astoriadahl-blog

[astoriadahl-blog]

Displaced Passions || Self Para

To fight for a cause had always felt important to Astoria. When you believed in something, passionately, you fought for it, and that was exactly what she had been doing. For years now, she had been writing articles, trying, in her small ways, to give her portrayals of werewolves in a different light, something that didn’t portray them as bloodthirsty beasts, their only goal being to kill and transform as many people as possible. It seemed to have been working for a while, but then all the different werewolf attacks started picking up, more and more people dying, more and more people getting hurt. As much as she felt it was the right thing to be fighting, a part of her had started doubting her own opinions, her own beliefs.

There had just been so many attacks during the last year, so many families torn apart, so many people who had died from being attacked by a werewolf. The inkling of doubt had snuck into her head little by little over the span of the year, but the deciding factor on the doubt settling had been when her and Lennox had snuck out into the woods and had run into a man on the verge of turning into a werewolf. While transforming, he had gone in for the attack, scratching her arm. Had Lennox not lost it completely and attacked back, things might have gone so much worse. They both could have gotten killed right there in the woods, but Lennox had saved them both, while seriously hurting the man - the werewolf.

Ever since that day in the woods, Astoria had felt as though she had been fighting for a lie, she felt like perhaps she had been working toward the wrong goal, she had placed her passion on the wrong side. Perhaps she should have placed it elsewhere.

More and more frequently, Astoria had found comfort in the bottom of a bottle, drinking alcohol to lessen the fear and doubt that she was feeling. On Hogsmeade weekends, she often found herself sat in a corner booth at the Hog’s Head, sipping slowly on a butterbeer, a shot of firewhiskey waiting for her on the table. The owner had started recognising her now, pouring up her drinks as she walked into the pub, giving her a nod of acknowledgement as she took her seat. Hair put up in a bun, she took her usual seat as the barkeep brought over her drinks, but this day, Astoria went straight for the shot of firewhiskey, downing the strong liquid in one go. Lost in thought, her gaze traveled across the pub, and a pair caught her attention. They were both intoxicated, speaking loudly, making wild gestures as they drank their alcohol. Tori’s gaze settled on the pair, a skinny man with a lot of hair, he almost looked like he could be a professor, his appearance struck her as a little nerdy. His gestures were the most extreme, he was gesticulating while speaking quickly to his female companion. The female was a beautiful woman, with long, silver hair. Even while seated, the woman looked short beside her friend.

“Stop! Stop! He doesn’t sound like that,” the female said, laughing out loud.

“He so does, and if you weren’t half in love with him, you’d admit it!” Astoria recognised this sort of conversation, two friends talking about their crushes. It made her smile, thinking back to her own conversations with her friends at Hogwarts.

The blush on the silver haired females cheeks was obvious now. She told her friend to shut up, and they both started laughing. Their conversation really wasn’t the most intriguing, so Astoria’s attention moved elsewhere as the pair laughed. But then the man said something that caught her attention.

“Kinda weird being back at Hogwarts though, don’t you think?”

Hogwarts? The two of them were for sure too old to be students, Astoria had not seen either of them before, and she had been at Hogwarts for the past seven years. And they weren’t professors or working at the school. So who were these two people? And why were they at Hogwarts? Even while slightly inebriated, her instincts kicked in to dig and find out more about what they were talking about. Careful not to raise any suspicion, she picked up her drink and moved to a booth closer to where the pair was sitting, sitting with her back to them so they wouldn’t see her curious face. Sipping slowly at her beer, she sat back and listened.

“Or maybe you’re not complaining because you’re locked up with Lysander, sleeping two hammocks over,” the male voice was speaking now, back to the playful teasing. But the teasing wasn’t what was catching her attention now, it was the fact that they were talking about being at Hogwarts. Were they somehow sleeping at Hogwarts? The dungeons had been closed for a long time now, but why? Perhaps this had something to do with it. The pair were laughing again, and a silence followed the laughter.

“Seriously though, Vi… I’m worried about him. You’ve seen how much he’s been drinking, right?” Why did that name sound familiar to her, Astoria was so sure that she had heard Lysander before, but she could not place it.

