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Post by Fate on Nov 10, 2010 16:14:58 GMT -5
Setting: It was nearly six in the evening, and the sun hung low over the western edge of the village. There was no curfew, yet many shopkeepers were winding up sales, hanging out their closed signs. Before long, the only public areas that shone out light from between their shutters were the pubs. Main Street was silent, as were the residential areas.
Date: Nov. 7th
What: The half moon was in the sky, visible above the trees as the sun finally made its full descent at 6:36 PM. And the Demons came out. They were particularly voracious, clawing at shutters and doors, and falling upon a hapless drunk. Only as swiftly as they descended, they fled, screeching.
Who: Anyone who wishes. The drunk is a squib, and so no interest to the demons.
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Post by //Scott Lane McCoy-- on Nov 14, 2010 23:05:17 GMT -5
‘Well that had to be my stupidest idea so far.’ Professor Scottie McCoy thought as he left the Hog’s Head. One long and bony hand gripped his head, latching onto a fistful of bright orange hair. After six years of drinking beer and other muggle alcohol, he had forgotten how strong firewhiskey was. Where he could hold down four mugs of beer and still act rather rationally, it had only taken three shots of the wizard drink to cause vision to blur. ‘Interesting, I will have to write that down.’
Scottie searched his pockets for the little book and pen that he usually kept in his pockets. His hands patted down his thighs and even his jacket in search of the prized possession. Instead, he turned up empty, nothing on him but a few sickles and his ID. “Damn.” He muttered, shaking his head, only causing the world to go into a tilt. The young man had forgotten how much he hated being drunk.
It didn’t take long though for the professor to come to the conclusion that he probably left the book at the bar. Why couldn’t he have remembered this before he was already a good five minute walk away? Most wizards would be able to apparate back to the pub but due to a mixture of drinking and the fact that the last time Scottie apparated was over six years ago, he didn’t attempt the risky method of transportation. Instead, he resolved to walk back to the pub. He didn’t want to risk his notebook going missing overnight.
On the way back, a screeching sound snapped Scott out of his drunken stupor. His muscles tightened under his t-shirt and his hands went searching through pockets once more. Except this time, he was looking for his wand. And again, his hands came back empty. The habit of carrying a wand at all times had left Scottie since his time in Muggle London. It was probably back at the castle sitting on his desk, completely useless. Whatever was out there, Scottie only had his wits to fight it. Actually, scratch that. The alcohol had compromised those.
If this thing was dangerous, he was screwed.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 14, 2010 23:46:15 GMT -5
Rip. Tear. Feast. Eat. Prey... A hulking creature descended from the nighttime shadows of Hogsmeade, stopping just behind its prey; It could smell the magic on him, magic that had been lying dormant for years. It smelled delicious. It went down low, ready to pounce on the drunken, oblivious man--
--Then suddenly, the brightly glowing specter of an owl floated slowly between the two of them.
To anyone who knew of the Wizarding world, it was obvious the bird was a patronus. But to the creature, it was a light, raw power source of just magic. The creature followed excitedly after the glowing owl, moving a few meters away from the drunken man that was its original prey.
"Back up," a tall, lank man seemed to appear out of nowhere, shouldering the drunken man back behind him. He wore muggle attire much like the creature's prey, in a muggle leather jacket and jeans. His bright emerald eyes followed the creature as it chased his patronus, pleased that it had fallen so easily for his trap. His homely scarred face scowled as he held something up at arms length.
Click. A muggle gun.
BANG BANG! The black-and-white haired man shot in two quick successions at the creature, and the men could see its silhouette write awkwardly as the shots hit. It screeched in pain. He aimed the gun again, firing a final shot. BANG. The creature fell still.
