Once more, I am writing - with the next chapter to follow directly on the events of this one! After that, Shinji and party will be returning to Durmstrang, where an interesting reception awaits...
Also, as per usual, on IRC.
Once more, I am writing - with the next chapter to follow directly on the events of this one! After that, Shinji and party will be returning to Durmstrang, where an interesting reception awaits...
Also, as per usual, on IRC.
Choice 172: [x] Do his best - without revealing any trump cards, since this isn't the actual competition
Chapter 52. One Step Forward
In the darkness of a hidden cavern, Fleur Delacour sighed contentedly as she breathed in the warm, moist air of her surroundings, feeling more relaxed than she had in a very long time – if perhaps a bit sore and sticky in places she wasn’t quite used to.
She supposed she must have had one of those dreams last night, with the warmth and safety of her surroundings letting her thoughts drift away from the immediate needs of survival, towards…something to give her relief from the loneliness and utter isolation of the Task on which she was embarked. Her entire body flushed as she remembered the feel of lips on lips and skin on skin, of skilled fingers trailing molten heat as they traced her curves, of…
…of the incredible warmth that had filled her over and over again, the way the world had fallen away in a single moment of utter bliss, and the pleasurable exhaustion she’d fallen into as she’d drifted away.
Her dreams had certainly never been quite that…vivid or intense before, but then, she hadn’t really had the opportunity to…take care of herself…since journeying out into the frozen wastes, so perhaps her…needs had simply built up over time.
It had been a long time since she’d felt so content – so comfortable, and to be honest, the part-Veela wanted nothing more than to just stay here for a while, nuzzling the rather firm mattress she lay on top of, enjoying the way it rose and fell beneath her in a comfortable rhythm, feeling safe in the embrace of strong ar—
‘Arms?’
Fleur’s eyes shot wide open, her thoughts focusing with painful clarity as she noted where she was, her current state of undress, and of course, the fact that she lay in the arms of – and was nestled quite comfortably against – a very naked George Weasley.
The Hogwarts Tri-Wizard Champion.
‘Merde. It…It vas not a dream…?’
Confusion shot through her as the memories of the night before came back to her in more than just the fleeting snatches one remembered after waking. Stumbling upon him in the cave, sharing a meal with him, bathing in the hot spring, and then…
She swallowed, looking down at her rival’s sleeping face and form, marveling at how vulnerable he was, how utterly defenseless he would be if she chose to take advantage of the situation.
‘I…we…’
Why?
She didn’t understand. He seemed to be immune to her allure, so why had he been so…nice to her, when he was from a school that hated part-humans and foreigners? Why had he…why had he…and why had she…
‘It…it was just a moment of weakness.’
Yes. That would make sense. A moment of weakness, on both their parts. After nearly a month without so much as seeing another human being, no doubt he’d been lonely, like she was, desiring someone to talk to, to enjoy the company of.
Enjoyment which had just…gotten a little out of hand, gone beyond what either of them had expected in the heat of the moment.
That was all.
No matter how much a traitorous little voice in the back of her head wanted her to stay and enjoy another day’s respite from the travails of the Second Task in the company of her foe, reminding her of how…pleasant last night had been, and how pleasant the next day could be if she just waited for him to wake up and—.
‘Non. No. Non.’
It was tempting, so very tempting, to remain in his arms, to enjoy another stolen moment with the Champion of Hogwarts, telling herself that she’d head out just a little later, after just a little longer. But that, in and of itself, was the danger.
A stolen moment would no doubt turn into a few, a few minutes turning into hours, hours into days, until before she knew it, the deadline for the Second Task would have come and gone.
And the longer she stayed, the harder it would be to leave.
‘I did not come to Durmstrang to become attached to someone. I came to become ze Tri-Wizard Champion!’
To prove to everyone – and to herself most of all – that she was worthy of the honors and titles that had been heaped upon her.
What happened last night, no matter how right it felt…
‘Zit was only a moment of weakness. Nothing more.’
The result of encountering a friendly – and reasonably handsome – face after so long being alone in the wilderness.
It didn’t mean anything.
Couldn’t mean anything.
Not as long as they were rivals seeking the same prize.
Indulging her impulses beyond what she had already done in her foolishness, letting her focus waver any further from her chosen purpose, such would be a betrayal of everything she’d fought for, and worked so hard to achieve.
In other words, utterly unacceptable.
