CL (Un)welcome back! PV Vessa & Cam Part 1/3

Interacting with @Ava Winchect & @Caoimhe Kyle

The Holidays had been splendid. Caoimhe, her best friend, has eagerly been invited to her Manor (thankfully Dagger and her father were both working, so she received a warm welcome, which was quite unusual for their usual cold welcome). They had spent their holidays exploring the forests, talking with Ambrose about how the Ministry was shaping - and of course, sampling delicious cakes from Mother. Splendid was the perfect word for it.

Now, after having a lazy breakfast, Duvessa cursed herself for not being able to get in early - and find a luxery compartment to herself. So, she linked arms with Cai and peered into the 5th Compartment (the rest had been full). To Duvessa's shock, it was nearly empty. Well, apart from one girl.

Winchect.

Fear flooded in quickly. Duvessa was not accustomed to this, as usually she had perfect control over herself. But now, she couldn't help it. She was standing face to face with...well, a murderer. Nearly one, but what was the difference?

She tried to convey all the thoughts to Cai, because she had remembered that girl from her first few months at Hogwarts. She and another girl were sent off to St. Mongo's, probably criminally insane.She breathed in carefully, and attempted to (clumsily) make this situation tactful.
"Er....Cai? Perhaps we should find a compartment to ourselves?" She asked delicately, refusing to meet the girls eyes.

Word Count: 229

Duvessa's mother, her aunt, and her cousins all lived in the enormous Ember Mansion, where Caoimhe was invited to spend the holidays this year. It was at this time that Caoimhe made some of the most treasured memories of her life.

Even Caoimhe's family, consisting primarily of her mother, Collin, Finlay and Arron, had arrived via floo-flame in order to pay a visit and partake in the holiday festivities; everyone seemed to get along rather well with one another. Her brothers got along well with Duvessa's cousins, Than and Silas, while Arron kept to himself but made advances toward Essa's cousin, Ambrose. Undoubtedly, the moms of the two Slytherins conversed about mundane topics related to motherhood, and as a result, they came to be almost as close to one another as Caoimhe and Duvessa were. Caoimhe broke her diet sampling some of Duvessa's mother's cakes, and Caoimhe's mother was allowed to use the Ember's large kitchen to cooked up several Caribbean and French cuisines for the entire family to try. Everyone was happy and stuffed from feasts.

To say the least, the holidays were perfect. Caoimhe felt like a true Pureblood while residing in Duvessa's lavish, enormous mansion. It wasn't that Caoimhe despised their modest seaside home; it simply felt small. It reminded her of her grandparents' estate, which resembled a miniature Hogwarts, but in comparison was dull and lifeless without the laughing of the children and teenagers like Duvessa's home. For Caoimhe, this was the kind of place she'd never want to leave. But alas, their vacation time was soon ending, and the girls had to return to Hogwarts by train straightaway. Yet, their mothers would arrange to meet up the following weekend. Caoimhe scoffed at the idea thinking it to be lame.

The time it took the girls to pack up their belongings was the main reason they missed their train. They'd barely make it to the loading platform where they'd say their goodbyes, and as the girls entered arms interlocked they could easily see this cart was certainly at its capacity.

Duvessa led the way, but her temperament changed when she made unintentional eye contact with a pupil sitting in an unoccupied cart. Caoimhe became perplexed and bent forward to see who it was, and was taken aback at the sight she witnessed. Ava Winchect; another Slytherin first-year student. But this wasn't just any first year; this girl had a wicked reputation for attempting to take the life of one of Caoimhe's many acquaintances, Lucian.

Obviously, if the girl were insane, the Ministry would not allow her to return to Hogwarts. Caoimhe's only knowledge of the occurrence came from Lucian and Colin's explanations, which made no sense. But, Caoimhe acquired additional details during late-night gossip sessions with her roommate. Adya was approached by a deranged Thorn about her relationship with Asher Blackjack, and Caoimhe recalled hearing Thorn's name in Lucian's near-murder story. Caoimhe concluded that Thorn was deranged and that Ava was merely a pawn in her "game."

It was all so muggle...using a knife when they wield magic? This was the bit that astounded Caoimhe the most. However, she was as quick to judge as she was to analyze. Analyze thoroughly, that is. Every narrative has three sides, but Ava's was especially perplexing. Caoimhe's mind gnawed at the lack of knowledge, demanding explanations for all the missing gaps while hungering for revenge against her friend, or rather a friend of a friend.

