kennedy-holmes

[kennedy-holmes]

“IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO, TEST THE LIMITS AND BREAK THROUGH.” LET IT GO, FROZEN

Kennedy had a devilish grin bordering on mad scientist as she stirred a cauldron billowing with green smoke. Tierney had just asked her what she was up to and Kennedy was excited to share. “Remember that little lake potion I did to make a mini lake at the Quidditch pitch?”

Tierney nodded suspiciously and Kennedy laughed.

“Well it’s time to see what I can do. Test the limits and break through. I will become a bog monster and the school is my marsh!” Kennedy laughed maniacally as she poured her concoction in a pint sized glass potion bottle.

Suddenly the previous potion, one meant to help her study, wore off and Kennedy blinked blankly at Tierney. “Did I just say bog monster?” She was so confused. “I think I need to tweak the studying potion a bit… Too much mad instead of just genius…” Kennedy went to work on cleaning up her work space and carefully labeled the potential bog monster potion to put away on the shelf.

[kennedy-holmes]

tierney-smudgling​:

ㅤ

Tierney felt Kennedy tense up before she screamed. The girl grabbed at the folds of Tierney’s robe and lost her form, throwing their balance entirely, and they pitched forward together—as she’d said would happen, Christ alive—

As they fell, Tierney maneuvered so that she caught the brunt of the impact. Kennedy fell right into Tierney’s lap.

Tierney did her subtle best to ease Kennedy into the idea that they might stay like that for a while, arranging her legs to cradle the girl. She hid a wince at the pressure that put on her tailbone. “Hey, we’ve solved the mystery of why the spell wasn’t working. You should’ve said! You’re afraid of it. My holding onto you was just enough sense of security to get yourself off the ground.”

She looped her arms for an encouraging squeeze around Kennedy’s waist. “I can hold you anytime and for as long as you want,” Tierney promised. “But it still won’t entirely work unless you cast confidently. You’ve got to get up on that hippogriff, sweetheart.”

“Oof” Kennedy was shocked to suddenly be down on the ground then realized she was on top of Tierney. She didn’t think to move though as she was still in a bit of shock of how quickly everything happened but she did start apologizing profusely. “I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to freak out like that.” Kennedy fiddled with her hands in embarrassment. “Honestly I’m afraid of all magic. Potions is so different. It’s chemistry and I’ve been doing chemistry my entire life. Wand magic is terrifying.” Kennedy looked at Tierney with wide eyes. “I’ve never actually said that out loud” Kennedy had to be strong for her siblings so she never felt safe enough to say that she was scared. She was scared of a lot of things really but she didn’t want to let the children know or they would be scared too. 

Tierney didn’t seem to need her to be strong though. She had already seen Kennedy weak and performing poorly. Kennedy could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. She was feeling a mixture of things and it was hard to pinpoint exactly what portion of the blushing was from embarrassment and then a confusing feeling from being squeezed and told that Tierney would hold her any time. She couldn’t deny that it was very tempting to accept the offer. Kennedy couldn’t deny to herself that the idea of being held, and especially by Tierney, was very tempting. “Can I borrow some of that confidence while I work on my own?” Kennedy was half joking but she wished it was a possibility. Maybe she could make a potion for that.

[kennedy-holmes]

What's the riskiest thing you've ever done?

I tried to make a felix felicis potion in my kitchen and almost blew the house up. I was grounded for 2 months after that.

[kennedy-holmes]

Hufflepuff Party

“Polyjuice potion roulette? You’ll get a random student. Couldn’t get close enough to any of the processors to get their hair but that would have been fun.” Kennedy opened her messenger bag filled with potions, “I’ve got a couple of others if you want to try.”

[kennedy-holmes]

tierney-smudgling​:

Behind Kennedy, Tierney briefly looked like she had been hit in the face by a tough guy lying in wait with a sock full of wish fulfillment. She put her hands on Kennedy’s hips and pulled them into place against her. It took a lot not to wonder where else she could guide them, what else she could make them do.

She might not have been doing a very good job teaching. It was difficult to say.

“There. It’s one of the first thing we learn for professional dueling stance. A lot of momentum comes from your pivots—” She lightly tapped Kennedy’s thigh. “From your legs. You want them bent for that thrust forward when you cast. Especially if you’re going aerial. You’ll want your center of gravity set so you don’t pitch forward,” Tierney said, replacing one hand over Kennedy’s. “Let’s go through the cast now.” If Kennedy was as mediocre as her lack of experience and bad posture implied, there was room for improvement in every aspect.

