7 Oct 2020, 04:50
Master of Tides
The castle was quieting for the night, dinner had been eaten, students were mostly shuffling back to their respective houses before curfew in a little while; and yet, Illowy was slipping out from the safety of her's, though she looked about ready for bed. Her hair was tied up in a secure, though messy, bun, and she was dressed in a Slytherin sweater with black leggings. Fairly inconspicuous... accept for the violin case and the small bag she had on her shoulder.
The girl had scurried quickly through the halls, trying to draw as little attention to herself as she could due to having chosen to put her hair up, revealing the black ichor scars that crept up her neck and over her cheek. Mostly she kept them hidden (as well as one could) with her hair. At least she didn't have to worry about prying eyes for long when she finally reached her destination: The Rehearsal Room. Thankfully it was empty.
Closing the door behind her, the girl wasted no time kicking off her untied boots as she set her things down against the wall. Removing her first layer of clothing, it was revealed the girl was sporting her leotard and tights beneath, finishing the outfit with a green chiffon skirt from the duffle and getting her pointe shoes. Once dressed, she gave herself some time to stretch and warm up and before she retrieved her beloved instrument from it's case. As she did so, she tried not to think about the sheer amount of skin out in the open. Really, it was mostly just her arms and collar, but it was more skin then she'd allowed to be shown since the attack on Slytherin the year prior; still sickened and insecure about the back, marbled veins left in the wake of the chaos. She wanted to forget about all of that for now though... even if it was just for a little bit before bed. Let herself be okay with how she looked, even if it was in private.
After a moment of tuning her musical friend, the girl was off. As she spun about the room, she played one of her favorite songs by a Muggle violinist she'd come to adore over the years. While she mother didn't allow her exposure to very many aspects of Muggle culture, this was an exception; her mother having even once gifted her a record from the artist that Illowy loved, and managed to teach herself some of the music to, even if it didn't sound quiet like on the record, and drew much inspiration from; such as the idea to play and dance at the same time.
The song, Master of Tides, certainly wasn't a song you might expect a young ballerina to dance to, but she made it work with a mix media of sorts in her dancing. In that moment, it felt like the world melted away as she twirled and leapt and played. That was, until she caught sight of someone watching her from the door way, and it all came to an abrupt halt as she scared back, anxiously wondering how long they'd been standing there.
Last edited by Illowy Magnard on 7 Oct 2020, 22:56, edited 1 time in total.
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
7 Oct 2020, 13:19
Master of Tides
@Illowy Magnard
Opeila was walking down a corridor on the fourth floor when something made the girl freeze. She just came back from the girls' lavatory and wanted to go back down, but a faint noise made her stop, hold her breath even, to hold on to it as long as possible. This was a noise she only knew too well, as it came from her own world.
The sound of a violin. It caught her completely off guard, took her breath away, together with the ability to move, it seemed. For a whole minute she just stood there, her eyes closed, her face showing an almost painful expression.
For months now she had not heard the sound of that instrument. Her own one was in it's case, carefully wrapped in clothes on the bottom of her trunk since she returned to Hogwarts. At home she hadn't used it, especially as she only spent a few days there, before her world fell apart. The world in which violin music belonged for her.
Even more, she knew the song. Master of Tides. Until a few weeks ago, Opeila had lived in a pretty muggle-like household with a computer, wifi and access to youtube. Lindsey Stirling was one of her favourite violinists and Opeila had spent hours learning her songs and she could play many of them without having to look at the notes now.
Her movements almost a little robot-like, Opeila turned around, following the sound of the music, back through the corridor. No doubt, it came from the rehearsal room, the place she had last entered on her terrible birthday party.
Carefully she opened the door, trying not to make a sound. There was a girl in the room, a face that was somewhere familiar to Opeila. Well, of course it was, the two girls, although they never spoke to one another, had shared a common room for a year and there was a vague memory of her carrying a cat before they got attacked by spiders...
Opeila watched with a mix of surprise and fascination how the girl spun through the room, living the song she was playing. The second year felt like her heart was getting heavier and heavier the longer she watched, she had to swallow. It was like she was looking into a mirror of her own soul, invading the world of another person, looking behind a wall she wasn't meant to pass.
Opeila only made the decision to close the door again, when the music abruptly stopped. Again she froze in her movement and looked at the girl, who had now noticed her secret audience.
"Sorry", Opeila almost wispered, her voice almost cracking a little, "I didn't mean to disrupt you, I just heard you play from the corridor and..." She cleared her throat, hoping for her voice to get steadier. "It was beautiful. Lindsey Stirling, right? Master of Tides?"
