Unidentified Flying Compact PV Nikolai Finished

Date: 10/13/22 | Language: Russian / English | iNPC: Nikolai 'Kolya' Ryzhkov
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─────A week had already come and gone and Kolya still didn't feel anymore settled than when they had first arrived. Any semblance of an attempt at getting some vague form of a routine in place always seemed to find itself interrupted in one form or another. Though, he could only assume that was par for the course when seven schools were expected to occupy the same spaces for weeks at a time. A little dash of chaos here and there was bound to ensue. This was Hogwarts, after all.

Thinking to at least try and take advantage of the little free time afforded, the young Russian had found himself out at the training pitch with the intent of getting at least a little bit of airtime in. Focusing on some rather tame maneuvers at one end of the pitch, throwing in a few laps at speed just to feel as if he did something productive, Kolya primarily used it as an excuse to just get away from it all for a little while. Something about being atop a broom, however high, was relaxing. Helped him to focus his otherwise constant stream of thoughts.

Practice was something he’d been particularly lax on as of late with all of the happenings going on. As he drifted through the air, Kolya found his gaze unwittingly pulled once more to the towering castle. To say he was a little nervous about the Hexwizard Tournament would be the understatement of the century. Without even touching on the fact that it was hosted by Hogwarts of all schools, he already felt a little pressure as the youngest on the team. Potentially of the entire tournament. The worry of letting his team down had so far outweighed the potential, and probably very real possibility, of getting a beat down from any number of older kids. It’d probably be fine, though. What could go wrong?

Having just touched back down on the grass a few moments prior to go through a rather uncoordinated series of stretches, a remarkably clear English voice rings out from nearby and jolts Kolya from that unpleasant spiral of thoughts. The first year lifts his head from where he found himself seated on the ground to spy a somewhat disheveled older boy looking his way. Very clearly a Hogwarts student, accent aside. Though his mother had started him on English rather early in life, to be continued in the various muggle schools he’d attended in his youth, he’d always been stronger in the reading and writing of the language. Speaking it, not so much as of yet. The visit to Scotland had helped a little, but he would certainly use all the practice he could get.

“Ah, little bit,” he replies with a slight wave of a hand, voice heavily accented through the high-pitched timbre that no doubt marked his age. Pushing himself back up to his feet, the Russian grabs hold of his broom and returns to craning his neck a little to look up at the boy. Among one of his first real interactions with a Hogwarts student, he remains just a tiny bit skeptical of the whole thing. There’ve been many a story passed around Koldovstoretz of Hogwarts, most of which were not entirely pleasant. Kolya’s quiet for half a second as he tries to parse through what exactly it is he’s asking. Apparently he lost something green? “No, didn’t see. But I can…help look?” he offers hesitantly.

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @George Henry
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

"Little bit will do, that's about as much as Hogwarts speaks," said George with a careless wave of his hand. Some of the more Scottish students were barely comprehensible even to him, despite his comprehensive education in Glaswegian from his uncle. In an area as complex and varied as the UK and Ireland, accents and dialects could make it difficult to socialize when the student body was gathered from all over. It was a wonder any of the other schools functioned, considering they not only had different accents to contend with, but sometimes entirely different languages.

It was hard to get a read on someone when you couldn't dive right into conversation, but George had wanted to challenge himself a bit, and it never hurt to improve international relations during the Hexwizard. "Oh, cheers. Yeah, it's just about the size of my fist," he said, holding his hand out and squeezing a fist as he started leading the way out of the pitch proper and onto the grounds surrounding it. "It's a bit shiny - and if it's come open, it has a mirror on it, so it shuoldn't be too difficult to spot..."

George paused to make sure that Kolya was coming along with him, smiling cheerfully. "I'm George Henry, uh, I'm the captain of the Hufflepuff broom racing team. Oh, uh, Hufflepuff, we're the yellow ones with all the badgers on. Yellow and black. Look like a bunch of bumblebees on the track," he said, recalling how he had regarded the Hufflepuff crest when he first arrived at the school. None of the houses had an impressive mascot except for the lions. At Ilvermorny, they had four houses too, but all of them had decent mascots, not garden pests. "So do you go to Durmstrang then? I've never met anyone who went there. Are you here for the tournament? Like, are you on the team? Or are you one of their little brothers or something like that?"

