Post by MAEVE THORNE on Apr 4, 2024 19:00:37 GMT -5
The summer break went much as it always did for Maeve - a tutor had been hired to aid her in learning Dark Arts, taking up most of her free time. The addition of Legilimency lessons filled up her schedule so much that she could not find the time to practice flying, which had her somewhat worried about continuing the Slytherin win streak... until her father demanded that she leave the team altogether. This was her last year at Hogwarts, at the end of which loomed N.E.W.T.s - she should not waste her time on trifles like Quidditch. No matter how good a Seeker she was, no Thorne would ever make a career by entertaining the masses with broomstick tricks. The role of a Head Girl, the Dueling Club leadership, and the exam preparations would leave no space for athletic pursuits. It was not an advice or a request - it was an order, accompanied by an implied threat that failure to comply could cost her the heir status. Distraught though she was, Maeve did not dare disobey.
She sent her resignation letter and prepared an altered explanation, should her former teammates question her. Stepping down was her own choice, so she could focus on academics in her last school year. Nobody forced her. The tensions within her family would remain private, lest anyone found out that her inheritance and the influence attached to it were not guaranteed. And yet, the situation left a bitter taste in her mouth. She could not tolerate being told what to do, even by the patriarch of her own family. Especially when he was so wrong - she had enough time for an additional extracurricular activity. While openly defying Father to prove it was unthinkable, she intended to do so in a clandestine manner.
It would not be Quidditch, however. There was no way to practice it in secrecy, no way to remain the team captain without people knowing, no way to play a game without being spotted. What she could do covertly was expand her Dark Arts practice routine. After Niklas fled, she had continued using the Room of Requirement as a safe, private learning space. There was only so much she could learn on her own, however. It was time to invite a few others to join her.
Despite this being a way to spite her father, Maeve did not intend to be reckless... That is to say, any more reckless than founding a strictly forbidden Dark Arts society required. Only the select few whom she trusted would be extended an invitation - others could be recruited later, if the initial group successfully avoided mishaps during the first few meetings.
Julian had been the obvious choice. His interest in Dark Arts, as well as willingness to seek 'supplemental education' that Hogwarts refused to provide, added him to Maeve's list before she even knew she was making a list. Orion, her former teammate, was another likely candidate. It took Maeve a while to spot his interest in Dark Arts, even while she was actively searching for like-minded peers - this could only mean he was more than capable of keeping a secret. Levi was something of a wild card, but neglecting to include him seemed almost criminal. His passion for various curses and eagerness to test them out - even on himself - would be a valuable addition to their group. There were others she might have invited - seventh-years who could share knowledge even she did not possess, transfers who might have picked up bits of magic she'd not even heard of, malleable younger students who could be molded into useful allies as they grew - but the trio she chose were the most familiar, trustworthy, and clever. Two newly-appointed Prefects, and a fourth-year who might just get the badge next term - none of them had provoked the faculty's suspicion yet. This could only work with people who were crafty enough to conceal their views and inclinations, and the three boys had proven themselves competent in that respect.
During the first days of September, Maeve had approached each of them separately and introduced the idea of starting an exclusive and unsanctioned club, dedicated to learning the types of magic Hogwarts would not teach. As their willingness to partake was evident, she invited them all to join her on the seventh floor today right before curfew. Julian knew about the Room of Requirement; perhaps Orion and Levi did as well. That did not matter, because what she wanted to show them was her very own version of the Room - one she had been utilizing for almost three years now.
Once all three boys were present and she'd made sure nobody else was in the vicinity, she presented them with the requirement formula while pacing back and forth in front of a seemingly empty wall. "We need a place to study Dark Arts; inaccessible to Hogwarts staff and anyone else who was not personally invited." That was quite a mouthful, but all the parts were necessary - it made sure nobody could get in, accidentally or on purpose, and discover the four of them in the act of breaking half the school rules.
Soon after she was done speaking, a door materialized in the previously-empty wall. Maeve pushed it open, leading the way into her long-time sanctuary. The space was vast - in truth, it was bigger now than when she used it alone, but she refused to show surprise at the fact - and separated into two different areas with gothic-style room dividers. The smaller section was dedicated to potioneering - there was a cupboard of ingredients, several brewing stations, and a shelf of books on potions. The bigger one was meant for spellcasting practice - a dozen dummies were lined up in front of a far wall, surrounded by sets of different targets that varied in shape, size, and material. The floor was cushioned with a thick carpet, so falling in a duel would not cause injury. A first-aid kit was displayed on a desk nearby, equipped to mend minor wounds. Maeve noted that one area was missing entirely; the place where she used to sit and read the books she either found in the Room or brought from home was erased. It made sense - there wouldn't be hours of peaceful reading anymore, as the activity here would be action-oriented. She spotted the carved desk now banished into a corner, along with the blackboard that became obsolete when Niklas could no longer join her for study sessions. At least the bookshelves that lined the walls remained intact, as well as all the trinkets and bits of sinister-looking equipment she hadn't even used yet. The Room had a mind of its own, and seemed to adjust itself for the user's needs before those needs were even known. She accepted the loss of her reading area and continued the introduction.