"What the bloody hell are you doing out in Hogsmeade in the middle of the night, drunk, with no bloody wand?!" The man turned around, looking the orange-haired man up and down disapprovingly. "You're lucky I was out looking for those bloody buggers, or you would have been its dinner. Idiot," He rolled his green eyes, stashing the gun away aw he pushed past the drunken man and towards the bar behind him. "There's no need to worry about it anymore," he called behind him in his American drawl, looking straight forward, "They only travel alone." He pushed the door to the bar open, entering inside. Curse Kameren hated using guns, and a small bit of firewhiskey would hopefully take the edge off things.
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Post by //Scott Lane McCoy-- on Nov 15, 2010 0:09:46 GMT -5
Scottie whirled around just in time to see the creature, black and fierce, about to pounce when its attention was drawn away by a silver light. The professor had to squint to identify it. A patronus of a bird of some sort, at least, as far as the drunken man could tell. The shadow animal gave chase to the patronus, making a gap of a few yards between Scottie and itself. At that moment, it was when Scott had decided to run but his attempts were thwarted as something else hit him. Hard.
The professor was thrown back as another man shouldered him with a barking command. Scott didn’t understand a word for he was desperately attempting to hold his firewhiskey down while trying to regain his balance. It wasn’t an easy feat but he when he was able to focus, Scottie tried to protest, to say he could help. Instead, his words were cut off by the explosion of gunshots. He snapped his eyes shut, fighting the urge to throw up while at the same time counting the shots. One. Two. Three. Each time, Scott shuddered at the loud noise.
Finally, when the shots subsided, that was when the strange man turned on him instead. Scottie half expected to receive a couple of bullets in his stomach but instead, he was assaulted with words. The stranger shouted at him about how dangerous it was to be out in the middle of the night in Hogsmeade without a wand and drunk on top of that. The rest was only noise as Scottie tried to figure why he would be in any danger at night. He never remembered Hogsmeade being all that dangerous at any time of the day. Sure, there were a couple bandits and drunks that could cause problems but they were nothing Scottie couldn’t handle, drunk or not.
“What the hell was that—“
Before Scottie could finish his question, the man had already pushed past him and into the nearest bar. He could only watch as the leather jacket disappeared through the doors. A chill ran down Scottie’s back, he didn’t want to be alone if there were more of those things. It didn’t take long for him to make the decision to follow his savior into the bar. Not that he had much of a choice anyway. It was either risk the rest of the walk to Hogwarts, drunk and wandless or stay somewhere safe until he was coherent enough to make the journey. Scott decided that the second was a far better choice; he also wanted to thank the stranger for saving his life and to prove he wasn’t just a drunken idiot.
Well, he kind of was but he had forgotten just how strong wizard alcohol was.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 15, 2010 1:49:18 GMT -5
"Firewhiskey, please. Only one." Curse took a seat at the half-empty bar, crossing his arms on the bar's wooden surface. His green eyes looked downward at the bar, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Since his first encounter with the creatures in London with his brother, Curse had found three more creatures: two in Wizarding London, and now in Hogsmeade. Hogwarts was the most concentrated magical area in the United Kingdom, full of inexperienced but magic-filled students; the creatures fed on magic. What would happen if the creatures found a way inside the gates?
The Potions Master sighed as the drunken man he had just saved entered the bar behind him. There was something about saving people's lives: they never left you alone after that. "He'll have water. Only water." Curse pointed in the orange-haired man's direction, and the bartender nodded. It was plain to see he didn't need any more alcohol tonight.
Curse turned on his stool at the bar, his emerald eyes analytical on the orange-haired man. "Who are you, anyway? Is that muggle hair dye?" He cocked a brow questioningly at the man, pulling out a stool for him to join him. Now that he got a good look at him, maybe this stupid bloke could be interesting after all.
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Post by //Scott Lane McCoy-- on Nov 15, 2010 7:50:33 GMT -5
"He'll have water. Only water."
Scott rolled his eyes as he entered the bar and heard the man’s voice informing the bar tender. Okay, he was drunk but it was three shots of firewhiskey, he wasn’t slobbering and braindead. Sure, he was a bit blurred, slow, and stupid but not enough to render him completely useless. If given the time and the use of a wand, Scottie had a feeling he could’ve taken on—whatever the hell that thing was.