“We’re all struggling, it’s why we’re here ourselves, Knox. It’s hard, being back in the castle,” the female voice said, and Astoria tried her best not to have a visible reaction, staying natural, drinking from her glass. So they definitely were inside the castle, that much was becoming clear. But why were they in the castle, and where were they staying, what were they doing there?

“You know what I mean.” The man, Knox, said. A thick, tension filled silence followed. Astoria was almost holding her breath. “It’s getting worse for him.”

“Yeah, I know. But-- you can’t say anything, you know what he’s like. Maybe we could say something to Henry.” All these names, these two faces, and Tori could not place any of them.

“Maybe.” The pair of them fell quiet for awhile, and the Gryffindor was afraid to breathe, afraid to move. There were a lot of people at the pub that evening, it was loud, but she felt the silence hang heavy on her shoulders. Not being able to see the two of them, she was almost certain that the silence was due to her being caught listening in on their conversation. Acting had never been her strong suit, but she tried her hardest to seem normal, drinking from her glass, attempting to remain inconspicuous.

“Do you think we’re actually going to make a difference?” The female asked, her name was Vi, that much she had gathered. Astoria tried not to sigh visibly from relief. She had not been caught snooping yet, but it was only a matter of time. Her moving from her original seat had been suspicious enough, but she was trying to not look suspicious, drinking from her glass, but she felt like she needed to do more to hide what she was up to. An old newspaper laid on the table, so she reached for it and flipped it open, pretending to read as she zoomed back in on the conversation happening behind her.

“Hard to say. I think we can’t do harm, that’s what I keep telling myself. We’re not doing anything wrong or making things worse.” It was the man speaking this time, and Astoria was practically at the edge of her seat, listening. What were they doing at Hogwarts? And what were they doing that they claimed wouldn’t be making things worse. The pub was rowdy and loud that night, they weren’t being careful keeping their conversation quiet, but that was the reason why she could listen in.

The female, Vi, was the next to speak. “I guess. I just wish we could do more, you know? Help those kids somehow. Tell them what’s actually going on.” So whatever this group of people was at Hogwarts for, it was for the students. It had to have something to do with the werewolves and the attacks, right? Thinking about it, Astoria’s hand fell to her forearm. It was hidden underneath her sweater, but the bandages were itching still, the wounds were taking their sweet time healing. She could barely even look at them, it was a reminder that what she was fighting for might not be worth her energy and passion. The werewolf that attacked in the forest had been raving on about her and Lennox believing themselves to be above other, but in her case, at least, that wasn’t the case. It really wasn’t the case at all.

“I heard Henry talk about that, but Lysander shut him down pretty hard…” Knox started, but was soon interrupted by Vi.

“Lysander will never let innocent children get involved. He cares too much.”

“And Lowell doesn’t care are all…”

Astoria almost turned around then, hearing the Ministers name, but at that moment, a man came flying onto the table she was sitting at, having her spill her glass of butterbeer down the front of her blouse. The man grunted in pain as Astoria jumped up from her seat, barely seeing a second man jump onto the man on the table to continue fighting with him. A bar fight, perfect. Turning around to look at the table where Vi and Knox were sitting, she found it empty. The pair of them had disappeared once the fight broke out, Tori couldn’t see them anywhere in the pub. An older lady came over to with a napkin, offering it to her, and she smiled as she accepted it, her gaze still wandering over the pub to see if she could find the two strangers. They were nowhere to be seen.

Getting herself fixed up, she decided to put on her coat and walk back to the castle. Her mind was buzzing with information, but in her slightly drunken state, she struggled putting the information into context. The dungeons had been closed for a while now, and they had never been told for what reason. Perhaps because this Lysander person was there, with some of his friends, or co-workers, were there. Vi, Knox, and this Henry person. Those were the names she had heard mentioned. Then there was the Minister for Magic, Lowell. According to Knox, he didn’t care about the students at Hogwarts, while Lysander did. But where had Astoria heard that name before, Lysander?

Stumbling slightly over her feet as she walked up the cobbled road towards Hogwarts, barely noticing where she was walking. The first thing she would do when she came back to her dorm was to write down everything she had overheard, the next step would be to tell someone she trusted about what she had heard. But who could she trust with this information at Hogwarts?