Caoimhe desired to dismiss this witch or shame her for her deeds, yet she additionally longed to fathom her behavior. Grasp the motivation, comprehend why the Ministry opted for her return to the school, and understand the alleged psychopath's state of mind.

Caoimhe managed to give Duvessa's shoulder a gentle, comforting squeeze and sighed, "I don't think we have a choice but to sit here. It'll be okay,"

They were witches after all; duelists matter of fact, and several months of practice by the lake made Caoimhe quite an expert with her wand. It wasn't to say that Ava wasn't just as competent with her wand after watching her combat @Avery Leveret, but her lack of practice during her time at St. Mungo's would certainly give Duvessa and Caoimhe the advantage in a battle.

Unless she brought a knife.

Caoimhe attempted to conceal her warped sense of humor with a smirk, but felt guilty about harboring such terrible thoughts. Obviously, it would be amusing if her brothers were present to hear her joke, but they weren't, so Caoimhe remained silent while staring at the witch.

"Is this seat occupied?" Caoimhe inquired with a smirk, not truly caring what the answer would be as she gestured for Duvessa to take a seat. Between the feeling someone at her rear waiting to find their seat once they sat and attempting to assert control over the situation, Caoimhe didn't wait for an answer either.

Caoimhe desired answers and saw this as the ideal opportunity to obtain them; she even had a backup plan in place, and another duelist at her side if things went awry.

@Ava Winchect, @Duvessa Ember

April 16, 2023

Ava didn’t want be on the train ride alone, but she also didn’t want to seem needy. She had been alone for too long. She hadn’t been freed to do what she wished since forever. Was it too much to ask that the girls would sit by her? Maybe it was. Maybe she deserved it for all the horrible things she had done and said. But would she accept that punishment like she had accepted all the others? No. She would have to take days by the reins and steer it herself. Clearly, it couldn’t be trusted to give her a happy future.

“Wait.” One word. That’s all she said, but it could get the attention of a crowd. “Please, don’t leave.” Ava closed her eyes. She was sounding needy again. “The rest of the train is full, and you’ll need somewhere to sit. My compartment is the only one empty.” Logic. She could use logic to get them to sit with her. The explanation made sense, but the face she was making didn’t. She looked desperate, ready to do whatever to not end up alone. And she would. She was prepared to do whatever it took to get a full—even semi-full—compartment.

She wished she had a hood to tug over her eyes, but she was dressed up in her Slytherin robes. The robes were ballooned out around her, and she hastened to tug them closer to her. Not that the girls would probably sit next to her, but she didn’t want to be rude and send off the message that they couldn’t sit by her. Or maybe they wouldn’t sit down at all. She grabbed her neck, fidgeting with the necklace Crystal had given her. To remind her who she was at her core. She wasn’t mean, heartless and cold. No, she was kind, loving and empathetic. She just didn’t have the best ways of showing it. The necklace was a silver stingray on a silver chain, and it weighed heavy against her neck despite how light it actually was.

@Duvessa Ember and @Caoimhe Kyle

Interacting with @Ava Winchect & @Caoimhe Kyle

Luckily for her, Cai always was at hand.
"I don't think we have a choice but to sit here. It'll be okay," She said, squeezing Duvessa's shoulder gently. So, Duvessa breathed freely and moved slightly to the furthest seat possible. Suddenly, someone spoke - Ava did.
"Wait." Why had she said it? Does she want to....?
"Please don't leave." Ava spoke again, and Duvessa began to move with slightly more confidence. She began saying that they should probably sit here, and she was right.
"Well, er, ok." Duvessa fumbled, putting on her intimidating air on at once. Eyes narrowed and slightly more alert (as she always was in the mornings) and sat down heavily. After an awkward pause, she dived into her bag, searching for her train snack that her Aunties had given her and Cai.

Finally, after what seemed to be hours, she found a small, colorful box labelled "Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans" and she open it with a riiipppp. Then, she casually offered one to Cai.
"Bet I won't get Vomit this time," She joked, hoping to ease the atmosphere and giggled as she remembered the time when she and Cai had been eating them in the holidays and she stumbled on one on the most disgusting flavors: Vomit.