Or so the Champion of Beauxbatons told herself as she slowly extricated herself from George Weasley’s embrace, biting her lips to keep from moaning at the sensation of his skin against hers, of his swollen…maleness against her...womanhood. In the process of doing so, she kept glancing down at him, worrying that he would wake and pull her into his arms once again, seducing her with his words, his gaze, his touch, from which there would be no escape.
It was rare – very, very rare – that she ever found herself caught up in another’s pace, felt the sort of raw need towards another that she knew her allure could inspire in those susceptible to it, or experienced a sense of rightness at another’s presence.
Which was why she had to go, while she still had the willpower to resist.
Miraculously, her companion did not stir, as she disentangled herself from him and set about finding her…folded, neatly pressed clothes.
‘Quoi?’
She didn’t think she had…
But Fleur shook her head, not wanting to complicate things further, as she dressed herself quickly, pulling on layer after layer of outerwear, though her traitorous senses couldn’t help but notice that they seemed freshly cleaned and more comfortable to wear than she remembered…
Had…had her competitor cleaned her clothing and improved the enchantments before joining her in the hot spring?
‘Non. Zat is…no, it cannot be.’
There was no reason…he wouldn’t have…why would he do such a thing?
Why would he…?
‘Non. I vill not zink about it. Not now.’
Shaking her head to clear of it of distractions, as such could be quite fatal out in the arctic wastes, she snatched up her wand, and successfully fighting the urge to take a last glance back at her…still sleeping rival, slipped out of the cave with as much stealth as she could manage.
With a silent sigh, George Weasley looked on as Fleur Delacour’s form slipped away into the distancea languid half-smile on his lips as his golden gaze took in why it was that she’d left, when they could have had a few more pleasant hours together yet.
‘That was as I expected, really.’
While he couldn’t deny that a small part of him was a bit disappointed she hadn’t chosen to stay after their very pleasant encounter the night before, a rather larger part had predicted that this was the likely outcome, and more, was impressed at his fellow Champion’s determination and sense of resolve.
‘Not that I’m terribly surprised, given that it was her determination and resolve that drew me to her in the first place.’
He’d seen this in the minds of the Hufflepuffs who had ambushed her months ago, seeing how the part-Veela had not held back as she faced a horde of invisible assailants, but had, in the face of mortal danger, leapt to using Confringo, the most effective and dangerous counter she knew.
Some in her position might have hesitated in the face of such danger, or held back out of a misplaced sense of morality, but not Miss Delacour. She had simply responded to the attack with brutal efficiency, and if she hadn’t managed to kill all of them before they incapacitated her, it hadn’t been for lack of trying. Indeed, the viciousness of her counterattack had sent the Hufflepuffs reeling, shattering their sense of invulnerability and leaving them utterly defenseless against his abilities.
Though of course, he’d also seen that she knew how to respond appropriately in other situations, with her managing to appear calm and unaffected by the terrible rumors that had been spread about her prior to the First Task, no matter how irritated she truly was.
He supposed some of that was due to long practice as the Etoile of Beauxbatons, even if she had never had to deal with such a hostile situation, but some of that too, was reflective of who she was. Someone who put on the right face to deal with different situations, due to who and what she was, could usually influence things with something as simple as a smile.
‘…much as Kohaku could,’ George thought ruefully as his fingers brushed against the ring of power that he wore, a partner to the hematite band he’d bought the Fujou girl with whom he’d spent so much time that summer. ‘I wonder how she is…’
Was she well over in Japan, no doubt facing trials like their excursion in the Sea of Trees?
But the youth shook his head, putting such idle thoughts out of his mind. Given the political climate, there was likely no way he would be able to visit Japan anytime soon, and it wasn’t as if Matou knew of some secret way to circumvent the travel ban – at least not one he was willing to share.
‘Not that I would blame him. I wouldn’t either, if I were in his shoes.’
And since Matou had gotten him an excellent replacement wand, he couldn’t really complain about whatever his colleague might or might not know, even if he did envy, just a little bit, how much time the boy was able to spend with Delacour.
‘But it is time to move on. The Task must be completed, and I am pleased enough about the results of this particular test.’
It had reaffirmed his impression of who Fleur Delacour was, certainly. It had been a quite pleasant evening, with the part-Veela’s unexpected blushes and sighs. And perhaps…perhaps it had even planted the seeds for more to come.
In time.
