Catching Up PV Thomas Lestrange Finished

When left to his thoughts, this young boy’s mind often raveled in pessimistic trends. When the prospect that the supposed reality of his story may be a lie, there is not much left to counter this mindset. Fueled by the waning clarity of his past and demands that come along with a desperate deal. In hope for answers, Thomas clung to this scrap of truth provided by a trio of outsiders. Forming an understanding between them that cannot be undone. Indefinitely in their grasp, helplessly submitting to their will…and for what? Was it power, truth, closure, survival? The lines blurred, what he intended to gain faded behind the task.

Another afternoon in the great hall found Thomas seated alone at a distance from his peers. The boy some came to know in his first year at Hogwarts was notably altered. Not that he was ever the epitome of a happy go lucky person, but this time around he was visibly cold, distrusting, and withdrawn from the present. Not all negative, as with this new mindset came critical thinking, questioning anything and everything. Even if you were to tell the boy his house colors are green and black, he would question this claim.

From stony openings the owls arrived, dropping mail off to students across the hall. An anxious time for Thomas following the stack of letters he received a few weeks ago in the library. Which he could not muster the courage to open until his nameday, dampening the chances the day was positive. The handwriting on the letter arriving presently was not immediately recognizable, prompting enough intrigue to open it immediately.

A request to meet this evening at 8PM near the lake shores from Seilun. Ironic, the last time the boy received a letter was the day he met the Slytherin pillow queen. Since then the pair have intersected several times, most notably the previous evening in the common room. You probably know what I’m going to ask you. Thomas quickly deduced this to be a follow up after his uneasy reaction to the information presented that evening. Not much time passed before the boy elected to take her up on this offer, the possibility this young seer could provide a piece to his puzzle would not be passed up.

The girl failed to specify her exact location on the long lake shores, but Thomas began his search at the waters nearest to the school castle first. Thomas passed the courtyard in his approach to the lake ten minutes before the intended meeting time. Being prompt was valued, ingrained from the way his mother raised him. The dwindling sunlight provided enough visibility for Thomas to locate a figure alone near the shores. Not many other students were out on the grounds, and most of them appeared to be returning to the castle. It must have been Opeila.

Half expecting the girl to be laying atop a pile of pillows, or near the shores on a pillow boat, but these are thoughts he would not vocalize to avoid a spiteful introduction. “Opeila?” If she turned to face him, or provided vocal confirmation, Thomas would join her, taking a few steps past her to face the lake. Occasional breezes scattering the brown mop on his head, his icy eyes reflecting the colors of the water, engrossing his mind in the history he shares with this lake. If his past was to be a topic this evening, this was the appropriate place. Thomas turned to face Opeila, finding her pair of green eyes that exuded curiosity. Their last conversation was cloudy, Thomas left unsure if there was something he revealed in his exit that she realized. Due to this possibility, Thomas would require her to show her hand first. “No need to dilly dally then. What did you expect to learn on this late evening?”

@Opeila Seilun

Opeila let her thoughts wander as she looked at the redish-orange reflection of the sky on the lake's surface. She didn't feel like she had been in Hogwarts for a year. More like three. How even could so much happen in one year? How could she get herself in danger so much? And she didn't even know what was yet to come...

Her mother had poisoned herself. Then she had let Vladimir into the Common Room, who possibly had a hand in the spider attack. Then there was the spider attack, the potion she had to take every week and her black legs still a reminder of those horrors. Now she was organising a secret Blossom Ball with some others and was asked by no one else than Vladimir to go there with him. This year was madness.

The voice behind her didn't startle her although she had not expected it in that moment. It was not that easy to startle her anymore... She turned her head to the boy, who had said her name in a questioning tone. "Thomas.", she said, "I am glad that you decided to come."

She turned back to the lake, hearing him stepping closer as well, before he walked past her and even closer to the lake. Opeila always maintained a healthy distance to the water, she was aware of her tendency to be clumsy from time to time. That was nothing she wanted so close to the home of the giant squid.