Suddenly, she sensed that she was being untactful. So, still slightly suspicious and mind racing at 10000 miles an hour, she offered one to Ava. Her hands were steady and she shifted her gaze from Cai to the girl in front of them.

DATE ┊ 04/16/23-----STYLE ┊ outfit & hair-----MENTIONS ┊ @Duvessa Ember & @Ava Winchect-----WC ┊ -/200
-----ENGLISH ┊ "words"-----FRENCH ┊ "words"-----ARABIC ┊ "words"

-----Her hazel eyes narrowed in suspicion, and she arched an eyebrow in response to what Ava uttered; was she going to dismiss Caoimhe's query about sitting with her with her childish, whiny pleas? Her hazel eyes squinted cynically, exchanging questioning looks with Duvessa. How pathetic; from a Slytherin too!  

Caoimhe rolled her eyes and scooted over to sit next to Duvessa with a dejected and annoyed sigh. The girl with the dark hair was not a fool to fall for the attempts of manipulation or pity from the other girl. "Sure, whatever," was all she could respond to the cries of the girl.

Her outward look did not accurately reflect how she felt on the inside since she was still searching for explanations as to why the girl had attempted to kill someone. Caoimhe acted this way to make it clear that she was not willing to have her boundaries crossed, or to suggest right off the bat 'fuck around and find out.'

Caoimhe placed one of the red-colored jellybeans into her mouth after she watched Duvessa open a bag of jellybeans, hoping that the flavor was not blood or some other revolting flavour. She made a humming sound and remarked, "Yum.. cherry." She refrained from having another in the event that her good fortune did not continue, and instead chose to postpone eating until after she had arrived at Hogwarts.

"So, why did you do it?" She addressed Ava with a statement that was brief but to the point. When she tapped her book, which was resting on her lap, the sound of her nails made a clanking effect. She crossed her legs and stared her down with a hardened gaze, trying to unlock secrets Ava possessed. 

Ava had no idea what the two girls before her were thinking. Were they laughing at her, pitying her, ridiculing her? It wasn’t like she had a way to tell, either. The only hint she had was a judgemental glance from…Cai, was it? That was what she had heard the other girl call her.

Ava’s pleas seemed to do nothing but up their suspicion. Both girls had turned on a sort of aura that told Ava that they were friends and they would not let her get in their way. It told her that they were higher than her, and could easily get her in trouble.

The train ride stretched into silence, and Ava did her best to not stare at the girls. It was difficult, though. She felt like the only person she had seen in the last few months was a ragged and unkempt Thorn. Did she seem unkempt to these girls? Rogue? Insane?

Silence no longer. A ripping sound filled the quiet compartment, and Ava did her best to peek at whatever was happening without seeming outwardly curious. She couldn’t tell what it was, other than a colorful box, until the unnamed girl spoke. "Bet I won't get Vomit this time," This seemed to be a joke the two girls shared. Ava’s shoulders loosened. She could do jokes, so long as they weren’t about her.

Ava tried not to stare at them, but it was hard to not want to be part of it. The unnamed girl seemed to realize that. She held the box out for Ava to take one. Ava smiled gratefully at the girl and was about to but the bean in her mouth when Cai spoke to her. "So, why did you do it?" Ava was shocked. So shocked, she mistakenly answered truthfully. "Honestly? He kept on pushing me around, calling me names and threatening to turn me. He gutted an entire pack of werewolves against me. When he threatened to turn me again, I got scared. I didn’t sleep at all that night, and I hadn’t been sleeping well before then. In my sleep-deprived state, I hastily made a decision without thinking of the impacts. I only saw how wrong it was after it was too late."

375/200

April 16th

@Duvessa Ember, @Caoimhe Kyle

Interacting with @Ava Winchect & @Caoimhe Kyle

To Duvessa's surprise, she accepted. Oh well, people loved sweets. She herself tucked a bean in her mouth and chewed with a thoughtful expression. Something sweet...ish..not hot or pepper - y. She chewed for a couple more seconds, before the sweety taste melted in her mouth. Blueberry. Her face relaxed into a smile.

