by Winnie Harper Outfit/Physical Characteristics Reducio Platinum blonde hair with blue eyes that look like water reflecting the sun and black t-shirt, black skinny jeans Languages German English Russian French Thoughts Age 17 Mentioning/Interacting @Ginyami Midorimori Location London Quidditch Stadium IC Date August 11, 2025 🇦​​​​​🇸​​​​​🇭​​​​​🇪​​​​​🇸​​​​​ 🇦​​​​​🇳​​​​​🇩​​​​​ 🇸​​​​​🇴​​​​​🇺​​​​​🇱​​​​​🇸​​​​​ Gellert has not processed the pain of what everyone has been calling the Pyre. The burning fire around him, the screams that still echoed in his mind. One of his friends had passed away, one of his friends had been violently hurt. Sometimes, Gellert wondered deep in his soul, why there was so much suffering. There was something so profoundly painful about life that his very heart ached. Emotion caused a physical pain in his chest. There has to be something more. The Pyre had changed his life forever and he wished it had never happened. But it had, and now as he thought back on it, he began to wonder about the people who had been around him. He wondered where they were in the process of grief and suffering. This was an international crisis and Gellert debated reaching out to them himself to ask of their circumstances a year after the disaster that took out the entire world’s leaders, killed students, and brought the societal discrimination of half-bloods into notice. Gellert had always asked for love, seeked for love, wished for love, but in that moment, Gellert knew his purpose in life was to heal and to fight for those who were suffering. His goal had always been to find the one, but he did not think it was a noble focus any longer, at least in its singular form. Gellert now yearned to ease the pain of others, to seek those who were losing their lives, losing hope, losing their family, and help as best as he could. This reinterpretation of life had left him empty yet filled at the same time. There was a light at the end of the tunnel after the loss of so many people. Yet, this was perhaps the only way he could survive the loss, coping through the ways he could help rather than what he felt on the inside. It was strange and hopeless at first. Yes, in fact, this was likely unhealthy in most cases, suppressing the feelings of loss with action and reaction. Yes, in fact, there was no way this was entirely healthy. However, the aching loss was too powerful to do anything else but live one step at a time, comforted by the bright smiles on other people’s faces and the gratefulness in their eyes. He had lost his joy a long time ago, yet lived and enjoyed life as best as he could. There was no other way to live, but enjoy the blessings he had. If he fell in love along the way, it wouldn’t impact anything but his ability to learn to love the people around him more and more. Perhaps this was why he felt the need to reach out to Midorimorisan, the person who had been trying to save his love that day on the world Pyre. Gellert was struck with the need to know what happened to him, what journey had happened. So, perhaps in a fit of manic or quiet resignation, Gellert took out a quill and paper and wrote an owl to his acquaintance, enemy, and fellow victim of terror. 11 August 2025 Midorimori-san, It is a strange day indeed that I am sending you this owl, yet I feel I must. That day where everyone’s world exploded is forever burnt into the paper of my mind. You, who I thought a rival, in my childish thoughts, were there. That day removed that opinion from my mind forever. Though we are almost strangers, I must ask, how do you fare? How does everyone from Mahoukotoro fare? Perhaps this is an insult to you, perhaps it is not, but I must know that you fare well. I must know, because I fear I am a lost man coping by the very threads of life, fraying at my fingertips. I am reaching out to you because you are a stranger, yet a stranger forever burnt into my memory. You are there every time I think of that October day. You were there before and you do not leave me alone. I must meet you whether you bury me or tear into me, or hate me, but I ask you to answer this request to meet. I wish you health,

"English | Japanese"

Ginyami was surprised to get the unexpected owl, but was cheered up by Gellert's considerate words nevertheless. It made him feel a little better despite his despondent mood those days and a little less lonely. With a small, sad smile, he wrote a response letter and sent it with the owl that Valentin had given him, Hiranur, back to Gellert, wherever he was stationed during that summer camp.