Thomas seemed like he was in thoughts for a moment, until he turned around to her and got directly to the point. Now Opeila did step closer to the lake as well. "Can't you guess it? You left the common room when you read my prophecy and Burnett made some quite suggestive comments. You know something about it, don't you? Care to share?", she asked, looking at the lake again.
Opeila was only too curious about what Thomas had to say about her prophecy.

@Thomas Lestrange

It was challenging to get a read on Opeila Seilun. Their initial introduction was one of dwindling patience, and an awkward inclusion into his personal affairs with a Slytherin prefect. She did not mask her emotions the way many Slytherin students do--at least not on that day. Not hesitant to call Thomas out on his tactless babbling, showing her skills as a pillow sniper to convey her annoyance. To say the least, their relationship began on rocky footing.

Pillow sniper turned pillow queen, as Opeila played a valuable role in preserving his face from Erin Ryan’s rage. Thomas was grateful enough to find neutral ground with Opeila, but she complicated things when the boy stumbled into her secret meeting. The most notable takeaways, Opeila was in fact a seer. She had elected to join the notorious Vladimir to the upcoming secret gathering. Lastly, she and Thomas were connected in a way she did not yet realize. A way he would be reluctant to share.

Thomas met her eyes briefly as the two exchanged pleasantries. After walking past her, she announced to be pleased with his choice to join her this evening. He would not verbally echo her, instead offering a simple nod that implied the two were on neutral terms. His icy blue eyes reflected the water’s surface momentarily, the waning sunlight gave his skin a bronze tint, intermittent gust of wind sweeping his brown hair to the side. It was a place Thomas often found himself, where he was forced to consider the secrets revealed under the surface.



He turned back to face the younger brunette girl, who stood much lower to the ground, the top of her head to his shoulders. With a smirk, he tilted his head down to connect eyes. “When is he not?” Thomas would lower his frame, squatting towards the bed of rocks spread along the shoreline. He slid his fingers along the sedimentary rocks, sorting through the various smooth and sharp textures before making his selection. He gripped a smooth and thin circular rock before rising. “Do I...care to share?”

With the rock grasped tightly in the fingertips of his left hand, he turned away from Opeila to face the lakefront once more. Thomas took a few careful steps forward before a sharp sidearm toss, watching the rock dance along the surface before a splash sent it descending to the lake floor. “You have my attention, Opeila. For now. Ask me what you want to ask me.” In his typically stoic demeanor, he wandered closer to the water and away from Opeila, but if she chose not to follow behind, his voice would still be loud enough for her to hear. “In your vision, you said the voices were...different. Did you recognize them?” Always three.

Thomas turned around to her, tilting his head to look at her. Opeila was used to people being taller than her by now, it had been that way in her elementary school as well. Somehow though it annoyed her now. Opeila pretty much stumbled into the mystery around the attacks and sometimes the way people looked down to her made her feel like she was not taken seriously. The Slytherin hated it.

Opeila straightened when Thomas looked down to her, tried to be somewhere near his height, which of course did not work at all.
A reluctant smirk appeared on her face, when he asked, when he didn't. She tilted her head a little. "... Point for you on that one. Though I believe that by now I can mostly tell apart when Burnett is joking and when he is not. And from what I saw, he was calling you out. Don't try to deny that you know something. I wouldn't believe you." Opeila did not try to corner him saying that. She simply stated it as a fact.

He caught her off guard a little, when he said that she had his attention for now. That she could ask him questions. Somehow, Opeila had expected that he would make it harder. Everything that was somewhere connected to Vladimir or the attacks seemed complicated.
But maybe that was to come when she was done asking questions.
"My first questions is quite simple. What do you know about my prophecy? Or vision. Or... whatever it is."

He asked her about the different voices in her prophecy. "Yes. There were different women. Six different women..."

