#back to school challenge 2022

[whatwouldvalerydo]

The journey

Talbott Winger sends a letter to Talia requesting her presence at the school. Question is what did their son do? Challenge created by the lovely @cursebreakerfarrier

Returning to Hogwarts was not something Talia actually enjoyed, especially since the end of the war. Not like it was her school to begin with but when she received the letter from her husband asking for her to come in person in order to speak with their son since he got in a fight, she was left with no choice.

Normally he was able to deal with things on his own, her visiting at random intervals when she wanted to or had time, but since the situation called for her presence specifically, she actually took some time off work in order to see what the commotion was all about, especially since Talbott did not wish to disclose the reason behind his request.

It was honestly enough having a parent as a teacher since year one, he did not require another parent hovering over him. And it usually remained that way for the first three years of his studies.

But when Talbott greeted her in front of the Hospital Wing, she went pale, steps slowing down, Talbott immediately calming her down ‘’He’s fine, but he does have a broken nose. He got into a fight and while I would normally be able to handle this, I have to let you know it’s because he was protecting your name.’’

‘’My name? You mean the Crane name?’’ however Talbott just shook his head urging her to go inside and talk to their son instead, him accompanying her.

While their son most definitely had a mind of his own and had proven to be quite stubborn at times, both Talia and Talbott looking at each other when that happened, pointing fingers at each other as they smirked, he had not been in a physical fight that resulted with him getting sent to the Hospital Wing. And while both parents taught him some self defense, they did teach him to use it just only when necessary.

Walking towards his bed, the boy frowned while looking at his father, mumbling “You didn’t have to call mom.”

“Actually I did.” He retorted while crossing his hands over his chest “Now do you care to tell her what happened?”

“Not really.” The boy fussed on the spot, wincing in pain a bit.

Talia sat down on the bed, taking a good look at him “Why not?”

“Dad already took away ten house points.” He grumbled, Talia trying not to smile.

“Which is fair but I’m not here because of the house points.” She mentioned extending her hands out to touch his face, healing magic working its charm “I’m here because you got in a fight and I want to know why.”

Hesitantly, he finally uttered “They said you’ll burn me.” Talia’s eyes widened slightly, worry settling between her brows “They said you’ll punish me. But I don’t want to be an Auror mom.”

“Well if it’s any consolation I don’t want you to be an Auror either.” His eyes shot to her face however he lowered them when he saw the serious expression she had on “I don’t know why you had the idea in the first place that it’s fine to fight, then about the job. I never said anything about forcing you into a career and neither did your father. So, how about you tell us what you want to be.”

“A dragonologist.”

It was time for Talbott to be even more serious “You do realize that it might actually be more dangerous than an Auror job?”

“No it’s not.” He countered finally looking at his parents “Mom heals, so no one knows how bad she gets hurt. You quit to become a professor. There are bad people out there, at least I would know where the dragons are.”

Sighing, Talia placed a hand over her son’s head “Look, it’s still early, you have time to decide on a career. But if you really want it maybe we can take you to the sanctuary this summer, see Charlie and Felix? How does that sound?”

“You’re not mad?”

Ruffling his hair she smiled “Why would I be mad? You’re free to choose whichever career you want.”

“Which means you need to start studying more.”

“Dad!”

[stupendousbookworm]

𝑩𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑻𝑶 𝑺𝑪𝑯𝑶𝑶𝑳: 01.09.1984

Here's my entry for @cursebreakerfarrier 's back to school challenge. Unfortunately, since I am too, back to study at uni, I didn't have enough time to whip up a digital drawing or some writing, so here's a doodle of Ara on the Hogwarts Express for the first time :)

[the-al-chemist]

Back to School Challenge Day 3: Merlin, I Hate This

Scully the Crup meets Professor Snape

Artemis left Hagrid’s hut carrying a wriggling Scully in one arm, and a large bag of rock cakes in the other. Her bad mood slightly alleviated, she walked back to the Hufflepuff common room in the castle dungeons to join her friends. However, as she passed the Potions classroom, she heard the unmistakeable voice of Professor Snape echoing down the hallway.

“Hexley. My office. Immediately.”

Artemis sighed. What had she done now? She turned and followed Snape into his office at the back of the Potions classroom.

“I presume you know why I’ve asked you to come in here, Hexley.”

“I genuinely haven’t got a clue, Professor.”

“Then perhaps you would like to explain to me exactly how and why Merula Snyde returned to the castle surrounded by what I can only describe as a swarm of flapping globules of nasal discharge.”

Artemis snorted. Snape, however, did not look amused.

“I don’t know how, Sir, it had nothing to do with me,” she told him, trying and failing to hold back laughter. “As for why... well, knowing Merula, she probably did something to deserve it.”

“As glad as I am that you find this situation entertaining, Hexley, need I remind you that underage misuse of magic is a serious criminal offence?” Snape gave Artemis a deeply scathing, scrutinising look, and as he did so, seemed to notice Scully in her arms for the first time. “Hexley, what in Merlin’s name is that?”

“It’s a Crup, Professor. His name’s Scully.”

“I don’t care what you call it, Hexley. Why have you brought it in here?”

“Because you told me to come in.”

Artemis Hexley and the Figures in the Shadows - Chapter 3: The Barmaid’s Tale

Illustration drawn for @cursebreakerfarrier’s Back To School Challenge

[gcldensnitch]

Back to School Challenge 2022, 1st of september: the journey.

Selina Fawley was looking forward to her last year in Hogwarts. The hufflepuff girl loved being in the castle and having her friends by her side. Also the school year meant staying away from her parents, which was a huge bonus to her. She started her day as usual – the maids woke her up, helped her to get dressed then she went to her ballet class. She really did not expect much for the day. After the class, she was aware that she needed to get ready for the leave to the railway station. What she didn't know was that her fiancé, Kasper (or more known as Marty) was waiting for her. The Durmstrang graduate asked Mr. and Mrs. Fawley personally for permission to accompany Selina to the Hogwarts train. And they agreed, of course. So there he was... standing at the doorway, looking fresh and well put together. He reached his hand out for Selina to hold, which the girl accepted. Marty leaded Selina out to his carriage. That surprised her. She thought they might take a Portkey to the station but she was wrong. The man wanted to spend some time alone with her before she goes away for a year. The two of them weren't really fond of each other for the longest time. But things changed after they actually got some time to talk in private last year. They started to catch feelings, you see. Being alone in the carriage with Marty made Selina's stromach act weird. She tried to not blush, but it was impossible not to. Not when the man was being the perfect gentleman. You could say the journey was a weird mix of awkward silences and lingering, stolen glances. Marty was playing around with his promise ring on his finger and faked a cough to get his lady's attention.

