her dad had let her head to Diagon Alley. Meeting friends, she'd floo right up before dark, don't worry. Something along those lines. It concerned her that he let her go so easily more than it relieved her that she was not delayed.

The protest was loud. Hermes was unbothered. That was great for him, Astra thought. She wished she was just as unbothered. But it was loud, as it should be, and though it was truly tragic what was being done to Marcus Iwasaki Astra could not help but draw a parallel to a certain lackluster investigation conducted by the Departments of Mysteries and Magical Law Enforcement. A day long trial, a month long investigation. A convenient guilty sentence, a barely plausible "accident."

She was not here to join the picket line. If anything, she was here to join her company.

Her shoulder was beginning to hurt. "You are getting fat," she accused Hermes, shifting him into her arms. He gave no response, large eyes blinking at the nearest protestors.

Astra scanned thr crowd, but it was a writhing cacophony made physical. She had no interest in joining, and she would hardly find anything useful. A very tall security guard made an easily spotted target near the giant doors of Gringotts. If he wasn't one @Romeo Marchonné he should almost certainly be a half-giant. A point of interest to him.

It must have looked funny, a slim girl of barely five feet and four inches approaching such a large, hulking figure with such boldness, but she did exactly that. "May I wait here for my friends?" she asked him, craning her neck just enough to attempt eye contact. "I'd like for them to find me easily." And you, sir, are practically a beacon.

Whatever his response was, she would remain at the very least nearby, glancing at him every so often before finally asking, "What do you make of all this?"

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interaction : @hugh lowe | open to interactions from tyche's company
action : waiting for people, asking hugh about his thoughts
inventory : wand, cat, pack of gum, concepts of a plan
mentions : @archer duncan upon request from writer

The amount of work it had taken for Aly to get here was truly astounding. Perhaps many of her of-age friends had simply traveled (Apparated, in Dee's case?) to Diagon Alley by their lonesome for this planned protest, and the younger students had likely asked parents for permission (or headed out without it). But for the seventh-year Ravenclaw, leaving the Livingston manor was not quite so simple. Asking to go to a protest was just plainly off the table, and if she were to vanish for a full day and go anywhere without asking the heads of the family, it would surely end in disaster - or, worse, she'd be caught sneaking out and not be allowed to go at all. So Aly had concocted a plan of subtly dropping hints about wanting to go shopping, and had sealed the deal with suggesting a visit to Florean Fortescue's for her sweet-toothed great-grandfather. Once the Livingston clan had descended upon the cobblestoned purchasing district on the morning of the 23^rd, abandoning them was much easier, promising a meet-up at the aforementioned ice-creamery in the afternoon. The protest would be over by then, likely, and considering that most of them went straight to to the bank upon arrival to withdraw Galleons from their deeply underground and shimmering gold-walled vault, the chances of being caught actually at the event were certainly quite low.

But never zero...

It started with the four of them, a quartet of rebels, planning in the Leaky Cauldron an hour before the protest was due to officially start. They raised their glasses to the four five of them, knowing that within the hour there would be more beseeching the Ministry for the release or, at the very least, retrial of their beloved former Head of House, @Marcus Iwasaki. Peri was the earliest, but Aly, Dee, Eun-ji, and Eve made up the rest of the group, their five heads bent together over a table and some Butterbeers a familiar sight in Hogsmeade but not for Diagon Alley. Of the group, Aly knew Eun-ji the least, but she seemed a capable planner and a kind friend to Peri, and the fact that she was here gave the curly-haired brunette an excellent positive impression.

With their white-haired mate's escape routes firmly in mind, Aly followed the group with a big sign in hand: NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. She had offered to handle the chanting, having written out several specific and general rhymes that the crowd could easily shout and learn, and her wand was at the ready, the incantation for the Fiery Script Charm burned (haha) into her mind for when they arrived at the gleaming white façade of Gringotts. Eun-ji was playing lookout and preparing for any necessary healing, Dee leading the charge with stacks of flyers, and before Aly knew it, they'd gathered a halfway decent crowd of everyone from first-years to grown adults upon their arrival, with even some Hogwarts staff members mixed in amongst the throng. Aly spotted the telltale scarlet locks of their current Head of House, @Jessamine Lancaster, and offered her a wave; the teenager hadn't taken Runes, and therefore didn't know the professor very well, but she was certainly growing on Aly. If someone had to replace Marcus, she was glad that it was Professor Lancaster rather than someone who didn't share their opinions and points of view.

