Baby Lions PV Eyre Closed

To @Anastasia Beckett

4 July 2020

Ana,

I'm doing quite all right! I'm sorry for not sending you an owl back until now, I promise that I haven't been ignoring you. Summer camp has been a lot better than being at home, that's for sure. I'd like to put off having to see my parents for a little bit longer... they're in for quite a shock when they realize I'm not going to compete for their attention anymore.

I can't believe that you were snitched out, that's horrible! I'm sorry that you have to deal with your parents and their ridiculous punishments. I miss you lots, and wish you could be here with me and the others. Right now everyone is playing Capture the Base, but I've decided to stay in the tent. I got far too sunburned yesterday, and I'm certain that my skin is about to fall off. (Maybe it's a good thing you aren't here though. I'm sure you'd be teasing me to death right now, haha. )

Regardless, I'll be happy to write you during your time in Beckettazkaban. Hope a dementor doesn't eat your face off before you're able to write me next. ; - )

Yours,

To @Eyre Reeves

5 July 2020

Eyre -
I should quite love to see your parents' reactions when they realize that your world has expanded and is no longer centered on them. I bet it'll be funnier than how mine reacted to my suggestion that they go shove their brooms up their asses which would possibly help them remove their heads from the aforementioned location. Of course, I said it slightly more colorfully than that. As an aside, I think I see why I was grounded, although ironically enough, that suggestion wasn't even what got me grounded in the first place. It obviously didn't help though.

Fortunately, I've been camped out in my room for the most part other than meals obviously. They don't seem to much mind, although my father keeps shooting me death glares over my coffee, so I can't count my chicks or ducks or whatever the bloody hell that saying is just yet.

You say I would tease you if I was there as though I can't tease you perfectly well over letters. Do you more resemble a tomato or a strawberry right now? Or possibly a cherry? Also, if you shed all your skin, maybe you'll grow wings like a butterfly! That would be awesome. Alright, I'm done mocking you. That made me feel better though.

Much love from my cell in Beckettazkaban,

To @Anastasia Beckett

6 July 2020

Delivery Time: 2 AM

Ana,

I'm not sure if I'm ready to see their reaction to it. My mum might be more forgiving than my dad is, but once he learns that I didn't listen to his suggestion to quit 'wasting my time' in Herbology, he's going to have my head on a platter, probably. I don't know if I'll be grounded per say, Mum will probably have to talk him down. Gemma and Annalisa will be on my side, but I know that the others are going to be rallying behind my dad. Morgana and Margot are just daft and shallow, while Rhea is up in arms because she thinks that she should've been the rightful heir. At least the advantages to being born the only boy in the house means that at least I am heir apparent by proxy. We don't need another arsehole as the head of the Reeves household, believe you me.

I wish I had your courage. When my father wrote me that stupid letter, I wrote the nastiest, grittiest response in my journal and I didn't even send it. Meanwhile, you're over in Beckettazkaban telling your ultra posh parents to shove their brooms up their arses right over their morning tea. Really, some day you should teach your own secret class at Hogwarts called "How To Piss Off Your Pureblood Parents 101." I'm sure that all of our fellow damaged pureblood peers would get a kick out of that, and I for one think you'd be an excellent Professor for the job... : ) : )

Since you asked , I'd say that I look more like a glistening Pomegranate seed now, thank you very much, since the chaperones have been so kind as to lather me up in burn cream like a greased up pig. I'd like to be a beautiful butterfly rather than a boiled up pomegranate any day of the week... : (

Sorry for the late owl. We went stargazing tonight, and the stars were absolutely beautiful. In this envelope is the star chart that they gave us and a list of the constellations that were out tonight. Maybe if you look outside tonight, you can see them and not feel like you're alone in Beckettazkaban.

Reducio

Enclosed in the envelope is the following:
This starchart
and a list of constellations written on the back in Eyre's handwriting, some crossed out:

Sleep tight, don't let the ghosts of Beckettazkaban bite!

