Welcome to Until The End. We are a moderate Harry Potter role-playing site set in the Marauder's Era. Our plot is generally derived from details in the book, but as an AU site we do take liberties most anywhere we like. Those who died in the books can have a second chance at living, and those who lived are always at risk.
Tom Marvolo Riddle has long since disappeared and in his stead Lord Voldemort has risen, bringing a small army with him. The Ministry of Magic has thus far ignored the growing menace that is the Death Eaters and Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to defend the wizarding community from an evil he knows is building. War is coming. Pick a side!
School's Out For Summer
The Hogwart's Express has pulled up to the station in King's Cross station and the summer holidays have officially begun. What mischeif will you get into in the warm summer sun?
*Coming Soon* - Summer Solstice Carnival
Travel by portkey to the biggest summer celebration in wizard society - The Summer Solstice Carnival! There will be food, games, prizes, fun and more!
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down.
L
ily wasn't the only distinguishable character in the crowd, though Lyra's beacon wasn't quite the fire bright hair so much as a certain vivaciousness in her every step. The woman had assets, and she certainly knew how to use them, instinctively.
Emara smiled, but the pleasantness of seeing her friend quickly died as she saw the blonde snubbed by her parents. There was a slight curl of disgust on Sam's lips as she approached the older girl, but was quickly removed as she reached her side.
"Admit it, you miss all this. Throngs of people, chaos and of course plenty of sheeple to tell to move." she said with a small knowing smile.
Lyra was one of the few people Sam considered a friend, she didn't toss her Mary Sunshine act in Lyra's face, and sometimes the girls could be downright bitchy. It wasn't always so between them, at first Sam was pretty sure Lyra hated her or at least the act she put on for others. Lyra didn't know half of the reasons why she should have really hated Emara, and Emara planned on keeping it that way.
Out of respect, she didn't comment on the interaction she witnessed between Lyra and her parents. Nadya was a monster who had forced unendurable tortures on her daughter, but she was nothing but the picture of doting loving mother in front of others. To the emotionally stunted character that Sam was, being publicly snubbed was on par with the cruciatus, and she wouldn't debase her friend further by showing pity or sympathy, and filled the moment with a glib remark by way of greeting.
The truth was Lyra was better off now anyways. She might not be marred as her parents had hoped, but Lyra made connections most of wizarding society would kill for, the fact that she was also a Nott put her in a prime position for a proposal - if that's what Lyra wanted. Unfortunately, the girl only wanted Julian who was still MIA.
Edited Jun 28, 2018 21:32:44 GMT -8 By Elara Sayre
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine had the good fortune of not interacting with the rest of Nik's family very often. They did meet upon occasion at various social events, and Christine was more than capable of playing nice, but it wasn't her preferred company.
She too was taken off guard at times that Nicholas was a Malfoy, in name if nothing else. But her uncle Aedan had more or less raised Nik after his father died, so she supposed that accounted for the differences. Nik was a good man, he was fair and protective - and could be quite ruthless when the time came - but there's nothing he wouldn't do for the people he loved. Christine fit snugly in that category and had only been the recipient of Nik's favor - a Malfoy yet lurked beneath the surface to others who weren't so beloved. Lyra had experienced Nik's less attractive side in the past - though now they were attached to one another.
Christine could sense a shift in Nik's affections, but at the end of the day his loyalty was to Sam. It was almost obsessive, but then love could be like that. Christine wouldn't know - she had never been in love.
When Nik returned with the trolley she began helping Lily move her things over. "Do you have any plans for the summer Lil?"
Strangely enough, the time when Lily regretted her Muggleborn status was not during the term, when she found herself surrounded by purebloods and halfbloods who'd lived in the magical world all their lives, some of whom made a point of rubbing it in regularly. No, she could deal with that, and the fact that she was beating most of them in classes very definitely did not hurt. The redhead's grades were important to her; they were her proof, if any were needed, that she belonged in the magical world as much as any Malfoy or Fawley or Black did.
No, the times when it irritated her generally occurred during the long summer holidays, when she was subjected to months on end of being effectively cut off from the vast majority of her magical friends- Christine, for example. There was always Severus, of course, but that was different. He lived on the other side of town and she didn't seem to be seeing so much of him these days, for reasons which seemed to be rather difficult to pin down.
"You mean apart from keeping as far out of the sun as possible?" Lily queried with a grin. With her hair colour and skin tone, it sometimes seemed as though she could barely step out of the door without turning bright red. "Not much."
