At only thirteen years old, Aurelia was purchased her first animal of her own, a medium-sized Great Horned owl. Rather apathetic towards non-human lifeforms, the girl acquired the animal not having considered the bird a pet but rather a tool that required some occasional feeding. After all, the purpose of the bird was ultimately for her caretaker's self-serving means of communication. If only someone would have told her that it was not the best idea for a great horned owl to be under the care of a thirteen-year-old.

Indeed, Aurelia had since learnt that caring for such a bird of prey was far from simple. For two years, the feathered creature had not received the best care. Moreover, during half a year's absence from school for the most part of her fourth year, Aspen remained unattended in the owlery. Fortunately, despite being relatively tamed, Aspen was for the most part independent, her instincts driving her to hunt as she pleased. A trait that resulted in the termination of half a dozen little companions over the years - not ideal.

Now, Aurelia was on her way to the menagerie. The cage bought during their last visit to the store could barely accommodate the large bird who had since grown vastly from the vermin she had been devouring. The deafening screeches of bloody murder and gashes on her skin whenever the cage was in sight finally convinced Aurelia to purchase a larger one. For the sake of her own well being, a grumpy Aspen was almost impossible for her to manage.

Over her left arm was a leather falconry glove. Having experienced those talons in action first-hand, Aurelia would never handle Aspen without means to protect herself. However, on the way to the store, the bird's keen vision caught sight of potential prey. Just great. Aurelia ensured to keep a vice hold on her legs to contain her pet, but it was quite a struggle given how powerful Aspen's wide wings were.

The small lizard looked up curiously at the boy from its temporary home, the little shoebox filled with all sorts of makeshift litter, newspapers, bark and what other substrate that the owners of the menagerie had seen fit to part with. The details as to payment and the more permanent accommodation to which the reptile would be housed in were being dealt with by the boy’s parents, but for the meantime, he was free to take the little creature out and about. Giddiness spread through his heart, warming his soul, as he looked at his new pet.

As if on cue the lizard opened its mouth, as if to yawn, before it closed it again and darted its small tongue out to taste the air. The brief moment passed without incident before it nestled its head into newspaper, satisfied with an apparent lack of excitement. That was more than fine with Nicholas, for the boy had enough excitement for the two of them put together. His very own pet, a companion all his own, he could hardly believe it. In fact, he couldn’t, the reality of the situation had not yet truly set in. George, the tiny bearded dragon that he carried forth, was his.

It probably wasn’t the best idea to take the small animal out and about into Diagon Alley, especially given that his mother was still finalising the details of the purchase and the requirements of care, but he couldn’t help it with his excitement. He wanted to let the reptile feel the sun upon his back, let him bask in the ever-growing heat of a summer’s day, as he knew cold-blooded creatures were wont to do.

To that end, he wandered slightly out of the store before settling himself comfortably upon the sidewalk. His knees splayed as if to take up as much room as possible, whilst his back remained rigid. With tenderness and a degree of timidity, he reached into the box and drew out the small lizard. George lay across his forearm, his little legs unable to find purchase and the heat of the boy’s body assisting in keeping the dragon comfortable. A small smile peaked across Nicholas’s face as he watched the lizard briefly look around before closing its eyes, as if sleeping. Yes, he would very much enjoy having a pet.

The peace and tranquillity were a welcome addition to the boy’s life, after his only increasing bouts of moodiness throughout the summer so far. He was convinced that there was very little that could ruin his good mood. Perhaps those thoughts would not have been so if he had been aware of the giant winged beast that had spotted his sleeping pet. Perhaps he would have reacted with a degree of intelligence and speed in order to ensure that the lizard was not snatched away. But for the moment, he was focused upon George’s adorable little snout, and the warmth that observing the animal brought upon his soul.

Stats: STA: 12 | EVA: 6 | STR: 8 | WIS: 6 | ARC: 4 | ACC: 6
Abilities: Foulplay | Statistically Relevant
Interacting with @Aurelia Notrésvace

It was not the first time that Aspen site eyes on a potential prey that served a life as a pet more than it did to be food to her caretaker's chagrin. Inevitably, in all things was the circle of life. Even then, it was now in Aurelia's best interest to prevent this little reptile's potential demise. The boy, with his attention adhered to his new pet, was entirely clueless about the threat nearby.