Much Love,

To @Eyre Reeves

7 July 2020

Eyre -
I can guarantee he won't kill you. My father is far more intense and he hasn't killed me yet, so unless your father has a homicidal streak that we don't know about, you'll probably be fine. As the family disappointment, it's pretty easy to move on with your life. You didn't even tell them that you wanted to drop out of school to play Quidditch, just selected a career that kind of sucks (I'm sorry, but plants are spectacularly boring, as your friend I am morally obligated to remind you of this). It'll be fine, I promise. The crushing disappointment does get slightly better once you're used to it.

As obnoxious as Rhea is, she does have a point. Pureblood culture is so utterly and stupidly misogynistic. For instance, if my father wasn't so stubborn about how he was the better side of the Beckett line and my mother's parents weren't so stubborn about their money going to a Cadieux descendant, all my family's money would be going to my idiot cousins. As is, they have an older sister( who is admittedly also a complete moron, but that's a separate issue) who will be getting next to nothing other than a stupidly fancy wedding. Primogeniture is so old fashioned, and was back in the days long before DNA testing(it's a muggle thing I looked up), and doesn't actually apply anymore. Additionally, the entire bloody system is very anti-woman, and it's something that I really ought to look into changing. However, Rhea is half-wit if I'm feeling generous and a no-wit if I'm not, so in your case, I have to say, it is better for you and your family.

I would be an excellent professor in that class you mentioned if I say so myself. I've been doing it long before I even meant to, so one could say I'm a natural. Although honestly, one does have to wonder if my parents are just abnormally easy to piss off, seeing as they were constantly pissed at me when I was trying to be prefect. Like what kind of parents are perpetually pissed off at a brilliant daughter who speaks five languages, can read in two others, plays three instruments, does ballet and needlepoint and all that they ask, and still has perfect grades? I just don't get it.

I'm sure you're the best looking pomegranate seed they've ever seen, seeing as I have never been a pomegranate seed.

I did look out at the stars with your chart and it was really quite lovely. Thank you for that! It was so worth how livid my father got at my receiving owls at such an hour and it was hilarious how purple he turned. In all seriousness, thank you for that. Beckettazkaban is rather lonely and my good old fictional friends can only assuage that so much. You are amazing!

Much love,

Interacting with @Anastasia Beckett

8 July 2020

Ana,

Herbology isn't boring! You have a point, there, with Herbology being a bit bland. But, it's not just Herbology that I'm interested in. I've always wanted to take COMC, but I won't be able until I'm a third year. My parents had me take care of the family pets when they thought I was a Squib, and I've always loved it. Mark my words, Ana. Someday when you're in the market to ride on the back of a dragon through a field of pristine belladonna plants, you're going to wish you hadn't been so cruel.
; - )

You're right about disappointing my parents. It's best to tear the bandage off now. To answer your question, I've found that usually pureblood parents are the ones that are the least impressed, regardless of how many achievements you have. It only matters if they like them. I hope eventually they'll get sick of micromanaging us and realize that they can't control what we're interested in.

Don't get me wrong, I know that all of that fuddy-duddy patriarchal lineage stuff needs to be thrown out. And, even though Rhea pisses me off, I understand why she's annoyed. I can't imagine what it's like to have your mum plop out a baby brother who is seemingly a squib, then, when you're feeling smug and certain that you're going to be the heir, he makes his birthday cake explode and you lose your chance. On the other hand, she treats me like utter garbage. I didn't choose to be heir. I'm sure that she'd wouldn't want to be heir either if she knew that every time my grandparents visit I have to sit through a long speech by my grandmother about how I need to "make Mummy and Daddy proud" by "staying away from the mudblooded sort when selecting a worthy bride." Yuck.

Aside from that ugliness, I am honored that you think I'm the best looking pomegranate seed. I'm sure that if you were a pomegranate seed, you'd probably be a lot better looking than I am, so it's best that you're not one. I don't need any competition getting in my way, you know.

I'm overjoyed that you liked the star chart. :-) I should really be more careful with sending owls at night though, I've forgotten that your father is the one that receives them rather than you directly. I'd feel really horrible if you lost your letter writing privileges because of me.