[astoriadahl-blog]

“Well, kudos to you. Your addiction is probably cheaper than mine,” Solo sighed, “this shit gets you good.” He watched Astoria as she spoke and frowned, trying to imagine her in the middle of the protest that would probably not end up as peaceful as the flyer advocated. “Something bad’s gonna happen at the protest,” he said, bluntly. “It’s bound to, logically– I mean. All this pent up anger, this pent up aggression that’s building up in response to the Minister’s plans? It’s gonna blow up at some point.” He shrugged, very serious. “Best case scenario? It’s contained to a small part of it and quickly subdued - either way, people will get hurt. Worst case scenario is a repeat of that protest that went so well the first time. You ready to face that for your article, doll?” He provoked her, amused by her reactions. “I admire your commitment, good girl. Just remember good girls are also good PR when bad shit happens, yeah? You’re like the perfect victim.” 

Astoria might not seem like the kind of person to burst into action and join the fight, but she fought in her own way. Her articles were her way of fighting, it wasn't physical, it might not even be all that tough, but it was something important. The protest was going to be intense, for sure, but she was kind of hoping that things wouldn't end up catastrophic, at least not in the way Solomon was describing. "Well... If something bad does happen, I just have to hope that my training in magic will help me defend myself. It almost feels like you're trying to scare me off from going." Astoria raised her eyebrows in question. Sure, it might be really dangerous, but it might also be a nice protest where people get together to support a cause they all believe in. "Perfect victim? What, they're going to burn me at the stake to prove a point? Witches don't burn, we all know that."

To start a fire | open

[astoriadahl-blog]

Ainsley couldn’t help but lean forward, elbow resting on the table and palm supporting her resting chin. They hadn’t had a girls night for a while. It was one of Ainsley’s guilty pleasures, though she would never be inclined to admit to anyone outside of Gryffindor that she enjoyed it so much. Ainsley wanted Tori to know she was in a safe space when she spoke with her, so she engaged and nodded with a grin. “Of all people, those are honestly the two I would least expect you to talk to. But as long as they’re kind to you I won’t be completely against it. But of course you can; talk to me of girly things, whatever those might be, and help me escape from this homework for a little while,” she responded.

Astoria had been itching to talk to someone about her, well, personal evolution, but she hadn't had anyone to talk to, in truth. But there was Ainsley, and she trusted her, just as Ains had trusted her with her family history. "I've been dying to talk to someone about this," she admitted, bringing her thumb up to her mouth to anxiously chew on her thumb. "You know how I've been a virgin for forever. That... Is not something I am anymore. I've had sex. Several times. And- It's been pretty great." There, it was out there, she had told someone. "And also, I totally made out with Darcy the other night, which was... Interesting. And kind of cool... I don't know, my mind is all over lately. There. Girl talk."

[astoriadahl-blog]

Friends. Whatever one might call the relationship he and Astoria had shared, all the ups and the downs, it was always tenuous at best and thunderous at its worst. There had been a time when he had wholeheartedly believed they could be friends, but then life threw up its arms and made sure the hurdles they had to jump were unforgivable. Darcy ran his tongue over one dry bottom lip before pulling his shoulders up, a subtle shrug. Honesty was the best policy, he repeated this like a mantra before speaking but it never helped, never mattered. What spewed from between his lips was a tangled mess of truths and deceits. ❝I don’t remember what happened that night…❞ Half a lie. He remembered sporadic points, Theodore finding him in the corridor, trying and failing to sober him up before Darcy took it upon himself to stumble to the tower searching for the one person in the castle who might truly understand. The rest was a blur. Snippets of warmth, the feel of lips against his and arms around him that most certainly didn’t belong to his future wife to be. Mira would’ve never let them anywhere near her much less that close, and it was the Gryffindor girls’ dormitory he’d woken up in the next day. He’d avoided her to avoid repercussions from whatever foolish mistake he’d made that night. ❝So theoretically I cannot regret anything.❞ Darcy half turned from her and then sighed, all the tension caught between his shoulder blades eased. ❝I do remember…one detail,❞ the words spilled before he could stop them. Infuriated with himself he snapped. ❝And, if kissing me was so revolting then I’m sorry, but from what I can remember you didn’t complain.❞

