PV Finished Unexpected Hero Flash Holmwood

23 Sep 2021, 16:42

Getting back into the rhythm of school was soothing. He was swiftly finding that the distance between him and his family was freeing and desirable. When Darius told him their whole family were narcissists, it was like a light switching on in a pitch black room. At first, it hurt his eyes, then he realized where he had been this whole time. He had wasted so much of his childhood thinking he was failing them and cowering in the shadow of their accomplishments. He hadn't considered that they were never going to give him the attention that he was so desperate for. The only time he was important to them was when he got in their way.

He tried not to let it follow him everywhere. It annoyed him that the burdens he had let weigh on him had never needed to be imposed. All that exhaustive effort, all the back breaking and pushing of his limits, it had been pointless. Perhaps it had been what his friends were trying to tell him, but he never let them know just how bad it really was. After all, it would have been showing weakness, admitting that he wasn't strong enough, that he was having panic attacks, that he wasn't as put together as he looked. Really, his only option was damage control. Fix it, make it look better. He had other things to worry about besides his family anyway.

One uplifting distraction was the continuation of dueling and Quidditch, games of competition with players he was growing ever more familiar with. He felt truly stimulated watching the strategy and growth of the individual parts, and analyzing the overall progress of the houses and teams. He had spent the time that Wednesday to drop by the dueling practice room to see whether the roster for the new year had been posted yet. The teams had not yet settled in the previous year, so there was certain to be many new players. It was something to look forward to, part of what made being back at Hogwarts a great relief.

It was when he was heading back to the general populace on the floors below that he was stopped abruptly by a noise in the ballroom. He had learned to be paranoid of anything out of the ordinary, which was a useful precaution for a student of magic. Given that, though his heart beat faster in fear there was some kind of monstrosity behind the door, he knew right away that he wouldn't be satisfied until he investigated properly. Rubbing his hands together to relieve some stress, he took a deep breath before quietly moving into the room. Thankfully, there was no shadow creature or murderous ghost, only a girl around his age sitting on the floor, a ballet shoe some distance away from her. Curiosity would not get him killed today.

The matter at hand still sparked another curiosity, as he looked from the shoe to her, and back to the shoe. The situation became quickly apparent. She was practicing, there was blood on the shoe. It didn't take a detective to put the pieces together. Whether she had already remarked upon his entrance or not, he would bend over to scoop up the cast aside object and approach as though to return it. He would have no need for pretense, whether it was meant to be a private moment or not, he was witness to it and therefore couldn't leave it unaddressed. Blood was unambiguous, it was pain.

"Reparo." Tracing a line through the air that trailed inwards, Flash had produced a wand and repaired the shoe in less time than it took to reach her. When he did, he held onto it as he looked at her in detail, assessing the damage calmly. "I'm sorry to intrude, but I can help. The bandaging charm will wrap it and give you pain relief."

There was no use in fussing, or asking if she was alright. There was a simple, neat solution to her problem. At least the one on the surface.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt

For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15

25 Sep 2021, 16:46

Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean
Eun-ji was just pulling out the disinfection from her first aid kit when she heard someone speak. “Reparo.” Being too preoccupied with her wound, she didn't hear anyone come in but the voice was too hard to ignore. Well…that’s unfortunate.

The ballerina looked up to see the approaching figure. She didn't know the boy but he seemed somewat familiar. Perhaps we saw each other in class, she decided, glad he came late and didn't get to see her ugly side. At this moment, she was back to her calm and collected self, the thrown pointe shoe was the only indication that something might have been amiss. Of course, she was also injured but that could have happened in any way. "I would have gone with Scourgify but...thank you." She said as she took the satin shoe from the boy. It was not said in a mocking tone. It was just the ballerina and the Ravenclaw in her talking. She was genuinely grateful that he even bothered to fix it for her in the first place and it probably showed on her face. The spell choice wasn't bad really, the shoe was just... TOO fixed. "As strange as it sounds, these work the best when they are a bit broken," she explained as she folded the sole in half. It made a satisfying crack but there was still much to do. And why was she telling him anyway? Didn't she promise herself not to make any more friends? He most likely wasn't even interested in whatever she was saying. Or perhaps she just felt ashamed for her previous behavior. Even if he wasn't there to witness it, it still felt like she should distract the boy somehow. Useless trivia was one way to do it.