Kennedy didn’t realize she was doing anything special with her hips but she kept them where Tierney put them. She really was trying her best.

“I don’t need to be a professional but I’d love to be able to go toe to toe with my sisters. Kennedy felt a bit odd when Tierney tapped her thigh she just generally wasn’t used to being touched by people beyond hugs from her family. With the confidence that Tierney’s positioning gave her, Kennedy attempted the ascendio spell again. Kennedy actually ended up floating a few inches of the ground and a little scream left her as she clung to Tierney. “Okay how do I get back down now? Not so fun fact I’m actually afraid of heights.” Kennedy gave a sheepish smile as she tried to push herself down but she still was a bit off the ground and she was afraid of letting go and floating all the way up.

[kennedy-holmes]

tierney-smudgling​:

Even without ulterior motives, Tierney spotted several things wrong with Kennedy’s stance that would make any cast she made a lot less impactful. Or plain awful. Kennedy adjusted herself according to instruction, seemingly unperturbed. Tierney let go of her arms and tapped her between the shoulder blades.

“Straighten up.”

Once satisfied, Tierney lined their arms up and slid her hand down until she could place it perfectly over Kennedy’s grip on the neck of the club. Pressing much closer than was necessary or helpful for instruction, she tucked her nose behind Kennedy’s ear.

“Hold it like this,” she instructed.

Fingers over fingers, palm over palm, she moved them into the proper position. Proper grip set, Tierney eased up a little, pulling her arm back to tap her fingers against Kennedy’s bicep. “This next part is going to feel strange,” she warned, “You should bend your knees and stick your hips out.”

Kennedy pulled her shoulders back a bit unnaturally. “Oh,” escaped her lips when Tierney suddenly spoke in her ear. She felt a shiver go down her spine. “Mhmm,” she nodded as she adjusted her grip. “Um how do I stick my hips out?” Kennedy bent her knees and shifted her hips back and forth, just barely bumping into Tierney, as Kennedy tried to figure out what she meant.

[kennedy-holmes]

linden-flint​:

.

“Well that all sounds incredibly boring and nowhere near as fun as the kind of shit that goes on in this place. You’d best get used to a change of pace,” they said. As soon as Kennedy mentioned her siblings, Linden shrugged and shook their head; they didn’t make a particularly conscious effort to know people in the castle, let alone their a different year. “Anything to do?” They blew a raspberry and scrunched their nose, “Depends what you’re into. Book reading and long walks, plenty of them. Mischief and questionable deeds to pass the time, however? You need to organise those yourself.”

“I want to. I love my family and miss them but I was bored out of my mind there. I’ve read so many books since getting here but when I told my aunt that she said I need to take my head out of the book sometimes.” Kennedy was just so excited to finally have access to such a huge library and she felt a bit insatiable. “And how would one perhaps organise some mischief? Don’t think I’m too keen on anything super illegal but I just want to feel alive.” Like a teenager since she never truly got to be one. She knew she sounded terribly lame but she had no idea how to go about it otherwise.

[kennedy-holmes]

tierney-smudgling​:

ㅤ

“Lord have mercy,” Tierney muttered, eyeing the overeager bench. “May I?” She dropped her schoolbag carelessly in the grass and came behind Kennedy, close enough to look down over her shoulder. She slid her foot between Kennedy’s and tapped her feet apart, keeping a steadying grip on her wand arm. “First thing. Your stance is all unbalanced,” she said, dropping her voice, “your feet should be shoulder width apart and the wand arm should be just inside your dominant foot.”

Tierney backed up to observe. “I can give you some pointers while we’re here,” she offered, “if you’d like a little practice.”

Kennedy was surprised when Tierney was suddenly adjusting her stance. She almost lost her balance but was grateful she didn’t. She had already embarrassed herself enough for one day. She felt incredibly behind her peers in terms of practical magic and it was frustrating even if she was trying to be kind to herself. It wasn’t like she could have easily practiced at home. She practiced what she could with her sisters but they were younger and didn’t exactly know 7th year level spells. Kennedy pulled her left arm closer to her to be just inside her left foot.

“Would you? I feel so bad asking people because I know everyone is busy and I know I’m behind, but I really would love to learn I could knit you something in return as my thank you.”

