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 worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies.
N
ik, as inconceivable as it was, laughed at Lyra's butchered understanding of the French language.
"He had romantic affection for Sam." Nik explained, then shook his head, "I don't know Lyra..." he sighed. He couldn't tell Lyra the truth, or at least what he suspected to be the truth. It would only upset her further and possibly put him even more at odds with Emara, which was the last thing he wanted.
"Sam is in full politics mode - turning the entire affair into an act for positive publicity." he shrugged, "She's being Sam." he said as though that were statement enough. Meanwhile Nik was drinking all of Lyra's alcohol - okay a couple of glasses of alcohol that were doing nothing to dispel his anger, fear, or frustration.
Post by Lyra Ophelia Nott on Jul 3, 2018 0:06:58 GMT -8
Nik laughed and although it was more in a “with her” sense as opposed to an “at her” sense, she still didn’t like it. "He had romantic affection for Sam."“Then bloody say that next time,” Lyra grumbled under her breath as she took another drink of straight vodka and winced at the bite. She listened to Nik complain, and she could recognize it as complaining even though he was attempting to come off casual with it. Lyra understood his frustration at Emara’s playing politics, she didn’t like the way Emara went all robot when things got too real, but Nicholas was much more accustomed to it than Lyra was. He took it in stride more, at least outwardly, but it drove Lyra mad and there had been several times in the past when Lyra had frustratedly snapped at Emara to just let herself feel something. It was hypocritical of her to demand such a thing, or at least poorly timed, as Lyra was often in the midst of an emotional breakdown when these words sprung from her mouth. Despite having trouble regulating her own emotions and organizing her own feelings into something manageable, Lyra continued to push her friends to be better. She wanted to do the same with Nik now, but that wasn’t going to help him at the moment.
She had only one more question, and she could guess at the answer already but she still had to ask. “Is she staying at the school, or is her mum allowing her to come home?” What would have been best for Emara, was to allow her to come home to the safety of her family, where they could keep an eye on her and make sure she spoke to someone about the event. What Nadya was sure to have requested was to keep Emara at Hogwarts through the end of the term, because why bother taking care of your own child in their time of need. Nadya was a real piece of work.
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies.
N
ik was well accustomed to Sam's political ways indeed. In all the years he had known her - which was her entire life - he had only seen her break down once, and even then he was breaking down just as hard. The night she learned Aedan Sayre was dead. Nik had lost a mentor, a father, a friend, and Emara had lost the only parent she had that cared for her. Aedan had meant so much to all of them, Nik, Emara, the rest of the Sayres, and Emara never lost hope that he would come for her. It had killed Nik to watch the hope fade from Sam's eyes.
Even then Nadya had been a monster. He didn't know how the woman had revealed Aedan's death to Sam, but he was certain it wasn't kind, gentle or sympathetic. Nik had been on his way to their estate to give Emara the news personally when she found him - begged him - to tell him that it wasn't true. It was the first and last time he had ever seen her fall apart. As much as he wanted Sam to deal with her emotions properly, he never wanted to see such pain on her face again.
When Lyra asked about Nadya, Nik laughed again, this time clearly derisively, "Nadya is in Sao Paulo. She asked me to deal with this, and you know as well as I do that I have no control when it comes to Emara's decisions."
The only person Sam did listen to - and grudgingly at that - was Nadya, but Nadya's method of encouragement was less civil than a Dementor's at Azkaban.
Post by Lyra Ophelia Nott on Jul 10, 2018 20:31:36 GMT -8
This time when Nik laughed it was clearly directed at the idea of Nadya being a decent mum – or at least a decent human being, and not at Lyra’s ignorance. She heaved an exasperated sigh, her eyes expressing a sad understanding that Nik’s words confirmed only a few seconds later. “Is that in Bulgaria?” Not that it would have made much of a difference if Emara’s mum had gone back to her home country to be with family or friends at this moment, instead of with her daughter where she belonged, but maybe it would soothe Nik’s ruffled feathers just a touch if he thought that perhaps Nadya was attempting to cope in her own, horrible way. Lyra didn’t care what anyone thought of that horrid woman, she just didn’t like to see Nik upset and if they weren’t going to be allowed to bring Emara home after such a tragedy then Nik would be taking the brunt of Lyra’s intrusive style of caring. If she found anything wrong in her attempts to make her friends feel better, she might have had the foresight to feel sorry for Nik having to put up with her but even when her plans went awry Lyra insisted she was only doing what was needed. She was a well-intentioned time bomb.
“Come on,” she said, setting her glass on the tray in front of them, and then taking Nik’s from his hand and doing the same. She rose from the sofa and looked down at him. “We’re going out. If we’re going to get pissed, I want a martini and a round of darts.” Lyra didn’t know how to play darts, though that never stopped her from joining a game and losing horribly. It was all for fun in her eyes anyway and at least this way they could occupy their minds with something other than worry for their friend who they could do nothing for at the moment.
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies.