12 August 2025

Dear Schroeder-san,

You write letters like poems. How eloquent of you. Would you not at least consider us acquaintances if not friends? Regardless, it is wonderful to hear from you. You are very thoughtful to ask after me and my fellow Mahoutokoro students. I confess I have not been in the highest of spirits as of late.

And how are you, if I may ask, as well as your schoolmates from Durmstrang? I take it that horrible day at Hogsmeade was as devastating to you as it was to us. Still, we are doing our best to pick up the pieces and move on, trying to remember that what doesn't kill us undoubtably makes us stronger in some way, shape, or form.

I confess I'm not certain as to why you might think your concern of my well-being would be an insult. On the contrary, I find it quite flattering. It means a great deal to know someone else cares; particularly someone I did not expect. I would be honored if you would consider the possibility that we might call each other friends. Whether or not you do, however, I hope you will call me 'Yami' rather than 'Midorimori-san' from now on. The latter is far too formal in my opinion for the relationship we have, especially when we may as well be peers in many senses of the term.

I am sorry to hear you seem to be doing poorly. 'Hanging by a thread'; is that the English phrase? If it would be in any way helpful to you to meet me, I would be glad to acquiesce to your request. It has been quite a while and it will be reassuring to see you again past that awful day when we last met. Let us rewrite the memory of that previous meeting with a new, better one. Rest assured, I mean you no harm nor ill will. Until then, I hope you remain well enough to look forward to our next rendezvous.

Be safe and take care,
銀闇 緑森
Ginyami Midorimori

P.S.: Please do not worry about replying to this owl except to determine a time and place for our future meeting. Any response you have to me can be relayed verbally in person if you prefer.

@Gellert Schroeder

by Winnie Harper Outfit/Physical Characteristics Reducio Platinum blonde hair with blue eyes that look like water reflecting the sun and black t-shirt, black skinny jeans Languages German English Russian French Thoughts Age 17 Mentioning/Interacting @Ginyami Midorimori Location London Quidditch Stadium IC Date August 11, 2025 🇦​​​​​🇸​​​​​🇭​​​​​🇪​​​​​🇸​​​​​ 🇦​​​​​🇳​​​​​🇩​​​​​ 🇸​​​​​🇴​​​​​🇺​​​​​🇱​​​​​🇸​​​​​ Gellert was pleasantly surprised by the letter in response to his own from Midorimori. Perhaps the events/ of summer past had been misunderstood after all. The Pyre had been a significant historical event that everyone would remember for generations, yet Gellert still felt so numb about it all. This was very unusual for Schroeder as his emotions always were deeply felt and externally expressed. Perhaps the trauma had changed him after all. In the deeply felt letter that affirmed the friendship between the two young men, Midorimori had asked him to call him Yami. Gellert was pleasantly surprised at this as well. From what he knew of the Japanese culture, this truly meant that Mido...Yami truly believed Gellert to be his friend. There was something tentatively pleasing about that. Gellert was also very much comforted by the news that at leasy the school of Mahoutokoro was picking up the pieces just as Durmstrang was. Though many had suffered, it was innapropriately comforting that all were suffering and surviving together, clawing their way through the aftermath of the year before. Gellert was such a different person from the summer he had spent pining after Len, kissing Yami, in desperate fire and jealousy. It all seemed so childlike, now, after the disaster that had shook the whole world. Gellert quickly had sent a letter back asking to meet once more when the two would find themselves at summer camp once more. Now, Gellert stood here in expectant nervousness at the spot and time they had decided to meet. If Yami looked, Gell would look entirely different from the friend he had seen last year. Gell was wearing the simple black t-shirt and jeans, his eyes bone tired, his hands filled with injuries and scars as he had continued tot pursue his new purpose of healing and helping those in need. He looked more muscular and more rough on the edges. No longer was he the prim and perfectly dressed pureblood, with fancy robes, and tight turtlenecks.