The atmosphere was broken by Cai who asked why did she do it - and Duvessa certainly was interested. Trying her best to sound carefree and as if she was talking about the latest issue of 25 ways to mingle with muggles, she hid her alertness that she usually posessed. She stiffened as Ava responded quickly. She seemed to be scared, scared of a boy. Her expression turned to coldness. Calling her names? And she tried to kill him? Not very sensible, was it?
"Well, why didn't you ignore him? Pretend that he wasn't there? The best revenge is success." She quoted from her father, after many hours of talking to him about the troublesome times ages ago.

But brandishing a knife when she could just tell a Professor, maybe receive a couple detentions, was not worth it to Duvessa's opinion. She turned to Cai, wondering if her best friend would back her up.

Sun. 16th April 2023

┊--------------------A VENOMOUS ENCOUNTER--------------┊

London, Hogwarts Express

Enthusiasm for answers resulted in more information being provided to her than Caoimhe could literally have anticipated at the time. Before she and her friend Duvessa could exchange looks, her lips would open in astonishment. She had not anticipated the aloof social butterfly (Lucian) to be a werewolf, but knowing it so, she surmised that Lucian's companion, Colin McCoire, was likewise a werewolf as well. How many more friendly faces were beasts under the surface? How much more perceptive than Ava might have been in her response, and what would Caoimhe do with this knowledge continuing forward?

On whose side did Caoimhe desire to align with; that was another riddle that vexed her mind.

Upon further inquiry by Duvessa following Ava's response, Caoimhe raised her own perplexing questions: "What did you do to piss off a pack of a pack of werewolves? And why didn't you get the Head of Slytherin to help you?"

Initially, the girl contemplated this as she analyzed every word that escaped Ava's lips over and over again. However, as a primary recourse for instances of severe bullying, the Vipress considered either avoid acknowledging the behavior or seeking intervention from a member of the faculty was the only real solution. In cases where a girl was swayed to commit a homicide and has experienced such emotional distress, alternative courses of action may be more advisable and created much disbelief and disgust from the Wizard-born. Caoimhe wondered were Thorn's role in the incident, too. Her name was left out of the tale, but rumors told alternative theories. Was she too, a damsel in distress, or the masterful puppeteer of Ava's doing?

"And what about Thorn? What's her stake in this?"

WC ┊ 283/200

┊ CASUAL ATTIRE ┊ HAIRSTYLE ┊
┊ TAGS @Duvessa Ember & @Ava Winchect mentioning @Lucian Mornstern & @Colin McCoire┊
┊ ENGLISH #9b83a1 ┊ FRENCH #5c8890 ┊ ARABIC #5b8f89 ┊

Ava realized she was still holding the bean in her hand. She held it up to the light, examining the small green bean. While there were many good flavours that could be green, there were just as many bad. She ate it hesitantly, rolling it around on her tongue. It certainly wasn’t a bad flavour, but she didn’t enjoy it. Juicy pear, perhaps? She wasn’t sure, but refused to spit it out.

Ava was sure if Duvessa was trying to be helpful, offering the idea of just staying silent, as if that hadn’t already crossed Ava’s mind. “Believe me, I’ve thought about this so much lately that if there was a way around what I did, I would know.” Her eyes darkened, sleepless nights of remembering the event haunting her brain. Just in time to miss the glance exchanged by the two best friends.

While Duvessa seemed to want to know her motives, Caoimhe was puzzling over the story itself.

Ava looked out the window sadly. “I pissed a pack of werewolves by telling them it was cool that they were werewolves.” She realized that what she had just said sounded worse than it really was. “I didn’t bring it up though. Thorn did first.” Throw Thorn under the bus. Perfect. It obviously wasn’t Ava’s fault. Although it really wasn’t…

The idea of going to the head of slytherin made her laugh aloud. “Consider what you just said. If I went to the head of house, is Lucian just going to let me walk away? ‘Great, you told the head of house that I was a werewolf, that’s cool!’ After he’s threatened to turn who knows how many times? Great idea, Caoimhe, great idea.” The sarcasm was real in her comment. Very real. So real, her words were dripping with it. And her point was very real.

Oh Thorn…she was a work. “Thorn supplied me the knife after I inquired for it. Once, giving me one condition, which I barely agreed to. Not to hurt her friends. Past that, anything was free game.”

343/200

April 16th

@Duvessa Ember, @Caoimhe Kyle