Unfortunately, George had never even heard enough accents to properly gauge whether Nikolai belonged to the Durmstrang bunch or the Koldovstoretz gang. Not that one could gauge that from an accent, really. George took a moment to adjust his robes, bunching them up on his chest as a cool autumn breeze blew past. "Do you like Hogwarts so far?" he asked of his search buddy as he leaned back to look up into the branches of a small copse of trees, searching for his compact. "...Is that it up there?"

Date: 10/13/22 | Language: Russian / English | iNPC: Nikolai 'Kolya' Ryzhkov
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─────Well this day had certainly gone a direction he'd not anticipated. At least the older boy seemed amiable enough, animated as he were. Making note of the size of what can only be assumed as whatever it is that's been lost (green, size of a fist, got it...probably), Kolya watches for but a moment longer as the other boy starts off across the grass before trailing along after him. "I understand, I will look," he states once more with a faint smile, slinging the handle of the broom across his shoulder to avoid dragging the bristles across the ground. Better in the company of another than wandering around alone.

His head remains on a swivel as they walk, keeping an eye out for anything potentially out of the ordinary. Hogwarts itself not included. Kolya looks to the cheerful boy as he speaks, doing his best to follow along with the introduction. At mention of broom racing, though, he visibly perks up a little bit. A moment passes as he tries to find the words. “Good to meet, George Henry of Hufflinpuff. Nikolai Rhyzkov,” he introduces, using his free hand to indicate himself. He hesitates a moment. “Kolya to my friends.” The racing captain seemed alright so far, why not.

The broom is given a little wiggle. “I will also be on school race team. First year.” The revelation is followed up by a bright smile directed at the badger bee. At the next question, though, the smile sours into something more on the border of a distasteful grimace. It was a common mix up. But Durmstrang was far too overrated. They seemed so ridiculously full of themselves. Granted, he hadn’t had much personal experience with their students so far, but he’d certainly been privy to the sight of their little failed scuffle with the South American students at the welcoming feast. Entertaining to watch their attempts, if nothing else.

“Ah, no. Koldovstoretz. Much better than Durmstrang,” he adds, tacking on a smirk. “And yes, I am on the team for the, ah…tourney-ment.” Good enough. The declaration does have him doing his best to stand a little straighter as they walk, though with his diminutive height it likely doesn’t make all that much of a difference. Was he proud to represent his school? Absolutely. Was he nervous? Definitely. Was he possibly a little terrified? For sure. He was well aware he was among the youngest to be participating, if not the youngest, so he’d already mostly resigned himself to the fact that he was probably due for a couple beat downs from much older students. Character building.

The question prompts another glance about in search of their small green quarry, his gaze briefly resting on the castle looming in the distance, before looking back to George. “It is…interesting. Very different from Koldovstoretz. Much bigger. But food is almost as good as home.” He offers up a small shrug, jostling the broom a little. “This is first time out of Russia, all is still new. Have you traveled for the other schools?”

A thought suddenly strikes him. “Are you on Hogwarts team?” The question prompts a slightly more considering look from the young Russian. Was this some sort of ruse to scope out the competition? The Hufflepuff's question directed at the trees immediately distracts the boy, though. He cranes his neck to peer up into the branches, eyes squinting a bit. A beat passes before he mounts his broom float up and take a closer look. "I see nothing here, sorry," he announces a moment later as he returns to the ground. The broom resumes its original spot draped across his shoulders as they continue their search. "Are you excited? For Hexwizard?"

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @George Henry
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

"Thank you," the older boy said as they set off on their journey, listening to the foreign student as they went. The only students from abroad he had met before now actually weren't from abroad, having been shipped out of the country to avoid Hogwarts for one reason or another. That reason, of course, being the half-breed presence. George wasn't naive enough to believe anyone thought another school would offer a better education than Hogwarts... at least, not so much better they'd send their kids to Japan.