Darcy didn't remember. Of course, he had been incredibly drunk that night, but to not remember was pretty disappointing. Because Astoria remembered every single thing, every single touch, the way his lips felt against hers, how she had felt butterflies in her stomach, how he tasted of alcohol. It had been pretty incredible, and she felt kind of gutted that Darcy couldn't remember. Surely he must know something happened considering he woke up in her bed the next morning. "Oh," Tori breathed in response, feeling suddenly incredibly awkward. Clearly the kisses had meant more to her than it had to him. She couldn't really look at him, instead finding a spot on the wall right behind him to look at. Darcy was about to turn around and leave, it seemed, but then he stopped, and his words both shocked and infuriated her. "Revolting?" she echoed, frowning as she looked at him with disbelief. "Darcy... Fuck, how can you even say such a thing, or think such a thing? It wasn't revolting at all, I- I liked it. A lot." She sighed deeply and turned her head away from him, fighting back the need to just burst out in tears. "But perhaps it was a mistake. Clearly you didn't want it, or you wouldn't be throwing comments like that it my face." All Astoria wanted was to run away. Perhaps it would be for the better if she just left it alone.

[astoriadahl-blog]

It felt bizarrely like a nightmare that Lennox had had, except it was Astoria he was protecting, not his family - not Loren or Flora cowering behind him, Lennox risking everything to keep them safe. He’d thought of being here before, even in his waking hours, too; of what he’d do if ever he were confronted by a werewolf, how he’d make it out alive. The truth was that Lennox’s magic wasn’t strong, and he weren’t skilled enough to even conjure something powerful enough to scratch a werewolf, let alone kill it. But he could run, and the logic part of Lennox’s brain told him that that’s what they should do: run for Hogwarts as though the devil himself were on their heels, and hope to Merlin and whatever God was out there that a professor was on guard and spotted them. But what if there was no one? What if it was just Lennox, Astoria, and a werewolf hell bent on killing them? The odds were stacked, and it was like Lennox’s thoughts were moving through dry sand, slipping away and getting trapped where he couldn’t reach them. His palms were slick with sweat, fight or flight pulsing beneath his skin, and he knew flight was their best option, but something beat in Lennox - the need to fight that seemed to always be there, an untapped resource that never knew when to stay down. He heard Astoria in his ear, echoing the sentiment to run, but by then, it was too late - the choice made for them as the werewolf leaped. He was still human, mostly, but there was something in the way he moved that was decidedly verging head-long into creature. Astoria’s hexed slowed him, his steps faltering, claws already tearing away his shoes, and Lennox took one final step back - fight or flight? Fight, flight, fight, flight, fight-fight-fight-

The werewolf slashed for Astoria, maybe going for her wand, Lennox didn’t see - couldn’t see much of anything. It was like everything in him honed, tunneling not only his focus, but his vision. It was like stepping out onto a rock, and finding that there was no rock at all; the ground seemed to give way, and Lennox was standing there a moment, only to suddenly be on top of the man-wolf, shoving him hard into the dirt as he tackled him. Lennox suddenly only existed in fragments of himself: a set of knuckles hard enough, aimed with enough power to hit a man across the face that was shifting into that of an animal. A pair of lungs that were ragged, drawing in oxygen at a rate too slow to satisfy him. A nervous system of blood that sung a song of liberation, a chorus that urged Lennox on and on. He was reduced to knuckles and bone and blood, swinging for the man repeatedly, watching the skin burst and give way. He was turned on his back, and he fought, taking a hit that felt more like an encouragement than a blow. Lennox’s body ran on autopilot, instinct and experience mixing until he hardly saw - and if he did see, he couldn’t process what he was doing. It felt like every night at the Royal Wolf, every shove and punch aimed at Solo, every snap of bone and drag of a knife against his skin rolled into one. Lennox was not there, not as a boy or a man or a conscious person, but an energy that could fight, and fight well, as though that were all it knew. Lennox released himself to the energy and kept swinging.