@Thomas Lestrange

Opeila’s straightened her posture when Thomas neared closer. Perhaps merely a subconscious reaction to signify her elevating guard. The boy had a way of making others uncomfortable. It was not always what he said, but how he said it. Not like the many impressionable and unseasoned peers that walk the castle’s halls. Thomas was reminiscent of a veteran returning home from a war. With horrifying experiences comes a change of perception. He would view things through a corrupted lens with many cracks and condensation that clouds his grasp on reality. Lost in a perpetual state of fear for what comes next.

It led the boy to cast others aside. Reluctant to share his story with others in fear of what they may do. Opeila Seilun was not like the others. Her natural ability to potentially foresee future events has placed her firmly in his story. She may not know of what she spoke that day of the vision, but she is undoubtedly connected to the sources of words. Even if only a platform for them to communicate, she has value. “I never denied anything.” Thomas countered, shifting from the topic of Burnett. “Just like I cannot confirm anything.” Thomas tore his eyes away from the lake to find Opeila’s one again, a subtle shake of the head. His tone of voice lessened in confidence, now shaky and fearful. “These things are...beyond our understanding. I’m not going to lie to you.”

With a closed fist, he progressively let his thumb travel across his knuckles. Not to express frustration, more so tense with indecision. “I’m not going to mislead you either.” As per usual, Thomas spoke vaguely. Opeila only affirmed the meaning behind his words when she asked her first question. “Exactly, we don’t even know what it was. The power they possess is beyond what we understand. It’s not like what they teach in school.” Thomas reiterated his earlier point, whatever Auntie and the gang was doing, their reasoning was something they would readily understand.

Thomas found a seat atop the rocks. His eyes would intermittently flick from the restful waters that reflected the day’s last light from the sun, and up to Opeila assuming she still stood. “Sit.” He motioned to a spot at his side. “Six?” This only furthered his point, that whatever was going on was much deeper than what he knew. Albeit not many have seen what Thomas has, there was much more to see if they were to understand what’s really going on. “I cannot be sure of who the voices in your vision belong to, as I did not hear them.” Thomas paused, a reflective stare towards the rocks below. “But I can be sure of their source. Not once, but twice I have heard them spoken.”

He offered a careful glance, turning the focus over to her before he would willingly offer anything more to the brunette. “What do you want, Opeila?” A broad question, but how she perceived it, and more importantly how she responded, would go on to dictate how much the boy was willing to give up before doing what he does best: casting her aside like all the rest.

Opeila nodded when Thomas said that things where beyond their understanding. That was sort of obvious. No one seemed to know what was going on. "Yet", she added to his statement. "Which is why I am talking to you. Why I called in that meeting in the common room yesterday. For each and everyone of us, including the professors it is beyond understanding as long as we try to solve it on our own. I believe that there are people, including you, who know more or have access to more information than I do. And apparently it is the same thing the other way around. If we put all the pieces we know together, then we can solve it, I am sure of it. But it seems like many of the students as well as the professors don't want to see it yet, or they wouldn't try to keep us out of everything so badly. They can't keep us out of it. We were the target of that spider attack. I got tricked into being part of it's happening because I tried to stay out of it myself before, didn't get myself informed on the other attacks."

Opeila looked at Thomas when he told her about them and their powers. "And who are they?", she asked him although she suddenly had a suspicion. What had Professor Brown told her? Hags liked to make contracts. Opeila walked towards Thomas and sat next to him. "Hags, aren't they? I was told that they like to make contracts." She asked her next questions carefully, quieter as if she was scared that someone could hear them. "Do you know who made contracts with them? Are... are part of those phrases directed to you even? When have you heard them before?"

Thomas asked her what she wanted. Opeila thought about that question for a moment. There were a few things she could have answered to that, things that would have sounded selfless, heroic even, but only partly true. Opeila knew that. She decided to tell Thoma the whole truth. If she wanted his truth, she owed him hers.
"I have made a mistake. A big one. I have let Vladimir into our common room and thereby likely enabled the attack to happen. This is my fault." She paused for a moment and stared at the water.

