Adulthood Ahead!
March 12th 2025
One thing Opeila never thought she'd miss about her time outside of Hogwarts was the sun. Light through her windows in the morning, actually feeling like a day had started. Maybe even watching the sun rise from her windowsill, when she woke up early.
Opeila had liked to do these things before she went to Hogwarts and now, when she went to Finland for the holidays.
It was not that she wasn't proud of being a Slytherin, a tradition that her mother had skipped and Opeila had picked up again, but the location of her common room and dorms was somewhat inconvenient when it came to lighting. Even when the sun was up, the windows were so far below the surface of the lake, only a few weak rays of sun ever hit the common room.
And the mornings? Opeila usually woke up in darkness, despite rarely closing the blackout curtains around her bed.
And then there was last night. She had closed the curtain then to not wake up Percival, and illuminated her wand, watching the shadows of the by now very old fish shaped teabags that Gris had gifted her. She had kept them tied around the curtain bars, unable to bring herself to use them. Even less now, that she didn't see her old friend anymore.
When she moved her wand, it looked like the shadows of the teabags were swimming around in a little black cave.
It had felt wrong, so, so wrong to just go to sleep now. Like it was just any other night. Like she wasn't turning 17, an adult in only a couple of hours. A few years back, she had been convinced that she wouldn't even reach 14, let alone adulthood. Back when her veins had been filled with poison and she had felt like she was in constant danger. Which she was still, wasn't she? When had that hopelessness gone away?
Pensively, she twisted a strand of white hair around a finger, that reflected her wand's light so brightly, it seemed to emit a light of its own. The hair that was so much like- Suddenly Opeila felt herself tear up. "I wish you were here.", she whispered, staring at the tip of her wand, even though the light blinded her.
The Slytherin sniffed and finally averted her eyes.
Black and blue dots had filled her field of vision after staring at the light for so long and she waited until they faded, before she got out of bed and started grabbing supplies.
A quill- a peacock one, Syl had gifted her what felt like an eternity ago- parchment, ink, a candle, her potions knife and the illumos candlestick on her nightstand.
Carefully she had placed them on her bed and started working. It took her hours, she only paused for a moment at midnight.
@Hjørdis Jensen
ReducioIn the morning, a letter would lie in front of Nora's office, a chocolate frog on top.
March 11th 2025
Dear Professor Jensen,
I confess, I have been walking around the castle at night to deliver this, but I couldn't sleep before. I have been sitting on my bed for a few hours now and just thought that I miss you as our Head of House. Your office is a little further away now, I didn't want to wake you up and I wanted to give this to you before the sun is up and I get cold feet.
I am turning 17 tonight.
If I am entirely honest, I didn't think I would be here for it and it doesn't feel completely real even yet. Did you think I'd make it, after everything that happened every single year?
It's supposed to be just another night, but somehow... I guess it's silly, but now that I've turned 17, surviving Hogwarts seems somehow a lot more possible.
What I want to say is- I know I did a lot of stupid things when I was younger. Probably now as well, I just know how to survive them better. I am sorry for all the headaches I'm sure I gave you. The pranks I played on you were never ill intended. In fact, what I guess I never managed to get across is, that I appreciated you a lot. With everything happening, I was scared a lot, but you being there always made me feel safer.
So this is the thank you I never managed to say to your face.
Good night,
Opeila@Maya Galim
ReducioThe muggle studies professor would also have a little gift waiting in front of her classroom. There were no words coming with this one, Opeila had no doubt that professor Galim would know exactly where the candle came from. After all, Opeila had started this hobby because of her and she had gotten pretty good at it since 2020.
Two people were missing on this list. Two people who held parts of Opeila's heart, who would not find letters or gifts in the morning. @Cassius Eden. @Alec Mason.@Jack Burnett
ReducioAfter returning to her dorm, Opeila placed this last letter before the recipient's dormitory door with shaking fingers and a feeling of nausea. Jack had been the first person who cared about her at Hogwarts and even after everything... it meant something. More than something. This letter had been by far the most difficult to write and after finishing it, she had been very close to burning it herself.
But she hadn't.March 11th 2025
Hi Jack,
I'm 17 now. Not sure why it took me so long to realize there are things I need to say, but here we go. Feel free to burn this or pretend you never read it, but let me get some things off my chest.
... I swear, this is not a love letter, ew.
We're alive. Somehow, despite the amount of times we nearly killed each other, trying to save us. Well, it's the thought that counts, right?
Jokes aside- I am honestly, really glad that you are alive. Which sounds kind of strange without context, but I mean it. I feel like we had a very rocky start that never got much less rocky and I guess you won- I don't want you as a friend anymore.
...Which also sounds more negative than I meant it to.
Let me try again- I know you don't like labeling the relationships with people you care about and I don't want you to anymore. In fact I don't think I could label whatever we are. This... isn't getting any better, is it? Repeating, just for the record, not a love letter.