But, that aside, I'm happy that I've made your cold, lonely Beckettazkaban nights a little better. If I get any extra treats from London today that I can smuggle via owl, I'll send them your way.

Much Love,

To @Eyre Reeves

9 July 2020

Eyre -
I suppose I can smuggle you some COMC knowledge next year, as I'm taking it. I'm taking practically everything that they'll let me mostly because I'm trying to annoy my parents with "pointless" classes, but also because some of them might be helpful as an Auror. And I can always hire someone to be my dragon handler. Oh, did you know? There's this spell in Transfig that I recently discovered that turns things into miniature dragons! They don't teach it though, which I think is a crying shame. I may just have to start a petition to get it on the Hogwarts lesson plan.

At least your parents and grandparents at least pretend to take your say into account. My parents seem to have decided that they are going to select a betrothed for me this summer, and they told me and I quote "while your opinion will be taken into account, obviously, we have the final say." I'm not even joking! That's exactly what they said! As I'm sure you can imagine, I had a less than ladylike response (which, now that I think about it, is probably the main reason that I'm grounded). While I understand the tradition of perpetuating the Pureblood lines, some of the obsession my parents and their friends have is rather odd. I have met a handful of half-blood and even muggle born students at Hogwarts who are nearly as good as I am and certainly better than some our pureblood friends I could speak of.

In any event, Rhea really doesn't have any ground to complain. If I were in her situation, I would have disposed of the baby brother as soon as he was a possible threat. If she isn't actually willing to do anything to change her situation, then that in and of itself is a choice and she should shut her mouth about it.

As for the late night owls, don't you worry. I've done at least seven things that my parents would consider far worse this week alone. Seeing as they have deemed you an "appropriate" friend, they don't mind your letters too badly, and between you and me, my father at 2 in the morning was one of the funniest things I've seen lately, second only to Spin the Bottle at the Gryffindor Sleep over.

I enthusiastically anticipate your smuggled good, as my parents have crackled down on contraband. Allegedlly, I was "eating nothing but sugar" and "staying awake for days on end because of the amount of coffee I was consuming". Nonsense, obviously, but now sugar and caffeine are in short supply.

Much love,

To @Anastasia Beckett

10 July 2020

Delivery Time: 4 AM

Ana,

Hold up on the tiny dragons for just a moment, even though that's extraordinarily cool and you're going to have to find a way to give me that spell. Your parents are choosing your betrothed this summer?! They really don't like to wait, do they? I had no idea that your parents were part of that pureblood sort, but I wouldn't say that it surprises me. My parents gave up on finding betrothed for my sisters after Rhea threatened to learn the Cruciatus curse and use it on my dad. Maybe you should do the same. Actually, don't do that.

I hope you can get out of it in some way or another. You, of all people, deserve to be with someone that you love and care about. Not some stupid pure blood bastard who could probably barely fight himself out of a crisp bag. (Talking from personal experience. My parents really chose the biggest dolt for Rhea. Rudolph Pemberland, remember him? The bloke who would always come to the parties with his elderly mum trailing behind him? Apparently his great-great grandfather used to be in cahoots with mine in the snake trade, so that's why my father thought Rudolph would be great material. Just because his great-great grandfather sold my great-great grandfather him a snake egg or two once. This is why other wizards think our culture is so weird.)

Pureblood parents love to pull that shite of giving you an ultimatum, but following it up by pretending like you have a say at all. If you truly end up being saddled with someone, I do hope that your parents aren't just pulling your leg and actually give you a choice. I doubt they will, knowing their lies, but I hope so.

I don't know how much weight this carries, or if this is something that you need to hear at all, but you're easily the strongest person that I know. If anyone is able to get out of this, it's you. I know that I'm honestly powerless, but if there is anything that I can do for you in order to keep this from happening, I will. You, out of all people, were not meant to live this life, and I'll do all that I can to be an ally.

As a token of my ally-ship, and just because I'm petty, I'm sending this owl round to your house even later at night. I hope that my owl drops the package on your dad's fat head. But, maybe not, because then he might confiscate it, which would defeat the purpose of the contraband. I would've sent coffee, but I assume that they've locked down the coffee pot. Hopefully these will be enough to tide you over.