"B
razil." Nik said tersely, "Too busy fucking the cabana boy to come home and deal with her daughter's attempted kidnapping."
Nadya was a piece of work. The woman never missed an opportunity to torture her only daughter. Nik imagined the hatred came from some misplaced jealousy over Aedan's love for Emara, over anyone really who stole the spotlight, and yet she insisted on Emara's popularity and perfection. If Emara wasn't the best, brightest, or most beloved, it was a blemish on Nadya's abilities as a mother - a veritable insult to Nadya's own perceived perfection. And Nadya did not tolerate insults.
Thinking about the woman set Nik's teeth on edge, but Lyra was quick to take his mind away from the budding anger.
At her suggestion he almost refused. Now wasn't the time to get pissed and play darts. Surely it wasn't the time. But why the fuck not?
Even though Nik was exhausted by recent events, those same events had him so riled up he was sitting on a mountain of emotional energy. He couldn't release his anger on Nadya, she was out of the country and even if she were there her indifference would only make him more furious. He couldn't release his love on Emara, doing so before had resulted in a hasty (and quite terrible) marriage proposal. Besides, she was too busy throwing a fucking memorial for the asshat that attacked her.
At the moment, Lyra's plan to get shit faced and blow off steam suddenly seemed like the only sane option - even if it wasn't "proper" it was right, more right than indifference anyway.
With one last mental "fuck it", Nik stood and gave Lyra a small smile of gratitude, "As you wish."
Post by Lyra Ophelia Nott on Jul 18, 2018 22:43:01 GMT -8
There were plenty of local places to visit if they just wanted to throw darts and drink, but Lyra was particular and in this moment she wanted to go to the Green Fairy in Quizzic Alley, which was a cross between a dive pub and a high-end lounge. In 40 years its patrons would be labeled “hipsters” who enjoyed the irony of wearing posh clothing and being served drinks at well-worn tables by a man with a handlebar mustache while a pianist played modern songs in vintage styling. It wasn’t the sort of place Lyra insisted of going to often, but it was fun and bizarre enough that it would take both their minds off the troubles they had been discussing in her flat.
“Alright, I’ve got the first round,” she said as she wiggled through the maze of tall tables with a handful of darts she’d just gotten from the bartender, “the next one’s on you.” They had found a table near one of the open dartboards. It was a high table with tall chairs to match, upon which Lyra had to hop a little in order to slide into the seat. Thankfully, her heels added a bit of height which would help as she got up and down from the table to take her turn or to dance when a good song began to play. Only a few minutes after Lyra returned to the table – the darts having been separated now by color and Lyra having charmed the black set to shimmer with gold glitter – a waitress came by and asked for their drink order. “Cosmopolitan,” she answered, flashing the woman a smile and smoothing the skirt of her figure hugging dress as she sat. “Nik?”
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies.
F
or once Nik didn't care where they went so long as there was liquor available. He appeared far older than his 20 years, as he mindlessly stumbled behind the blonde allowing her to drag him along.
It wasn't until Lyra addressed him for his drink order that he even realized they had made it to the bar.
It took him a moment to respond. Ordinarily Nik was particular about the places they went and the quality of alcohol he consumed. It may have been snobbish, but Nik enjoyed the best, and with rare exception, enjoyed classier establishments - mostly he didn't want to be bothered as his family and face were well known in the wizarding community.
"Just bring the bottle of the strongest shit you have..." he said drawing a small pouch of coins from his pressed suit and dropping it on the waitress's tray, he glanced up at Lyra, "… and keep her glass full until she tells you to stop."
When the waitress left he shrugged at Lyra, "If you're putting up with my surly ass all night, the least I can do is cover your drinks."
He took in his surroundings finally and was relieved that, with any luck, no one would recognize them should Nik proceed to get shitfaced.
Post by Lyra Ophelia Nott on Jul 24, 2018 18:18:57 GMT -8
On instinct, Lyra rolled her eyes and gave her head a shake as Nik ordered a whole bottle of liquor without even caring what kind it was. He could be so melodramatic – and that was saying something, coming from Lyra! But she quickly recovered herself and adopted a more neutral expression. She understood that he was hurting and this was the way he had chosen to handle it. She would support him and make sure he didn’t do anything to embarrass himself or wind up in a tabloid magazine by morning. Well, she would try, at least. Lyra too was feeling the unsettling weight of the news of Emara’s near kidnapping and although Nik loved Emara in a completely different way than Lyra did, Lyra loved the witch nonetheless. Loads of drinks would be had tonight, and perhaps she would be able to get him to order a real drink at some point, and at least have a little fun. If he attempted to drink straight from the bottle, Lyra wouldn’t know what to do with herself or with him. She prayed it wouldn’t come to that.
“Let’s see if you can throw darts as well as you throw your money around, eh?” She leaned over the table as she spoke, ensuring he could hear her over the noise of the pub. Sliding a set of red darts in his direction, she added, “you want to aim for the red bit in the middle, I’m told.” She grinned at him.