"Miss Fawley..." he started. "After you graduate, we shall to get married to each other. I hope you're ready for that and your last year in Hogwarts is going to be pleasant." That left the pure-blooded girl startled. She really did not expect to hear that from him. Oh, I'm in so much trouble she thought. The man is really making her head over heels for him! "Thank you, Mr. Gyllenfeldt. I'm looking forward to... that." She managed to say, withouth stuttering. Once the couple arrived to the Kings Cross Train Station, Marty seemed hesitant. Two house elves appeared next to them, bringing Selina's luggages to the train. With a shaky breath, Marty stepped closer to Selina and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm really looking forward to that as well, Miss Fawley." He whispered. Selina hugged him back, just as tightly while a shy smile appeared on her face.

credit goes to @cursebreakerfarrier for the event and Marty's character. thank you for hosting this lovely challege!

[gaygryffindorgal]

Through Thick and Thin, day 04 of @cursebreakerfarrier ‘s Back to School Challenge

"If you say ‘dragon’ one more time, I will kill you.”

“If you say ‘Merula Snyde’ one more time I will kill you.”

aka Verna and Charlie, my og disaster duo. I can’t believe Dumbledore made them both prefects. RIP to Gryffindor I guess.

[unfortunate-arrow]

The Journey

Day 1: The Journey for @cursebreakerfarrier’s Back to School Challenge ; also honoring Declan’s September 1 birthday

The year he turned eleven, Declan O’Donnell-Lee hated his birthday. He didn’t hate his birthday in general, but some of the magic of a birthday was lost when you were supposed to begin a new school on it. As he stared up at the scarlet engine, his stomach began to turn. The cake that he’d had for breakfast hadn’t done much to calm his nerves, but that had been a nice surprise. The previous two years they’d had cake after dinner, after they’d dropped Dora off at the platform. Except this year, it was Declan’s turn to climb onto the train. 

“Dec, sweetheart, everything will be fine,” Mum said, running a soothing hand through his auburn hair. 

“Your mother’s right, kiddo. You’ll find your place and make friends you never even thought you would. I had never expected to meet your mother and aunt and uncles,” Dad said, clapping a hand on Declan’s shoulder. 

“Plus, Dora can show you the ropes.”

A groan came from his thirteen-year-old sister. “I’m not going to babysit him. I have my own life,” Dora responded.

“I don’t need a babysitter, Dora.” 

“And, Aunt Ruth will always be there if you’re feeling a little homesick,” Mum added. Aunt Ruth was currently the part-time charms professor, teaching the first through fourth years. 

At that moment, the train whistled and Dora gave Mum, Dad, Violet, and Brendan each a quick hug before hopping onto the train. 

“Alright, kiddo, have a great few months. Mum and I’ll write at least once a week. And again, happy birthday, Declan. I know this probably isn’t the best birthday, but there’s a little something hidden for you amongst your trunks,” Dad said, pulling Declan in for a tight hug. 

“Barnaby! You weren’t supposed to tell him that. It was supposed to be a surprise. Anyways, have a great few months, sweetheart. I love you. And yes, happy birthday, Dec,” Mum said, pulling him into another hug. 

“Love you, too,” Declan murmured, hugging them back. 

He let out a slow breath and climbed onto the train. He leaned out of the window, waving furiously to his parents and younger siblings as they began to disappear from view. He started as a hand clapped his shoulder.

“Happy birthday, Dec. Now, I’m going to find my friends. Find somewhere to sit and I’ll cheer you on when you get sorted,” Dora said. “And relax. Everything will be fine. Mum and Dad are right, Aunt Ruth will be there if you have any issues.” 

[usernoneexistent]

A/N: In ‘tales of the unexpected’ Winona gets caught being an accomplice in one of Sethel’s prank by her brother (which you can read here). So she conducts a plan to get back at Glenn which includes swooning their rival, Nolan Miller. Thanks to @cursebreakerfarrier for hosting this challenge.

Character featured: Victoria Summer @whatwouldvalerydo and Nolan Miller @hogwartsmysteryho.

Characters mentioned: Selene Fraser & Alan, Professor Figgs @lifeofkaze, Ethel Hexley @the-al-chemist, Oliver Gerard @kc-and-co, Professor Herron @cursebreakerfarrier.

Warnings: mentions of Sethel, dumb and impulsive decisions.

"Winona!" As her name was cried out in the cosy Gryffindor common room, the girl sank deeper into the lounge, knowing it signified trouble. Her kneazle, Emma was curled up in her arms. A shadow loomed over her as she finally looked up to see the caller of her name.

"Hello, my dear brother," putting on an obliviousness, Winona sat up properly to face Glenn.

"I'm not in the mood to play games, dear sister," he scolded. "I know it was you who told Hexley and Fraser where my soap was placed."

Oh dear, Winona had really gotten herself in a pit of trouble this time. Putting on her best act, she batted her eyelashes innocently, "I have no idea what you are referring to, Glenn—telling Ethel and Selene where your bar of soap was? Preposterous! I did no such thing!"

Glenn's stiffened his face, letting no emotion revealed upon his sister. He didn't buy the act. In fact, she instead admitted her guilt. The crime, simply answering a harmless question by Selene and Ethel, led to the most extraordinary transformation that Winona had ever witnessed in her fifteen years of living. The Gryffindor prefect walked in and sported bright, magnolia pink hair. He was made the laughing stock for days amongst everyone while simultaneously Selene and Ethel were the talk at Hogwarts to pull off such a defeat though their glory was short-lived. Glenn seemed to take this a little more personal this time, tracking all culprits one by one directly involved and indirectly through the past couple of weeks with detention.