One second, Astoria was screaming, the next, the werewolf was gone, and so was Lennox. Well, they weren't gone, they were on the muddy ground, and Lennox was punching the man - the werewolf. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched through a haze what was happening in front of her. Attempting to speak, but no words came out. Lennox, Lennox. Her vision blurred, the edges were turning black, but she didn't quite know what had caused it. The fear, perhaps, or the adrenaline, the shock and panic? Tori didn't quite know what it was, at least not until she felt a dull burning on her arm. the werewolf had reached for her, and she had presumed it was to knock the wand out of her hand. But seeing it, now, the fingernails turned into claws, had caught her arm. There were three scratched down her forearm, blood coming up through the cracked skin. Dizziness washed over her as she reached out to touch the broken skin, hissing as the burning shot through her arm.

Lennox.

Snapping her head back up to see where her friend was, she saw him continously punching the now lifeless form of half a man, half a werewolf. His face was a mess, bloody, and so was Lennox's knuckles. "Lennox," Astoria manage to force out, taking a step towards the two men. No response. "Lennox! He's unconscious, you can stop now." Astoria was feeling faint, she couldn't focus her sight or her thoughts. But the Ravenclaw was still going at it, punching hard, but the man who attacked them had passed out long ago, but Lennox wasn't letting up. "Stop it, Lennox, he's passed out, you're going to kill him." She reached out to him, but she was almost afraid to touch him. Afraid of him not being in control, the need to fight and protect himself and her had taken over, and he had no control. But the man was going to die, for sure, if he didn't stop right this second. So she jumped forth and grabbed his arm just as he was about to punch again. "Stop it, you'll kill him!" Astoria screamed at the top of her lungs, and she used all the strength left in her body to pull him off of the man, having the both of them falling to the ground. "He's out cold, Lennox, we need to go. We need to go find someone, tell someone that there's a werewolf on the grounds. Please stop." The blood was still was coming out of the gashes on her arm as she breathed hard. "We have to go."

relentless | lennox & astoria

[astoriadahl-blog]

[astoriadahl-blog]

GET TO KNOW ME: [1/5] actresses: Alicia Vikander

[astoriadahl-blog]

“It’s a matter of practice, really,” Solo sighed, unhappily pawing his pockets again, in hopes a new pack of red Marlboros would suddenly materialize in his robes. “I thought I was gonna throw up dinner my first time, but you get used to it pretty fast – or addicted, I guess, whatever comes first.” Admitting defeat, Solo shrugged, and turned his attention to flyer in her hand. “Yeah. I mean, something’s bound to happen. Be it the government making some demonstration of power or some rogue werewolves deciding to stir shit up. Whatever it is, I wanna be there to see it.” Solo grinned, full of conviction: “Kinda feels like we’re gonna watch history unfold, yeah? Probably gonna be bloody, but then again– the only things that do make history are either bloody, obscene or both.” He offered, and arched his eyebrows for a moment. “Gotta be honest though, didn’t think I’d see you there.” Astoria never seemed the type of girl that chased trouble, and he had no doubts the protest would be trouble.

Astoria shrugged in response. Sure, if she kept on smoking, she probably would get used to it. But then again, she had no need to start smoking, she had only felt the need to try that one time. "I think perhaps I've managed to find another way to relax than to smoke, so I'd rather keep the possibility of getting addicted at bay for now," she responded. Still, she kind of wished she had cigarettes so she could share with Solomon, if only as a nice gesture. Nodding, she responded. "I'm kind of worried that perhaps something bad is going to happen at the protest... But I feel like I need to be there. Show my support to the cause, besides, I'm going to write an article about it. But mostly for support." Astoria really wasn't the kind of girl who went out looking for trouble. But it was a cause worth fighting for, she wanted and needed to be there. "What, don't I look like a bad girl wanting to look for trouble?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at Solo, trying to do her very best 'bad girl' smirk, but it kind of looked like she was about to sneeze instead. "I just feel like I need to be there. Good girl and all."

To start a fire | open

[astoriadahl-blog]

Thanks to a few people and then ultimately, Dahl, he had managed to slip through the grasp of trouble from that misfortunate evening. Darcy had kept his head low ever since, cautious enough to not repeat his mistake, at least not until sufficient time had passed, time was forgiving but Darcy preferred to dodge his fate. Keeping all those that he had encountered on that blunderbuss evening at arm’s length. He had every intention to slip by her as Astoria came from the opposite direction, determined not to let murky hazy memories disturb whatever had come before. Lines were blurred and he didn’t fully understand the entirety of how he’d ended up in the lion’s den. Darcy stalled, a drawled uh as his path was stopped short by her. ❝Fine—❞ She’d cut him off before he could even begin. ❝I’ve been busy?❞ Darcy offered, the interrogative incidental. ❝Do you—- want something?❞ Questions burned the tip of his tongue, but as much as he wanted to know what had occurred that night, part of him wanted to leave whatever it was behind.