Aspen was growing impatient, its untamed instinct the gloved hand that gripped vice onto her sharp-talons, retraining her legs and preventing her from taking off towards its prey. Aurelia struggled to contain her pet, but viciously, the bird would snap, not at her gloved hand which the intelligent bird had since learnt was ineffective but rather at the pretty face of the lovely creature.

For a moment, Aurelia would pull back, narrowly avoiding the bird's sharp talons. At the same time, her grip would loosen, which Aspen would soon take off in a silent flight, her wings spreading out so majestically, in a barely audible whoosh. But as fast as Aspen was to take off was Aurelia to sprint in the boy's direction. "Aspen NO!" She would call, not that Aspen was taught and understood any commands over the years, it was the only warning the boy would get before her right hand would clamp around his arm right over the reptile, serving as a temporary protective barrier.

She had made it just in time before Aspen was able to swoop her meal up. There was not a second to spare to think it through. Instinctively, it was her dominant right that she had used and not her gloved left. The reptile was safe for now under her palm, but Aspen was hell bent on getting her lunch, even if it meant clawing through her owner's hand to get to it. "Aspen. Ow!" The girl whined as her pet dug her claws into her knuckles, fingers and wrist. Drawing out streaks of crimson. "Apologies. Would be best if... you stay still while I handle this." She'd mutter, finally acknowledging the boy, who was more likely than not, in shock by the entire scenario playing out.

Everything went to hell in a handbasket before Nicholas was even aware that he had been bundled up and served to the serpent of Eden. One moment he had been content to observe is new pet, a lizard smaller than he was aware they could be, and the next his arm had been clamped by another girl, an older girl. He felt her vicelike grip before he noticed the bird, the owl’s years of evolutionary development having made it into a silent hunter. A vague sense of discomfort shot through his limb before the grim reality of the situation dawned on him, in much the same way that an explosion may dawn on an unsuspecting building. Surprise, raw and unaltered, became all that he could understand, and that in turn made it all that he could see or hear. Sounds and shapes moved around, and he was aware somewhere in the back of his mind of the presence of blood, but for a few seconds it was as if he was seeing it through a dreamlike haze. Events occurring to another person, and not to him.

Only the words of the older girl drew him out of his stupor and forced him to accept the reality of the situation. She was being attacked by the owl, the owl that was trying to get to George, the lizard that he had only bought a few moments prior. He did not look up at her, and thus could not understand nor comprehend her near-conflicting energies of beauty and of terror, for the latter emotion had already taken hold of him and dictated his actions. He stared at her hand, and where she was protecting his pet. He stared at the streaks of blood that covered that same hand, and the claws of the owl that drew and slashed at it.

Every inch of his body screamed at him, demanded that he move, that he run. But he knew that it was hardly a reasonable request, in spite of what his fight or flight instinct demanded. The only thing keeping George safe was the stranger, and to hastily move would do little more than create an opening for the raptor to make a second attempt. More than that, however, he was not even aware that he could move given the position to which he found himself.

He nodded dumbly in response to her words, before letting out a harsh semi-whisper, “Aye, staying still.”

He could not think of what more to say, could not begin to comprehend what may come next. Without the ability to properly process that same fight or flight response, it seemed that his body had taken it upon itself to choose a third option without his consent. It had frozen.

Stats: STA: 12 | EVA: 6 | STR: 8 | WIS: 6 | ARC: 4 | ACC: 6
Abilities: Foulplay | Statistically Relevant
Interacting with @Aurelia Notrésvace
Action: Staying still

MOD NOTE: I have added a reducio as the described scene was too graphic to have up without a warning. I feel the scene might offend the sensibilities of many reasonable users of the community.

Great horned owls were opportunistic creatures, paired with the fact they had brutal talons and were almost always hungry as Aurelia had noticed, they certainly were not great pets for a first-time pet owner. It was the knowledge that should have been shared with thirteen-year-old Aurelia back then, prevent her from taking on such a feat to care for a bird that should have been wild in the first place. Now she had to deal with the consequences of not training the bird of prey right. Blood was the price she had to pay.