"I'm telling mother about this, and we shall see how she responds," Glenn threatened.

"Fine, I did tell them where your soap was. Is this what you want me to say? However, don't tell mama that." Winona stood up, holding firmly onto Emma, ready to storm off and whine to her closest friend, Victoria, how unfair and ridiculous Glenn was.

"Your detention is to polish the silver for two weeks alongside Hexley and Fraser starting tomorrow. Consider this me being generous." With a tall stride, he walked away from Winona while he fixed the tie of a first year with the flick of his wand. She stuck out her tongue behind his back. Emma seemed tired of being held in Winona's arms and jumped to follow Selene's ferret Alan to play with him.

"Come on, Emma. Now you?"

-oOo-

Winona avoided Glenn at dinner, who was with Oliver Gerard, his closet and probably only male companionship. She was thankful for it; otherwise, she would have argued with him. A lot.

"Can you believe the audacity of my brother!" Winona started, taking a deep and dramatic sigh. " Giving me detention, his dear little sister!"

Her best friend, Victoria Summer, who was graced with patience, had to endure the dramatic retelling of how Winona got punished by her brother. However, Victoria knew that Winona had a tendency to go big and over-exaggerate the details.

"You know, Winona...I don't blame Glenn for reacting the way he is." Her tone her soft but firm. Victoria had this way of making one feel guilty without raising her voice in anger within mere seconds. "If I were him, I too would be upset to find out that my own sister would assist in such a horrendous prank. Poor Professor Herron, Professor Figgs and the grounds keeper had to clean up the mess and it took two weeks for the pink colour to be removed from Glenn's hair."

"Come on, Vicky. You are meant to be on my side." Winona played with her food, still angry about her brother. She looked behind Victoria and made the unfortunate mistake of catching the eye of a Nolan Miller at the Ravenclaw table. In the most unladylike behaviour, she stuck her tongue out. Nolan pulled a face back, being very gentlemen like of him. She couldn't stand Nolan and found he was as much of an arrogant composition of flesh and bones as her brother. Nolan would always try and beat Winona's test grades, using her to get back at Glenn due to the year gap between the two boys. So in Glenn's stead, she usually studied harder to beat Nolan's grades. Unfortunately, they mainly even out their grade averages, but Glenn would consistently rank higher than the two combined. Most of the time, anyhow.

The thought of Glenn alone seemed to rise anger in her, though another thought intruded. It was devious but Winona held onto the thought a little longer. She almost laughed at how ridiculous it was, but it would be insane enough to pull it off. The only and most genuine way to get back at her dear brother. But she would need Nolan for it to work.

Victoria turned to see who Winona was staring at. "Oh, Winona. You have got to stop this frivolous rivalry with Nolan."

"Actually, I was thinking of making amends with Nolan."

"Really?! It didn't look like that from my view."

"Well, I've decided that I'm going to make amends and end this pointless feud." Victoria was surprised but was happy nevertheless by Winona's decision.

Throughout September, Winona had made a conscious effort on her appearance and actions around Nolan. While they argued back and forth with witty remarks, she tried to be less harsh. Even though it made her sick to her stomach, she had congratulated him on his better test score in defence against the dark arts. During detention, she had used that time to think of further ideas on how to make advances toward the Ravenclaw. She had even gone as far as to ask Euphemia Macnair for flirting advice which turned out to be a primarily fruitless endeavour from the naturally shy Slytherin. Still, she had been able to provide some helpful books on swooning a man. Winona did as it said; she dropped her handkerchief several times in Nolan's presence and stole more not-so-secret glances. Over time, Nolan's responses softened and were more courteous than previously before.

Finally, Winona snuck off to the astronomy tower in early October at one in the morning. Her favourite place in all of Hogwarts is to observe the stars of Orion, Polaris and her favourite Vega. The tower had a strangely calming effect on Winona. It was a place to gather her thoughts with a quill and parchment, where she wrote her articles for the school newspaper. Still, tonight she would write something different, something she had read but never written. A love letter. The receiver would be Nolan Miller. If things go well and he falls for her, it would mean she has achieved the first part of her plan.

The quill scratched on the parchment. Winona carefully curved the letters and thought of the right words to say. It would be best to come across as a secret admirer, praise him and inflate his ego.

Dear Nolan,

I have a simple confession to make. I have been observing you since the Summer. You may not have realised, but anytime you walked past me, stolen a glance or even merely daydreaming about you, it made my heart leap like a frog hopping on a lily pad. You consume my thoughts day and night, and how I wish I could be nearer to you, of your brilliant mind and extensive knowledge. It took me a lot of courage to finally pour out these deep affections I hold for you. However, I believe a letter would not be enough to describe in every single way how I yearn for you and your affections. I would like to propose that we could arrange a meeting at the beech tree by the Great Lake on the morning of this Saturday. I must confess again that some of me are selfish, and I wish to see if you would reciprocate my sentiments. However, I would still die happy tomorrow if I am able to express to you in person even if you don't share my affections.

Of the deepest of my sincerities,

Your secret admirer

Winona looked out from the open window of the tower and aimed the folded letter shaped like a bird at the Ravenclaw tower. The letter swooped through an open window with a flick of the wand and a gust of wind. She prayed for it to be sent to the right window but wrote To Nolan clearly so it could be sent properly. If someone else found it, then at the very least, she hoped they were kind enough to give it to him. All she can do is wait for him tomorrow.

-oOo-

She was too nervous to the point of regret. Her stomach twisted and churned as time passed slowly. Winona paced up and down from the beech tree to the edges of the lake, allowing the tips of her recently shined boots to touch the body of water. She had contemplated multiple times if she should back down and pretend like it was a horrible joke gone wrong. Though despite the nerves, Winona was not one to easily back down, so she persevered. No, Glenn needed to suffer like he made her suffer by manually cleaning the Prefect bathroom for almost a month.

