CHESTER before summer camp

Blue in English, Red in Korean

Thus far, the summer has been blissfully uneventful for Eun-ji. She still attended the ballet teaching seminar and some ballet classes as well but other than accompanying her mother at St. mungo's here and there, her schedule stayed mostly empty. For once, her persistent grandparents seemed to be too busy with their respective jobs at the ministry and their personal visits had been rare. The young witch did relish the quiet to the best of her ability, fully aware that it was most likely a simple case of a calm before the storm. Of course, some hidden naïve part of her still hoped, hoped she might be left alone, just this once. That maybe said storm would arrive late. That maybe she’d make it to summer camp without a single scene. But of course, she should have known better.

“You really only ever come here when you need something from us, don’t you.” The calm yet cold voice sent shivers down her spine before she even spotted the source of it. Eun-ji lowered herself from her en pointe position and finally faced the intruder, her expression carefully controlled not to give away anything. “Well…that was the deal, wasn’t it?” She retorted calmly. “You built me a ballet studio in your mansion so I would show up here from time to time. I’m just following your rules.” It was a very simplified version of their reality but nonetheless, it was true. “Oh...are you now?” There...there it was. That slightly raised eyebrow of his that carried a weight no one could see until it crushed them. Already familiar with the expression, Eun-ji picked the quickest way to deal with it, which was silence. He was not really asking a question and whatever it was that irked him, he would tell her soon enough. “Then where are your O.W.L. results?” he asked, voice sharp but even. “If I recall, my wife had to take an exhausting trip in the dead of winter just to remind you to stop dragging your feet and take them. And yet it appears, her journey was entirely in vain.” Ah...right. There was that. It would be lie to say Eun-ji forgot about it but she certainly tried not to look back at that aggravating meeting.

“She did…and I believe I told her I won't be taking any.” The man didn't move, didn’t raise his voice but she could see a vein pulsing just beneath the surface of his forehead. It was weirdly unsettling detail considering his otherwise blank face expression. “And I believe, she was not asking you. So tell me...which one of our beliefs will come out on top?” The Ravenclaw knew of course. These types of conversations were always pretty much one sided. However maybe because it had been so long since she last clashed with Anwir Hunt, or maybe because she had a leverage of her own now, she felt a bit more brave on this particular evening. Brave or foolish.

“It doesn't matter. You can't really make me take them and you know it. I bet you are regretting singling me out now, aren't you?” She heard herself speaking before her brain even had a time to fully catch up. “If my dad didn't leave for France because of you, you might have actually achieved something in this conversation. But who would have thought that the tables would turn one day.” No good, she said too much. Most people might have not thought about her words too deeply, but her grandfather was different. She didn’t miss the shift in his posture or the narrowing of his eyes. He was sharp like a hawk. “What do you mean?” he asked. “I may not hold the upper hand here, but neither should you. So what are you hiding?” And wow, did the man really just frown? When was the last time she had seen any kind of emotion besides quiet contempt from him? He almost looked human…almost.

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” she said quickly. “I’m just being rebellious like I always am. At least that's what you keep telling me.” Oh but Mr. Hunt was not so easily thrown off the scent. He wasn’t a well-respected Magical Law Enforcer for nothing. “Nonsense. You never say more than you need to or don't actually mean. So, what is it?” Alas before she could come up with any sort of believable excuse, his jaw clenched and his gaze grew impossibly sharper. As if he just deciphered a long-lost mystery. “Don't tell me... Alex?” He was asking but he didn't quite seem to to believe it. Alex. As expected, their oldest child and golden son was probably the only thing Hunts were capable of loving and he didn't even remember them. Eun-ji had a sudden urge to laugh at the absurdity of it but swallowed the sound swiftly. She didn't actually want to start a fight.

“I don't…I don't know where he is.” The witch insisted too desperate to get out of the situation to realise she was only making things worse. “Oh but I never claimed you did. So why are you denying it like your life depends on it, little mouse?” He didn't really let her answer this time. It seemed like he already came to a conclusion without her uttering a word. Instead, he grabbed her arms to keep her in place as if afraid she’d try to bolt. As if she had anywhere to run. Eun-ji knew well enough that even if she ran now, he'd find her tomorrow only much angrier. “Tell me what you know!” The man positively growled now, all fury and something rawer beneath it. Desperation.

“I said I don't know where he is.” The witch insisted. This time, she was not rebelling. Not entirely at least. It was true that she hadn't seen her uncle this summer. He wasn’t working at the theatre anymore. She’d heard whispers that his husband told the staff he needed time off for medical reasons but that was it. That being said, she did know the general area of Alexander's whereabouts but he was her lifeline. She couldn't give him up so easily. Not yet. Still…she had to give her grandfather something. “He is alive, okay? I met him once, but I don't know where he is right now.”