Opeila was walking down a corridor on the fourth floor when something made the girl freeze. She just came back from the girls' lavatory and wanted to go back down, but a faint noise made her stop, hold her breath even, to hold on to it as long as possible. This was a noise she only knew too well, as it came from her own world.
The sound of a violin. It caught her completely off guard, took her breath away, together with the ability to move, it seemed. For a whole minute she just stood there, her eyes closed, her face showing an almost painful expression.
For months now she had not heard the sound of that instrument. Her own one was in it's case, carefully wrapped in clothes on the bottom of her trunk since she returned to Hogwarts. At home she hadn't used it, especially as she only spent a few days there, before her world fell apart. The world in which violin music belonged for her.
Even more, she knew the song. Master of Tides. Until a few weeks ago, Opeila had lived in a pretty muggle-like household with a computer, wifi and access to youtube. Lindsey Stirling was one of her favourite violinists and Opeila had spent hours learning her songs and she could play many of them without having to look at the notes now.
Her movements almost a little robot-like, Opeila turned around, following the sound of the music, back through the corridor. No doubt, it came from the rehearsal room, the place she had last entered on her terrible birthday party.
Carefully she opened the door, trying not to make a sound. There was a girl in the room, a face that was somewhere familiar to Opeila. Well, of course it was, the two girls, although they never spoke to one another, had shared a common room for a year and there was a vague memory of her carrying a cat before they got attacked by spiders...
Opeila watched with a mix of surprise and fascination how the girl spun through the room, living the song she was playing. The second year felt like her heart was getting heavier and heavier the longer she watched, she had to swallow. It was like she was looking into a mirror of her own soul, invading the world of another person, looking behind a wall she wasn't meant to pass.
Opeila only made the decision to close the door again, when the music abruptly stopped. Again she froze in her movement and looked at the girl, who had now noticed her secret audience.
"Sorry", Opeila almost wispered, her voice almost cracking a little, "I didn't mean to disrupt you, I just heard you play from the corridor and..." She cleared her throat, hoping for her voice to get steadier. "It was beautiful. Lindsey Stirling, right? Master of Tides?"
7 Oct 2020, 23:23
Master of Tides
The older snake hesitated as she looked her one-woman audience over. While Illowy wasn't always great with names, she did recognize the girl from her house. If she searched even further in her memory, she might've recalled a shadow of a memory of seeing the second year among the other injured that night of the attack. All the same, better someone who knew about that night and what was left in it's wake as opposed to some other, clueless, student. Those were the ones who couldn't help but stare or ask questions that boarded on insensitive. It drove her mad. The only time she had patience for it was with the first years, who were young and nieve and often couldn't hope to know better. Especially those who were still shiny and new to the wizarding world and its potential dangers. Truthfully, she had a soft place for them, she wanted to protect them and make them believe Hogwarts would be all sparkles and magic... even if she knew sooner or later they'd realize it was more then just some cinematic, Muggle fantasy.@Opeila Winters
Illowy wasn't sure what she expected from the other girl, but what she hadn't expected was for her to recognize the song, much less the artist it belonged to. Tentatively, Illowy nodded, "Yeah. I saw a video of her once in a Muggle music shop a few years ago and my mum let me have her record." she explained, nerves thickening her Irish accent as she shifted uncomfortably, almost repositioning herself subconsciously to angle her left side away from the other's view.
IT was a learned habit born of her own insecurity. She kept hoping, in time, to try to unlearn such insecurity, "She's pretty much the only Muggle artist she lets me listen to." the girl readjusted her instrument to one hand, letting her bow hang off her finger as she smoothed her hand over her hair, pushing back a couple wisps of hair that had come loose, "Her music sounds way cooler with all the background stuff though then just with the violin by itself." the snake offered a sheepish smile, "Are your parents Muggles? Or do you just have in interesting in Muggle things?"
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
22 Oct 2020, 21:06
Master of Tides
@Illowy Magnard
Opeila's gaze found the black marks on the other girl's neck quickly. Opeila wouldn't react, apart from a tiny movement of her eyebrows. Seeing the darkness made memories come back to life she didn't want to have. Spiders, pain like her veins were set on fire, pain in the room of requirement with two boys from her year, where she lived through it again for the sake of finding a cure, or something, anything...
And the living, moving darkness, that stabbed Victor and nearly hit Opeila too.
If Illowy looked closely, she would be able to see marks on Opeila as well. On both her ankles, just slightly showing out of her socks.