"I owe it to our house to make it right. Or at least to try. I could of course apologise, but tell me, what good would it do? Honestly, I am surprised I am alive even. When I understood what part I was tricked into playing, I waited for them to get rid of me. To get rid of the one person that could provide a possible proof of Vladimir having been in our common room. The only witness." It sort of poured out of her now.

"I haven't told anyone for so long, because I didn't want to put anyone at that same risk. And as they have not come for me all those months, I did now." She wrapped her fingers around one another. "I want this to be over before they are forced to close the school. Hogwarts is now my home and I won't let them take my home away from me. Neither anyone's life. I have to make it right." Helpless determination showed on Opeila's face. "How about you? What is it that you want?", she finally asked, turning to her housemate next to her.

@Thomas Lestrange

Opeila would quickly cite the reasoning for her actions. The girl was seemingly taking it upon herself to put the pieces in place and solve the puzzle. To defeat what is evil and walk away with her band of heroes. She was brave and bold, but also blind. And Thomas would not hesitate to call her out on this fact. “They cannot keep us out of it, you’re right. The Professors are doing what they can to contain it, I’m sure.” Thomas’ lips curled down, eyes narrowing to form a sharp glare at the younger brunette. “Your meetings and spreading of this information, what good has it done? You inspire others to get involved in what they don’t understand, endangering themselves.”

"Not that I give a shit."Thomas scoffed at the kink in his armor that was revealed with this stance. Then arrived at the sensitive subject of hags, Opeila was smart enough to deduce the they Thomas was referring to. It must have not been the first time she discussed them. Damn Chatter Fox. Thomas did not confirm or deny his connection to the hags, but he would briefly share his perception. “Contracts...yes, the hags will give you what…” Thomas’ voice trailed off, forced to contemplate his tenure. “What you want, and they will ask for something in return.”

Thomas turned away from Opeila to face the waters once more. “They harness something..different. I don't think we have an answer for it.” The power the hags possess has been on display in his close interactions, but it was not readily understood by the boy, leading to his reluctance to share further. “They should be avoided at all costs.” He added with a grimace, recalling his irrational introduction that led a pair of students at risk to die.

Thomas’ eyes widened as the girl opened up, unsure of what led to this unfiltered honesty. The boy was not sure how he had earned her to confide in him the way she has. It was surely appreciated, the honesty, and more so than that, the fact she took responsibility for her mistakes. “You don’t owe anything to anyone, Opeila.” He paused, turning away from the waters to find her eyes. “Only to yourself.” He spoke with a slight nod. “You want to be the hero?” Thomas rose to his feet and the following words left his lips with a soft shrug. “Well don’t be.”

Then Opeila returned the question to ask what he wanted, which he swiftly deflected. “Doesn’t matter.” The many layers that made up the foundation of Thomas’ barriers were reminiscent of the gates of Troy. The only way one could enter would be through manipulation. At least at this moment. “He tricked you once. Be careful.” Thomas turned back to face the castle. “It’s getting late.” In other words, the boy was prepared to leave. But he would allow Opeila time to respond before departing.

Thomas asked her what good her meetings and sharing of informationhad done. He said that she inspired others to endanger themselves, get involved with things they didn't understand. Opeila nodded. "I guess I did. I'd almost go so far to say that solving this... whatever it is... requires people to be willing to endanger themselves to at least some extent. Acting is dangerous and so is not acting. So tell me, Thomas, what is the right thing to do? I am willing to take risks. And I hope that there are people, who think like that as well."

Opeila listened when the older boy told her about the hags. She looked at Thomas' face as he continued to say things that Opeila never even heard about. He ended, saying that they should be avoided.
How was it that he knew so much about them? That he talked to them? She narrowed her eyes a little when a thought came to her mind.
Was it possible that Thomas was just as innocent as she was in this? Meaning quite a bit less than the majority?