[newclass=.congrats]opacity:0;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s[/newclass][newclass=.congrats:hover]opacity:0.7;transition:all linear 1s;-webkit-transition:all linear 1s;background-color:#fff[/newclass]
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine rolled her eyes, "There are charms for that." she said unwittingly. She knew Lily's parents were muggles. Sometimes Christine would ask Lily questions about muggle culture and contraptions, they might not have had magic, but cellphones were pretty damn useful. So were a thousand other muggle inventions. Maybe they weren't as useful to a wizard, and heaven knew the magical community liked to turn their nose down at anything muggle related, but Christine wasn't so obtuse or set in her ways not to see the brilliance of muggle technology.
Christine never spoke with condescension about the muggle way of life, instead she held curiosity and fascination for every way of life. That was just Christine's personality.
But it was a privilege not many people had. She didn't readily understand that Lily would be sequestered away for an entire summer without the magical community around her. At home Christine could practice magic with her family openly, and never worry about the trace because there were no muggles at Castle Eire and no concern about Christine performing magic with the supervision of her parents. When put in that perspective, Lily's grades and natural aptitude for magic was really quite astounding.
"Are you at least going to the Summer Solstice Carnival?"
It would be Christine's last event before joining her uncle in Egypt.
It was the best of times and it was the worst of times.
49 posts
1 like
Post by Lily Jane Evans on Jun 29, 2018 15:04:04 GMT -8
[googlefont="Pacifico"]
Lily Evans
"Which would be a whole lot more useful if I was allowed to use magic over summer," the redhead returned levelly, leaning against the handle of her trolley. Generally, she didn't get upset when Christine made slips like that. Lily was well aware that the girl didn't do it on purpose; it was just that their lifestyles were so different that each sometimes found it difficult to remember that they didn't share the same set of circumstances. But today, of all days, it hit her a little harder. Because Lily was firmly of the opinion that it just wasn't fair.
She was well aware of the fact that there were some members of magical society who would rather that she did not belong to the magical world; that had been made abundantly clear to her from the day that she had first entered it. But to be effectively thrown out of it for over a month once a year, regularly... Well, that made Lily uncomfortable. How, she wanted to know, were Muggleborns expected to perform as well as the rest of their classmates if they missed at least six out of the fifty two weeks of the year that offered an opportunity to practise? And the simple answer was that they weren't.
Lily tilted her head. "I hope so. I'm not sure yet."
Post by Lyra Ophelia Nott on Jun 29, 2018 22:25:33 GMT -8
Figures moved into the place where her parents had been only moments ago and Lyra turned her attention inward. She missed her parents greatly and she still felt deeply ashamed for the part she played in her own disownment. It was an illogical feeling, that was for certain. Julian had tried to explain it to her so many times, and there were moments when she both understood and believed him, but those moments were fleeting and without him around to insist that she did nothing wrong, that it was her parents who had been at fault in using their eldest daughter as nothing more than a prized pig to be sold to the highest bidder and set themselves up for disappointment, Lyra couldn’t fight the feeling that the cold looks from her father were completely justified.
She was torn from her public display of melancholy by a familiar and welcomed voice. Lyra turned to see Emara standing beside her, looking the perfect picture of high class traveler. You would never have known from looking at her that she had been the victim of a terrifying kidnapping only about a month or so ago. Lyra’s expression of forlorn shifted quickly into an honest smile. “It’s like a nightclub without the music, booze, or hot blokes to throw myself at.” She grinned and pulled Emara in for a hug. “How have you been, love?”
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine frowned realizing her mistake instantly as Lily corrected her about being unable to use magic. She grimaced, then brightened a little, "Yeah, but you'll have TV - it's TV right, not television?" she asked trying to keep the lingo straight, "and there's that movie coming out about that Shark or something!" Christine smiled grasping at little pieces of muggle life that were also quite enjoyable. She had asked Lily to tell her all about the muggle world and during their Easter Holiday Christine had begged her parents to let her see a movie at a place called a "theater" though it was much different than the playhouse she usually went to with her family. It was there she had seen a trailer for a terrifying movie about a large shark - Christine desperately wanted to see "Jaws" as soon as it came out and it was coming out soon if she could remember correctly.
They didn't have TVs in the wizarding world, they didn't make movies either. Sure they had moving photographs and charmed objects and books that could read to you, but the things muggles were able to do, the way they were able to capture stories and recreate them on a television or movie house was nothing short of magical.
"And Aerosmith." she said as though that made up for all the things that Lily would miss out on. Christine had a huge crush on Steven Tyler and David Bowie was nothing short of a god in her eyes.
Finally she gave the younger girl a soft smile, "And if your parents don't have a problem with it, you could come stay at Castle Eire for a few days and we can take you to the Solstice festival." she offered.