"Winona Rosewood?" She nearly jumped out of fright. The Gryffindor girl had not paid enough attention to her surroundings and noted the approaching figure. Nolan had arrived with her letter held in hand. "What are you doing here so early?"

She took a deep breath, masking her best shy face. "Well, I was waiting for you, Nolan."

Nolan's eyes squinted before widening as he came to a quick realisation.

"You are my secret admirer?!"

"I am embarrassed to admit it but...yes," Purposefully, she looked away. "It was a painful realisation as I once thought I detested you but only to uncover to my surprise that I actually do harbour tender affections for you."

"Well, this explains a lot. I was wondering why you had such a sudden change in heart towards me." His arms crossed but held on tightly to the letter. He didn't seem angry or upset with her, which was a good sign in her mind but he didn't seem as warm as she had liked.

"I know it must be a surprise to you but..." Winona continued on her best act. "Would you still be interested in courting me despite our past?"

There was a pregnant pause. Winona felt her blood pumping in her ears. Never had she been so nervous, not even during her tests, had she been so scared at this very moment. Nolan contemplated her offer, but some hope bloomed within her when she noticed his mischievous smile.

"Sure."

"Really?!" It came out more eagerly than anticipated as a faint smile widened. While the confession and acceptance weren't precisely what Winona had thought. Her only references were her Jane Austen novels and her half-brother, Colin telling her of his love declaration to Euphemia. It was certainly better than she had thought. "Well, we ought to arrange a meeting soon. To get to know each other better since we are courting now."

"How about tomorrow?" Nolan suggested. "We could take a walk around Hogsmeade."

"Sounds like a date then."

They walked back to Hogwarts castle together. They stuck to small chatter, but Winona couldn't help but keep her smile on. While the most challenging part of her plan to get back at Glenn was complete, it was time for the easiest part. She just needed the right person to spread some rumours at Hogwarts and she just knew the right one.

[slytherindisaster]

“𝑴𝑬𝑹𝑳𝑰𝑵, 𝑰 𝑯𝑨𝑻𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑺𝑺!” — Day 3 of @cursebreakerfarrier's Back To School Challenge

Clary belongs to @thatravenpuffwitch <3

[cursed-herbalist]

Back to School Challenge 2022

Day 5 – Tales of the Unexpected hosted by @cursebreakerfarrier

➔ A little drabble about Vio and Deaglán and how it all started. @magicallymalted and I collaborated on this one and I think it turned out really well! I love the two so much and hope you will share the feels. Enjoy!

OCs mentioned: Deaglán Herrity @magicallymalted; Lysander Mercury @slytherindisaster; Violette Durand is mine Warning: Mention of past death

𝓑𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓕𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼

Oh, how lovely this place was, Violette thought and let out a sigh as she stepped into the Herbology classroom. Certainly, the greenhouse was her favourite retreat. However, as class was about to start, the greenhouse was packed with cheerfully chatting teens, waiting for the professor to arrive.

“Vio, over here!” a voice, almost instantly, called out. A little startled she looked in the direction from where the voice had come. Lysander, a fellow Hufflepuff and friend of hers, enthusiastically waved her over. “Do you remember what plant we’re covering today?” Violette couldn’t help but chuckle. He was so chaotic at times. “If I remember correctly it’s venomous tentacula, it’s just a review, so you should be fine,” she explained walking over to him. “Have you seen my gloves by any chance? I think I have left them here yesterday, I can’t seem to find them anywhere else.” “No, deeply sorry!” Lysander shrugged. “Do you need any help looking for them?“ “No worries, I’ll find them. Thank you!” she muttered while she proceeded to look in between plants and started to lift up pots.

As she continued to scan the room for her lost gloves she locked eyes with a familiar pair of brown ones. Deaglán, a well-read and unusually kind-hearted Slytherin, was teasingly waving an elegant pair of dark brown leather gloves into the air. “Looking for these?” he smirked. Thank god, she thought as she rushed over to him. “How did you know these were mine?” she asked seriously amazed and visibly relieved. “Who else spends as much time here as you? Also….” he pointed at the embossed initials at the rim of the glove. “You wear them all the time too,” he chuckled. “I see, I’m impressed you noticed. For all that, thank you! I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had lost them” she said, beaming up at him as she gently took the gloves from his hands.

“Borrow mine and lose them too?” he grinned.

Violette was about to hit him with her newly recovered gloves as the professor suddenly walked in through the large glass doors, cutting their conversation short.

"Good morning, children! What a lovely day it is! A good day to review this little plant, don't you think?" she said as she swished her wand making venomous tentaculas float into place for each student. Some students squealed in surprise, some backed away from the long table that parted the room.

"No need to fret, children!"

"If handled with care, they do not propose any threat. You should know this already! However, do be careful!" the professor reassured and warned at once.

Thankfully, Violette had done her homework. The venomous tentacula was a dangerous plant indeed. Its venom, although not deadly, was a sought-after ingredient for potions. Its spikes and teeth, however, were lethal. It didn't make it any better that this plant had a tendency to swing at living creatures. Which entailed they had to be very cautious while in proximity to the plant.

Violette was about to slide on her gloves when she noticed something was off. Deaglán, standing next to her, had been unusually quiet, almost frozen in place. In the general run of things, he'd be quick to vent his disdain about this class, crack a joke or tease her. Yet all she could hear was his hitched breathing. Turning to look at him, she saw him staring at the plant, his body slightly shivering.

Shoot, Violette thought as she recalled. His parents had both died after they were bit by one of these plants.

Instinctively, she set down her gloves and took his hand in hers, rubbing soothing circles on the back of it. “Are you alright?” she carefully inquired, her voice hushed. He merely nodded. “You’re safe, Deaglán! The plant won’t hurt you,” she tried to reassure him. And as he turned his head to look at her all the voices drowned out. “I won’t let it,” she whispered, staring back at him. “We’ll protect each other,” she continued, trying to give him an encouraging smile. Admittedly, focusing got harder the longer she held his gaze. Don’t get distracted Vio, now is not the time. But his eyes drew her in, in a way she didn’t expect it and her fingers tingled where their skin touched. She swallowed as she waited for an answer. Anything really.