When the end of the protest neared, a scene would be made with the Livingstons stumbling upon the event and dragging their granddaughter from the melee for a quick exit. Words would certainly be exchanged, and punishments impressed upon the teenage girl. But, luckily for Aly, they weren't there yet. If only a Seer could have foretold her of what was to come... but in the meantime, she helped to lead the chants, using her wand to trace fiery words in midair for bystanders to read and join in.

WIZENGAMOT, DO YOUR JOB! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! FREE MARCUS IWASAKI NOW OR WE TAKE TO THE STREETS!

Dec. 23, 2025 | fit in banner, boots | #C47DDB | @Dealla Prince, @Pericles Dralt, @Evelynn Decipio, @Eun-ji Lee Hunt
lovely & charmer affect everyone | sta 10, eva 14, str 5, wis 19, arc 7, acc 18

Turns out, the giants were not up to much. The plural in that being entirely unfounded, since he was the only one that seemend to be present. And that was merely by happenstance. Hugh's mind dwindled on the wasted opportunities that had been his meetings with Healy or the young Lucian kid. He knew there were more out there, though had been rather unsuccessful in locating any like-minded 'kinsmen'.

Which led him to focus on keeping his job. His ancestors and goblinkind had little history. There was a mutual tendency between the two races to let the unexplored between them remain... unexplored. A sort of status quo. Neither side were particularly happy with the known wizarding world and its antique ideas about wizard supremacy. But not any giant or goblin throughout history had made any attempt towards an alliance of the two.

Even now, Hugh's position in Gringotts was made possible through his wizard grandfather's influence. Certainly not for being a big mean half-breed that can swing fists the size of clubs around. And now that tie to the bank left him stranded on the wrong side of a debate. Though he had no expectation of being ordered to sort out the rabble of students in front of him and his colleagues. Gringotts cared about one thing only: Gringotts. Whatever happened in front of their doorstep would likely matter little to them as long as their precious tall and pearly white bank could keep on standing as it did. Slightly tilted, that is.

Hugh's attention was drawn to a smaller figure that drew nearer. He had no real recollection of her and seemed several years younger than himself. Which had him worried of what she would want from him. Crossing his hands behind his back, he shifted his stance to a more resolute display and nodded briskly.

To his surprise, she began conversing undaunted by his appearance. To his disappointment, she merely sought to use him as her personal landmark. Like a child having agreed to meet their parents at a particular animal-shaped pole when they got lost at the beach. Still, he might as well make himself useful. He was meant to simply stand around anyway. After a moment of silence, and a thorough scan from head to toe, he grunted affirmatively. Shifting slightly to his right to leave her a bit of space.

After noticing her glance towards him a handful of times, he was bound to ask her if something had been the matter. Perhaps he was being deemed not near tall enough of a landmark and she was about to request him to stand on his toes for a better show. But she cut in before his temper was allowed to burst.

"They are doing well." Hugh answered politely. "I admire their character for showing up like this". For a brief second he wondered if he were really up for striking up a conversation with some teen now. Though he considered that the girl ought to be attending Hogwarts herself. So why was she not there, and standing next to him instead?

He tilted his head slightly as he examined the crowd once more. "Not that I believe any of them really know the guy. What do students really know about their professors?" His head turned to see if this provoked any involuntary response that would reveal the girl's motive. He decided to throw a bit of oil on the fire, just to prod it in igniting a bit. "For all we know he really was, and always has been, a criminal."

Though he would not wait long before following this line of questioning with a backpedalling "Not that I believe so, necessarily." Hugh felt sympathetic towards werewolves. Their fight was very much alligned with that of his kind or the goblins at Gringotts.