"Yeah, just hold still. " She repeated, grimacing in pain as Aspen continued to maul her hand away despite her best efforts. Aurelia herself was not quite sure how to deal with the situation except endure the pain in hopes that Aspen would get bored and give up on her pursuit for a good snack.

Of course, Aurelia could remove her hand to relieve herself of further damage, she certainly had enough funds to reimburse the boy his pet, but that wouldn't be too responsible of her. Not that she knew the boy at all, she wouldn't feel too guilty if it happened otherwise. Those talons weren't the worst she had experienced. However, this time Aurelia would freeze as aspen's scratching ceased. Perching on her wrist instead.

It may have seemed that the hangry bird had finally grown tired. Aspen's gold eyes would lock on to Aurelia's blue hues for a moment, unamused. But Aurelia would make the mistake of had underestimating the evil that lurked in her pet. The bird's next actions would be far from horrifying. Her head would tilt back to her hand, and the lizard underneath, which Aurelia wasn't sure was still alive from the pressure she had been applying to the small creature. Just before Aurelia could register what her pet was doing, her sharp beak now latched on to the base of her ring finger.



Finally, Aurelia would acknowledge the boy, holding the area of trauma with one hand. It hurt. "Hey. Terribly sorry about this... how is your lizard?" Well, what else was she to say? This was not an occurrence that happened often.

There weren't adequate words to describe the mixture of raw emotion that coursed through Nicholas McCowan's being in that moment. So quickly had his joy at receiving his new pet been stripped away, replaced with a primal fear. The initial panic that had gripped him with the initial attack had faded, replaced by a more sickly feeling of dread as the bird continued to claw at the unguarded hand of the older girl. He could not bring himself to look at her, his eyes staring at her hand, the sheer horror of the scene making him unable to look away. Unable to even think of escaping from the scenario.

So it was that he watched what unfolded next with the same shocked silence, his mouth too dry to even crack open, his distress so total that even if he wanted to get up and to flee, he was entirely unable to. The bird lulled its owner into a false sense of security, making as if to finally cease its assault. Then crunch.

The scene that followed covered Nicholas in gooseflesh, and he fought desperately against the urge to throw up. Her finger was gone, the bird rather happy with its prize, a digit traded for the baby bearded dragon, a much less substantial meal but one that did not involve the slaughtering of an innocent. The odd sense of relief that cascaded down Nicholas's spine mad him feel ill, he was taking some sort of pleasure in the girl's pain? All because it meant that his lizard would escape a further onslaught. That was sick. He disgusted himself.

Not nearly as much as the scene itself disgusted him, however. The twisted game of tug-of-war played out like some sort of sick mockery of a farce. And for the first time, Nicholas dared to look away from the owl and to the older girl. A creature almost as terrible as the bird itself. Oddly, the two shared a number of similarities, at least in their presence. Elegant, was the only word that sprang to his mind as he looked upon her, with the kind of dignity and grace that made the rest of the world around fade as if parting unbidden. Yet, the dignity was a cold one, the sort that sent a terrible feeling directly to his gut. Not the grace of a queen, but that of a predator.

Those same predatory eyes would cast their gaze from the lost finger and to Nicholas, the battle for the digit clearly over. She gripped at the bleeding stump, but still spoke with a surprising degree of dignity. More than that, she apologised.

Nicholas gawked for a moment, before turning down to examine George. Who, despite being clearly shaken, having retreated as far into a corner of the box as he could possibly reach, was unharmed.

"He's fine," The sentence was mechanical, the broad depth of emotions pushed comfortably to his depths.

"Are," He started, before blanching slightly, "Shit, are you ok? Your finger. It's..." He trailed off, as if afraid to bring attention to the maiming.

He swallowed drily, attempting to force some liquid back into his mouth, "We need to get you to a healer, that looks..." He trailed again, before forcing himself to speak, "It looks bad. Look, my mum's a healer. She does house calls mainly but I'm sure she can look at that. She should be just about out of the shop, yeah, we can get that looked at."

He was rambling, but it was all he could do to keep his thoughts semi-coherent, find a goal and latch on to it. Find a solution to the problem rather than flounder aimlessly. So, he stood quicker than he normally would, being as careful with the lizard as he could. His body language betraying just how weary he was of the temporarily sated raptor, daring not give it a second chance to attack the lizard.