“Miss Durand, Mister Herrity, is everything all right?” the professor interrupted, making Violette jump. Deaglán seemed almost back to normal as he tried to explain: “A-aye, Professor. I just…need a moment.” The professor nodded and continued the lesson. Violette on the other hand was utterly flabbergasted. What by merlin’s beard just happened? She tried her best to focus but even putting on her gloves seemed a too difficult task. Frustrated, she settled for holding them in her hands as she took a deep breath. Deaglán did the same, albeit still with a slight quiver as the height of the panic subsided. Internally, the constricting of his chest and the heightened awareness of the plant before him acted as a reminder of the undercurrent of fear — even if on the surface, it was merely a fractured inhale. 

“Thank you,” Violette suddenly heard Deaglán mutter, his gaze locked on the plant. “Thank you for helping me through this.” She looked at him, smiling softly.

“Always.”

Deaglán dared to tear his eyes away from the venomous tentacula and offered her a weak smile in return. “I don’t suppose you heard what we have to do? Or…anything?” he whispered. Violette took a quick look around. “I think we’re supposed to…groom the plant? Maybe cut off some shoots to extract the venom?” she assumed as she slid on her gloves. “Are you going to be okay?” Deaglán nodded as he did the same. “Then could you perhaps keep an eye on the plant while I try to trim it?” Deaglán nodded. 

“But please, be careful,” he stressed. 

The class proceeded relatively smoothly until Violette got a little too close to the plant. As she leaned in to cut off a particularly difficult-to-reach part, that she otherwise couldn’t cut with a swish of her wand, the venomous tentacula swung at her, nearly wrapping its vines around her wrist. Deaglán pulled her back not a moment too soon, one hand wrapped tightly around his wand and the other keeping a protective grip on her shoulder. “Sorry,” he frowned. “It didn’t get you, did it?” A little startled and with her heart beating fast Violette looked up at Deaglán. “No, I…thank you!”

“Of course,” he breathed, eyes flickering between her and the swinging vines. Deaglán pulled them back a little further. “Don’t know why the bloody things aren’t obliterated at the nearest opportunity. Diffindo!”. The nearest limb-like vine flailing aggressively from the plant dropped to the ground as the others continued to thrash about. “Are you sure you’re alright?” Violette couldn't even attempt to answer before the voice of the professor echoed through the room.

“What is going on over there that’s more important than your work?”

[carewyncromwell]

Back to School Challenge // hosted by @cursebreakerfarrier​​

🦅𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑: 𝑻𝑯𝑹𝑶𝑼𝑮𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑪𝑲 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵🐍

“Here we are -- no one else -- We walked to school all by ourselves. There's dirt on our uniforms From chasing all the ants and worms --  We clean up and now it's time to learn... We clean up and now it's time to learn...”

~“We’re Gonna Be Friends (cover)” by Chad Sugg

x~x~x~x

Jacob Cromwell. Duncan Ashe. Olivia Green. 

Three distinctly different students who seemingly had nothing in common...and yet during their school careers, one almost never saw one without the other two close behind. 

Jacob Cromwell, naturally, was the brains of the trio. The magical prodigy never struggled in an academic setting, running circles around all of his classmates with apparent ease. Jacob didn’t excel in class out of a desire for attention or praise, rather for his passionate love of learning, and his enthusiasm for knowledge was infectious. It made it so even those who found him arrogant couldn’t help but find the boyish giddiness with which he spoke and the brilliant light in his eyes rather endearing. No one would argue, though, that Jacob’s intelligence translated to people-smarts. He never truly realized how much his genius intellect and magical talent alienated his classmates, nor would he likely have empathized much with their position if he had. He didn’t see the need to pull his punches -- if someone wanted to do better than him, then they should just do it, rather than insist he go easy on them. Jacob wasn’t afraid of good, old-fashioned competition: he’d honestly be thrilled to get his arse handed to him by a real opponent, not get all weepy because he lost. This didn’t even touch on Jacob’s temper, which -- when provoked -- could become rather violent. Still, any objective person would notice that Jacob’s rage only ever came out in response to someone he loved being hurt or threatened, never in response to slights against himself. This was part of why so many of his classmates had trouble believing Jacob wasn’t at least somewhat justified in pushing Sharon Edgecombe into the punch bowl during a party in their fourth year.

Duncan Ashe was -- in many ways -- Jacob’s opposite. However good with books Jacob was, Duncan was good with common sense. Jacob was reckless and frequently jumped into dangerous situations without thinking; Duncan always looked before he leapt and frequently had to act as Jacob’s “leash” to rein him in before he did something stupid. Jacob had his head in the clouds almost constantly, while Duncan always kept himself grounded and singularly focused on his goals. And for as sloppily as Jacob dressed and how much he’d grown his hair out, Duncan always kept his hair and uniform clean and neat. It wasn’t uncommon for Duncan to complain about Jacob’s shortcomings within other people’s earshot, to the point that someone might wonder if Duncan really, truly detested Jacob Cromwell...but it wouldn’t take long for the person to realize that whenever Duncan was scolding Jacob for never thinking anything through and for being an idiot, it wasn’t out of hatred. Nobody would spend so much time with someone, keeping them out of trouble and tolerating their bad habits, if they hated them. And there were times -- when Duncan would tease Jacob mercilessly, or when he’d fix Jacob’s tie, or when he’d bite back a smile listening to Jacob go on a diatribe in the middle of Potions class, or when he’d hex someone for messing with Jacob, or even when he’d ward off any less-than-savory “admirers” of his best friend from pursuing him -- when it was clear just how fond Duncan Ashe was of Jacob.