[kennedy-holmes]

tierney-smudgling​:

“Sorry?” Tierney gaped at Kennedy. The corner of her mouth twitched, but she didn’t smile. “That’s right nonsense. Borderline disrespectful. What were you even trying to do?”

“I was just trying ascendio...” Kennedy offered an awkward grin, “Sorry...” The charm was supposed to lift Kennedy up not the people near by. “I really don’t know how that happened it’s not like I used leviosa.”Kennedy grimaced when she noticed a bench next to her start to float and she nervously tried to push it down while trying to appear non-chalant.

[kennedy-holmes]

linden-flint​:

“You mean you’ve never seen a fifth year forced to recite a dramatised version of The Hunting of the Snark whilst under a tongue-tying jinx? I’d like to know how you spend your weekends, if that’s the case.”

“Normally I’m babysitting my siblings or helping guests at the BnB. You may actually know my little sisters they’ve been here for a couple of years: Sorcha and Catriona.” Her sisters didn’t want to hang out with Kennedy much because they had their own friends in their grades. “What is there to do around here on the weekends? Besides reciting poems?”

[kennedy-holmes]

The strong older sister who gets to choose herself for once instead of doing what is best for the family. She is shy but a ray of sunshine once she gets comfortable.

Name: Kennedy Holmes (18) Birth: September 1st, 2002 in Uiginish, Scotland Nationality: Scottish, American Species: Half-blood witch Gender: Cis woman Pronouns: She/her Disciplines: Potions Faceclaim: Zendaya Coleman

Currently

Residence: Family farm and BnB while home in Uiginish Occupation: Student Affiliations: Ravenclaw House Connections: Linnea Quinn Larsen & Kalani Rivers (dormmates)

BLOG || WIKI

[kennedy-holmes]

I'm the strong one I'm not nervous I'm as tough as the crust of the earth is I move mountains I move churches And I glow 'cause I know what my worth is

I don't ask how hard the work is Got a rough, indestructible surface Diamonds and platinum, I find 'em, I flatten 'em I take what I'm handed, I break what's demanded, but

Under the surface I feel berserk as a tightrope walker in a three-ring circus Under the surface Was Hercules ever like “Yo, I don't wanna fight Cerberus”? Under the surface I'm prеtty sure I'm worthless if I can't be of sеrvice

A flaw or a crack The straw in the stack That breaks the camel's back What breaks the camel's back?

It's pressure like a drip, drip, drip, that'll never stop, whoa Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip 'til you just go pop, whoa-uh-uh Give it to your sister, your sister's older Give her all the heavy things we can't shoulder Who am I if I can't run with the ball? If I fall to

Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, whoa Pressure like a tick, tick, tick 'til it's ready to blow, whoa-uh-uh Give it to your sister, your sister's stronger See if she can hang on a little longer Who am I if I can't carry it all? If I falter

Under the surface I hide my nerves and it worsens, I worry something is gonna hurt us Under the surface The ship doesn't swerve as it heard how big the iceberg is Under the surface I think about my purpose Can I somehow preserve this?

Line up the dominoes A light wind blows You try to stop it tumbling But on and on it goes

But wait If I could shake the crushing weight Of expectations would that free some room up for joy? Or relaxation? Or simple pleasure? Instead we measure this growing pressure Keeps growing, keep going 'Cause all we know is

Pressure like a drip, drip, drip that'll never stop, woah Pressure that'll tip, tip, tip 'til you just go pop, woah-oh-oh Give it to your sister, it doesn't hurt and See if she can handle every family burden Watch as she buckles and bends but never breaks No mistakes, just

Pressure like a grip, grip, grip, and it won't let go, woah Pressure like a tick, tick, tick 'til it's ready to blow, woah-oh-oh Give it to your sister and never wonder If the same pressure would've pulled you under Who am I if I don't have what it takes? No cracks, no breaks No mistakes No pressure

[kennedy-holmes]

“Okay so maybe I don’t have the most practice in using my wand but I didn’t think it was that bad. Should be like riding a bike right?”

“What are y—? Christ! Put the wand down. You’re humiliating yourself, and it’s cringe.”

[kennedy-holmes]

“I forgot how weird people at Hogwarts can be. Is it always this crazy?

[kennedy-holmes]

Demetrius Holmes and Maeve MacGille Holmes

“But I must admit I miss you terribly. The world is too quiet without you nearby.” ― Lemony Snicket, The Beatrice Letters