Sighing, Eun-ji looked back at her foot. She knew the spell he was talking about. Her mother used it on her several times already and it was indeed very helpful. In fact, she was hoping to learn it herself soon. "It's not that bad..." It was pretty bad. "I could probably make it to the hospital wing." She could but it would be a very painful experience. The raven-haired girl wanted to look brave but she was more used to being reasonable and it made no sense not to accept the offered help. "Then again...I suppose if you know the bandaging charm there is no sense in doing this the muggle way." She smiled a little as she put away the bottle with disinfection. It might come in handy some other time. "May I know the name of my savior?" The witch asked the rather handsome stranger curiously. "I'm Eun-ji by the way." She introduced herself politely and instinctively reached out her hand in greeting. That is until she noticed how dirty it was…Smeared with blood and dust from the floor. "Sorry." She retracted her hand immediately. It was okay though...she wasn't supposed to make new friends anyway. I should also let him concentrate on the spell. Eun-ji reminded herself.

Interacting with: @Flash Holmwood

“There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this” -Merlin

iNPC: Ye-jun Lee

27 Sep 2021, 15:45

Once he was close enough, he handed the shoe back to her as she reached for it. At first, he was surprised that she would have preferred it cleaned over fixed-- certainly blood was a problem, but not comparable to how it was broken? His face would emote the confusion quietly, as she continued with an explanation. "Oh!" He'd react with genuine surprise when the shoe cracked, coming to the realization that he had presumed too much.

"I see. It looks like I already owe you another apology, then." Flash smiled sheepishly, it wasn't hard to imagine how much time and effort it would take to break something in properly, he didn't like being responsible for ruining it. Still, it was an interesting concept. Something being better the more it's broken. "I should have asked, that was careless of me."

As the focus shifted to the injury, she first diminished the severity, then suggested she make it worse by walking down a flight of stairs. Flash would not interrupt, but started subtlety squinting in scrutiny. There wasn't much self-preservation in suggesting any option besides the one he suggested, unless she didn't trust him. That was his interpretation, being a paranoid mind himself. He was a stranger, he could cast the spell poorly, even be lying about knowing it. Luckily for both of them, she relented and Flash did indeed know the spell and could cast it with practiced ease.

"My name is Flash." In return, he got her name as well. He'd try to play down the smile it gave him to hear her calling him her savior, he knew he was just in the right place at the right time, certainly anyone would do the same in his position. Well, most people anyway. While her embarrassment over offering her dirtied hand was more unfounded than she might have expected, Flash let the incident go. Instead, he'd change the subject to give her the diversion she wanted."Eun-ji, I love the sound of that. It's a beautiful name."

He wouldn't wait for a response to the pleasantries, as there was an immediate concern. After crouching down on a knee to her level, he held his wand in front of him. "May I?"

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt
Permission to godmod Flash casting the spell Ferula

For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15

29 Sep 2021, 10:39

Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean
Eun-ji wasn't looking for apology but the boy gave her one anyway. She almost felt bad. "Oh no, don't worry about it. It's only been a short time since they were broken in. Hence the result," she gestured to her injury. It was not entirely true of course. While it was true that the shoe was relatively new, it was nobody's fault but her own that she ended up in such state. "Flash...that is a good name. One to remember for sure." She was curious whether there was any specific reason for the name but she decided not to pry. Prying meant getting to know someone, getting to know someone meant getting attached and getting attached made her vulnerable. As it was, she was already plenty vulnerable in front of Flash without them knowing each other. The witch smiled when the boy complimented her new name. People really seemed to like it. Her grandma would be so happy if she knew that. Of course, Flash didn't know it was new but that only made this entire situation easier. She thought she ought to thank him for the compliment but it was clear he was focused on his task and didn’t expect any reaction. Now she just had to hope he knew what he was doing when it came to spells. Eun-ji assumed he wouldn't have offered the help if he wasn't confident but one still had to be nervous when it came to stranger fixing their body.

She watched Flash kneel down to her eye level. The scene felt somewhat strange to her. Eun-ji had been interacting with boys before but this was different. She was in a vulnerable position, which didn’t happen often. "By all means...," The Ravenclaw encouraged her new acquaintance when asked for permission. "...though I'm very fond of my feet. If you mess up I might haunt you in your dreams," she added as an afterthought. It was a gentle teasing to lighten up the situation yet she was also serious. Eun-ji was a ballerina and she usually made sure to avoid injuries. This was a rare occasion when she failed to do so and she would hate it if he made it worse...no matter how grateful she was to him at the moment. Despite her concerns however, the girl remained relaxed and unmoving as not to hinder Flash’s work. She knew better than to distract someone casting a spell.