Reducio

OOC: In the package is a book-shaped box for the sake of discrete-ness. Inside, however, is a large packet of chocolate coffee beans.

All my love,

To @Eyre Reeves

11 July 2020

Eyre -
I threatened them with the Killing Curse, actually, as well as my specialty, Incendio, the Slug Vomiting Charm, burning down the house, gutting them like trouts(not that I would actually know anything about that), running away, punching any possible suitors in the face, and several other things that are really not appropriate for me to write in a letter or quite frankly to have even said(You know, I'm starting to understand why I'm in so much trouble). They have obviously taken my wand and put it who knows where as part of my grounding.

Don't you worry your pretty little head, although you have no idea what your support means to me. As you well know, I have yet to be forced into doing anything that I don't want to, and I don't intend to start now. The stupid thing is the pureblood suitors have to be of a certain "pedigree", meaning they have to have their heads up their asses about how superior they are to everyone. It also apparently means that it can't be anyone I find remotely tolerable, like you or any of my other friends(I asked), despite the fact that they were judged to be appropriate playmates for me. I refuse to be forced into something and I think that they're starting to get the idea.

That's not a good thing though. My father is getting more and more angry when we do speak, and I'm honestly starting to wonder what they're going to do once they do get the message. You know that my parents aren't the most nurturing and indulgent, and I can promise that even once they do understand I'm not doing this, it's not the end by any means. I'm only saying this because I trust you about as much as I trust anyone, but I'm worried that he's starting to think about disowning me. It happened to my cousin a few years back for a similar matter, so it's not something that is completely implausible. I don't think my mother would, but she isn't going to be able to stop my father if he puts his mind to it. I'm probably just being over dramatic, which you know I have a tendency to do. It's probably nothing.

On a lighter note, my father was absolutely LIVID at being woken that early. I told him that you had recommended some snotty book to me and I'd asked you to send a copy. Can you believe he bought that? No wonder I don't trust him to set up a match for me. Your contraband is so much more valuable than you know. Honestly, I think I would have faded away into a ghost without coffee.

Enough about me and all my family drama. There will always be more of that to talk about, and you have more than enough drama on your own. Tell me, anything interesting at the summer camp? Any good gossip?

Best be going, my father is calling me to breakfast, and even I know it's not the best idea to challenge him with the mood he's in.

All my love (seriously, you're amazing, you're probably the only reason I haven't gone utterly and completely mad in Beckettazkaban)

To @Anastasia Beckett

July 11th, 2020
Delivery Time: 6:30 PM

Ana,

I'll make sure that this letter doesn't devolve into a rant about your parents again, but please promise me that you'll let me know if anything goes wrong with you. I'd hate for you to be put into a position where you feel like you have nowhere else to turn. My parents might be strict, too, but I want you to know that I can pull some strings for you if I need to. Maybe I'll promise my parents that I'll focus less on Herbology in return for having a place for you to stay?…. I don't know. I just want to make sure that you're okay.

Aside from that ooey gooeyness, camp drama? You have no idea.

There is this dick named Alexei that keeps pushing me around. It started when I poured water on his shoes by mistake when I was suffering from heatstroke at the BBQ. Since then, he's went out of his way to make my life a living hell.

I made matters worse, too. I punched him, Ana. I punched him in the face. He was trying to get under my skin, and he didn't know that I'm not one to let people push me around. The instinct kicked in, and I went for it. And now, since I've done that, I think that he might actually murder me. I'm not even kidding. So… If this is the last letter that you receive from me, you'll know why… haha.

Other than that, things are going well. It still feels like a void not having you here, but here's hoping that I'll be able to somehow see you this summer. Maybe your parents will miraculously change their minds and unground you by the time my parents throw the end of summer ball? If so, I'm hoping that we'll be able to have a happy reunion then, eat all of the appetizers and poke fun at all of the hoity-toity purebloods, just like when we were younger and pretend like our lives aren't utter shite. That'd be really fun.

All my love to you, friend. I miss your face.