Opeila smiled at the older Slytherin and nodded. "Yes, she's really good. I like her music very much. I kinda just found her when I looked up violin music." The second year noticed the other girl's sudden discofort, but couldn't quite understand it. At least not immediately, when the girl told her that it was the only muggle artist she was allowed to listen to, things got way clearer for Opeila.
It seemed she had just met a pureblood girl.
Not that it was a bad thing, but Opeila just got very careful with purebloods. From what she heard, it seemed many purebloods were closely connected and well... talked. Opeila had to watch her mouth now.
"Oh, I wouldn't say cooler, I say different.", she disagreed with the girl's statement. "While her videos are more supposed to catch the listener and well... overwhelm him, I'd say? A violin on it's own has something... Melancholic almost. It's strong alone, but on a different level."
The girl asked about her family. "Yeah, my dad is a muggle and my mum a witch. So I got to live a muggle childhood. Elementary school and everything. And my dad owns a laptop, so I had access to youtube. When my mum gave me a violin for my birthday, Lindsey Stirling's music was the first I learned to play."
Opeila was surprised how good it felt to talk about music. And intimate in some way? The violin always belonged into her very inner world, talking about her passion was like... leaking deep thoughts to a stranger.
Opeila's gaze found the black marks on the other girl's neck quickly. Opeila wouldn't react, apart from a tiny movement of her eyebrows. Seeing the darkness made memories come back to life she didn't want to have. Spiders, pain like her veins were set on fire, pain in the room of requirement with two boys from her year, where she lived through it again for the sake of finding a cure, or something, anything...
And the living, moving darkness, that stabbed Victor and nearly hit Opeila too.
If Illowy looked closely, she would be able to see marks on Opeila as well. On both her ankles, just slightly showing out of her socks.
Opeila smiled at the older Slytherin and nodded. "Yes, she's really good. I like her music very much. I kinda just found her when I looked up violin music." The second year noticed the other girl's sudden discofort, but couldn't quite understand it. At least not immediately, when the girl told her that it was the only muggle artist she was allowed to listen to, things got way clearer for Opeila.
It seemed she had just met a pureblood girl.
Not that it was a bad thing, but Opeila just got very careful with purebloods. From what she heard, it seemed many purebloods were closely connected and well... talked. Opeila had to watch her mouth now.
"Oh, I wouldn't say cooler, I say different.", she disagreed with the girl's statement. "While her videos are more supposed to catch the listener and well... overwhelm him, I'd say? A violin on it's own has something... Melancholic almost. It's strong alone, but on a different level."
The girl asked about her family. "Yeah, my dad is a muggle and my mum a witch. So I got to live a muggle childhood. Elementary school and everything. And my dad owns a laptop, so I had access to youtube. When my mum gave me a violin for my birthday, Lindsey Stirling's music was the first I learned to play."
Opeila was surprised how good it felt to talk about music. And intimate in some way? The violin always belonged into her very inner world, talking about her passion was like... leaking deep thoughts to a stranger.
23 Oct 2020, 08:58
Master of Tides
Illowy gave a thoughtful nod as the other snake disagreed with her about the nature of the artist's music. Though given it was the most modern thing she listened to regularly, she still thought it sounded cooler then the classical or folk music her mother typically had her listen to. Perhaps it was the curiosity of such strange sounds that she enjoyed so much. After all there are some sounds in this world now that one can't really create with traditional instruments alone, "I had a violin teacher once that compared the sound of a violin to crying... though I don't know if I totally agree, because depending on the music, it can also sound like laughing to me." she explained, her mind going to the cèilidh music her mother had made sure she'd also had in her repertoire. Which she didn't mind in the slightest.@Opeila Winters
As the girl explained her blood status, there wasn't a hint of judgment about it from the brunette. To the best of Illowy's knowledge, she was a Pureblood. Her family was a respectable Pureblood name, and she'd been raised fairly strictly to the traditions of the Wizarding World. What few things she did know about Muggles, aside from Lindsey Stirling, she'd mostly picked up from one of her cousin Kyle's friend, Duke; though he was actually a squib. He and her cousin tended to take more interest in such things then she had. All the same, her family had never held the same prejudices that it seemed other Pureblood families held.... however that didn't mean that Illowy was terribly familiar with interacting with Muggles. She was from Dublin after all, so naturally she interacted with them somewhat, but merely in passing. Not enough to actually know anyone who was a Muggle.
Opeila continued to explain her home life a bit more, and it wasn't long before she lost Illowy entirely, "My mum is more traditional. She had me homeschooled until I came here." she spoke with a shrug. Honestly, Muggle school was one of her biggest curiosities. Illowy never really had a lot of friends. Growing up, she was mostly by herself unless she was with Kyle or Duke... but that was mostly to be a voice of reason for the young troublemakers, "And... you lost me after 'laptop' and 'you tube'." she added sheepishly.