He was tempted to go sit somewhere else at the bar; there was enough empty space for the professor to squeeze in somewhere else. Instead, the man had pulled out a stool for him, inviting him to sit down.
"Who are you, anyway? Is that muggle hair dye?" The man asked as Scottie reluctantly sat down and propped an elbow up on the bar, resting his aching head in his hand. Scott’s bright blue (for now) eyes widened as he got a good look at the older man. Actually, the man was the same age as Scott. In fact, the new muggle studies professor recognized him.
“Curse Kameron!” Scott couldn’t stop the name before it came out of his mouth. Once a Ravenclaw student, he had been in the same year as the orange-haired man until their fifth year. He was the unbelievably smart kid that took his NEWTS in his fifth year and passed. How could Scottie have forgotten? Yet, at the same time, Curse Kameron didn’t look fifteen anymore. Well, neither did Scott but Kameron had aged with white hairs, scars, and the whole lot.
Suddenly, the young man realized that he was being rude. “I’m Scott McCoy; we were in the same year at Hogwarts.” Scott offered his hand to the other man. “And yes, this would be muggle hair dye. My hair hasn’t been its natural color in fourteen years.” He couldn't help but smile. Even through the fog, Scott felt the excitement of seeing his first familiar face since returning ot the wizarding world. Well, at least somewhat familiar. They had been in the same year at Hogwarts, which counts right?
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 15, 2010 20:47:04 GMT -5
“Curse Kameron!” Curse looked at the man in surprise as he blurted his name, now wondering who he was. It was amazing the volume of people who knew who he was; true, he had a difficult face to forget, but he didn't think he was that recognizable. “I’m Scott McCoy; we were in the same year at Hogwarts.”
"Oh, right," Curse smiled in feigned recognition as he shook the man's hand; people frequently remembered him from school, though he had no idea who they were. Curse didn't pay attention to being social in his Hogwarts years. There were dozens of people in his graduating class that he'd never met, partially because he graduated so much earlier than the others did. The ex-aurors emerald eyes rolled ceilingward as he tried to recall. "Hmm, were you in my house? I think I recall perhaps an orange-haired teenager in my classes..." He smirked, pulling a small, thin bottle out of his leather jacket pocket. "Here," He rolled the bottle in front of the other man on the bar. "Helps drunkenness. Eases the fog a little bit." He smiled crookedly, trying to show the truth in what he said. If he was trying to kill him, he would have let the creature do it for him.
“And yes, this would be muggle hair dye. My hair hasn’t been its natural color in fourteen years.”
"Huh," Curse's eyes lingered for a second on the man's orange hair. "Why muggle dye? It would be easier to do it with magic," his nose wrinkled in disgust when a thought occurred to him. "Oh Merlin, you're not one of those muggle impersonators, are you?" The Potions Master shook his head. Bloody impersonators, with their turbans and footy-pajamas. They were tourists of the muggle world; even the blindest of muggles could point them out in a group. They had frequently caused problems for the half-blooded wizard in his auror days.
"So what have you been doing with yourself since Hogwarts?" Curse asked curiously. It was interesting for him to see how others of his age lived; his life was so upside-down so often, it was difficult for him to keep track of reality sometimes.
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Post by //Scott Lane McCoy-- on Nov 15, 2010 23:02:42 GMT -5
Scott McCoy’s smile grew a bit wider at the other man’s surprise. Though, the joy was short lived after Curse released his hand and there was another wave of pain. Headaches were always the worst part of being drunk, at least for Scott. He never saw the joy of downing alcohol as if the world was ending. All it brought was pain and misery to him. He barely caught Curse’s remark about house and before Scott could answer, the other Hogwarts alumni produced a bottle from his coat and slid to it the drunken man.
“Helps drunkenness. Eases the fog a little bit.”