┏		┓
	Self-expression was critical to Madhup. Proud as he was of his school uniform, he wouldn't have been caught dead wearing it for fun, and only entertained the event's dress-code after some convincing. It stood out against a sea of black cloaks, proud red fabrics and regal fur trim repping Durmstrang. He skimmed the growing mob in hopes of spotting others. The international student was a long ways from home, yet he felt he was exactly where he ought to be. Weird as Dee Prince's question was ("Hi babe, how do you feel about werewolf rights?") he had jumped at the opportunity to support someone he loved in a movement they were passionate about. The way he'd described it to his friends back home, he was off to pregame a riot with Dee and her friends. His girlfriend's ideas of dates were competitive sports events and civic unrest. The flyer couldn't have been more pleased, and as he sat alongside her- arm slung over the back of her chair, a tequila sunrise in hand- his incessant smirk said as much. He listened to the others plan escape routes and committed their maps to memory. Occasionally, he chimed in with snippets of tactic from his training, managing the odd [surprisingly] practical addition. When the group surged out onto the street, Mad appointed himself to a spot just over Dee's shoulder. On a spiritual level, the New Delhi native was born to rage against a branch of British government, and he derived immense joy from contributing his booming voice to the chants of "WIZENGAMOT, DO YOUR JOB!" He carried a sign with one of Dealla's posters on one side, and on the other, a newspaper cutout from one of the darkest days in recent wix history. It was also incidentally one of the worst days of his life: October fourteenth, last year, when he watched his Headmistress die protecting a gaggle of part-human students. A picture of smoldering wagons with a backdrop of smoky skies looped on the board. Above and below it in bold letters read: "EQUALITY DOESN'T STOP AT SCHOOL ADMISSION". Dee had helped him translate his feelings. Wizarding society had come incredibly far, so far that schools outside of Hogwarts had finally begun admitting those who weren't fully human. But the pushback had been bloody, and brutal, and reflected in the gross unfairness of their justice system. No one was held accountable then. If Marcus Iwasaki wasn't safe, neither were the kids. What future was there for them if Beings weren't treated the same as any other aspiring wix? How hopeful could they be when even well-loved figures, like Ravenclaw's former Head of House, could be pinned for something he didn't do? Madhup knew better than to expect closure for these past injustices, but he would do anything to prevent their reoccurrence, and this felt like the closest thing to fighting the faceless threat.
┗		┛

Calming Presence: @Dealla Prince and any Durmstrang students

Interacting with: @Crystal Theodora
Mentioning: @Dealla Prince and @Ari Gwild

Her hesitation to join led Madeleine to accidentally making eye contact with a brunette in the crowd. A pit appeared in her stomach as the girl approached, and she felt an unfamiliar self-consciousness. Was there something on her face? Was it the fact that she was just standing there?

"Less staring, more protesting!" the girl said, shoving a sign into Madeleine's empty hands. Despite this unceremonious call to action, Maddie couldn't help finding the girl's action somewhat... charming? In a weirdly convincing way. So although the girl moved on before Maddie found her voice, it was enough to nudge the ballerina into action. She gripped the sign a bit tighter as she lowered her hood with her free hand. There was no point in hiding herself here - she needed to be seen. She wanted to be.

"BIGOTRY ISN'T EVIDENCE"

Maddie felt a small smile appear on her lips as she read the words on the sign.

"Hello, everyone. Forgive me if I'm in your w-" Maddie was slightly distracted by the arrival of a boy with a guitar case on his back, but he seemed to disappear as quickly as he arrived. Off to join the girl that had handed Maddie the sign. Weird. She didn't let her thoughts linger on the guy though, because the buzz of the crowd was growing as more people arrived. More chanting, more signs, more energy. Time to look for an opening and join the chaos.

"Hi!" a voice interrupted her search, and she turned to find a young girl had approached. "My name is Crystal Theodora. I am a first year Gryffindor. I haven't seen you around Hogwarts before...Where are you from? And how did you hear about the protest?" It had been a while since Madeleine was approached by such a young girl - most of the younger years she encountered were intimidated by upperclassmen, only interacting when the latter initiated. But this brunette in front of her - Crystal - seemed unbothered at the idea of talking to strangers, even a bit invasive with her questions.

"Hello," Madeleine's accent would likely give away that she wasn't a Hogwarts student. As she spoke more, it would seem Australian, maybe sometimes hinting at an Irish lilt, both of which might make her school revelation confusing. "I'm a Beauxbatons student - and I have friends at Hogwarts who told me about it," she answered both questions in one go, though the latter answer wasn't completely true. Partially, yes. "I'm Madeleine Nakamura," the obligatory introduction after the questions. "I was just about to join in, you as well?"

If Crystal confirmed she wanted to join into the crowd, Madeleine would walk with her into the protesting group of students. If Crystal didn't want to step into the chaos, Madeleine would nod and excuse herself, "Well then, it was nice meeting you. I saw some younger students over in that direction, maybe you'd like to join them?" pointing towards a smaller student she had seen when scanning the crowd (@Harvey Barrows). Then she would bid goodbye and separate from the younger girl's side, choosing to join in the protest.

Whether Crystal was by her side or not, once Madeleine was in the crowd, she would raise the sign she had been given. She let the feelings of the protest wash over her, so that there was no more room for the negativity that had been paralyzing her on the sidelines. The doubt that this would accomplish anything. Instead, she focused on the chants, focused on the energy, and focused on the weight of Momo on her back. This would work. This HAD to work.

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