The thing about their friendship, or whatever it was that they were now, was that, even when she was slapping him across the face, they had still been able to keep a conversation. There had never been any awkward pauses, nothing like what was going on right now, and Astoria couldn't take it. It felt so strange having gone such a long time without talking to him. Still, she was nervously rambling. "Want something?" Tori asked, stopping short for a second, her eyebrows raising high up on her head. "No, no... Well- We've been ignoring each other, and I don't like it." Perhaps it had been a dumb idea, stopping him, he had left early the next morning, and since then they had hardly even spoken. And she didn't know what to think, feel or say about what had happened between the two of them that night. Perhaps Darcy had forgotten all about it. Tori chewed awkwardly at her lower lip, gaze flitting across the hallway, and it was a full 20 seconds later when she finally spoke. "Are we friends, Darcy? I mean... Do you regret what happened, do you remember what happened at all?"

[astoriadahl-blog]

Alicia Vikander attends the Louis Vuitton’s Boutique Opening during the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 in Paris, France (October 2, 2017)

[astoriadahl-blog]

Vera Brittain: Testament of Youth

By: thejennire

✦Send your request [x]✦ / Tags [x]

[astoriadahl-blog]

@theprxdigalson

Awkward hellos and cautious smiles had been just about all the interaction Astoria and Darcy had had since that night he had come up to the Gryffindor dorms, drunk out of his mind. It had been nice, truly, they had talked, and then there was that incredible kiss. And several more incredible kisses. And then of course there was the night spent cuddling. But after that, things had been... Weird between the two of them. Tori was preparing for another awkward hello when she saw him walking down the hallway towards her, but just as she had prepared her warm smile, she stopped and stepped in front of him. "Darcy, hi. Umm... How have you been?" Cringeworthy, absolutely embarrassing, there was instant regret to the comment. And it showed on her face. "Sorry, that was incredibly lame. Perhaps we should just continue the awkward hello's in the hallways."

[astoriadahl-blog]

Vera Brittain: Testament of Youth

By: thejennire

✦Send your request [x]✦ / Tags [x]

[astoriadahl-blog]

Physicality was intoxicating and heady, and when Lennox was in the zone, almost nothing could distract him. Almost. Maybe Lennox had to own that he was already distracted in the back of his mind, and that he’d suggested acting on one of Astoria’s fantasies in order to run away from it - throw himself into sex and hope for the best. The truth was, he kissed Astoria but was distracted by the thought of Solo; a kind of pull, like a hook stuck in the back of his mind for days now, yanking him back to the same problem. Did he feel something for him? Was that even possible after everything they’d been through? Lennox tried to enjoy the way Astoria touched him, nails on his skin beneath his shirt, but his thoughts strayed annoyingly, tugging him back and back - and the more insistent they became, the harder Lennox fought against them. Hands were rough, bruising on Astoria’s thighs, wondering if she’d let him lift her up, thighs and legs around his waist, when he heard it. His mind was already drifting from what he was doing, brain not quite reaching his lips, but was tuned into his ears - the branches and leaves snapping, crunching, too heavy for a deer. For a minute, Lennox wondered if he’d chosen a bad spot and they’d been caught by a professor - an excuse was on his lips when he turned, lips breaking from Astoria’s skin to see someone he definitely didn’t recognise.