It always felt strange talking to those who grew up in the Muggle world. They were always going on about things she didn't know anything about to the point it might as well have been gibberish to her.
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
15 Nov 2020, 21:38
Master of Tides
Opeila's eyes widened a little at Illowy's words. "Did you have like... actual lessons? From a teacher?" It had been the little girl's wish for a long time, but her parents had understood it to isolate her from normal life whenever she had tried to blend in. Now she understood why, but it still hurt. At least they had agreed to pay for an app that taught her and her mother used to play as well, but other than Opeila, she had always hated it.
"Yeah, I think that too. To me a violin can be anything, depending on the way I listen to it. If I am sad or happy, or... well, I hope you know what I mean. It's not defined by the violinist alone."
Opeila's mouth opened in surprise when Illowy said that she lost her when he started about muggle technology. The little Slytherin blinked. And then snorted. "I- I'm sorry. This is such a bad habit of mine, I sometimes forget where I am and that some people feel as lost when I start about muggle life details, as I did when I first placed a foot into this castle."
She once more shook her haid at herself. "Okay, um... A laptop is basically... Erm. A window. You have like a pad with buttons and whatever you type, the window will show you. I hope that clears it a little. And youtube is a thing the window can show you. Erm... Okay, so there are like different programms. If you have the one called google for example, you can look for information. For example about an animal or a plant. And youtube gives you music. Or movies. And that's where I found Lindsey Stirling." During the explanation, her hands formed strange gestures, square shapes, trying to make it somehow imaginable for Illowy.
@Illowy Magnard
"Yeah, I think that too. To me a violin can be anything, depending on the way I listen to it. If I am sad or happy, or... well, I hope you know what I mean. It's not defined by the violinist alone."
Opeila's mouth opened in surprise when Illowy said that she lost her when he started about muggle technology. The little Slytherin blinked. And then snorted. "I- I'm sorry. This is such a bad habit of mine, I sometimes forget where I am and that some people feel as lost when I start about muggle life details, as I did when I first placed a foot into this castle."
She once more shook her haid at herself. "Okay, um... A laptop is basically... Erm. A window. You have like a pad with buttons and whatever you type, the window will show you. I hope that clears it a little. And youtube is a thing the window can show you. Erm... Okay, so there are like different programms. If you have the one called google for example, you can look for information. For example about an animal or a plant. And youtube gives you music. Or movies. And that's where I found Lindsey Stirling." During the explanation, her hands formed strange gestures, square shapes, trying to make it somehow imaginable for Illowy.
@Illowy Magnard
21 Nov 2020, 20:25
Master of Tides
Illowy gave a small smile, "Yeah. I started violin when I was 6, and then I've taken dance since I was practically old enough to walk." she explained. Lessons were always a standard for Illowy, given her mother didn't allow much time for socialization, it was her only opportunity to actually be around children her own age... granted they were muggle children and her mother didn't approve of developing close friendships with muggles if it wasn't necessary. Otherwise, aside from her cousin and his squib friend, she spent most of her time alone.@Opeila Winters
As the other snake tried to articulate her views about the violin and the mood in which the instrument evokes, Illowy assured with a nod, "I get what you mean."
Then the child began trying to explain the concept of the muggle tech. For a moment, Illowy thought she was following. What Pei was describing sounded much like a type writer, which was a piece of muggle technology she was familiar with, since her mother often used one for work. She'd said it was faster then writing and looked neater for important or professional means, but the art of good penmanship was still a life necessity. However, as her housemate continued trying to explain the device, Illowy was falling more and more off the wagon, her expression showing it. She somewhat understood the concept of having a window, as Opeila put it, to show a movie since she'd seen such things in shop windows back home, but the idea of it showing one information was odd to her. It seemed just as easy, if not faster if you knew what you were doing and where to look, to simply use a book. At least within a book or library, you had access to all the information one might need as long as you knew where to look.
"Why would you not just look at a book for information? Seems a lot simpler then hoping a window can show you something. And how can you know the window is showing you the right thing? What if it gets confused? Where as, with a book, you just find the proper subject matter and you read it, knowing that's what you're looking for."
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
3 Dec 2020, 11:34
Master of Tides
@Illowy Magnard
Illowy told Opeila that she started playing the violin at six years old and dancing even earlier. The second year found it fascinating. So the girl had been around children of her age with the same interests for years?