Olivia Green was the mediating force between these two diametrically opposed forces. As the oldest of three kids, she frequently had had to be the “mature one” and settle disputes among her younger siblings, so she had no problem keeping her cool whenever Ashe got fed up with Jacob or Jacob’s violent temper reared its ugly head. Although Jacob and she were both Ravenclaws, Jacob was much more a Ravenclaw in the sense of his love of knowledge and desire to achieve academically, while Olivia was much more one to embrace Ravenclaw’s values of wisdom and creativity. She wrote poetry in the margins of her notes, played guitar, and spoke out on the morality of Transfiguring animals when they couldn’t give consent. She even wore a suede vest she’d embroidered herself over her school uniform, rather than the usual sweater. Ever a contrarian, Olivia found Hogwarts’s curriculum -- like most schools -- faulty in how they measured intelligence with grades and tests, rather than trying to encourage different forms of learning that didn’t involve a lot of memorization and regurgitation. She didn’t do badly in her classes, exactly, but the young Ravenclaw seemed to know early on that she was never going to fit within the confines of what the Wizarding World wanted her to be, and she wasn’t even going to try. This did make Olivia rather non-conformist in her own modest way, which explained why she gravitated toward Jacob, who only ever really lived in the moment and loved “sticking it to the Man,” and Duncan, who had no problem breaking rules to get what he wanted. Despite her slightly critical view of Hogwarts’s classes, though, she still loved the school more than anything, since she -- as a Muggle-born -- had never felt so free to be truly herself until she’d arrived there. 

Together these three ended up dealing with several Cursed Vaults before Olivia mysteriously vanished without a trace. The following year Duncan died in the Prefects’ Bathroom while brewing a particularly potent Erumpent Potion, and Jacob was expelled from school before likewise disappearing seemingly into thin air. It wasn’t until many years later, when Jacob Cromwell’s little sister Carewyn started at school, that the true tragedy of these friends finally came fully to light.

[whatwouldvalerydo]

Merlin I hate this class

Day 3 for the challenge created by @cursebreakerfarrier has Gareth Farr in the center of Divination classes. Characters helping him in all the chaos belong to @usernoneexistent @the-al-chemist @lifeofkaze

Divination was not a loved class by many unless you actually had a gift, however some students attended it because it was easy enough to spew some nonsense and get an easy good grade. One of those students that followed that train of thought was Gareth Farr, despite his obvious dislike for the subject and the professor’s mumbles concerning it.

For those that were sitting close to him during that class, everything was a blast. The young man would roll his eyes at almost everything said, muttering under his breath, imitating the professor, so for him it actually became a way of seeing how far he could take it until he was sent to detention.

Sleeping in class was an easy way out and when he was caught and scolded for it, Gareth countered easily saying he was just studying ahead of the others and showed his book opened at the “dreams” section “How can one presume we are able to study them if we do not sleep and dream?”

He had a journal kept with the most insane dreams he could invent, sharing them at random times with the professor and the class.

One time he faked sleeping and jolted awake with a scream, startling the girls near him. He spoke gibberish for a minute straight, smacked the table when no one understood him then just uttered “unicorn” before he fell back on the table, the most obnoxious snore ever leaving him.

The moment that had the professor losing it was when he smelled smoke, Gareth looking up when his name was called out, two cigarettes hanging out of his ears and one from between his lips. He said he was tapping into past fire omens lessons so he could send a message to the skies so he could better read the stars. But he still did not get detention, only a lengthy essay to write.

And he knew it was because of his name and the many donations his family had made to the school.

So he decided to up his game as days rolled by.

So one day Gareth walked inside the classroom with Winona at his arm, Gareth looking at her all concerned “Are you certain you are feeling alright, I can take you to the Hospital Wing.”

She placed a hand against her forehead, body falling limp right before the start of the class, him catching her, Selene and Ethel rushing to her side to help. The moment the four were together, all chaos broke loose.

Winona opened her eyes, lashes batting in confusion, Gareth holding onto his head while Selene and Ethel did the same.

“What happened Gareth?” Selene asked but she looked at Ethel.

“What are you on about?” Ethel enquired “I am not Gareth.” But she pointed to Winona.”

They all spent the entire class switching roles. Selene rolling her eyes, Winona pretending to light up a cigarette, Gareth batting his lashes before he made a rude rhyme, Ethel talking about writing for the paper, the entire class alongside the professor appearing more than confused.

“Mister Farr, that's enough!” Selene looking appalled when the name was mentioned and directed to Gareth.

Raising her hand she spoke “Over here sir.” The professor looking positively fed up.

Once they were done, the four gathered, planning their next divination class shenanigans.

[captainhowlreportingforduty]

September 1943, King’s Cross Station

((AN: Day 1 (Journey) of the Back to school challenge by @cursebreakerfarrier ! Have Amaryllis ferch Helyg on her first train ride, already dabbling in “pureblood” politics. Maybe this was an excuse to put some French into my writing.))

It was loud at King’s Cross Station. It was loud and there were too many people.

Amaryllis let her eyes wander over the crowd, most of them dressed in robes of wizard fashion.

It made sense, there should be very few Muggles here, with the War going on. Her companions would be delighted. Amaryllis glanced over to where they were all standing, the Black family in all its glory.

Orion, Alphard and Walburga, proudly showing off their Slytherin robes, the latter with the addition of the Prefect and the Head Girl pin, black hair pinned up in a complicated updo.

Amaryllis raised her hand to her own dark hair. Walburga had pinned it up for her in a similar manner.

Grand-mère slapped her hand away.

“Ne le touche pas, Amaryllis! Don’t ruin your hair!”

Amaryllis couldn’t help but feel some pride at the fact that her grand-mère had shown up to see her off for her first year. She only showed up for really important family events, and apparently this qualifies as one.

She fixed Amaryllis’ Hogwarts tie, tucked the already perfectly tucked in blouse even nearer into the pleated skirt and finally cupped Amaryllis’ face with both her hands.

They were smooth and cold, perfectly manicured French nails. As perfect as the red hair on her head, twisted and pulled out of her face skilfully, lacking grey despite her old age.

A smile rugged at grand-mère’s lips. It lacked warmth, but Amaryllis soaked it up nonetheless. It was a token of grand-mère’s approval after all.

“Ma fille parfaite. I just know you won’t disappoint us, non?”

“I’ll make you proud!” Amaryllis promised eagerly.

Grand-mère let go of her face.