Opeila saw how Thomas' eyes widened. Had he not expected her to be so open to him? Probably not. But that was Opeila's point. Honesty was earned with honesty. Trust was earned with trust. If she wanted Thomas to be open to her, it was on her to make the first step.
He said that she didn't owe anything to anyone, except herself. That she shouldn't be the hero. Opeila interrupted him. "Don't. This has nothing to do with heroism, if it is not me trying to solve it on my own. In which case I would almost lean more towards the term martyrism. This is dangerous, we all saw it. Or felt it." She lifted the right leg of her trousers a few inches, revealing the black marks from the spider bites. "I am hoping for people to work with me, but I won't ask of anyone to actively endanger themselves. That is what I do. So please don't talk to me like I was looking for glory in this."

He got back to his feet, brushing off her question what it was that he wanted. His face revealed nothing, but that was almost message enough. Why would he try to hide his goals so badly?
He said that it was getting late, which was likely meant as a hint that he wanted to go back, but Opeila wasn't ready just yet. "You make your goals sound oddly mysterious. Why? How bad can they be? You know much about the hags. You talked to them." She got back to her feet as well now.

"Do I metaphorically hit the target in the middle, when I ask you what they asked from you for their help?" Why else would he hide it? How else would he know so much? "Were you tricked as well? Or is it worth the sacrifice to you? Or am I stumbling into the wrong direction?"

@Thomas Lestrange

The suggestion that endangering themselves and taking risks was a misguided necessity. Sure, Pei's desire to make a difference was admirable, but blindly ignorant. The facts are they are children at the end of their first year. Sticking their hands where they did not belong and mixing into the cauldron of chaos would only lead to a week long stay in the hospital wing, or worse. Thomas was confident in this as he was speaking from experience. He vaguely knew what the crones were capable of, and intervention from a group of pre-teens would prove a moot point.

Opeila's plan of action may not extend past creating a general awareness amongst the students and professors at this school. Though what others choose to do with this knowledge when they come to understand it may provide consequences. Not to mention the group that may try and meddle where they should not, putting themselves and others at risk for harm. "And will you still be willing to take risks with a crone's long nail at your throat?" The boy was speaking from experience.

Opeila's stance miffed the boy, leading to his digression. "Act if you want, but don't say I didn't warn you. Why do I even care? For the near two years, Thomas had been the epitome of a narcissist. He would actively subdue the little voice in his head that considered others, prioritizing what he wanted for himself. Now was the ideal time to sit back, after the attacks the professors are aware of the stakes, and likely know more than they let on. It was time to step back and evaluate how they handle the problem before taking matters into their own hands.

If not glory, then what? Thomas rolled his eyes, challenging the girl's intentions. A snake in a bed of snakes."What do you stand to gain, doing what you are?" We all had ulterior motives, most of all those representing the house of snakes. Opeila revealed the scars on her leg, to which Thomas' dissatisfied expression would fade into a blank stare. She was not the only one with battle scars.

The subject of Thomas' relationship with the hags was a sensitive one. It was not something he would discuss openly as Erin would. The boy was loyal to what he believed was helping him, even if it only provided the opposite effect. So as Opeila began to press further on the subject in a tactless manner, Thomas eyes narrowed into a piercing glare, shaking his head softly. "You know, Opeila..." Thomas casually glanced at the lake before presenting an open palm.

If for some odd reason Opeila took the boy's hand, he would use the advantage in strength to yank her into the lake. If Opeila did not take the boy's hand, he would reach for her hand and grip tightly before pulling her behind him to disturb the still waters.


No, this was not peiback for the girl pummeling him with pillows. It was a valuable lesson, not to overstep her boundaries with Thomas should they meet again. The truth was, the two shared a link that would likely continue over the years. It was best to establish what went too far. "Looks as if you're stumbling in the wrong direction. Literally, as if the sarcasm wasn't evident enough for her to receive the message. With that, Thomas turned away towards the castle, leaving Pei to her nighttime dip. "See you around, Seilun."

Thomas attempts to leave the thread unless stopped