Cautiously, Scott uncapped the bottle and took a sniff before tasting a bit of it. Indeed, it did clear the fog and took the edge off his headache. Taking just a little more, his senses came back into a little more focus and his thoughts were once again coherent. ‘Maybe there is an upside to magic.’ He thought, capping the bottle and placing it back on the bar. “Thanks mate.” He smiled gratefully, turning in his stool more to face Curse, not needing to prop his head up any longer. “And I was in Slytherin, not Ravenclaw. Though, we probably did share classes yet no orange hair.” He continued, pointing up at his hair. “I was rather fond of bright blue back in my school days.”
"Oh Merlin, you're not one of those muggle impersonators, are you?"
Scottie was taken a bit aback by the comment. He gave a snort of disgust and shook his head. “Those fools have no idea what they are doing.” He scoffed. “No, I was a rather avid Muggle Studies student. I knew what I was getting into when I moved into Muggle London. Lived there for nine years, never used any magic, not that I was ever any good at it anyway. And that was when I started using muggle dye. I never went back to using charms to change the color.” The muggle studies professor finished with a shrug as if it wasn’t a big deal. And to him, no longer was.
“And as for my adventures after Hogwarts, most of it was spent in Muggle London. It worked better for me than a life here. Though, I’m back now because I took the position up at Hogwarts as the new Muggle Studies professor. I’ve been after that job since I took my first Muggle Studies class my third year.” Scott smiled and practically shook with excitement as he was able to tell someone about his new position. He was now Professor McCoy, a title that the young man had never expected to receive. “How about you Curse?” He asked in return, highly curious in how his intellectually superior classmate had fared in the years since graduation.
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Post by Nuriko Elsywth on Nov 15, 2010 23:23:07 GMT -5
“I was rather fond of bright blue back in my school days.”
“Oy!” the door banged open, just as swiftly it was kicked shut by a short young woman with bright blue hair and mischievous eyes. “I thought blue hair was my shtick.” She winked at the man (was he drunk? God, it was only seven thirty or so!) and traipsed up to the bar.
“Hey teach!” She greeted Curse, sliding onto a barstool on his other side. She leaned forward around the potions teacher. “Surely you know a colleague when you see one, Prof?” She asked. “I mean, you all do sit together at meals, I’m unsure whether or not that grey stripe in your eye means you’re blind.” She chattered swiftly, before she took a deep breath and turned to the rather astonished looking bartender.
“Could y’all slip me a butterbeer? I’m parched.” she caught the foaming mug and took a long drink. “What is it you Brits say,” she asked the muggle studies teacher, “bloody hell? I like it.” She nodded firmly.
“Bloody ‘ell, those creatures are getting thicker.”
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 16, 2010 0:13:05 GMT -5
Curse smiled, listening fondly to Scott's stories of his life and experiences. He enjoyed listening to others' stories; they were often so much simpler than his. He wished he could be that way. His smile faded slightly when Scott asked him about his life. He really didn't know? Curse's ups and downs while in the Ministry were highly publicized throughout his career, and now his records were out; he had just assumed everyone knew his story. Many people he had met did, at least. But then again, if Scott truly was in the muggle world for so long, it was understandable that he didn't know. "Oh," The Potions Master ran a hand through his black-and-white hair, "where do I start--"
“Hey teach!” Curse turned as a familiar voice called to him, and he saw the blue-haired Ravenclaw from his advanced class approach the bar. “Surely you know a colleague when you see one, Prof?” She asked. “I mean, you all do sit together at meals, I’m unsure whether or not that grey stripe in your eye means you’re blind.”
"Only if you're sitting to my left," Curse took a sip of his firewhiskey. That was entirely true; though he knew Nuriko was sitting next to him and he could hear her, he could not see her next to him. "How did you know about my eye?" Curse glanced questioningly at the girl, turning his head to get a look at her.
“Bloody ‘ell, those creatures are getting thicker.
Curse cocked a brow at the girl; the creatures were yet another thing he didn't particularly want a student to know about. Hopefully Nuriko would keep her wits about her on who to tell and who not to when it came to the creatures. And also, keeping quiet about who was going out at night hunting them. There were several people who would have his head if they knew what he was doing, people from Hogwarts being the least of his worries. Alex would bloody kill him.