“Ferula.” Finally the familiar incantation echoed through the room and soon enough her wound disappeared under neatly wrapped bandages. It did not heal the injury of course but the pain was nearly gone, which would certainly be helpful when she was trying to climb back to the tower. That one was a struggle even when she was in perfect health. “Thank you… that’s so much better. I owe you one.” She made sure to express her gratitude aloud as well. “You are not a Ravenclaw are you?” The witch asked before she could stop herself. She would probably remember seeing him around the common room if he were but Eun-ji wasn’t necessarily a social butterfly so she couldn’t be sure. If he was perhaps, he could help her climb those stairs... No. She was getting spoiled. She could do that herself now. Flash did more than enough and she was not used to depending on other people anyway. If anything, it was usually the other way around.

For a moment, the Ravenclaw wondered whether she ever asked for help before. She certainly could not remember. Even after the attack in their common room last year, she made sure others were taken care of and tried to put them at ease before asking for treatment herself. It felt like a natural course of action. Then again, her wound wasn’t all that serious so it only made sense, right? Well…no matter. He will probably assume I’m asking out of curiosity. That should be okay. Hopefully, she wasn't keeping him for too long. Eun-ji never liked to overstay her welcome.

Interacting with: @Flash Holmwood

“There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this” -Merlin

iNPC: Ye-jun Lee

4 Oct 2021, 19:27

Flash accepted the bandage she offered him for his wounded pride, saying that the damage wasn't too severe. At least, he felt better for a moment until he realized she was admitting that unbroken shoes were the reason she hurt her feet in the first place. It sounded like they were a pain, but he supposed it was something every ballerina had to face. It was nice of her to not set that burden on him, not everyone was so humble. His genuine smile would return when she complimented his name. He partly wanted to say that he chose it himself, but he didn't like the follow-up question that line of discussion entailed. Namely, what his 'real' name was, or why he didn't go by it. In the silence, the two of them looked happy. Caution was more comfortable than vulnerability.

As he waited for her permission to use magic on her, she eased the formalities by making a light joke. Flash's face would melt into a soft expression, chuckling quietly behind a growing smile as he shot her a brief look. He could think of a few snarky responses that floated to mind, but he didn't want to jest too much. She was likely trying to diffuse the tension, and it wouldn't make her any less tense if he started teasing. Perhaps the look alone was enough to convey his thoughts on the matter-- that a dream with her in it could not be all that terrible.

"Relax." He said instead, the smile glued to his features as he continued onto performing the spell. "Ferula."

The bandages wrapped the injury, and she thanked him, meaning all was well. During his first year he had no confidence in his casting at all, preferring to rely on his physical strength. As he experienced the reality of what living in a magical society meant, he quickly started focusing on becoming better at it. He had fumbled the spell when he tried to attack the shadow creature in the basements, hitting Miss Koko instead, or when Dmitri started attacking him after his dueling match, and he hadn't been able to aim his spell properly to disarm him. A sign there was still much room for improvement when it came to stressful situations. In a calm one like this, however, he had no worries.

His idle return to memories was halted when she asked after his house, either hoping or anticipating that he was one of the flock. "No, sadly." He said it reflexively, even though the echo of the words reverberated painfully in his head. Val had been a Ravenclaw, it had always been a house he respected and admired beyond him though. It wasn't as though he hated Val now... well, the feeling was too fresh and complex to dissect. The words just felt like a stranger to him, no longer as true as they had been.

Shaking his head to banish the confusion and re-focus, Flash was still knelt beside her as he tucked his wand away again. "I live in the other direction, down in the dungeons. I would infinitely prefer to be staying in a tower." Flash was honest, light-hearted, making eye contact. He was in a good mood now, it seemed. "Is that where you're headed? Would you mind if I kept you company?"

Flash paused only for a moment before standing up and offering his hand to help her up as well. That was how he always spoke, removing pretense by posing it as a favor she would be doing for him. The truth was, she had made him smile, and he wanted to grasp that joy firmly.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt

For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15

6 Oct 2021, 10:24

Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean
I was right then. The girl nodded when Flash confirmed he was indeed not from Ravenclaw. “That’s a shame, Slytherin is lucky to have you then.” She said with a smile. “Not so lucky about the common room though,” she agreed thoughtfully. Unlike some, Eun-ji had nothing against Slytherin students but she always thought their common room was not the best situated one. The Ravenclaw tower on the other hand…well it was a sight to behold. “Still...Ours does have its disadvantages as you can see." She also remembered the shadow monster attack last year. Going down the stairs hurt while dragging another injured person wasn't exactly easy. It wouldn't be easy today either but she could do it. She was just putting on a clean pair of socks, not particularly eager to put on any shoes at the moment. Even if the pain was nearly gone thanks to the spell, the wound was still there.