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies.
O
f course Nicholas noticed when Emara moved away from them. He was typically aware of her movements and familiar with the way she thought.
He too witnessed Lyra's encounter with her parents and fought the urge to stand by her, Merlin knew that would shut them up and quickly at that. One of the few perks of being a Malfoy - even if he didn't think the way the rest of his family did - was that he was still given all the deference in the wizarding world. He wasn't above using that deference now and again.
He would have used it then just to ease Lyra's upset, but Sam had already walked to the girl and now they were hugging. Nik didn't want to intrude. So long as he could keep an eye on them he was happy, even if it did make him uncomfortable.
He caught the tail end of Christine's offer - and none of the more informative pieces of conversation - and turned his attention back to the girls in front of him.
"The Summer Solstice Carnival is quite entertaining." he agreed.
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down.
E
mara laughed, "You're right, it's awful, let's go home slip into something less comfortable and hit the town tonight." she said that spark of mischief in her eyes. Everyone had been treating her with kid gloves since the incident and that wasn't what Sam needed.
She needed to feel in control. She needed to go out and dance with some loser who thought he'd get lucky and then reject him out of hand. The charms and elixirs Emara had either purchased or brewed were fine at dulling the fear, but it did nothing for her anger, or her need to regain what she had lost - power.
Then Lyra hugged her and she sighed. It was only for a moment, but she hugged the other woman back. "I'm fine, I don't want to talk about it."
She just wanted to move on. But that was impossible.
Everyone was so sorry for what had happened, they admired Emara for her strength and courage, the way she was keeping it all together, but none of them knew the truth. None of them knew that she was the villain in the tale and that a young man had lost his life because of her villainy. She couldn't reconcile the guilt so she buried it and didn't let it bother her except in the quietest of moments. Now all she wanted to do was take a break from acting like a brave but wounded gazelle. She wanted to unleash the real beast within her and take no prisoners.
It was the best of times and it was the worst of times.
49 posts
1 like
Post by Lily Jane Evans on Jun 30, 2018 7:57:35 GMT -8
[googlefont="Pacifico""]
Lily Evans
"Hmm," Lily agreed, though with a definite lack of enthusiasm. So far as she was concerned, TV was no substitute for the entirety of the wonderful world of magic, but that was the price that she had to pay, she supposed. It was far better to live in the magical world for ten months out of the year and spend the remainder in missing it horrifically than never to have known that it existed at all. Or was it? It was difficult to say. On the whole, Lily thought that she was in favour of the Statute of Secrecy- because she just couldn't imagine being a Muggle living in a magical world with the knowledge that you would never be able to be a real part of it. Merlin, that would be sheer torture.
She rolled her eyes with a fond smile at Christine's little obsession. Personally, Lily wasn't all that fussed with Aerosmith, and neither was she hugely keen on horror films although she didn't doubt that she'd probably end up having to see it anyway. The film was one of those which was going to be too big to avoid, and it was probably all that they'd be showing for the next six months in any case. Still, the redhead did perk up a bit at the older girl's suggestion. Lily certainly had no objection to spending some time with Christine, and the fact that she would be in a magical house would definitely help her to get over her withdrawal symptoms prior to returning to school. Plus, it would be way easier to get to the carnival. "That'd be great!" she agreed sunnily, and then jumped nearly a foot in the air at the Malfoy man's voice- she'd thought he'd wandered off somewhere...
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine couldn't imagine leaving magic behind for any extended period of time. There were times during her travels with her uncle where she wasn't able to use magic and would be forced to leave her wand aboard the ship while they docked on land. She made many sacrifices for travel, but that was a her own choice. Lily was forced into magical abstinence whenever she went home, that must have been awful.
Christine nodded,"Great! It's settled then." assuming Lily's parents were okay with the idea - it must have also been difficult to watch your child leave home for the majority of the year and be a part of a world that you had no place in.
She smiled when Nik rejoined the conversation shaking her from the melancholy thoughts. She also didn't realize how on edge Nik made Lily, he was so different than the rest of the Malfoys where Lily's apprehension would have been understandable. To Christine, Nik was just Nik, she grew up with him more or less, he had always been protective of her so there was nothing to fear.
It was the best of times and it was the worst of times.
49 posts
1 like
Post by Lily Jane Evans on Jul 1, 2018 12:20:28 GMT -8
[googlefont="Pacifico""]
Lily Evans
Lily grinned and nodded in return."It's settled," she agreed, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement in the pit of her stomach. On the one hand, she did feel guilty about going off and leaving her parents and Petunia when she didn't see them for the majority of the year as it was, but on the other... well, magic and magical people had an irresistible allure to them, at least as far as the redhead was concerned, and in any situation where they made up one of the options then, Lily was somewhat ashamed to admit, there could never really be any choice.