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Post by //Scott Lane McCoy-- on Nov 16, 2010 7:26:24 GMT -5
Scottie’s own smile faltered as he noticed Curse hesitate. Did he strike a chord? “Oh.” The other man started, and to the Muggle Studies professor, he looked nervous. “Where do I start—“
“I thought blue hair was my shtick.”
The Hogwarts professor watched wide-eyed as a young girl waltzed into the bar. She indeed had bright blue hair and judging by how she addressed Curse, a Hogwarts student. Scottie shifted uneasily in his stool, it probably wasn’t good for his reputation for a student to see him drunk before his classes even started. “I mean, you all do sit together at meals, I’m unsure whether or not that grey stripe in your eye means you’re blind.”
At first, Scott was going to interrupt with the fact that he had only been at the castle for about a week, not long enough to attend a big meal. Instead, he only focused on the gray strip that this girl, Nuriko, had mentioned. Along with the blind spot and the scars, Scott’s curiosity to learn about Curse’s past grew. Scott had his own scars but they seemed innocent next to the fellow Hogwarts alum's.
That was evaporated though when the girl mentioned the creatures. He had almost forgotten what surely would’ve been a traumatizing experience if he had been sober. During the conversation, he had all but completely skipped over the fact that Curse had saved him from—whatever those creatures had been. Again, he couldn’t help but ask.
“What were those things?” He asked, dropping his voice, seeing if he could get his question past the student. “Last time I was in Hogsmeade, the most you had to worry about was a couple of drunks.” Even Scottie would admit to sneaking out of the castle back when he was a student. He and his friends would explore Hogsmeade at night without a care. There were never these creatures out to kill them. The most danger that ever came from those expeditions was getting caught and angry teachers.
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Post by Nuriko Elsywth on Nov 17, 2010 0:25:12 GMT -5
"Only if you're sitting to my left," Curse took a sip of his firewhiskey. That was entirely true; though he knew Nuriko was sitting next to him and he could hear her, he could not see her next to him. "How did you know about my eye?"
Nuriko winked one emerald-green eye at her teacher. "Sorry teach, rather classified." She took another drink of the butterbeer, swinging her feet idly under the bar.
“What were those things?” He asked, dropping his voice, seeing if he could get his question past the student. “Last time I was in Hogsmeade, the most you had to worry about was a couple of drunks.”
“Been happenin’ for months, even in the summer, from what I can tell.” Nuriko conjured up a straw--she liked straws. Particularly in root beer, but she had long since learned that the wizarding Brits preferred butterbeer, and rarely did she find the sassafras drink.
“They’re attracted to magic, but they don’t seem to like light, and they don’t seem to be able to enter buildings.” She motioned to the closed shutters of the Hog’s Head, which occasionally rattled.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Nov 17, 2010 1:13:16 GMT -5
“What were those things?” He asked, dropping his voice, seeing if he could get his question past the student. “Last time I was in Hogsmeade, the most you had to worry about was a couple of drunks.”
"I wish it were still that simple, my friend," Curse smirked at the other professor as he took another, substantially longer drink of his firewhiskey. "Things change quickly in our world lately. The creatures appear out of nowhere, materializing out of the shadows after dark. They feed on magic; they can smell it and are drawn to it. I'm not quite sure what they're made of because they bloody disintegrate as soon as I kill them," the Potions Master's voice took on an annoyed tone. His curiosity for the creatures was endless, but if he could never get close enough to study them alive, and they disappeared once they were dead, how could he learn about them? "I've looked them up, but it appears there's never been anything like them. Nothing fits their description."
“They’re attracted to magic, but they don’t seem to like light, and they don’t seem to be able to enter buildings.” The shutters seemed to shake on cue as Nuri spoke.