Opeila wanted to ask questions how that was, if it was muggle children or magical like her. She could imagine that it was easier to blend in with the muggle world, when magic was no new world. When it was no big unknown that one still had to explore for one self.
"That is great. My parents would not let me take lessons. Instead they would put er... another program into this window, that taught me to play."
It seemed Illowy tried to imagine how a computer worked. It was rather difficult for Opeila to explain it, as she had not too much of an idea about the details herself. She still tried to explain to the older girl what made it more useful than a book in some ways. "The thing is, if you have a book, or... or if you are in a library, you'd have to find the book, the chapter and the page you are looking for. With this window, it will simply show you all the information it has about the topic you are looking for. And everything it shows you, has been put in before by other people. Like with a book, where you are reading what someone else wrote once, the window gives you information that other people gave it before. So... like, do you understand what I mean?" Opeila ran out of metaphors and just hoped the girl could somehow understand what Opeila was talking about.
"I don't even know your name.", she suddenly noticed. "I am Opeila Winters."
Illowy told Opeila that she started playing the violin at six years old and dancing even earlier. The second year found it fascinating. So the girl had been around children of her age with the same interests for years?
Opeila wanted to ask questions how that was, if it was muggle children or magical like her. She could imagine that it was easier to blend in with the muggle world, when magic was no new world. When it was no big unknown that one still had to explore for one self.
"That is great. My parents would not let me take lessons. Instead they would put er... another program into this window, that taught me to play."
It seemed Illowy tried to imagine how a computer worked. It was rather difficult for Opeila to explain it, as she had not too much of an idea about the details herself. She still tried to explain to the older girl what made it more useful than a book in some ways. "The thing is, if you have a book, or... or if you are in a library, you'd have to find the book, the chapter and the page you are looking for. With this window, it will simply show you all the information it has about the topic you are looking for. And everything it shows you, has been put in before by other people. Like with a book, where you are reading what someone else wrote once, the window gives you information that other people gave it before. So... like, do you understand what I mean?" Opeila ran out of metaphors and just hoped the girl could somehow understand what Opeila was talking about.
"I don't even know your name.", she suddenly noticed. "I am Opeila Winters."
16 Dec 2020, 00:42
Master of Tides
"My mum wanted to make sure I learned discipline and had some form of exercise." she explained, "Since I was homeschooled, even with dance and everything, I didn't really have friends other then my cousin and um... and his friend." it was still painful to think about her cousin Kyle's childhood best friend Duke; especially since she'd paid witness to his gruesome last moments. Illowy quickly shrugged the dark memory away, offering another small smile, "This window can teach you to play music? What if you have a question?" she wondered.@Opeila Winters
Illowy was truly trying to wrap her mind around such a concept. Her understanding of most Muggle devices was fairly remedial. Granted, she'd seem some students attempt to bring their devices to school, but the magical energy that radiated all through the school and the very students themselves all together tended to prove to be too much for the batteries to last very long. Akin to the Muggle idea that ghosts could use the energy from such electronics and drain them nearly instantly, "I... think so?" it came out more like a question then an answer, but she was starting to get a little embarrassed. The snake excelled in school and in magic, but what seemed to be such a simple and straight forward device for Opeila was just completely eluding her.
"I'm Illowy Magnard." the snake offered her hand to the other, "Its a pleasure."
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
5 Jan 2021, 21:06
Master of Tides
Opeila noticed how the girl's tone changed when she mentioned her cousin and his friend, who used to be her friends at home. When she said that she had been homeschooled, Opeila was suddenly glad. At least, although the experience ended up not being the best, Opeila got to spend some time with children, muggle children, and it was no experience she would want to erase. It shaped her along with everything else, made her grow harder, and it served her well today.@Illowy Magnard
"Are your cousin and his friend going to Hogwarts too? Do I know them? If I may ask?" Something told Opeila that this had to be some sort of touchy topic. Her housemate here was a pureblood, maybe her cousin or his friend was a squib? That ended up being her family's downfall, maybe the girl's family dealt with it better.
Opeila ran her fingers through her hair, pondering how she could explain the concept of laptops and the internet to the other girl any better. A hard thing to do, considering Opeila had not much of a clue about it either. "If you have a question, you go to the questioning program and ask it. In most cases it has an answer. It's not 100% reliable, but it's quicker and probably also cheaper than looking through a hundred books." Opeila shrugged. "To be honest, I don't know the details myself either.", she said, when the girl started to turn red. "I just know how to use it, but almost nothing around the technology behind it. It's just a device to make muggles' lives easier."
Opeila took the girl's- Illowy's hand. "The pleasure is mine."