"It's, um... yeah, Hufflinpuff," George repeated back, deciding that was a stylish enough twist on the name to permit. He introduced himself with an intimidating name - George paused, nodding as he presented 'Kolya' as a simplified alternative. Aww - he thought they were friends! "Kolya! Good to meet you, Kolya."

And the boy was a broom racer? George had truly struck gold with his first foray into inter-school diplomacy. The bright smile was returned with an encouraging one of George's own as the older boy looked over the lad's broom, humming softly. Kolya's clarifying of which school he came from earned a thoughtful 'aah' from George, as if he had suspected as much. Of course he did. This child was much too pleasant to becoming from the rowdy crowd of Durmstrang.

"Yeah," George said, nodding in agreement. Not that he knew a thing about Koldovstoretz, really, but he at least knew they didn't have as dark of a reputation as Durmstrang. When the little man informed him that not only was he a broom racer, he was also on the tourney-ment team, George's jaw dropped. "You? Really? Wow! You- but you're so young, you must only be a first-year!"

The older boy paused, looking down over his nose at Kolya. George could sense insecurity in the air like blood in the water. While he did not often start fights, he liked to be able to finish them, with enough barbs to ensure that his opponent would be licking their mental wounds in therapy ten years down the line. And here was a perfect opportunity to sabotage the confidence of a member of the Koldov Hexwizard team... but he was so cute and helpful and liked broom racing. George wasn't a monster.

"That's really cool. A bunch of my friends are on the Hogwarts team... You must be so excited!" George said, beaming. He shook his head slightly when asked if he'd traveled at all. He wished he had. Maybe the next summer games would be hosted abroad, but London had the finest quidditch stadium on Earth as far as he knew, so that was unlikely. "No. I wish. I hadn't even left Scotland until I got accepted into Hogwarts. I live in the middle of nowhere..."

'Middle of nowhere' was relative, George realized, as he had no idea where exactly Koldovstoretz was meant to be. Russia, evidently, as Kolya explained that he had never been outside of that country before. It must've been strange to come to Scotland of all places for such a prestigious event. "Did you go to London before you came here? Like, did you see Diagon Alley? You have to go if you haven't, it's amazing."

The boys pause as Kolya gets aloft on his broom to check the tree. "No, I'm not. I considered signing up, but... I dunno, I'm already taking like, eight classes, plus tutoring, plus broom racing, plus... you know, everything. I don't have any time." It wasn't his crippling fear of failure and humiliation, obviously. "That's alright. We can keep looking. Yeah! I'm really excited... I just hope... nothing bad happens. You know- oh, you... you know what happened during the Triwizard, right? Like, back in the nineties."

Date: 10/13/22 | Language: Russian / English | iNPC: Nikolai 'Kolya' Ryzhkov
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─────The incredulous exclamation at the revelation he was to be on the Hexwizard team instantly prompts a deep flush to bloom across his cheeks. Kolya sends the older boy a half-hearted glare as they walk. The blushing doesn't do much to help in any vague form of intimidation. "W-...yes. I am first year," he confirms in a flustered huff. He tries to make himself seem a little taller as they walk, ineffective as it may be. It's the effort that counts. Maybe. "Proud to serve Koldovstoretz on team still."

He's well aware that under perhaps better circumstances, he would be nowhere near the list of students chosen for the team. However..."Not many choices. Many older students lost in attack on visit here some time ago," he adds, glancing briefly up at the castle looming in the distance. The boy had already been boarding at the Russian school for a couple months when the students that had travelled abroad returned. Some, at least. While he hadn't personally known any of the students that had lost their lives in the attack, he'd certainly seen the aftermath of those who had. It was hard to forget something like that. "Some not want to take risk."