The man looked rough, hair curling down to his shoulders, face covered in dirt and stubble. He was weathered, beaten; hair the colour of dog’s fur, splotched with grey and brown, but it was his eyes that Lennox couldn’t stop staring at. They were wild, feral, darting all over the place, and they unsettled Lennox - he couldn’t pin them down, and he’d once fought a halfbreed at the Royal Wolf that had the same kind of edge to him. Lennox’s hands left Astoria, and he turned, his body blocking hers behind him so that the man - thing, said Lennox’s brain - couldn’t touch her. Everything in him which had been flooded with desire evaporated, a chill sweeping across his skin as his heart beat with adrenaline, hands fisting at his sides. The man staggered into their clearing, circling, and Lennox didn’t miss the way he raised his head and sniffed the air. “Filthy children,” he spat, and Lennox moved so that the man was never out of his eyeline, Astoria always at his back. “So fuckin’ pure, aren’t you? Nothing but human and wizard and muggle running through your veins,” he said, voice feverish. “You will know– you’ll all know, soon enough. When we show you– you’ll see, you’ll see what we’re capable of. The true order of things,” and he took a step forward, making Lennox take one back, shielding Astoria, “will be restored. Prey and predator.” He was making no sense, and Lennox tried not to let the pulse of fear override his bravery. “You can’t be here,” he said, voice strong. “Leave or you’ll find aurors on your ass, werewolf.” The man across from them sneered, revealing pointed canine teeth, eyes bright. “I delight in the destruction of your kind,” he said, and that’s when Lennox saw it - the shudder of the man’s body, the subtle lengthening that signalled he was turning. Fuck the moon, fuck the night: he was shifting now, right in front of them, and there was nothing either of them could do to stop it.

Astoria should have listened to her instincts, when she heard the branches snapping, she should have looked up, taken a look around to see if someone was there. They could, after all, get caught being in the woods by a professor. The sounds were getting louder though, and as much as she wanted to focus entirely on Lennox, his lips and his hands, she couldn't stop from looking up only to see a complete stranger walking into the clearing. "Oh, shit," Tori muttered under her breath. The man looked like he could use a bit of sleep, and a bath, he was positively filthy. But the most terrifying part of him were his eyes. They didn't look human, specks of yellow that weren't normal at all. Lennox turned around to face the new arrival, blocking her behind his back against the tree. It didn't occur to her until a minute later that it was a protective stance. Gryffindors were meant to be brave, when feeling threatened, Astoria was meant to bound into action, wand at the ready, prepared to do whatever it takes to protect herself and those she was with. But she was completely frozen, the fear creeping up her spine. The man started circling them, speaking, voice so full of hate, but Lennox kept moving, making sure he was in the direct line of fire, protecting her. Without thinking too much about it, she put her hand to his arm, cowering behind him like the biggest coward in the world.

"Sir, umm... Are you okay? You look kind of..." Astoria couldn't finish her sentence, the man looked more animal than human at the moment, and that's what she understood. This man was a werewolf, and he was on the verge of turning. Her hand moved instinctively to the pocket of her coat, pulling out her wand. As much as she wanted to believe that werewolves deserved equal rights, there were werewolves in the world who believed themselves to be more worthy of others. And this man seemed to be one of the people who shared that belief. "You can leave right now, and we won't tell anyone you're here. You leave us alone, you can run off and not get caught and sent to Azkaban." It was partly a threat, because they could send up a distress signal, easy, and professors would come running. Werewolves were not trusted, at all, the man would be sent off to Azkaban within an hour. Her grip on her wand tightened as the man revealed his pointed teeth. The man's body was changing, spine lengthening. Astoria had read about this, but she hadn't seen it happen in real life. While it looked painful, she couldn't get over the intense fear she felt shudder through her spine. "Lennox, we need to run. Right now, we need to run," she hissed under her breath. The next second though, the man pounced, running right at them, teeth bared, vicious eyes, arms outstretched towards them. It happened so fast, and without her consciously deciding to do so, she pointed her wand at the man, the werewolf, casting a hex that temporarily slowed down his movements. As she watched the man's face slowly transform, she realised she was screaming in fear.

relentless | lennox & astoria

[astoriadahl-blog]

Alicia Vikander attends the Louis Vuitton’s Boutique Opening during the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2018 in Paris, France (October 2, 2017)

[astoriadahl-blog]

Alicia Vikander attends the ‘Euphoria’ press conference during the 13th Zurich Film Festival in Zurich, Switzerland | 29th September 2017

[astoriadahl-blog]

Alicia Vikander attends the ‘Euphoria’ premiere during the 13th Zurich Film Festival in Zurich, Switzerland | 29th September 2017