Cutting this short, what I want to say is: Please stay alive. We may not be friends, but I don't want to lose you. You're probably the closest thing to an annoying sibling I have. I mean that in the most appreciative way possible.
-Opeila
After Opeila had written Jack's letter, she had tried. Written words that felt too shallow, too cold, too much, too little. So what remained was nothing. She didn't need to write letters. Not to the two people in her life she loved and trusted enough to say the things she felt to in person.
The sixth year awoke in darkness in the morning of March 12th. Disoriented at first, then horrified. Blurred memories of letters that got more and more distorted in their honesty, the more time had passed.
Tired and slightly nauseous, Opeila entered the Great Hall for breakfast, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. At least, not until the first owl dropped a neatly wrapped package in front of her.
Adulthood Ahead!
March 12, 2025
Great Hall, Hogwarts
When Cassius opened his eyes on March 12, he resolved that this was going to be a good day. He liked Wednesdays. It was the day of the week he felt most productive and experienced the fewest distractions. The day he could plow through much if not all of his homework assignments in preparation for an easier weekend. This particular Wednesday was not a typical Wednesday, however. This Wednesday just happened to be the birthday of one of his favorite people in the world.
Rolling out of bed with none of the morning grogginess he typically felt, the Ravenclaw sixth year freshened himself up and changed into his school robes. For good measure, he spritzed himself with a mild but appropriately spring-scented cologne he had received for Christmas. Hints of amber and citrus filled his nostrils as he stashed a small gift-wrapped box in his robes and began the descent from the Ravenclaw Tower to grab some breakfast.
By the time Cassius arrived at the Great Hall other students were already present focused on their breakfasts and idle chatter. He scanned the Ravenclaw table first for familiar faces and seeing none, instinctively searched the Slytherin table. There he spotted the one face he was hoping to find.
As a group of fifth years shuffled past him, Cassius joined them. While stealth was not a particular strength of his, he hoped he could at least use the screen of students to approach his target unawares. At least long enough for him to make a dramatic entrance. Luckily for him, that group just happened to be passing a lone student seated at the Slytherin table.
Stepping away from the group, Cassius moved in close and quickly covered Opeila’s eyes from behind before she could turn to see who was approaching. Ever a tricky proposition with someone who could see the future. Maybe luck was on his side today.
"Guess who," he whispered with a warm and familiar tone, a big stupid grin on his face.
@Opeila Winters
Adulthood Ahead!
@Cassius Eden
It was Opeila's 6th birthday at Hogwarts. Her 5th since she had moved to Finland. Her guardians had never forgotten it, there was always a letter with some shallow words, written in a way that bordered calligraphy and a little money. Opeila was always grateful. Her guardians did not know her well, this way she could get something she liked. She hadn't even really expected them to remember.
But this year... This was not the usual birthday delivery from Finland. This package was large and somewhat heavy. A book? Could be. Opeila hesitated. Maybe it was best to wait and open it back in her dorm, by herself.
While she was still thinking, two hands suddenly covered her eyes, making her yelp. Opeila hadn't heard him and although months had passed since the forest attack, the Slytherin was still a little jumpy sometimes.
"Guess who"
As the initial fright wore off, Opeila started grinning too, then gasped dramatically. "Pericles Dralt, is that you?!", she called out the name of the first male Ravenclaw who came to her mind.
(... Maybe the second, but calling him Vladimir hardly seemed appropriate...)
Chuckling she reached up and took his hands into hers, pulling them down just enough for her to plant a peck onto one palm.
"Good morning!" With that, Opeila let go of one hand and pulled him down on the bench next to her with the other- surely no one would care about her boyfriend at the wrong table on her birthday, right?
Adulthood Ahead!
March 12, 2025
Great Hall, Hogwarts
"Pericles Dralt?!"
Cassius feigned insult at being compared to one of his classmates as she pulled him down to the bench beside her. "To think she does not even recognize her boyfriend. You injure me, miss. You injure me."
He planted a kiss on her cheek and shifted nearer to her on the bench. "Good morning, lovely," he said, ignoring the confused looks from the other Slytherins at the table. Instead, he beamed an excited grin towards Opeila. "An Antipodean Opaleye told me it was someone's birthday today."
He waved a dismissive hand as he continued. "No, I don't want to talk about why I'm having hallucinatory conversations with dragons from New Zealand. That's not important. What is important is that today is the best and most amazing day for my favorite person in the world. So I hope you do not already have plans because I plan to spoil you today. Starting with this."
From an inner pocket of his robes, he withdrew a gift-wrapped box about 9 inches wide and held it out for her to take. Inside, should she open it, was an ornately designed silver horse brush with the name 'Dímon' engraved on the handle.
"I hope you like it. It is just the first of today's surprises."
It was then he noticed another package on the table for the first time. "Ooh, what's that? A gift from home?"
@Opeila Winters