"Is that where you're headed? Would you mind if I kept you company?" The witch looked up somewhat surprised. He made it sound like request but who would ever willingly climb up those stairs without having a proper reason? Nevertheless the ballerina had to admit Flash's delivery made it much easier to accept the help and she knew better than to blow his cover. "Eager for some exercise yourself then?" She said instead while grabbing the offered hand for support as she stood up. "Thank you." This one was genuine. He did his job and could have just left without any regrets yet he chose to stay. The Ravenclaw had to admit it was nice to have someone there to support you without as much as scratching your protective wall. It took some skill to do that. Perhaps we are more similar than it may seem. She wondered. “Ah…sorry I forgot…” The witch looked at his hand that was now dirty thanks to her. Without much thought, she pulled out a wet wipe from her bag and cleaned her hands before grabbing a new one and gently cleaning the dirt from his. “There…much better.” Now they were both smelling like lavender. She just hoped the boy didn’t mind.

Smiling, Eun-ji grabbed her everyday shoes and put them neatly in her bag. Then she picked up the pointe shoes tied their laces and let them hang on her right shoulder. Contrary to popular belief, they were not that heavy and there was nowhere else to put them anyway. “Won’t I be keeping you from something important though? Didn’t you have any plans before I so very gracefully brought you here?” She did appreciate his offer but she wanted to make sure he wasn’t supposed to be somewhere else first. The climb wouldn’t be short and she had to be extra careful today so it might take a while.

Interacting with: @Flash Holmwood

“There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this” -Merlin

iNPC: Ye-jun Lee

16 Oct 2021, 00:54

Flash felt charmed by the girl's behavior and speech, he was just as weak to flattery and politeness as ever. He found the banter between them flowed easily, like a leaf having fallen upon a stream and being whisked along. Eun-ji must have been raised at least somewhat similarly to him-- taught how to behave in front of others, how to be amenable. It was comforting, like wrapping a blanket around himself in the otherwise cold and painful world.

"Please, you mustn't flatter me too much." Flash said with a bashful smile. If he was being honest, he would agree with her. Slytherin didn't deserve someone as hard working and magnanimous as he, but one must remain humble. "It is a terribly long trek. I suppose nothing exists without a downside."

To his suggestion, Eun-ji looked genuinely surprised, enough that he worried he might have been a bit too bold. His confidence paid off though, as she accepted. He was glad, a connection could never really be made if the interest was one-sided, it would have been regrettable for the impromptu acquaintance to end so swiftly.

Feeling good about himself, as well as eager to pry further, he was prevented from speaking at length when she stopped abruptly, as though she had forgotten something. She apparently had some kind of cloth to clean her hands off, some Muggle alternative to Scourgify. Briefly looking at his own hands, curious to whether he might offend, he was taken completely off guard when she took them, carefully dotting away any remnants of grime.

Flash was struck speechless, his heart promptly lifting to his throat, preventing any noise. He watched in awe, surprised at how deeply sentimental it made him feel. It was so gentle, so soft. With his hands in hers, the wipe would caress the comparatively rough edges of his otherwise polished appearance. His hands had spent hours in practice, in football and Quidditch, seen countless back breaking chores in the stables, threw punches, been stabbed clean through. He wondered when the last time was that someone handled him so delicately.

As she finished, he smelled the lasting hint of lavender, which overcame his senses like a spell being cast on him. He couldn't remain distracted for too long, he didn't want to ruin what he had left of a good impression. He cleared his throat, laughing quietly, nervously, in hopes it would conceal the memories of tragedy written on his face.

"Thank you." He said, trying to return to the same bright smile he had before, from the haunted daze he found himself in. Luckily, she was grabbing her things, so he had time to gather himself before she was back at his side. "Not at all. I was only just checking the dueling roster. Ahead of me lay either study or reading for pleasure, both of which will still be available in the evening."

While a more technically accurate answer would have included his newfound interest in her, he had still spoken the truth. It would be hard to explain how much he enjoyed learning about people without coming off as a creep. Better to let it become self-evident naturally over time. With that, he would motion to the door, offering his arm for her to lean on like a boy scout helping an old lady across the street.