She loved magic. It was a fact of life, it was the basis of her existence, and then again, it was always new and exciting; there was always more to discover. And Lily was a glutton for the thrill of discovery. It worried her, if she was honest, that she found it so easy to choose magic over her parents. She'd always tried to avoid being selfish, and yet she seemed to have managed it nevertheless. It was rather depressing.
Skies are blue, and the dreams you dare to dream, really do come true.
C
hristine shared Lily's smile until it waned as the younger girl turned introspective. Christine frowned, "You were happy for all of a half a second there Lil, is everything alright?" she asked showing genuine concern.
Lily wouldn't know it, but the girl's dilemma over leaving her parents was one Christine was well accustomed to. Christine felt the same way about traveling and adventure as Lily felt about Magic. There was something in the wind calling her and pulling her away as though destiny awaited whatever new journey was on the horizon and Christine was helpless but to answer the call. She knew it was selfish in a lot of ways, but thankfully her parents were nothing but supportive - even if it killed her father every time she left.
They made up for it by buying a cottage in Hogsmeade that they rented for most of the month with exception to the Hogsmeade weekends when Christine had some time to spare. And of course Christmas and Easter vacation were sacred - Christine never traveled during those times. The rest was settled by constant owls and a magic two way mirror that allowed Christine to see her family during her trips and anytime at school when an owl wouldn't cut it.
It was the best of times and it was the worst of times.
49 posts
1 like
Post by Lily Jane Evans on Jul 1, 2018 13:02:31 GMT -8
[googlefont="Pacifico""]
Lily Evans
Called unexpectedly out of the depths of her thoughts, the redhead blinked and shook her head in an attempt to shake off the clouds which had, metaphorically speaking, begun to gather around her head. "Fine," she assured her friend with a soft and distinctly unconvincing smile. Was she? Well, not exactly, no, but she was probably as close to it as she was going to get for the foreseeable future and so there was really no point in pleading otherwise. And even if there had been, Lily probably wouldn't have. It was one of the many faults and flaws which she enumerated within her character. The inability to admit her feelings, admit her problems and ask for help.
Of course Lily missed her parents, but the fact remained that as time went on, she found herself growing ever more distant from them, and she didn't know what to do about it. They were inhabiting different worlds now, and even if Lily wanted to, she could never go back to the world that her family lived in. And she didn't want to. She had an amazing gift which she was nowhere near to fully exploring, and she was intent on making use of it. Damn right the redhead wanted a job which would allow her to use her magic. And another thing; she was a Muggleborn in a pureblood-centric world. And the magical world would stay that way forever if anyone of a similar descent to Lily chose to return to the world that they'd been born into. Lily didn't like to admit defeat.
Post by Lyra Ophelia Nott on Jul 1, 2018 19:57:56 GMT -8
The idea of getting dolled up – more so than she normally did, which was already pretty doll-like – and having a witches’ night out was appealing, though their last night out to a nightclub together had resulted in a drunken confrontation with a group of rowdy men and Julian having come to save her. Lyra wished to avoid a replay of the first portion and knew the second half occurring again was nothing more than wishful thinking. She didn’t know when Julian was coming home, she didn’t even know where in the world he was, but she knew him well enough to know he wasn’t anywhere close enough that he could apparate to her if she were in trouble. If he was that close, he would have come to her by now, and as it were, there had been radio silence for seven months. “Yeah, alright.” She could do with a night out.
Lyra gave a glance back over to where her parents had just been standing, but a group of Ravenclaws were exchanging their goodbyes there now. Lyra turned back and gave Emara an understanding smile. “Believe me, if anyone understands it’s most certainly me.” Lyra made a motion as if she were pulling a zip across her lips. Emara wanted to avoid talking about the kidnapping. Lyra could relate. After her own brush with an abduction, Lyra refused to speak about it with almost anyone. A few times she had mentioned it to Nik when her emotions overwhelmed her but that had only been because it was Nik who had been there to rescue her. She didn’t speak of it to Emara or Christine. It came up only in passing to Julian, as neither of them wanted to confront what might have happened had Nik not been there. It was months before even her therapist had managed to get her top open up about it. If Emara didn’t want to talk of the incident, Lyra wouldn’t push her. Not yet. At least, she would try her damnedest to real in her natural urge to fix everything and just give her friend some space.