Clearly, her half lie did little to calm the older man. He may not have liked her, but after so many years, he understood her nature. “Liar,” he spat. “One way or another, you will tell me. He is my son. My heir. It was always supposed to be him.” And then he shoved her. As if her mere presence physically burned him. Unfortunately, he was fuelled by anger and desperation, and she wasn’t steady. The pointe shoes were worn, her muscles tired. The combination of it all sent her stumbling forward and straight into the mirror wall. It was just a split of a second with no room for any kind of reaction from either party. So much so, Eun-ji didn't even cry out when her forehead and later her palms met the glass. Instead, there was silence. Albeit a very deafening one.

The Ravenclaw didn't know how much time had passed sice their world went still. Anwir Hunt, standing there for once not completely in control and her, clutching her bleeding forehead and processing what just happened. It felt like an eternity but just when she was starting to feel dizzy, her grandfather spoke again. “Find your mother at St. Mungo now. We'll speak when you come back.” And with those words, he simply turned around and left. Any loving grandfather would accompany his grandchild to the hospital, but Anwir Hunt was not that kind of grandfather. Same as Eun-ji was not the regular young witch that would simply follow his instructions, use floo network and get a treatment from her mother, who was a healer. No. Stubborn as she was, she opted to get herself to a muggle hospital instead. Even if her father was no longer there, somehow, Eun-ji still trusted his colleagues more than anyone at St. Mungos. Unreasonable, perhaps but even Ravenclaws were allowed a little madness now and then.

Blue in English, Red in Korean

Mercifully, as unpleasant as they were, the injuries ended up providing Eun-ji with the peace she so desperately longed for. Upon seeing her stitched up forehead and bandaged palms, Eleanor finally grew a spine and ended up making sure her parents got no chance to interrogate Eun-ji further for the remainder of her time at home. It was not the same as standing up to them, but it was enough. The Ravenclaw was not looking to ignite any more wars. At least not this summer.

When the time finally came for Eun-ji to leave for the summer camp, her stitches were already removed. In their place, a fresh scar ran across the corner of her otherwise perfectly smooth forehead…like a secret tucked under the skin. But that too, would fade away eventually so she was not overly concerned. Naturally, she could have asked her mother to help with that but the Ravenclaw decided to be a bit cruel and let Eleanor see the consequences of her inactions. Perhaps it would sting enough to actually make her step up. Maybe not immediately but in time… “Are you sure you don’t want to tell your father?”

Eun-ji sighed. It was not the first time she heard that question. Not just from her mother but from her father’s colleagues as well. Predictably, those guys were horrified to see her stroll into the emergency, head bleeding, hands slick with it like something out of the horror movie or cautionary tale. They knew her since she was a child and even though she was treated there in the past, that sight probably just hit different. It took the whole stitching process to convince them that there was no point in telling their boss and it was obviously going to be even harder to make her mother give up as well. “Do you want him to worry so desperately?” She asked, already exhausted by going over the same thing time and time again. “What is he supposed to do when he is all the way in France? I get ballet related injuries all the time and you never told me to report every single one of them to him.” She levelled her mother with a look. “Let the man breathe, okay? I’m not dead and I’m healing just fine.”

There was a momentary pause, where both of the women simply sat end enjoyed their morning toast. Or at least Eun-ji did. Her mother didn’t look as unperturbed. “But still…” The young witch groaned, effectively stopping Eleanor mid sentence. “I told my dad to go for the exchange program so your stuck up parents wouldn’t bother him and he reluctantly agreed so they would bother me less. What’s the point of sending him away if we just report every single thing to him like I’m some tragic little bird with a broken wing?” Her argument was met with more silence. Because of course it was. She was right and her mother knew it. “I’m going to a summer camp and I’m in a good mood. Don’t ruin it for me, okay?” She added, pushing her plate away.

In all honesty, Eun-ji herself wasn’t sure why she wasn’t angry. By all accounts she should have been bitter and complaining abut the pain but what good would that do? The weather outside was perfect for a fair and she was going to see Ye-jun again, she wanted to focus on those things instead of lingering on the bad ones.

“All right, I understand.” The blonde woman relented at last. “Then…have fun with your friends. Take the Dizziness Draught if you need to and don’t forget the painkillers.” She instructed as she was rising to her feet to help her daughter with the suitcase while she coaxed Mordred into his travel cage. “I know how to take care of myself. I have two workaholic parents that taught me how.” Eun-ji snarked on her way towards the car but for once, there was no real heat in it. On the contrary, it was almost a compliment. Her mother still filched as if she was being criticised but she didn’t look as guilty either. Indeed, it was a good day.