"I have been using this space for several years, and I haven't been discovered," she stated, not entirely truthfully. The sole discovery had taught her to request a space those she hadn't personally invited could not access. "However, secrecy is not an isolated concern. Safety is just as important - getting injured or causing an injury to another could mean expulsion. Not to mention potentially irreversible physical or mental damage. Dark Arts should not be feared, but they should be treated with appropriate respect." They knew that already, but reiteration would not hurt.
"There will have to be rules. First, of course, we do not tell anyone about our activities here. Recruiting new members could be viable later, but we will discuss each candidate among us four before extending an invitation." She suspected this democratic approach would grow to irritate her, but usurping power from the get-go did not seem wise. Sharing the leadership role would also mean sharing responsibility; all of them would be equally guilty, if caught.
"Second, we do not use spells or potions on one another without obtaining consent - and there will be no pressure to give consent. If we are dueling, there will be a list of allowed spells we each agree to potentially be hit with. If we are trying out hexes, jinxes or curses on each other, it must not be an assault. We will not be pranking one another with Dark spells, nor lashing out in anger." All four of them were teenagers, prone to mood shifts and occasionally lacking good judgement. The rule was an obvious one, but Maeve still felt the need to vocalize it.
"Third, we only use potions and spells the effects and counters of which are known. Finding an unfamiliar incantation and trying it out on another person will not be acceptable - even with permission. Using a spell we aren't sure we can reverse without help is also out of the question. That's what dummies are for. I can also conjure animals or enlarge bugs and spiders if we need live targets to experiment with." Real mammals were still a personal taboo for her, even rats, although she didn't mind working with furry critters that had been Transfigured into existence. She wondered if this was a line their group would eventually cross...
"Lastly, the only spells we use against another human are the ones we already got to work on a dummy or a lesser creature. There are too many ways in which a spell could go wrong - even a familiar one. It is safest not to throw unmastered spells at each other." That was all, for now. There would be more edicts, issued as needed. She wouldn't start off by listing every single thing they should or should not do, especially since so much of it was common sense.
"Does anyone have anything to add, or suggest?" The question was a mere afterthought, to underline their cooperation. Maeve was the undeniable initiator here, but she intended to downplay her influence and responsibility as much as possible, while still maintaining control.
JULIAN MULCIBER, ORION HAWTHORNE, LEVI HILFIGER
She sent her resignation letter and prepared an altered explanation, should her former teammates question her. Stepping down was her own choice, so she could focus on academics in her last school year. Nobody forced her. The tensions within her family would remain private, lest anyone found out that her inheritance and the influence attached to it were not guaranteed. And yet, the situation left a bitter taste in her mouth. She could not tolerate being told what to do, even by the patriarch of her own family. Especially when he was so wrong - she had enough time for an additional extracurricular activity. While openly defying Father to prove it was unthinkable, she intended to do so in a clandestine manner.
It would not be Quidditch, however. There was no way to practice it in secrecy, no way to remain the team captain without people knowing, no way to play a game without being spotted. What she could do covertly was expand her Dark Arts practice routine. After Niklas fled, she had continued using the Room of Requirement as a safe, private learning space. There was only so much she could learn on her own, however. It was time to invite a few others to join her.
Despite this being a way to spite her father, Maeve did not intend to be reckless... That is to say, any more reckless than founding a strictly forbidden Dark Arts society required. Only the select few whom she trusted would be extended an invitation - others could be recruited later, if the initial group successfully avoided mishaps during the first few meetings.
Julian had been the obvious choice. His interest in Dark Arts, as well as willingness to seek 'supplemental education' that Hogwarts refused to provide, added him to Maeve's list before she even knew she was making a list. Orion, her former teammate, was another likely candidate. It took Maeve a while to spot his interest in Dark Arts, even while she was actively searching for like-minded peers - this could only mean he was more than capable of keeping a secret. Levi was something of a wild card, but neglecting to include him seemed almost criminal. His passion for various curses and eagerness to test them out - even on himself - would be a valuable addition to their group. There were others she might have invited - seventh-years who could share knowledge even she did not possess, transfers who might have picked up bits of magic she'd not even heard of, malleable younger students who could be molded into useful allies as they grew - but the trio she chose were the most familiar, trustworthy, and clever. Two newly-appointed Prefects, and a fourth-year who might just get the badge next term - none of them had provoked the faculty's suspicion yet. This could only work with people who were crafty enough to conceal their views and inclinations, and the three boys had proven themselves competent in that respect.