Kolya allows himself to be dragged from the musings as George continues on, silently grateful to move beyond the subject. He gives the older boy another appraising look at the information. The corners of his mouth tick up into a partially restrained smile. "I will do best to not hurt them too bad in tasks." A little false bravado usually never hurt, especially when it was very likely to be the exact opposite. "But am excited still, yes. Good to meet other schools even if in battle."

The boy nods along to George's answer, letting out a soft hum of acknowledgement. He'd lived in a lot of middle of nowhere's growing up with how often his mother had them moving around, so it was certainly a familiar notion. Though, he supposed living on a secluded lake island wasn't much better. The questions prompt a shake of his head. "No, we came just here through portkey. Kind of, uh...lame?" He would readily admit to being a little disappointed that they didn't have some stylish method of travel with which to to really make an entrance, but he knew the logistics simply made it easier to take a simple portkey. "Will have visit this 'Diagon Alley' some day," he states, purposefully sounding out the name. Sounds like a weird place. "What is?"

The explanation is certainly a sound one. Kolya can commiserate. Though he already had time to acclimate to actually being at Koldovstoretz, having boarded there since before his 10th birthday, the adjustment was still nearly overwhelming. It felt like he was constantly training or in lessons most days, and that's without broom racing tacked on top of it all. "That is fair, school can be very busy time. Some time fun, but busy." Usually just annoyingly busy, but some strange souls enjoy that.

The abrupt shift to the events of the tournament's predecessor draws Kolya's gaze back to George, somewhat wide-eyed. Please don't jinx it. He'd certainly heard talk of the...happenings surrounding the Triwizard tournament from nearly 30 years ago. It was something he tried to not think too hard on going into this tournament now. Surely they had no dark wizards using it for any nefarious deeds this time around. Telling himself as much helped him sleep only slightly better at night. "Ah, yes..." he mumbles, free hand lifting to scratch nervously at his jaw. "I hope so too. I do not wish to see any harm happen to any one like that. Hope guardings are better this time." He leaves his doubts about as much on Hogwarts grounds unspoken. "Do you...think some thing will happen?"

In an attempt to distract himself from spiraling into thoughts he generally tries to avoid, Kolya casts another searching glance about. This small green thing they were searching for was surprisingly elusive. Squinting at small cluster of bushes just past George, his head tilts slightly to the side in consideration as he tries to determine if the faint glimmer within was just a trick of the light. Hard to tell in the from this distance. "Is your...lost thing in there?" he queries, gesturing to the bushes with a brief nod.

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @George Henry
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

George can't help but giggle as Kolya puffs himself up, stifling his laughter to not embarrass the young boy too much as they go. Good for Durmstrang to have such brave first-years. At least Kolya was willing to puff up and put on his brave face when there were so many at Hogwarts who would never have taken the risk... especially considering the historical tragedy.

He remembered hearing about the attack on the Koldovstoretz students, although he never considered the loss would be so great as to leave them with no viable champions from the upper years. Despite the target painted on the backs of Hogwarts students, they could at least say that in terms of casualties, they got off easy. In terms of cursings, however, they took the lead. The older boy could think of nothing to say about the attacks. This was no time for sympathy.

"Don't hold back. They won't," George advised, with a playful smirk. Though he did not intend to take the wind out of Kolya's sails, he wasn't about to let his school get trash talked. "Yeah. I don't really have any friends from the other schools... to be honest, I expected you guys to be a bit weird. The first ones who came here were Ilvermorny, and they're a bunch of rich jerks."

Had he ever met a student from Ilvermorny? No. But they dressed well, were largely pure-blooded, and his major association with them was the disaster of the Masquerade Ball in his first year, so they would have to live with that stained legacy until he was proven wrong. Or until he met a student from Castelobruxo, who could define new heights of richness and jerkhood.

"That is lame," George said, with a scoff. All the pomp and fanfare of the Hexwizard and they weren't even taking their students on a tour of wizarding Britain? At least the sports teams got to see the London stadium, he supposed. "Oh, it's like a this really cool, packed alley of shops - like, Ollivander's is there, that's where we get our wands, they've got this excellent ice cream parlor - oh, Madam Malkin's, she's got great clothes... oh, it's great. You'll have to go there if you can. Hogsmeade is nice, but Diagon Alley is really... alive!"