“Alors, tu vas aller avec Walburga et son frère et son cousin, non? “

“Oui, je vais aller avec elle.”

Amaryllis picked up her trunk to get ready to join Walburga, Alphard and Orion. Someone had to keep an eye on her on the train after all.

“Au revoir, mamie! Tu vas manquer à moi!”

As she walked away, she could hear Pollux Black approaching her grandmother.

“Ah, Madame Helyg! Voulez-vous boire du thé après, Camille?”

Camille ferch Helyg née Beaumont has found her people.

And Amaryllis Rhiannon ferch Helyg had found hers, now standing between Orion and Walburga, who gave her a stern look, with her grey eyes not unlike Amaryllis own. They were distantly related after all.

“Shall we, Amaryllis?”

Unfortunately, the children of the Black family weren’t the only ones to choose this moment to board the train.

And maybe the three of them had practice and status and reputation on their side to make it through the masses, but Amaryllis certainly had neither of those.

She didn’t have that look in her eyes yet, that look that commanded attention, obedience. Not the straight set shoulders, the proud head held high, the dangerous clacking of heels in the train floor.

Walburga ruled the masses with an iron fist and without having to utter a single word.

And Amaryllis trailed after her like a lost duckling, hoping to catch a taste of that power.

At least she tried to follow Walburga, until approximately 50 students pushed themselves between them. And before Amaryllis knew it, the members of the Black family had disappeared, leaving Amaryllis standing with unfamiliar people in the train corridor.

But she had this under control. This wasn’t the end of the world.

She would find the others again, and if it was as late as when she would inevitably be sorted into their House, into Slytherin.

So Amaryllis picked up her trunk, straightened her back and imagined her polished black shoes clack the same as Walburga’s had.

She immediately felt more confident as she was looking for a compartment that wasn’t filled to the brim with strangers. Or one that was filled with the right kind of strangers, the kind her grand-mère might approve of and Walburga would nod at across the hall.

That couldn’t be too difficult now, could it?

Amaryllis had done her research, had studied the Sacred 28 and the old money lines to see whose descendants would grace the halls with her. Maybe she would be lucky and end up in a compartment with Abraxas Malfoy. She had heard he could do wonders for your Ministry career.

But the train would start soon and Amaryllis didn’t want to have to stumble through a moving train, so Beggars can’t be choosers.

She immediately mentally scolded herself for thinking such a phrase, grand-mère hated such... common phrases.

Finally Amaryllis spotted a near empty compartment, as far as she could see there was only one boy in it. She opened the compartment door.

The dark haired boy looked up from the book in his hand. A Defense against the Dark Arts book, Amaryllis noticed. A seventh year Defense against the Dark Arts book.

“Pardon me, but might I sit with you in this compartment? I’m afraid the other ones are full and I seem to have lost my companions.”

The boy gave her a once over with unreadable dark eyes.

Amaryllis wasn’t afraid to give him a once over in return.

His dark hair was neatly combed and curled in the contemporary style. His sharp cheekbones paired with the look in his eyes gave him something distant, untouchable, like a statue carved from marble.

Her eyes wandered further to rest in his school robes. Slytherin tie. The Prefect and the Head Boy pin. 

Amaryllis’ shot in the dark had turned out to be a Bullseye.

“Well, you may of course, Miss...” he replied coolly. 

Amaryllis had made it through the first round, the first impression. Now for the next round.

She closed the door behind her, carefully tucked her trunk away and sat down before introducing herself.

Always be in control of the situation. Don’t be a pushover. She extended a hand, perfectly manicured by Walburga Black.

“Amaryllis Rhiannon ferch Helyg. You may refer to me as Amaryllis.”

She still couldn’t read the look in his eyes, but she would get there. He shook her hand curtly, his skin cold to the touch.

“Tom Marvolo Riddle, what a pleasure to meet you. You may refer to me as...” he seemed to hesitate for a moment.

“...Tom, for now.”

Riddle. That was neither a pureblood nor an old money name. Yet, Amaryllis recognised it.

“Riddle. I do recall that name. The hero of Hogwarts, you defeated the monster of the Chamber of Secrets just last year.”

An unspoken challenge. 

I am well informed. Are you?

Tom’s lips spread into a smile, showing off his perfect white teeth. 

“Indeed, that is me. I surely am flattered the news made their way out of Hogwarts.”

Sweet talking. It had been in the newspapers and they both knew it.

“And although I know not you, Amaryllis, as a person, I do recall your family name. What it stands for, the implications, the expectations it brings when it is uttered.”

He leaned forward, apparently deeming Amaryllis more interesting than his book.

“Do you know what that name stands for, young Amaryllis?”

And oh, what a question. She knew the answer, had lived it all the eleven years of her life.

Amaryllis could play this game. And she always played to win. If she impressed Tom, she would surely gain a powerful ally. So she cocked her head at the pin on Tom’s chest.

“You must know, as the Slytherin Head Boy, that the qualities of the Slytherin House align with those of the Helyg line.”

She gave him her own perfectly practised smile.

“I, for one, intend to practise them to perfection, as I have what other families could only dream of.”

Another challenge. Would he take the bait? Was he convinced?

And for the first time, Amaryllis felt like there was something beneath his smile other than practise. Amusement? Delight?

“Believe me, Amaryllis, I am looking forward to see you take your place. I sure hope to hear of you when I leave this school. Until then, I will be proud to welcome you into Slytherin after your Sorting.”

Amaryllis couldn’t help the pride flowing through her veins. They had made it through the game, and it looked like a win-win.

Leave her alone for ten minutes, and she had already made an ally. 

And with how the train ride was going, maybe even a friend.

[the-al-chemist]

Back to School Challenge Day 4: Friends ‘til the End

Artemis has visitors in the Hospital Wing

“How did you even-”

“Well,” Rowan answered. “You told Rakepick you were giving up on searching for the Vault. Rakepick might have believed you, but she doesn’t know you as well as I do. You’ve never given up on anything in your life. So, I guessed you were lying, and when I found the map in your jacket pocket I realised I was right. I took the map from your pocket and took it to my friend Badeea from the Ancient Runes club. She’s great at art, so she copied it out, and then I put it back.”