Stats: STA: 12 | EVA: 6 | STR: 8 | WIS: 6 | ARC: 4 | ACC: 6
Abilities: Foulplay | Statistically Relevant
Tags: @Aurelia Notrésvace
Action: Trying not to freak out

MOD NOTE: I have added a reducio as the described scene was too graphic to have up without a warning. I feel the scene might offend the sensibilities of many reasonable users of the community.

Despite the injury only on her finger, the hand and forearm was visibly trembling that Aurelia would begin to wonder if her body was really as alright as she had implied. The boy, on the other hand, did not look 'okay'. His visage was so pale that he could possibly pass as a dhampir. Surely he would have seen more horrifying things in Hogwarts? He looked familiar, Aurelia was certain she had seen him around in school.

However, the recollection of the boy would be the last thing on her mind. For now, her bleeding stump, the cause of all this pain, would be her first priority. "Brilliant idea, lets meet your mother. Lead the way." She would start walking, leaving the bird behind. Aspen was a handful (hah get it?!?), besides, the great horn owl was independent and knew her way home.

"Leia Nores" She said, finally introducing herself using her other alias. Granted, she wasn't in the right outfit, she did not adorn those pair of bookish glasses and her make up were her usual, shadowed eyelids that darken her eyes. Perhaps it had been a mistake to introduce herself to this unknown boy as innocent Leia, but only time could tell. "If I'm meeting your mother, I could at least have your name."

She had been attacked by a dhampir as well? She had offered that information with such nonchalance that its effect on the boy was only increased. He had felt an unnatural aura radiating from the older girl from the moment he had looked upon her face, and now it seemed he had an understanding as to why. His instincts had been warning him against her, a girl who must have still been a student, yet had suffered so many grievous injuries that they barely even registered. Not for the first time, the near second year felt his mouth drying up. Panic had welled to such a degree that any chance of logical reasoning or questioning of the older girl’s directions was long since lost. Moreover, their brief interaction toward the end of the prior school year was also lost upon him. The small game of truth or dare that had been shared in the Gryffindor common room was entirely lost in the face of this far more vivid and colourful interaction.

She had been attacked, brutalised, and had reacted with a degree of dignity and poise that made him more uncomfortable than witnessing a raptor rip a part of the girl off and consume it. Before he could even raise to his feet, she was moving away from the happily fed bird. Not wishing to take his chances, or rather George’s chances, with the bird, he hastened to catch up and to fall into pace with her. Back toward the pet shop at which he had left his mother.

“McCowan,” He stuttered for a moment before adding, “Nick, Nick McCowan.”

Her prompting of his name threw him off guard, his mind was hardly in the correct state to process exactly what was going on. It was his first real interaction with violence, real violence. Not the fabricated kind that took place in the world of sports, the bludgers of quidditch and the flipendos of dueling. The girl had lost a literal part of her body.

He walked in relative silence, daring not speak up until they arrived, the sight of his mother offering the only reprieve from the panic that threatened to drown his soul. A tall woman, as pale in complexion as her son, but with hair so blonde it turned near white. Her expression had shown joy at seeing her eldest return, only for the colour of her face to drain to the same as her hair upon seeing who he was with. Or more accurately, how she was clutching at a bloody stump where a finger had been.

“What happened?” Her accent came thick and fast, the brogue unmistakable, “Where are your parents, love? Are you ok?”

The woman would attempt to examine the teenage girl’s finger, or lack thereof, to try and garner some form of understanding as to the extent of the injury. Her expression, however, would remain grim in any event, “We have to get you to St Mungo’s.”

Stats: STA: 12 | EVA: 6 | STR: 8 | WIS: 6 | ARC: 4 | ACC: 6
Abilities: Foulplay | Statistically Relevant
Tags: @Aurelia Notrésvace
Action: Going to see me mam

Directed back towards the menagerie, her sole destination to coming down daigonalley in the first place, Aurelia would follow behind the boy. Surprisingly, she would feel a tingle, no the source was not from the stump on her hand, but rather nervousness. The pureblood girl never met anyone's parents aside from those people she was formally introduced to in elaborate, pureblood exclusive parties and the Zuheirs of course. This setting was far different from a pristine manor where a certain standard had to be met.