For someone of such humble beginnings, George had really developed a passion for shopping since he entered the wizarding world, and Diagon Alley was the most exciting place in the world to be when you had a pocket full of galleons.

The older boy stopped in his tracks as he realized he'd broached a bit too sensitive of a topic for the young contestant. In his mind, a repeat of the events of the Triwizard was unthinkable. Surely wizards weren't stupid enough to let an attack like that happen twice, right? But Kolya's own uncertainty was mirrored in George. The guardings were no better. In fact, from what he'd read, they were substantially worse.

"...Maybe," George admitted, after a few moments of hesitation. Something could happen. He fidgeted and felt at the sides of his robes, finding where his wand was in his pocket, just to assure himself of its presence. "But- everyone is ready, this time. All of us, I mean. If anything happens- I mean, really happens- we'll help each other. Or at least I will."

There was an awkward beat where George furrowed his brow, wondering if his intent was clear in that reassurance, but things soon moved back to George's compact. "Huh? Oh," George said, ambling toward the bushes and sidling around them in search of a way to negotiate them without diving headlong in. After a few moments, he gives up and dives headlong in, reaching out and grasping blindly into the depths of the bush. "Ow! I think something bit me... hold on... I think that's it!"

With a triumphant tumble, George's head rose from the bush with a crown of leaves atop it. He thrust out his hand, revealing the pale green compact clutched in his fist. With a click, he flipped it open, examining himself in the mirror as a small puff zoomed out to apply powder to his face. Shooing it back into its case, George snapped the compact shut, trapping the pallet within once again. "Hey, you've got a good eye! If you weren't in broom racing, I bet you'd be a seeker. Or, you know... whatever the one who catches the snitch is called."

He opened up his bag, dropping the compact in and reaching in to root around for a moment before pulling out a small and slightly squashed piece of bubble gum. Drooble's best blowing gum, of course. "For your trouble," he said, tossing the piece in Kolya's direction. "You're a lifesaver."

Date: 10/13/22 | Language: Russian / English | iNPC: Nikolai 'Kolya' Ryzhkov
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─────The young Russian returns the smirk with one of his own. "I hope they do not. Good match is good match, win or no." Kolya was well aware their small school may be a little outmatched by their Scottish opponents here in this first task. The little he's read so far about the tournament constantly alluded to as much, mixed in amongst all of the decidedly unsavory things some sources had to say about the other school. So long as Koldovstoretz put up a hard fight, he'd be happy enough for now.

George's point about his expectations was certainly relatable. "I understand," he replies with an empathetic nod. "You are much nicer for Hogwarts than I was told. Good surprise." He tried to think back to that dinner the first night they had arrived. "Do not think I met any from Ilvermorning yet but sounds right. Americans," he states, as if that were explanation enough. And it very well might be. Only time would really tell. For now, though, he certainly wasn't going to hold his breath.

Kolya listens intently as George talks about the shops in this alley place. The ardor with which the other boy spoke of the place certainly went a long way to pique his interest that much more. "It sounds like fantastic place if you enjoy so much. If I am in London for any thing, will definitely visit." He hadn't been to Hogsmeade yet either so he had no real idea what to potentially expect of it, but he made a mental note to make sure to find time to visit at some point. Perhaps it would give him something of a common ground with more Hogwarts students if he actually knew what it was.

The momentary silence that descends sits rather heavy. The first year can almost see the thoughts churning in the older boy's features as he watches a moment longer before looking down at his feet. Kolya idly watches the grass flatten under each footfall until George's voice speaks up once more. Without realizing he was moving the boy looked back at the Hufflepuff almost immediately, as if seeking out any small sliver of reassurance.