"You're in my year, aren't you? Do you figure we have any classes together?" Flash would be looking into her eyes as he spoke, intent on seizing the opportunity to learn more.

@Eun-ji Lee Hunt

For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15

16 Oct 2021, 13:54

Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean
It appeared Flash was not good with compliments either. Eun-ji always struggled with those herself, though she never had a problem giving them. “I just give credit where credit is due.” She retorted with a gentle smile. It was an honest statement. While she didn’t find it hard to praise someone, she also wouldn’t give compliments freely. She was not a person who would flatter others without reason.

“See, even your hands tell a story of a hard worker,” the witch said later as she was gently cleaning them. The boy seemed stiff and it made her wonder, whether she made a mistake. Perhaps she should have just used Scourgify. After all, it was she, who mentioned the spell not too long ago. However for most part, the girl was living her life the muggle way and it often showed in her actions. Especially when she didn’t think about it too much, which she clearly didn’t this time. Hopefully, Flash didn’t find her too strange. Well, what’s done is done. It would be more awkward if she interrupted her movement and opted to go for the spell instead. He might think she didn’t like the roughness of his hands, which wasn’t the case at all. On the contrary. They were much bigger than hers and as she said earlier, it was obvious he was doing his best in whatever he was doing. Is he a Quidditch player? She didn’t go to see Quidditch matches all that often so she couldn’t recall. Perhaps she should go next time. Now that she thought about it, her father had soft hands. He took great care of them since he was a surgeon but her grandpa had hands like these. He was constantly working in the garden and enjoyed wood carving as well yet he was still so gentle. Eun-ji missed the old man. What was to happen to his garden now?

The young Ravenclaw nearly slipped back into her sadness when a sound of nervous laughter brought her back to reality. Was Flash embarrassed by her gesture? It was very much possible and so she decided to give him some space and pack her things instead. "Not at all. I was only just checking the duelling roster. Ahead of me lay either study or reading for pleasure, both of which will still be available in the evening." At least she didn’t ruin his plans then. He also liked reading, which was a passion she shared with the boy and it made her smile. She wasn’t sure why... plenty students liked reading so it shouldn’t have been such important piece of information. I wonder what kind of books he reads... Eun-ji caught herself being curious once again. “Ah…I was thinking of joining the duelling club this year. I don’t think I would be a good addition to the team though.” It was only partly true. She was interested in the club for some time and she was self-conscious about joining but it was her evil grandmother that pushed her to sign up this year. She reflected on her actions for a moment. Was she being rebellious or did she just pretend to be in order to mask her cowardice?

Just as she finished the thought and gathered all of her stuff, she noticed the offered hand. Now it was her turn to feel shy. Eun-ji wasn’t used to physical contact with strangers beyond shaking hands. Sylvain tried to teach her hugging was a normal thing among friends but was not entirely successful in doing so. It was her Korean upbringing that made her feel that way. Affection was simply shown differently in her family, save her mother of course. This was not a gesture of affection however. The girl had to remind herself. He was just offering help as any other person would. I would do the same. Still, she had a feeling there was a slight blush on her face as she accepted his arm. “Thank you.” She made sure to express her gratitude. Eun-ji had friends, who were boys…probably more than she had girlfriends actually. So why did this feel so different? She decided not to ponder about it too much to avoid embarrassing herself in front of Flash. Thankfully, soon enough, there was another question coming her way and so she had something else to focus on.

“Yes, I am,” she confirmed as they walked towards the door. The injury didn’t really bother her too much thanks to the spell but she was still careful, fully aware of the fact that the damage was there even if she couldn’t feel it. “I’m sure we do. I thought you looked quite familiar so I probably seen you in class. I just tend to focus on the lesson and forget the surroundings so I couldn’t recall your name.” After all, how would she keep her outstanding results if she didn’t. “What is your favourite class?” She asked curiously. Eun-ji thought it could tell a bit about one’s character. Not always of course, some people simply tended to like classes that came naturally to them but often it could reveal their passion as well. She wasn’t sure what the charms bit said about her but she did enjoy Potions, Herbology and recently the Care of magical creatures. These she knew came from her curiosity of healing potions her mother showed her and her love for animals. Of course, the witch liked most of her other classes as well but these she was always looking forward to.

Interacting with: @Flash Holmwood

“There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this” -Merlin

iNPC: Ye-jun Lee