Curse's hand casually fell towards his gun at his hip, taking another sip of firewhiskey. He wasn't supposed to drink; it was a rule set down by his doctors from Mungo's, that he doesn't partake in any substances, save for his smoking. The professor hadn't had a drink in months, though; it wouldn't hurt him to have only one glass. He couldn't have any beyond that, anyway. He couldn't let anything impede his aim if they came across another creature.
"Now if only I could figure out what's causing them..." The ex-auror ran a hand through his hair, leaning tiredly on the bar. He still hadn't completely recovered his energy from the night of the first attack, but he was used to pushing himself. It was more important that he find out what was causing these creatures to appear. After all, these creatures were attracted to Kameren blood. The curses ingrained in the Kameren's blood was filled with magic; which meant Alex and Curse would be targets, the first to be hunted out of a group. And there was another Kameren to worry about, as well; Max was too headstrong to stay cooped up in the castle for long, and the young wizard would be a simple target to attack. he needed to make sure these creatures were eradicated. For his son's sake.
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Post by //Scott Lane McCoy-- on Nov 17, 2010 7:37:14 GMT -5
"Things change quickly in our world lately. The creatures appear out of nowhere, materializing out of the shadows after dark. They feed on magic; they can smell it and are drawn to it.”
“They’re attracted to magic, but they don’t seem to like light, and they don’t seem to be able to enter buildings.”
Scott jumped as the shutters rattled in sync with their words. Weary blue eyes glanced at the barred windows, the only protection between them and whatever was outside. For one of the first times in nine years, the man wondered what his family was doing. He had not seen or heard anything from them since he left. Not even when he returned to the wizarding world, he never thought to drop them a letter or stop in. Though, the eldest McCoy son was sure that letter would be promptly burned and he would be kicked out of the house if he arrived. He couldn’t help but worry anyways, even if he wasn’t on good terms with the rest of the family, they were still family. And what about his brother?
‘He’s an adult now.’ The professor had to tell himself, his brother at this point could definitely defend himself much better than Scottie. At that moment, the man seriously considered sending a letter, despite the likely consequences and events that were to follow.
The muggle studies professor shook off the thoughts, not now. “These things only attack people with magic they can feed off of?” Scott grumbled to himself, thinking it over. He had excelled at Care of Magical Creatures, mostly because it was a subject that had not required spells but as the former Slytherin shuffled through his book mentally; he never read anything similar to that. Shadows that feed of magic, disappear when killed. “Sounds like someone used a rather dark curse or magical item to bring them about.” Scott speculated, tapping his fingers out on the bar, a rather annoying nervous habit of his. “I remember my Care of Magical Creatures textbook cover to back, there was nothing of the like in there. Now, on the other hand, I was never skilled at Defense Against the Dark Arts but that sounds like dark magic to me if anything ever did.” Scott’s voice shook a bit as he spoke. He wasn’t certain about his conclusion, especially since he only managed an A on his OWLS for DADA though, it sounded logical to him.
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Post by Nuriko Elsywth on Nov 18, 2010 19:42:46 GMT -5
"Now if only I could figure out what's causing them..."
Nuriko’s expression was far away, her left foot tapped idly on the stool’s rung. Her blue hair grew out, she twisted her fingers in it as she thought. “Y’know, its only the U.K. that’s been afflicted with these creatures… Perhaps it has something to do with the rest of the strange occurrences, all that magic goin’ awry and all.” And the New Powers… how much does he know about them? I know he’s an ex-auror, but how much does he keep in touch with them?
“Sounds like someone used a rather dark curse or magical item to bring them about.” Scott speculated, tapping his fingers out on the bar, a rather annoying nervous habit of his. “I remember my Care of Magical Creatures textbook cover to back, there was nothing of the like in there. Now, on the other hand, I was never skilled at Defense Against the Dark Arts but that sounds like dark magic to me if anything ever did.”
Nuriko yanked briefly on her ear-length hair as she thought. “ Perhaps, Prof. I wouldn’t rule it out. I can’t help but think they must be related to these fluctuations in magic.”
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