Above Fuyuki Central Park, the scar in the cityscape from which a conflagration had erupted years ago, spreading to consume much of the city, a dark star floated, massive in scale – a proto-tatarigami wrought from the memories and fears of those who had died there, from grief, their pain, their regret – their wishes that they would not die alone.
The grudges of a decade ago might well have simply lingered in the earth, slowly poisoning the minds and souls of all those who so much as ventured near the scene of the long-ago disaster, save for the actions of Fujou Kirie, whose desire to purify the corrupted land by forcing the hidden hurts of Fuyuki into a form that could be fought resonated with a wish that others had made thousands of years ago to purge themselves of all the evils of the world.
A wish for a single source of evil that could be fought – could be hurt – could be slain, a wish that been carried across the millennia and had tainted the vessel of power that manifested in this land.
The vessel had but one desire – to grant a wish, but there had been no wish granted across all the cycles in which it had been summoned. The first time, it had not been complete. The same with the second. The third and the fourth, it had been shattered.
Yet fragments of the vessel remained, which, desperate to fulfill their purpose before what little power they bore evaporated into nothingness, responded to the Fujou magus’ desire and actions by uprooting the grudges and binding them together, letting her see – and face – the past as it had once been.
Granting her wish.
As Fujou Kirie had thrust her gohei into the air in a bid to drive the darkness from the earth, the world had changed, a great orb of ragged darkness coalescing in the air, with scorching winds erupting from it, even as the past overwrote the present in the entirety of the park lands, filling the desolate expanse with shadow and flame.
While the young woman was perhaps not as proficient as her teachers, she knew enough to be afraid, for her senses could feel – could perceive – the scale of what she faced.
‘Reality Marble.’
A magecraft that verges on being True Magic: the projection of an illusionary world upon reality, sealed away from the World. Ordinarily, such a thing would be beyond the capability of a mere collection of grudges, requiring the expertise of a magus or demon to create, but in this case, the broken Grail had served as an intermediary, linking together all the memories, fears, and hurts of those who had died in the Fuyuki fire and amplifying them, recreating the inferno in which they had died – the land of despair in which all hope had been lost.
‘How is this…?’
She’d expected something smaller, for the grudges to become a spirit not unlike those her kin had faced in Aokigahara, not to be trapped in an illusionary world where even continuing to exist was difficult, with an immense spiritual pressure threatening to crush her where she stood.
She could feel it. The fear. The grief. The rage. The despair. All eating at her, all seeking to overwrite the land on which she stood, so that she – like they – might be consumed by hungry flames – but she resisted.
Closing her eyes and drawing upon her spiritual powers, Fujou Kirie forged a connection to the underlying world that the magecraft was attempting to overwrite and enforced the continuation of reality in a small circle of it around herself and her attendant, forbidding the encroachment of the world of memory.
“Kohaku-san. Can you…do anything?” the raven-haired woman ground out, as the exertion needed to preserve the world around them took up almost all of her concentration. If she focused entirely on that one thing, she might be able to keep the reality marble at bay, but if she slipped.
Nodding, the redhead slashed down upon the boundary of the reality pressing against them with her katana, the Kuji Kanesada, turning the mystery within the blade against the illusionary world bearing down on them. For a moment, it even seemed to work, with the silver edge of the soul-cutting blade ripping through the boundary of the field and driving it back – only for the false reality to wash over them once more, like water flowing returning into the cavity left behind by an explosion of air.
The only choice then, was to attack the core – the black sun whose dark light sustained this forbidden world of memories.
Grimly, Fujou Kohaku sheathed her sword and readied her evil-destroying bow, nocking a silver-tipped arrow to the bowstring and visualizing it hitting the target. She loosed, the arrow flying through the air towards the dark star, and striking it – but to no effect, for the mystery within a single arrow could not hurt the heart of darkness.
Perhaps the Kuji Kanesada might have, but there was no way she could get close enough to strike it with her blade – not without leaving the “safe zone” that Kirie-sama had established. Could she perhaps use the blade as she charged, slicing away the false reality faster than it could reform, trusting the mystery of her bow to protect her from the world of lies?
Perhaps.
But then, perhaps not.
Not that she had time to contemplate such things, as with a sound not unlike that of flesh being torn open, a shadowy void shaped like a werewolf ripped its way out of the dark star, crashing upon the fiery earth with a feral roar.
In a flash, Kohaku had another arrow nocked and ready – loosing just as the specter charged.