“We knew you’d need to borrow a broom to get to the Vault,” Penny said. “So I asked Skye and Andre if you’d asked to borrow one of theirs, and Andre said you hadn't asked to borrow his, but Charlie had. That’s how we knew Charlie was involved, so we asked Bill to help us.”

“We told Hagrid everything, and he agreed to walk us through the forest when we went to follow you,” Tonks added. “Us three spent a week sleeping in shifts so we’d know when you decided to actually sneak out.”

“But how did you find the Vault itself? It wasn’t at the exact spot we marked on the map.”

“Oh, well,” Penny gave her a wry smile, “a little bird helped us with that part, if you see what I mean.”

“I see what you mean,” Artemis nodded, remembering the bird she’d watched in the trees in the forest. She should have realised it was Talbott. She should have realised several things. She sighed. “I really thought I’d been quite clever about it.”

“By your standards, it was almost sly,” Bill laughed. “But plotting and planning never have been your strong suits, have they?”

“I guess not,” Artemis said. “In this case I’m quite glad that I didn’t think it through. Thank you, all of you.”

“You’re welcome, Artemis,” Penny beamed at her. “What kind of friends would we be if we didn’t come and save you when you needed saving?”

“Although,” Rowan said, with a dark look at Tonks, “some of us did take more convincing than others.”

“In my defence, that was only because I thought that ‘the Forbidden Forest’ was a euphemism.”

Artemis Hexley and the Forbidden Forest - Chapter 16: Consequences

Illustration drawn for @cursebreakerfarrier’s Back to School Challenge

[gcldensnitch]

Back to School Challenge 2022, 4th of september: through thick and thin.

The very first friend Colette made was Rowan Khanna. After all the nasty rumours about her brother most people treated Colette badly. But Rowan didn't. They became the closest friends which lasted until year six when a very unfortunate accident happened, breaking them apart forever. William Weasley and Colette befriended each other during the slytherin girl's 3rd year. They stayed close friends during their Hogwarts years but they only became truly best friends when Bill started dating with Fleur Delacour. The ex-head boy wanted some french lessions from Colette in return for their old dueling sessions (please, he wanted to impress his girlfriend). Colette eventually befriended Fleur too and really, they clicked well!

event credit goes to @cursebreakerfarrier, thank you for hosting. i'm having so much fun!

[gaygryffindorgal]

Knowledge Is Power, day 02 of @cursebreakerfarrier ‘s Back to School Challenge

Word count: 460

A teenage Olyvar is uncharacteristically nervous about his Astronomy O.W.L.

“I’m not sure why, but I really, really want to do well in this exam–,” Olyvar’s sentence was cut short when Philip suddenly slumped against his shoulder. The two boys were waiting for their Astronomy O.W.L. to start and it was nearing eleven in the evening. Needless to say, neither one of them had had a good night’s sleep in a while.

“Philip!” he hissed and nudged the Hufflepuff with his elbow. Philip straightened up and looked around, slightly confused, for a second or two.

“Were you listening to anything I just said?”

“I… yes of course,” said Philip with a sheepish smile. “Alright, no I wasn’t.”

“It was important.”

“I’m sorry, can you please repeat?”

Olyvar sighed. “I was just saying that I don’t think Professor Adhara likes me very much.”

Philip made a face like Olyvar had just said something really funny. “Well, of course she doesn’t. You talk over her like some sort of entitled little brat.”

This whole conversation was not going the way Olyvar had planned. “She never lets me answer questions when I raise my hand!”

“Because she doesn’t want to go on a half an hour long tangent with you about something that’s barely even related to the class.”

“Philip, you’re no help at all.”

The other boy grinned.

“Fine, I know I can be a lot,” Olyvar admitted. It was just that he had a lot to say about Astronomy.

“I think it’s great, that you’re passionate about something,” Philip continued. “I’m still not even sure I chose the right O.W.L.s to focus on.”

“You can always retake them next year.”

“Merlin, all of this, again? And then N.E.W.T.s the year after that? I think I’d rather die.”

The boys laughed and some of the students still doing last minute studying shushed them, which only made them laugh harder.

“You’ll do amazing,” Philip said eventually. “You’d be the top of our class if you didn’t antagonize the professor.”

“I’ll try my best not to do any antagonizing tonight.”

Philip looked at him thoughtfully. “I am a bit curious though,” he said. “I thought you didn’t care for grades.”

“I care about this one,” Olyvar replied. “I know, I know, sometimes I surprise even myself.”

“Well, you’re brilliant, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you did well in all of your exams even if you don’t care…” mused Philip and touched his shoulder. It was a brief gesture, but Olyvar’s heart did multiple back flips and then flung itself into the stars he was supposed to be charting in less than ten minutes. He didn’t have time to start figuring that out, so he brushed it aside and instead tried to visualise the word Outstanding in Astronomy written on his O.W.L.s report card.

[unfortunate-arrow]

Homesick

Day 6: Homesick for @cursebreakerfarrier’s Back to School Challenge

Mama,

How are you? How are the finances holding up? How is the baby? The others? Are you sure that you do not need me to return home? Are you sure that you will be able to handle everything? You looked quite sad when Minerva, and I left for school last week. You have looked quite sad a lot since Father died. Is it that Billie shall never know him? 

I suppose that you are already aware that I am a Gryffindor, just like Father was. Minerva is, unsurprisingly, a Ravenclaw. You must already know this, as Minerva has probably written you already. I do not mind being a Gryffindor, especially since Father was one as well. The other boys in my dorm are interesting and I am not sure if I actually like them. They can be loud and their mess spills over into my space, impeding my ability to think and complete what I must. 

Oh, please inform Moran that the numbers for June are incorrect. There is a slight discrepancy on June 8. 106 galleons were spent at the modiste, not 126 galleons. I have placed the billing on the correct date and made a mark with the correct sum. Could you send me the blue ledger, please? It should have the numbers for July and August. I would like to go over it and be sure that there are no other discrepancies. 

Sincerely,

Your eldest son