During the first days of September, Maeve had approached each of them separately and introduced the idea of starting an exclusive and unsanctioned club, dedicated to learning the types of magic Hogwarts would not teach. As their willingness to partake was evident, she invited them all to join her on the seventh floor today right before curfew. Julian knew about the Room of Requirement; perhaps Orion and Levi did as well. That did not matter, because what she wanted to show them was her very own version of the Room - one she had been utilizing for almost three years now.
Once all three boys were present and she'd made sure nobody else was in the vicinity, she presented them with the requirement formula while pacing back and forth in front of a seemingly empty wall. "We need a place to study Dark Arts; inaccessible to Hogwarts staff and anyone else who was not personally invited." That was quite a mouthful, but all the parts were necessary - it made sure nobody could get in, accidentally or on purpose, and discover the four of them in the act of breaking half the school rules.
Soon after she was done speaking, a door materialized in the previously-empty wall. Maeve pushed it open, leading the way into her long-time sanctuary. The space was vast - in truth, it was bigger now than when she used it alone, but she refused to show surprise at the fact - and separated into two different areas with gothic-style room dividers. The smaller section was dedicated to potioneering - there was a cupboard of ingredients, several brewing stations, and a shelf of books on potions. The bigger one was meant for spellcasting practice - a dozen dummies were lined up in front of a far wall, surrounded by sets of different targets that varied in shape, size, and material. The floor was cushioned with a thick carpet, so falling in a duel would not cause injury. A first-aid kit was displayed on a desk nearby, equipped to mend minor wounds. Maeve noted that one area was missing entirely; the place where she used to sit and read the books she either found in the Room or brought from home was erased. It made sense - there wouldn't be hours of peaceful reading anymore, as the activity here would be action-oriented. She spotted the carved desk now banished into a corner, along with the blackboard that became obsolete when Niklas could no longer join her for study sessions. At least the bookshelves that lined the walls remained intact, as well as all the trinkets and bits of sinister-looking equipment she hadn't even used yet. The Room had a mind of its own, and seemed to adjust itself for the user's needs before those needs were even known. She accepted the loss of her reading area and continued the introduction.
"I have been using this space for several years, and I haven't been discovered," she stated, not entirely truthfully. The sole discovery had taught her to request a space those she hadn't personally invited could not access. "However, secrecy is not an isolated concern. Safety is just as important - getting injured or causing an injury to another could mean expulsion. Not to mention potentially irreversible physical or mental damage. Dark Arts should not be feared, but they should be treated with appropriate respect." They knew that already, but reiteration would not hurt.
"There will have to be rules. First, of course, we do not tell anyone about our activities here. Recruiting new members could be viable later, but we will discuss each candidate among us four before extending an invitation." She suspected this democratic approach would grow to irritate her, but usurping power from the get-go did not seem wise. Sharing the leadership role would also mean sharing responsibility; all of them would be equally guilty, if caught.
"Second, we do not use spells or potions on one another without obtaining consent - and there will be no pressure to give consent. If we are dueling, there will be a list of allowed spells we each agree to potentially be hit with. If we are trying out hexes, jinxes or curses on each other, it must not be an assault. We will not be pranking one another with Dark spells, nor lashing out in anger." All four of them were teenagers, prone to mood shifts and occasionally lacking good judgement. The rule was an obvious one, but Maeve still felt the need to vocalize it.
"Third, we only use potions and spells the effects and counters of which are known. Finding an unfamiliar incantation and trying it out on another person will not be acceptable - even with permission. Using a spell we aren't sure we can reverse without help is also out of the question. That's what dummies are for. I can also conjure animals or enlarge bugs and spiders if we need live targets to experiment with." Real mammals were still a personal taboo for her, even rats, although she didn't mind working with furry critters that had been Transfigured into existence. She wondered if this was a line their group would eventually cross...
"Lastly, the only spells we use against another human are the ones we already got to work on a dummy or a lesser creature. There are too many ways in which a spell could go wrong - even a familiar one. It is safest not to throw unmastered spells at each other." That was all, for now. There would be more edicts, issued as needed. She wouldn't start off by listing every single thing they should or should not do, especially since so much of it was common sense.
"Does anyone have anything to add, or suggest?" The question was a mere afterthought, to underline their cooperation. Maeve was the undeniable initiator here, but she intended to downplay her influence and responsibility as much as possible, while still maintaining control.
JULIAN MULCIBER, ORION HAWTHORNE, LEVI HILFIGER