Against this shade, her arrows were far more effective, ripping through its skull and obliterating it from existence – but not before a second and a third emerged from the core.
Nock and loose. Nock and loose.
As quickly as she could strike them down, quicker still did more emerge faster and faster and faster, some rushing at her, and others at her mistress – the one whose powers were keeping them alive in this space.
Whirr! Whirr! Whirr!
Her arrows tore through the air, each one striking – and destroying – one of the enemy creatures, but there was no end to the monsters – and as she was not Shiroe-sama, her quiver only held so many arrows.
If she ran out, and they reached Kirie-sama…
Then they would die.
Despair.
Despair.
Despair.
DIE.
The harder she fought against the pressure of the false world, against the fires lapping at the edges of the order she imposed, the more Fujou Kirie had content with the whispers – the visions – issuing from the false sun.
Whispers of darkness. Whispers of every lie. Every false hope. Every self-deception one had ever told.
Scorn.
Scorn.
Scorn.
Abandonment.
Why save the world that abandoned you?
“I was not – I was saved.”
Saved. Who is saved? Who was saved? Who was left to die? What violation for self-protection, violation for love, violation for respect SELFISH SELFISH SELFISH.
“I won’t let you win…” Kirie growled.
Delusion.
Lie.
Futility.
Was there doubt in her? It was multiplied a hundredfold – no, a thousandfold – by the power of the false world.
Grudge within, like grudge without.
Unworthy. Unworthy. Unworthy.
“You’re wrong…” Kirie whispered. She knew she had to hold out. If she didn’t, there would be no hope – they would be consumed by the ugliness all around them. And that unacceptable, for she’d asked Kohaku to join her in this – she would not be responsible for more of her family dying. For hurting Shiroe!
Selfishness. Overconfidence. Fraud fraud fraud!
The false world pressed on her, showing her all the time people neglected one another, all the people left to die alone, people who were ignored – because everyone cared only about themselves. Because when it came down to it, humans were selfish, caring only about their own well-being, and not anyone else’s.
Whispering that if it came down to it, she would sacrifice Kohaku to survive, wouldn’t she?
“No.” Kirie bit out, as her fingers brushed against the cloth-wrapped bundle she carried on her hip.
She would not. She would not give in, not and abandon the girl protecting her from vengeance given shape and despair given form. They would fight – and they would win.
‘I promised Shiroe that I would come back. That we would both come back.’
She would find a way, somehow, to stop the monster she had brought forth.
Even if there was nothing she knew of that could destroy a false world, she would think of something – for the sake of those waiting for her, and the sake of the young woman fighting beside her.
…that’s right.
There was something she could do.
Something she should have done from the beginning, if she were not afraid to lose who she was.
She was a Fujou, descended from an ancient line of mikos, which once made a living by channeling the power of wayward spirits and gods. If she could not defeat what was before her, she simply had to open herself up to the world and call forth what could.
The voice of the dark star continued to press on her, but she ignored it as she began to move, feet tracing the steps of an ancient ritual kagura she had not practiced since she was a child. The false world assailed her, but it was meaningless as she sank deep into herself, finding the door that tied her to the realm of spirits.
Susanoo.
She spoke a name – the name of the Storm God who had, through slaying the Yamata-no-Orochi discovered the legendary Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, and as she did, power and information rushed into her, and the world changed.
The flames were pushed back by a beautiful blue glow, which shredded the shadows that encroached upon them, ripping them apart as if they had never been.
She spoke a name embodying a wish.
A wish for a power that would bring salvation when it seemed all hope was lost, for a power that would protect those who served it from the darkest evils.
A wish for a power great enough to destroy a false world and bring order to chaos.
A wish for something that would bring victory.
The wind was unraveled, a roaring tempest rising from the ground and tearing apart the edges of the illusion, as more and more shadowy wolves hurled themselves against it – and were destroyed, one after another.
And the cloth-bound parcel she carried was unwrapped, with the blue and gold artifact within lifting into the air and glowing with a powerful inner light.
The doorway to the other side opened, and through it leaped a figure of legend, a slim warrior of blue and silver, a sword of golden light already in her hand as her green eyes fell upon the corrupted orb.
“—CALIBUR!”
What came forth was literally a line of light, an ultimate slash that tore apart everything it passed through, ripping through the proto-tatarigami with a single blow, before soaring up into the night sky, cutting through the clouds, and disappearing.