It wasn't quite the response he was hoping for, but he at least appreciated the honesty. Kolya musters a small, though genuine, smile at the brief promise. "Much appreciated, George of Hufflinpuff. I will do best to help as well if I can. You will be safe while I am there," he adds to try and lighten the mood once more, subtle smile shifting into an impish smirk. He tops it off with raising one weak noodle arm and giving what may have been a flex for good measure. Very intimidating, no doubt.

Coming to a halt as George moves to investigate the bushes, the boy shifts his grip on the broom as he lets it hang from both hands before him. Kolya doesn't bother to hide the loud snort of amusement at the exclamation of something potentially biting him within the leafy confines. The wide grin remains as George pops up victorious, leafy crown and compact both intact. He debates mentioning the leaves in his hair, but he...probably knew, right? "Thank you. I have eyes of goose," he announces proudly with no hesitation. "Very good at finding things." The Quidditch talk mostly goes over his head. He's spied the school team out and about on practices, but hasn't really taken the time to learn too much about the sport.

Kolya watches curiously as the other boy roots around in his bag, standing on his tiptoes a little to try to feed his curiosity and peek inside. He drops back onto his heels abruptly when George finds whatever it is he was searching for. Whatever it is is suddenly tossed his way. Startled, the boy nearly drops his broom as he releases one hand to scramble to catch it. It bounces off his palm a couple times, and his face once, before he manages to actually get a grip. Maybe seeker was not his calling after all.

Holding it out before him, Kolya examines the gum for a moment before looking to George. "Thank you, no trouble to help look. This was...fun." He was a little shocked by it himself, to be honest. "Happy we found your, ah, puff powder." He slips the piece of gum into a pocket as subtly as he could manage, intent on savoring the gift sometime later on his own. Swinging his broom up to rest it behind his neck and across his shoulders, the Russian rests both arms across the handle as casually as he can manage. Like a tiny scarecrow. "I hope to race with you some day. I will be sure to win," he declares with a grin.

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𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉: @George Henry
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

"Huff-le-puff," George said as he picked the twigs and leaves out of his hair, tracing each syllable with a wave of the compact in his hand. Smoothing out his hair, content that it was bug-free and without any plant debris, he circled back to the grim assurance he had given Kolya. Something about it never sat right with him... he did not want Nikolai to be a hero. That never ended well. "I understand you're on the tournament team and all, but... you know, just... take care of yourself, don't worry about me. But that doesn't matter. It's only maybe. There'll be more security, anyhow... six schools instead of three. Seven, if you count that one who's only coming to watch."

The older boy put on a hopeful smile, chuckling at his last comment. He dismissed the topic with a little wave of his hand to clear it from the air. "...Eyes of goose?" George repeated belatedly, looking down at Nikolai. Maybe geese were like hawks in Russia? The older boy nodded knowingly for fear of looking ignorant. "Ah, yeah. I can tell."

The little piece of candy evaded Nikolai for a surprising amount of time as he unintentionally played keep-up with it, slapping it off his palm whenever he went for it. It would have been a great performance if it had been intentional, but it was a lovely show either way. "Hands of goose too," George said, snickering.

"That stuff is my favorite - they sell it at Honeydukes. I can send you more when you go back to Russia if you want!" George offered, smiling even as elsewhere in the castle his overworked owl felt a chill run down his spine. "That would be the farthest I've ever sent my owl - he'll be thrilled."

A clack accompanied the opening of George's compact, and he raised it high up to check in his hair, glancing at Kolya as he smooths his lovely brown locks into the right shape. Ugh - he was so greasy after he went for flying practice. "Yeah - who doesn't love a little scavenger hunt? Next time I see you practicing at the pitch I'll pitch this thing out over the castle and see if you can find it," he offered, clapping the compact closed and tossing it in the air to catch again. He slipped it safely into a pocket where it would await the next opportunity to make him beautiful.

"It was really good to meet you! Buuut if you're ever racing against me... you're going down, Kolya." George said, his face darkening with a malevolent smirk. But he couldn't hold it for long, covering his mouth as he broke into giggles again. "Whatever. I gotta go get cleaned up before dinner time. Good luck in the tournament! And if you need me, write George Henry."