It was not like her to be nervous, fortunately for the boy, her nervousness provided some silence as they walked along. For almost her entire youth, she had been taught well on formal interactions. She would expect herself to be a little more prepared, especially given that she had spent months living with the quite mundane woman, Lenore about a year ago. Casual interaction with an adult couldn't be too hard, could it?

However, the Notresvace heir could not be more wrong. The woman's accent its self was challenging enough, a tad bit similar to Nicholas' as she would expect, but far richer. For interaction with an adult, this was informal, loud and unstructured and no setting she was familiar with. For a moment, her mouth was held agape as she searched her thoughts for something to say. It would seem she posed an entirely different demeanour to her effortless exchange with Nicholas a few moments ago.

Just think of this like those fancy ballrooms. Yes, that would be better than nothing.

"Leia Nores. Pleasure to meet, Mrs McCowan. I'm a friend of your son's." She would blurt out, her chin tilting downwards in a subtle nod and a soft smile on her lips."My dear companion of an owl was hungry. Other than the lack of a finger, I'm quite alright."

Aurelia would extend her hand to allow closer examination of her finger. Finally getting a closer look at the damage herself. Wincing if the woman were to apply the slightest amount of pressure. "Unfortunately, my parents have matters to attend to and couldn't be here today. I couldn't be more delighted than to... seek treatment at St. Mungos." She was doing great. Albeit speech resembling more an automated response system than human.

“Your owl did this!?” Siobhan McCowan’s voice was wracked with horror, her fiery emotions firmly brought to the forefront and entirely unhidden, yet it was not anger that coloured her already vibrantly accented speech, but concern and worry.

The wounded girl’s change in demeanour, and the uncomfortableness with the sheer brashness and lack of formality was lost on mother and son alike. The former had hardly been raised in the sort of neighbourhood that lent naturally to such proper speech, but had come to expect it at almost every turn when dealing with certain segments of the wizarding populace. Nicholas, for his part, was just daft. Perhaps such a term was harsh, but it was certainly apt. The intricacies of social interaction and when to pick up on certain clues and cues were lost upon the young lion. More than that, he was still positively racked by the violence to which he had just witnessed. His usually ivory complexion had turned a ghastly shade of white, and he stared down at the lizard, making sure the small little creature was still ok, as if the giant bird of prey would materialise from aether to finish the job at any moment.

“We’ll need to get that looked at straight away, I’m sure they won’t mind if we leave the rest of George’s things on hold for the moment,” Siobhan muttered idly to herself, her thought process entirely too focused on the injury and the matter of getting the girl to the hospital than the manner of either her son or temporary patient. “Come along, do you have a way of contacting your parents? Nico can see to that.”

Nicholas blinked, the hearing of his familial nickname drawing him somewhat out of his stupor. He had allowed himself to take a backseat as his brain desperately attempted to process the goings on before him. He wanted nothing more than to return home and to put the entirety of the day behind him. Christ defend, he was supposed to go to summer camp the next morning. How had everything collapsed in on itself so swiftly?

“Uh, yeah,” The boy choked out, “Yeah…”

Shock racked his system, the brief period in which they had walked from the scene of the incident to his mother had settled the bloody memories in his system, and only now were they beginning to coalesce into reality. Maybe it was his mother’s presence too, to some extent, he mused subconsciously, the thought entirely unnoticed by his active brain. Some part of him had sought shelter in the arms of one of his parents, and in turn, that had eased the burden of responsibility from his own shoulders and on to her’s.

“I’m sure the hospital will have owls,” He too mused aloud, although to whose benefit not even he was entirely aware.

In any event, he could tell that his mother had set her mind straight, and should she have her way, the motley partly would be dragged toward the hospital. For the mending and replacement of a severed digit.

Stats: STA: 12 | EVA: 6 | STR: 8 | WIS: 6 | ARC: 4 | ACC: 6
Abilities: Foulplay | Statistically Relevant
Tags: @Aurelia Notrésvace
Action: To hospital, we set sail