In the absence of the core anchoring the false world, the reality marble crumbled, with illusion falling away before the solidity of the world, leaving behind three figures.
A kimono-clad redhead, with an empty quiver, having expended her last arrows against the endless horde of shadows.
The miko Fujou Kirie, whose eyes still glowed with an unearthly azure light, and on whose back was inscribed a tattoo of sorts: three tomoe in interlocking Borromean rings, symbolizing Man, Earth, and Sky.
And a petite knight in blue and silver armor, seeming almost too delicate to be the bearer of a Last Phantasm, forged by the planet as the crystallization of the wishes of mankind stored and tempered within the planet.
She looked between her surroundings and the one who called her forth with deep surprise, an expression troubled as if she recognized something – as well she should, given where she stood and what she had seen.
In the aftermath of the battle, nothing is said for a time, with the three standing together in the lonely park, alone with their thoughts until at last the sun began to peek over the horizon, the light of dawn illuminating the girl in knightly form.
The night was over, and so, the silence was broken by a simple query, that would mark the end of the beginning, or perhaps the beginning of the end.
“…I ask of you,” the King of Knights said at last, turning to the priestess. “Are you my Master?”
Choice 173: And so Shinji returns from the wilderness around the solstice to a decidedly mixed reaction from his peers, all of which are wondering exactly what he was up to - and if some of the rumors of debauchery are true. No doubt people have some questions for him, and he supposes it would be useful to provide some answers.
There is just so much to do, but he supposes he could make time to talk to one person immediately, before he has to return Pandora and retrieve the necromancy tome, so to balance out his debts.
But who does he talk to first? (choose one)
[ ] Andreas, as he feels the Raven Commander should be appraised as to the reasons he was out so there are no...misunderstandings
[ ] Harry, given that he wants to see how his friend is doing
[ ] Lockhart, given that he really does need to explain why he needed the man's apprentice for a mission
[ ] Mashu, as he wants to know what's he has missed
[ ] Luna, since she no doubt misses Pandora, and without the assistance of her familiar, he'd be dead.
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; June 7th, 2017 at 11:55 AM.
Big sis is taking Shiroe's position from him, because Shinji is her Kerry and she wants to save the people around her. Well, I think this just proves she is totally Shiroe's sister. Well this should be an exciting new year break when Shinji visits the Fujou family.
[X] Andreas, as he feels the Raven Commander should be appraised as to the reasons he was out so there are no...misunderstandings
Reporting to the chain of command, I believe is the smart decision if one wants to stay on the good side of Durmstrang. Thought I am tempted to go with Harry here. Pansy is the person that should explain herself to Lockhart, not Shinji but a report to him would not be a complete bad idea. And Mashu is good choice if we did not care at all of what others think and only cared about receiving good intel. Luna choice for the fluff and its the best way to drive into Shinji's skull, how fragile he is without Luna and her familar help keeping him alive.
[X] Mashu, as he wants to know what's he has missed
Hips, probably?Originally Posted by alfheimwanderer
Anyway, GG, George. That's our Stone Cutter.
Choice 173:
[x] Andreas, as he feels the Raven Commander should be appraised as to the reasons he was out so there are no...misunderstandings
We've already seen how others see Shinji's quest - and now, as our dear Rita is here, we should tread twice as carefully.
[x] Harry, given that he wants to see how his friend is doing
We've been neglecting Harry (choices) too much and when we finally choose to see how he's been doing, we see that while Harry still has a large amount of faith (bordering on blind) in Shinji, he's getting tired of having to defend our nonsense over and over again. Not helping is that most of our recent actions put Shinji in a really bad light without any context behind them, so I feel that it's necessary that we see Harry as soon as possible and actually explain things to him to make sure that he understands our "debauched, hormonally-driven acts".
Not only it'd be disappointing to lose our oldest friendship, Harry is a much better ally than an enemy (being the British Youth Representative and the Boy who Lived). Screwing things up with Harry may actually be worse than our failures with Hermione and Fred, because while they mostly hurt us on a personal but short-term level (although the Hermione debacle did kickstart our "inveterate womanizer" reputation), failing with Harry may hurt us on a far more dangerous and long-term scale when he decides take that trust away and sick Britain on us. Plus, Harry is not only vouching for us, but he's vouching for Pansy too, so losing his favour may cause him to stop defending Pansy as well.
Paraphrased reminders from last time with Harry:
Last edited by Haunter; June 10th, 2017 at 01:41 AM.
Lips as in one's...lower lips, or nether lips. Not the mouth, if you get my drift.
I'll be on IRC intermittently through the day. Will be at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter doing research again.
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; June 7th, 2017 at 12:54 PM.
It's nice to know that I will be seeing another familiar face again during the Grail War.
[x] harry
Shinji should catch up on magical England to ensure he isn't caught off guard by things there
Some pictures from my "research" trip: http://imgur.com/a/CSc2P
As a reminder, please get in your votes, preferably in the next 24 hours! Current tally:
Harry - 2
Andreas - 2
Mashu - 1
I have also figured out what Rin's Mystic Code will be, based on Shinji's advice to create something focused around either Detection or Movement (given that both of those would synergize quite well with her existing abilities). Of course, actually putting that advice into practice is easier said than done, given that it is her first real Mystic Code, and that some of the concepts she wants to implement in them are not...the easiest to reverse-engineer without paying for a license with unlimited copy-modify permissions.
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; June 8th, 2017 at 08:54 PM.
Mashu
[X] Harry
I feel, to a certain extent, that the friendship with Harry is a bit of a lost cause - we've neglected it too much, and made too many choices that put us on opposing sides. However, there is still a chance that it won't turn into full-blown enmity, and I feel that it's worth taking that chance. Especially given the recent interlude where Harry was being questioned about Shinji's actions, and was getting frustrated about how little we communicate our intentions.
Andreas is also a very tempting option, though I disagree with Skull Leader about how much Durmstrang will care. I do agree with him that Pansy can report to Lockhart just as easily as Shinji, and if Shinji asks her to, Lockhart will understand that Shinji's busy and probably won't hold not personally reporting against him. I agree that Luna is important to Shinji, and that he's weaker in multiple ways without her, but it seems silly to me to make time for talking with someone before returning Pandora just to go return Pandora immediately anyway. As for Mashu, I really want to pick her, because I like her a lot and want more points with Atlas, but I feel it's irresposible to go to her first in this situation.
I would like to clarify my statement, as I did not go into detail in the original one. Its not that I think the general population will care, rumors are rumors after all. But Andreas already suspects that Shinji does have a thing for Lestrange as well as seems close to Pansy so the rumors might be true. More importantly, then just a simple talk with Andreas it is my hope that by informing Andreas of the event, that he in turn will take it to his Headmaster so that these rumors do not get flung back into Shinji's face and that we earn back some of the respect at the controlling powers of this faction like the Nordic government and/or their champion.
I feel that is more important then going to Harry himself which while we score points for him, Harry would have to report the cause of Shinji's actions to the British Ministry which exposes Shinji's operations in the worst light then if they thought that just Shinji and his womanizing ways. Even on the off chance that Harry does nothing with the truth, we are putting Harry in a future awkward position if he is again asked about this event.
I am not looking for the who to gain favor from directly but whom that person would in turn would inform. The British should be keep in the dark as much as possible. They would not respond will to shape changing familiars that are going unregistered right under their noses. And they certainly should not ever find out about Pansy now having one. Sorry Harry.
Last edited by Skull Leader; June 8th, 2017 at 11:33 PM.
Happy to discuss on IRC.
[x] Harry, given that he wants to see how his friend is doing
Because it's necessary to salvage the relationship.
Explain things. Answer questions.
Like, seriously explain everything that can be explained, without breaking vows.
Enough that Harry can see Shinji's side of things, and see that he intends no harm.
Last edited by fallacies; June 9th, 2017 at 12:44 AM.
[x] Harry.
Choice 173: [x] Harry, given that he wants to see how his friend is doing
Choice 174: Upon returning to Durmstrang and saying his goodbyes to Rachelle Lestrange, away from prying eyes, Shinji returns to Hogwarts alongside a rather subdued Pansy Parkinson, who is having Hilde masquerade as a scarf so she can be smuggled into Britain without too many questions. Pansy understandably feels a bit anxious due to the nature of the rather salacious rumors going around about what the "Arctic Sexpedition" (as some were calling it) were up to, and that Krum already returned to Durmstrang (though whether he completed his Task will only be confirmed at the Yule Ball). Given that her position as press representative is contingent on both timely coverage of events and maintaining at least a pretense of ethical behavior, she fears being removed - and will be reporting to Lockhart to see if her Mentor has any advice.
She asks if Shinji would be willing to come and give her a bit of support/fill in any details she doesn't have to satisfy Lockhart's curiosity, given that he was the one who organized the expedition, but the boy demurs, as Pansy's nervousness has gotten him thinking about how Britain sees him at this point, what with the columns in the Prophet about his behavior, and way he was portrayed in the Cornerstones play and other such. Perhaps, then, it would be a good idea to check with Harry - who as British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot - be quite aware of what the current mood was, only...it has been some time since he talked to Harry about much of anything.
Part of this has been due to how Harry returned to Britain at the end of summer, while Shinji, as a foreign alien, had to remain in Mahoutokoro until the start of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, due to travel restrictions in the wake of the World Cup Incident, coupled with restrictions to international mail. But even after Shinji's return, he and Harry have all too often found themselves moving in different circles, with Harry most often in Hogsmeade or London, handling the duties placed upon him by the Ministry, while Shinji has been busy preparing for the Potions Championship (mostly in Mahoutokoro), dealing with things at Durmstrang, or resting at his manor.
Curious if Harry is in the castle at all, he asks a House Elf, and is told that his friend is in Founders Tower, alone. Perhaps this might be a good opportunity to speak to his old friend, and find out what's going on?
Certainly, Harry will want some answers of his own, but given the Boy-Who-Lived's ties to the current government and the loyalty oath he had to swear as Youth Representative, Shinji is not actually sure that it would be particularly wise to tell him everything.
In his walk to the Tower, he ponders what he should do, and how should he approach his upcoming conversation with Harry? (choose one)
[ ] Full Disclosure - Be honest about everything, except for anything which would impinge on his vows/geases
[ ] Confide in Harry - Be frank about his disgust for the actions of the Hufflepuffs, the miscarriage of justice that making them heroes is, and how he feels Britain has sacrificed honor and human dignity for the pretense of safety - as well as how the Cornerstones play really drove home the point that he wasn't really welcome anymore. As such, he's focusing on his duty as Potions Champion, as opposed to worrying about his image or PR, since they're probably forcing him to leave at the end of the year anyway.
[ ] Be Opportunistic - Knowing Harry is trusted by the Ministry, lie to him and say that his efforts at Durmstrang and his apparent support of/interest in the Beauxbatons Champion have been part of a long-running gambit to win the trust of Rachelle Lestrange, given her dangerous reputation and her skill at alchemy
[ ] Be Evasive - Tell Harry that while he knows what he is doing might look bad, he needs Harry to trust that he knows what he is doing
[ ] (write-in)
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; June 9th, 2017 at 02:38 PM.
[X] Be frank about his disgust for the actions of the Hufflepuffs, the miscarriage of justice that making them heroes is, and how he feels Britain has sacrificed honor and human dignity for the pretense of safety. The place where he once felt at home...no longer really exists.
We are gonna lose harry friendship no matter what we do, so better be honest with him, he deserve a better friend than Shinji at this point.
I really don't care if we lose our chance of go to the Potion championship, I can't forgive myself for betray Harry.
[x] Full Disclosure - Be honest about everything, except for anything which would impinge on his vows/geases
By shades and degrees, "making Shinji look good" is less of a priority than "convincing Harry with utter frankness that Shinji's intentions have been for the best." Rather than asserting a biased conclusion, open provision of information permits that Harry can draw his own conclusions, and more easily investigate for confirmation of claims if necessary. If Shinji merely indicates his opinions on the Hufflepuffs, it doesn't provide the extent of the context / information Harry would require to conclude that Shinji isn't arbitrarily siding with foreign powers against Britain. Also, in a certain light, speaking against the Hufflepuffs could be read as unsympathetic at best, or traitorous at worst.
In prospective -- and on a fully pragmatic level -- if the people in charge of Wizarding Britain begin to actively take a stand against Shinji, Harry would with full disclosure comprehend the context of the ruling, and comprehend that Shinji is perhaps being unjustly maligned.
There is, of course, the risk that Harry might be upset about the actions Shinji has taken -- but in the event that full disclosure doesn't come to pass, and Harry either finds out the truth himself or gets fed lies by some third party, he would be more inclined to become mad at Shinji's lies, or read Shinji's actions as an outright betrayal, without considering a more sympathetic stance.
Ergo, if any of the other established choices are taken (barring a write-in), the probable outcomes are all negative in the circumstance that Harry obtains more information from a different source.
Last edited by fallacies; June 9th, 2017 at 02:48 PM.
Full disclosure.
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